QB/Pro Volume 7

"QB Optimizer"


-= H I G H L I G H T S =-


Substantially Smaller Standalone Programs
=========================================

We supply you with several "XModules" that replace unneeded MS library
routines when you compile with "/O". Using all of the supplied modules can
result in functional programs that are less than 4K in size!

The XModules are similar in concept to NOCOM.OBJ and SMALLERR.OBJ. See the
detailed explanation below.


OPT.EXE - Optimizer Utility
===========================

1) Optionally converts BASIC source files (no matter how messy)
to structured code, including indenting logical fragments.
2) Indentation levels and tab stops are user configurable.
3) Optionally strip out unreferenced line numbers/labels.
4) Optionally add line numbers for easier debugging with ON ERROR.
5) Optionally remove variable names from NEXT statements, for faster
programs.
6) Optionally align remarks. You select what column they start in.
7) Optionally prints formatted listing to printer or file. Use
metacommands to describe output.
8) Ideal for converting your programs for use with QB4 and BASCOM 6.
9) Process multiple files in one run, either interactively or command
line driven.


PP.EXE - Pre-Processor Utility
==============================

1) Allows conditional compiling to provide different versions of programs
for different clients, projects, debugging, etc.
2) Conditional compiling can be done using numeric or string symbols.
3) Use $Include with SUBs and FUNCTIONs.
4) All compiler and LINK commands become part of your source, so no more
batch files to worry about. We use statements similar to "metacommands",
so there's no overhead penalty in your .EXE files.
5) Processes in excess of 20,000 lines per minute on 386 machines with
18ms hard disk and almost 10,000 LPM on a 286 with a 28ms hard disk.
6) Built in subset of MicroHelp's MAKE facility, so programs and dependent
BASIC modules are compiled and LINKed only when necessary.


XREF.EXE - Cross Reference Utility
==================================

1) Cross references all variables and literals.
2) Identifies physical lines in file where variables are referenced and
where they are changed. This assists you during debugging, since you
are shown all lines where variables can take on spurious values.
3) Cross references all line numbers and labels, including SUBs and
FUNCTIONs.
4) Identifies physical lines in file where labels/line numbers/procedures
are referenced as well as where they are located and DECLAREd.


Programming Tips in the Manual
==============================

QB Optimizer includes a fully indexed three-ring bound manual. One section
of the manual is devoted to programming tips: Faster Programs, Smaller
Programs and Other Tips.


-= D E T A I L S =-

- The XModules -

LINK these modules with your program when you don't need
the corresponding BCOMxx.LIB routines. The number of bytes saved (shown
for each module) is based on BC 4.00b and LINKing with /EXEPACK. Similar
savings are obtained with BC 4.50 and BC 6.00x.

Use all of these modules in your programs and save 16,796 bytes each! That
means functional programs less than 4K in size.

* XERROR.OBJ is used when you don't need error trapping, redirection and
^Break trapping. Saves 2284 bytes per program.
* XFLOAT.OBJ is available when your program uses only integers and long
integers. Saves 9386 bytes per program. Note that there are some BASIC
statements, including graphics and trig, that use floating point math
and therefore cannot be used with this module. Because STR$() and VAL
cannot be used, consider using QB/Pro Volume 2, which has replacements
for these functions.
* XGRAPH.OBJ is used when you don't need any graphics capabilities. Saves
240 bytes per program. If using XVIDEO.OBJ, this module is not needed.
* XREDIR.OBJ is for when you don't need redirection and checking for ^Break.
Saves 180 bytes per program.
* XVIDEO.OBJ is used when you don't need any video related routines. For
example, if you use only assembler routines for screen displays, you
probably can use this module! Saves 2870 bytes per program. We supply
you with assembler equivalents of: LOCATE; SCREEN 0,0,0; WIDTH 80,43;
and WIDTH 80,50.
* XINPUT.OBJ can be used when you don't need any input or screen oriented
routines. Also forgoes critical error handling and overflow error
detection. Saves 1520 bytes per program. We supply you with an assembler
routine that is the equivalent of INKEY$, but also returns the scan code,
shift status and ASCII code. Use Mach 2 and other QB/Pro Volumes to
perform edited input and critical error handling.
* XINTS.OBJ, used only when you also use XINPUT.OBJ, is for when you don't
need BASIC's commands that deal with the timer or keyboard. Saves 768
bytes per program.

Suppose you want to use as many XModules as you can, but you're not sure
which ones will work with your programs? No problem. We include another
utility called CHECKX.EXE that will tell you! This program is so good,
that it will actually identify the lines, and point to the BASIC reserved
words that prevent you from using a particular module!

- The Optimizer Utility -
Forget about unreadable code! OPT.EXE takes the
messiest source code and makes sense out of it. For starters, OPT will
analyze your code and indent the following structures:

FOR/NEXT
WHILE/WEND
SELECT CASE..CASE..END SELECT
IF..THEN..ELSE (into structured blocks)
DO..LOOP
SUB..END SUB
FUNCTION..END FUNCTION
DEF FN..END DEF

You select the indentation spacing (i.e., every x spaces) and tell OPT
whether to use TAB characters or spaces.

Since OPT can be run either interactively or as a command line program, you
have more freedom. For example, when you first get the program, you can:

OPT *.BAS;

That command will process all *.BAS files in the current directory while
you're out to lunch! After that, simply run OPT with single programs when
you change them.

If you use error trapping and line numbers, you'll want to use OPT to strip
out all unreferenced line numbers. This results in smaller .EXE files.

If you don't like the message "Error in module xxxx at address yyyy:zzzz",
use OPT to temporarily add line numbers to your program for debugging
purposes. You even get to choose the line number increments! When you're
finished, use OPT again to strip the line numbers back out!

Taking advantage of remark alignment, you can make your programs much more
readable. This means that when you are coding your programs, you can type
as fast as you want and put REMs wherever you want - then let OPT
align them.

Using standard metacommands, you can have OPT print beautifully formatted
program listings. You specify title, subtitles, page length and page width.
You can even force a page break!

- The Pre-Processor Utility -

Conditional compiling has long been available to
programmers using languages other than BASIC. Now, for the first time, you
can take advantage of this extremely powerful technology!

Suppose you have two clients: IBM and Sears, and each of them uses a big
application program you've written, but they each want slightly different
features in several of your SUBprograms. Up until now, you've had to
maintain separate versions of your program for each client, or go through
some inelegant tricks to get the desired .EXE files.

With our Pre-processor, it's a piece of cake! Here's how it's done:

TopOfProgram:
'Name your client
'#Client$ = IBM

SUB AnySub(Parameter1)
'#IF Client$ = IBM
PRINT "Customer: IBM"
'#ELSEIF Client$ = Sears
PRINT "Customer: Sears"
'#END IF
END SUB

When you want to compile for Sears, change the "Precommand" at
"TopOfProgram" to "Sears". When you want to compile for IBM, change it back!

The Pre-Processor program will analyze your file and generate a temporary
work file that is compiled (your source code is not compiled). In the
example shown above, the work file will have only the appropriate code in
it. In other words, it will have the line that prints IBM as the customer,
but not the line that prints Sears. This makes for smaller, and usually
faster programs.

Because of this technology, you can use $Include with SUBprograms and
FUNCTIONs. The Pre-Processor will read the include file and merge it into
the work file along with your program. BC will think that you have a single
program file and won't complain!

You can also use numbers in your Precommands. As an example, suppose you
have a system that can be used either "single user" or "network":

TopOfProgram:
'#Network = 1
LaterInProgram:
'#IF Network
PRINT "Network version"
'#ELSE
PRINT "Single user version"
'#END IF

Again, the work file that is compiled has only the appropriate BASIC code
in it, not both PRINT statements.

Taking things one step further, you can use any of the following
Precommands:

'#IF Network = 1
'#IF Network > 1
'#IF Network < 1
'#IF Network <> 1
'#IF Network >= 1
'#IF Network <= 1

Precommands are also used to specify compiler switches, LINK switches,
trailing object modules, leading object modules, etc. This means that the
Pre-processor can be used in place of all those batch files you keep
around. For example, suppose you have a RAM disk on drive E:, and a
program called FOO.BAS, and the source code for FOO.BAS includes the
following:

'#CompilerName: 'BC'
'#CompileSwitches: '/O/E'
'#WorkPath: 'E:\'
'#LinkSwitches: '/EXE/NOE'
'#EXEName: 'MYPROG'
'#EXEPath: 'C:\PROGS'
'#LeadingObject: 'STAYQB4'
'#TrailingObject: 'FOO2'
'#Libraries: 'MHLIB2 MHPRO7'

When you execute the Pre-Processor, it will analyze your file and create a
temporary work file called E:\FOO.$$$ on your RAM disk. It will then
generate compiler and LINK commands that look like this:

BC /O/E E:\FOO.$$$,FOO.OBJ;
LINK /EXE/NOE STAYQB4+E:\FOO+FOO2,C:\PROGS\MYPROG.EXE,,MHLIB2+MHPRO7;

If you have LIM Expanded Memory (version 3.2 or later), or a hard disk or
a RAM disk, the Pre-Processor consumes only 10K during the compiling and
LINKing process, so don't worry about it being a memory hog.

Because the Pre-Processor is smart, it will compile FOO only if the source
code FOO.BAS is newer than the existing FOO.OBJ module. LINKing will take
place only if the object modules are newer than the existing .EXE program!
That means it's easy to "freshen" your programs. Using the above example,
simply:

PP FOO

If FOO doesn't need compiling and LINKing, the Pre-Processor will tell you
so and you'll be done in no time.

- The Cross Reference Utility -

The best way to explain this program is to
provide you with an example. We'll start with the source code shown below
(XREFTEST.BAS). Note that the line numbers on the left are the physical line
numbers in the file and are not part of the source code. They have been
added only to facilitate your moving between the cross reference listing
and the program itself:

1 ' BAS This is a sample program designed to produce an
2 ' interesting cross-reference file.
3
4 A = 1
5 B = 2
6 C = 3
7 Top:
8 D = A * B
9 A = A + 1
10 B$ = "Hello"
11 C$ = " World"
12 PRINT C$
13 IF A < 3 GOTO Top
14 RESTORE Bottom
15 READ A$
16 Bottom:
17 DATA Cruel

Here is the actual output produced by the XREF program:

XREFTEST.BAS Date: 05-25-1989 Time: 14:53:20 Page: 1

1 4 9
2 5
3 6 13
@Bottom 14 16*
@Top 7* 13
A 4* 8 9* 9 13
A$ 15*
B 5* 8
B$ 10*
C 6*
C$ 11* 12
D 8*

Starting from the top, here's an explanation for some of the output:

-The literal "1" is found on lines 4 and 9.
-The literals "2" and "3" are found on their respective lines.
-The label "Bottom" is found on line 16 (since there is an asterisk), and
is referenced on line 14. The label "Top" is similarly marked.
-The variable "A" changes value on lines 4 and 9 (since there are
asterisks). Note that there are two occurrences of "A" on line 9, so two
nines are shown.
-A$ is changed on line 15, but there are no other references to it.

Why Should You Use XREF? In the cross reference listing there are several
items worth examining:

-The literal "1" appears twice. If your program is speed critical, consider
adding "One% = 1" to the top of your program and then substituting "One%"
for each occurrence of the literal "1". Using a variable is much faster
than using a literal, since the compiler doesn't have to generate a
"temporary" variable.
-Knowing where variables are changed can help immensely when it comes to
debugging a program. For example, if a variable has an unusual value in
the middle of your program, and you don't have any idea how it happened,
use QuickBASIC's environment to set breakpoints on all lines that change
the variable and then examine the variable each time it is changed.
-You can get rid of unnecessary variables. For example, A$ appears only on
line 15. So why should it be in the program? Ditto for B$ and "D".
-Similarly, you may have line labels or procedures that are not referenced
by any other portion of your code. In that case, you may wish to remove
them. As an aside, we often leave unreferenced labels in our programs
that are used in a fashion similar to remarks. In other words, they are
placeholders, or navigational guides. There's nothing wrong with making
them into remarks, however! Just put an apostrophe in front of the label.


System Requirements
===================

The minimum system requirements for using QB Optimizer are:

* An IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2 or close compatible.
* PC/MS DOS version 3.00 or later.
* Any Microsoft or IBM BASIC compiler.
* A hard disk (fixed disk).
* 1 Diskette drive (5.25"). 3.5" disks are available for a nominal
charge.
* An 80 column monitor.


Special Requirements
====================

* Use of the XModules requires compiling with /O and one of: Microsoft
QuickBASIC (4.00b or 4.50) or the Microsoft BASIC Compiler 6.0x. In
fact, the modules are actually "library dependent" - you must LINK
with one of: BCOM41.LIB, BCOM45.LIB, BCOM60xx.LIB or BCOM61xx.LIB.
If Microsoft releases a newer version of either compiler, please
check with us for compatibility.

* Using the "convert to structured code" feature in the OPT.EXE program
requires that you are using Microsoft QuickBASIC 2.0 or later.

* Using the "Add line numbers" feature of the OPT.EXE program requires
that you are using Microsoft QuickBASIC 1.0 or later.


Try Before You Buy
==================

Call us and order QB/Pro Volume 7 and be sure to ask us to include our
demo disk. The demo consists of the following files:

* Source code and executable program created using all of the
XModules. See the size for yourself.

* Limited use versions of OPT.EXE and XREF.EXE. These demonstration
programs can be used on your own source code, but are limited to
programs of less than 200 lines in length.

* The XREFTEST program shown above. Use the demo version of XREF.EXE
to create a cross reference listing.

* A program written for use with the Pre-Processor program, including
the temporary work file created for compiling.

When you receive the package, don't open the software - just try the demo
programs. If you're still not convinced that you need this marvelous set
of utilities, simply return the software unopened. We'll refund the amount
of the purchase, no questions asked. All you pay is shipping.

Or, if you prefer, send us a check for $5.00 (no credit cards or COD's
please) and we'll send you our demo disk. If you decide to buy QB
Optimizer after seeing our demo, we'll credit the $5.00 towards your
purchase.


Ordering Information
====================

The cost of QB/Pro Volume 7 is $89 plus $4 for UPS ground shipping. If you
would like more information or would like to place an order, please call
toll-free at 1-800-922-3383, or in Georgia (404) 552-0565.