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Hi Ken

On the board called 'RETROLIB 10 tools divided'  I have provided the tools in modular form and using 16 color base colors.

I created the command to give a graphics INPUT style tool that returns the content of the text you type in a string so you can use it
for a game or what ever you want in a graphics environment on any platform with a keyboard.

It allows control of the length of the text and the graphics coordinate based location for your needs.

If you look closely, RETROLIB 10 commands divided, tries to make each command not require the entire library and each one has TONNES of REMs
explaining things.

Here is a copy of the simplified sample with tonnes of REMs for what you are speaking:


MODE 8 :REM a graphics screen

     VDU 5:REM makes text have graphics positioning

     REM notice that this doesnt require a loop for your message to be created?

     REM FNinput works on its own

     MOVE 10,500:GCOL 15:PRINT "Type something and press ENTER "

     REM x,y,textlimit  ----- Text limit is the longest you will be allowed to make your text

     M1$=FNinput(100,100,50)

     MOVE 10,200:GCOL 15:PRINT "Your message was: "+M1$



     END

     REM remember this allows input message to be completed before it cycles.

     REM this command takes control until message is entered.

     REM I am working on a more flexible version that can be left and revisited like in windows

     REM so sorta like live multi processes

     REM H,V,TEXTLIMIT (simpler?)

     DEF FNinput(bx,by,textlimit)

     LOCAL fill,MESSAGE$

     initialx%=0:sl%=0:key$="":MESSAGE$="":MES$=""

     initialx%=textlimit*16.2

     FOR fill=1 TO 58

       GCOL 15:LINE bx-4,by+20-fill,bx+initialx%,by+20-fill

     NEXT fill

     GCOL 0:LINE bx+3,by+20,bx+initialx%,by+20:LINE bx+3,by+20-fill,bx+initialx%,by+20-fill

     REPEAT

       REPEAT

         key$ =INKEY$(1)

         GCOL 0

         MOVE bx,by:PRINT MESSAGE$;"_" :* REFRESH

         sl%=LEN(MESSAGE$)

       UNTIL key$ <>""

       sl%=LEN(MESSAGE$)

       IF INKEY(-48) sl%=LEN(MESSAGE$)-1:key$=""

       REPEAT UNTIL INKEY(0)=-1

       IF sl%<LEN(MESSAGE$) THEN

         GCOL 15

         MOVE bx,by

         PRINT MESSAGE$;"_"

       ENDIF

       MES$=MID$(MESSAGE$,0,sl%)

       MESSAGE$=MES$

       GCOL 15:MOVE bx,by:PRINT MESSAGE$;"_"

       IF LEN(key$) = 1 THEN

         IF LEN(MESSAGE$)<textlimit THEN GCOL 15:MOVE bx,by:PRINT MESSAGE$;"_": MESSAGE$=MESSAGE$+key$:* REFRESH OFF

         REM (jump)

       ENDIF

     UNTIL INKEY(-74)

     * REFRESH ON

     =MESSAGE$