Compiling a SuperBasic program

[pjw]

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The file name contains a dot - You need to put it in quotes.

That was exactly to sort of brick wall I ran into on the first day with my
new QL! I spent hours trying to figure out how to work with that weird
hybrid device string that isnt really a string. I dont remember the exact
details, but it was something similar, and it almost drove me crazy! Since
then I neurotically always quote device names. To that end, once hotkeys
became available I coded the following few keys:

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501 ERT HOT_KEY("'", "''" & CHR$(192))
502 ERT HOT_KEY('@', '""' & CHR$(192))

501 -> ALT + ' => two single quotes with cursor in between
502 -> ALT + SHIFT ' => two double quotes with cursor in between

Of course that requires some form of hotkey toolkit loaded with your boot
file, so perhaps its too early for some - and too late for others..

Here are some more for the inbetweeners:

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503 ERT HOT_KEY(')', '()' & CHR$(192))
504 ERT HOT_KEY('(', '("")' & FILL$(CHR$(192), 2))
505 ERT HOT_KEY('~', '(#)' & CHR$(192))

503 -> ALT + ) => two brackets with cursor in between, and
504 -> ALT + ( => two brackets encompassing a set of double quotes with
cursor in between, and finally
505 -> ALT + SHIFT + # => Set of brackets with cursor following hash,
usful for functions taking a channel number.

Before we had a decent line editor I had similar keys just to move the
cursor to the start or end of a line. That saved some hassle, but is not
needed in Minerva or SMSQ/E.

PS: Its possible some of the keys used dont match your own, depending on
keyboard, platform and host OS. Just adjust accordingly or chose different
ones. And for your sanity’s sake, preferably ones that work the same
across all the QL systems you use!