mattgodbolt/jsbeeb

Keyboard layout - essential keys missing

Closed this issue · 2 comments

DATHKA commented

There is no way to enter the [ ] { } symbols. I get 1/4 and 3/4 symbols instead.

This makes inputting assembly code impossible.

This is on a Mac, but I have been through all possible keyboard combinations (shift, control, option, command) and there is no way to get the square brackets.

mattgodbolt commented

Hi: the default BBC Micro display mode is MODE 7. This display mode doesn't have those characters, and they are displayed as either a left or right arrow or a ½ symbol. I don't recall ever seeing a ¾ character, but it's been a while.

For example, in mode 7:
image

LISTing the same program in MODE 3:
image

And you'll see it runs fine too, in either mode.

So, I think what you're seeing is the authentic behaviour of the BBC Micro: its default screen mode is not ASCII and has a slightly different character set to the one printed even on its own 1984 keyboard.

Feel free to reopen if you don't think that's quite what you're seeing.

mattgodbolt commented

Annnnd of course it had ¼ and ¾ - sorry I just saw them myself by trying each key in turn :) So -- you're right, the 3/4 and 1/4 are shown (but really they're the squiggly brackets, which you can see if you go into any mode other than 7 and LIST)