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LINE Statement Details
◄Summary► ◄Details► ◄Example► ◄Contents► ◄Index► ◄Back►
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LINE [[STEP](x1!,y1!)] - [STEP](x2!,y2!) [,[color%] [,[B | BF] [,style%]]]
Usage Notes
■ You must be in a graphics screen mode (for example, screen mode 1) to
use the LINE statement; otherwise, Visual Basic may generate the error
message, "Illegal function call." See: ◄SCREEN Statement►
■ The available color attributes for LINE depend on your graphics adapter
and the screen mode set by the most recent SCREEN statement.
See: ◄Adapters and Displays►
■ When coordinates specify a point that is not within the current
viewport, the line segment to that point is drawn to the border of the
viewport.
■ LINE reads the bits in style% from left to right. If a bit is 0, then
no point is plotted; if the bit is 1, a point is plotted. After plotting
a point, LINE selects the next bit position in style%.
■ Using the style% argument with LINE is called "line styling."
■ Because a zero bit in style% does not change the point on the screen,
you may want to draw a background line before styling, so that you have
a known background.
■ The style% argument is used for normal lines and boxes, but has no
effect on filled boxes.
■ STEP makes the specified coordinates relative to the most recent point.
For example, if the most recent point referred to by the program were
(10,10), the following would draw a line from (10,10) to the point with
an x coordinate equal to 10+10 and a y coordinate equal to 10+5, or
(20,15):
LINE -STEP (10,5)
■ You can establish a new most recent point by initializing the screen
with the CLS and SCREEN statements. Using other graphics statements -
for example, PSET, PRESET, CIRCLE, or DRAW - also establishes a new
most recent point. See: ◄CLS Statement► ◄SCREEN Statement►
■ Variations of the STEP argument are shown below. For the following
examples, assume that the last point plotted was (10,10):
Statement Description
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LINE -(50,50) Draws from (10,10) to (50,50)
LINE -STEP(50,50) Draws from (10,10) to (60,60)
LINE (25,25)-STEP(50,50) Draws from (25,25) to (75,75)
LINE STEP(25,25)-STEP(50,50) Draws from (35,35) to (85,85)
LINE STEP(25,25)-(50,50) Draws from (35,35) to (50,50)