Q36806: Softkey String for KEY 10 Has 5-Character Maximum Display

Article: Q36806
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 1.00 1.02 2.00 2.01 3.00 4.00 4.00b 4.50
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | docerr B_BasicCom | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 28-DEC-1989

The following manuals incorrectly specify that the first six
characters of the softkey string expression will be shown when the
KEY ON statement is invoked. This is true, except for KEY 10. For KEY
10, only the first 5 characters are shown:

1. Page 233 of "Microsoft QuickBASIC 4.0: BASIC Language Reference" for
   Versions 4.00 and 4.00b

2. Page 233 of "Microsoft BASIC Compiler 6.0: BASIC Language
   Reference" for Versions 6.00 and 6.00b for MS-DOS and MS OS/2

3. "Microsoft QuickBASIC 4.5: BASIC Language Reference" for Version 4.50

4. "Microsoft BASIC 7.0: BASIC Language Reference" for BASIC PDS Version
    7.00

This is a design limitation. The display of KEY 10 uses 2 character
spaces to display the number "10". This second digit uses the first
available space of the string expression and leaves only 5 character
spaces for that string expression.

The following is a code example:

   KEY 9, "ABCDEF"
   KEY 10, "abcdef"
   KEY ON
   10 goto 10   ' Press CTRL+BREAK to quit.

The following function key labels display on the bottom of the screen:

   1      2      3  . . .   8      9ABCDEF10abcde