DIALOG FREEZE
instruction: stop dialogue channel input
Dialog Freeze [channel number]
This command is used to freeze all input from one or more active dialogue channels. The number of a single dialogue routine that is to be suspended is specified in square brackets. If this number is omitted all current channels will be frozen.
DIALOG UNFREEZE
instruction: re-activate a frozen dialogue channel
Dialog Unfreeze [channel number]
Use this instruction to re-activate one or more dialogue channels from the point at which they were frozen.
DIALOG CLR
instruction: clear a dialogue box
Dialog Clr channel number
The DIALOG CLR instruction erases all zones and shuts down the dialogue box completely, leaving the specified channel open. The Interface program can now be re-run from the beginning, using a further call to the DIALOG RUN command. As always, if the background area has been saved using the SA option, it will be restored to its original position.
HyperText
The impressive interactive Help system is one of the most user-friendly aspects of the AMOS
Professional system, allowing detailed information to be called up using single mouse key-
presses from the Editor. More impressive than this is the fact that the Help system was entirely
written in AMOS Professional, and it is a typical example of the Interface in action!
The final part of this Chapter explains how similar systems can be created using the HyperText feature.
HyperText
Interface instruction: open an interactive text window
HT zone number,x,y,width,height,address,line number,buffer,paper,pen;[changes]
The HyperText command opens a simple window on a piece of text held in memory. This text can include optional words or phrases that may be selected directly by the user. Each option returns a specific value to the main program, which can then be used to jump to some additional text, or call up an appropriate routine from the main program.
The zone number is given as usual, followed by x,y-coordinates. The x-coordinate will be rounded down to the nearest multiple of 16.