the Editor

The number of the window is displayed first, starting from 1.

The current Editing mode is displayed next. An I means that new characters that are typed in will be inserted wherever the edit cursor is on the screen. This is the default status. 0 indicates that new characters will overwrite characters that are already displayed in the Edit Window.

L and C indicate which line and which column are currently being edited, in other words, the current location of the program cursor.

Free indicates the amount of memory available to hold your listing. The normal setting of approximately 32k can be increased at any time, via a simple menu option.

Edit lists the filename of the current program. If it is not yet saved onto disc, it will be assigned the name "New project".

The Scroll Bar
To the right of the window area, there is a thin vertical bar. This can be dragged with the mouse to move your window over the current program listing. The window may also be scrolled vertically or horizontally by clicking anywhere along the edges of the display. Moving through a long program listing is explained later, in the menu options and their equivalent keyboard short-cuts.

If you click on the left mouse button and then hold down the right mouse button, the slider will move rapidly through the listing, page by page. All AMOS Professional sliders operate on a similar principle.

Direct Mode
If you read through the last Chapter, you will be familiar with the purpose of the AMOS Professional Direct Mode, otherwise it is assumed that you already have experience of the AMOS or Easy AMOS Direct Mode operations.

The AMOS Professional Direct Mode has been completely redesigned and vastly improved! Here is a synopsis of the major enhancements,

• It is completely independent of the current program screen.
• The size and position of the Direct Mode Window can be changed instantly.
• If necessary, all screen and graphics operations can be forced onto the Direct Mode Window rather than the current program screen, using the new [OUTPUT] facility.
• [OUTPUT] also allows directory listings and the contents of variables to be displayed via Direct Mode, without destroying an existing game or utility screens.
• The "history buffer" that stores lines already typed via Direct mode is now accessed with the [up arrow] and [down arrow] keys, similar to the Shell program from the Workbench. The contents of the history buffer is remembered when you leave Direct Mode, ready to be called up when you return.

Please enter Direct Mode, now either by clicking on the [DIR] button in the Edit Window, or by pressing the [Esc] key.