MICROSOFT LANGUAGES NEWSLETTER Vol. 1-4News about the Microsoft Language Family

Structured Programming in Microsoft® QuickBASIC—Part 2—ModulesEasy modular programming is possible with Microsoft QuickBASIC by using separately compiled

modules. This means that BASIC programs no longer have to be developed as one monolithicprogram. They can be written as separate, functionally grouped sets of subroutines that can beused in other programs. A module consists of an optional "main program" and a set of subroutinesand functions. Data can be passed between modules by using subroutine parameters or namedCOMMON blocks. The named COMMON statement allows variables and arrays to be sharedamong the various modules in a single program. Additionally, the standard COMMON statementcan be used to pass information between programs. An example of a common block named GR AF3Dis shown below.

DIM TRANSFORM3D(3,3) static array passed in COMMONCOMMON/GRAF3D/CURX, CURX CURZ, TRANSFORM3D()Subroutines, separate compilation, COMMON blocks, and program CHAINing make Microsoft

QuickBASIC an ideal language for developing large application systems.

Network and Multitasking File Support in Microsoft LanguagesaAll of the Microsoft high-level languages have been extendeato support file sharing and record

locking.These features work with both MS-DOS® 3.1 networking and XENIX®multitasking systems.A distributed ISAM for the IBM® PC Network is now shipping with Microsoft COBOL 2.1for MS-DOS.

List of Third-Party Libraries and Utilities Is Now AvailableMicrosoft has put together a list of names and addresses of vendors that offer libraries and

utilities that work with our languages. There are math, statistics, graphics, and IS.AM libraries, as wellas utilities such as profilers and context sensitive editors. If you would like to receive a copy of thislist, please contact Microsoft and ask for the Languages Library List. If you or your company provideslibraries or utilities that work with Microsoft languages, then give us a call to find out about ourLibrary Vendor Support Program.

Microsoft Has Simplified the Language Runtime License AgreementMicrosoft now offers a new runtime license agreement for our language compilers. We have

simplified or removed many of the restrictions from the old agreement. The new agreement stillallows you to distribute your programs on a royalty-free basis. If you are interested in receiving acopy of this agreement, please contact us.

Write to; Microsoft Languages Newsletter16011 NE 36th Way, Box 97017Redmond, WA 98073-9717 for product update information.Or phone:(800) 426-9400. In Washington State and Alaska,call (206) 882-8088. In Canada, call (800) 387-6616.

Microsoft. MS-DOS and XENIX are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

Latest DOS Versions:Microsoft C 3.00Microsoft COBOL 2.10Microsoft FORTRAN 3.31Microsoft Macro Assembler 4.00Microsoft Pascal 3.31Microsoft QuickBASIC 1.02

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