Metacommand

Metacommands are commands that start with dollar sign ($). Those commands usually switch the program between different operation modes/behavior or provide extended functionality.

Legacy Metacommands (QBasic/QuickBASIC)

• Legacy metacommands are normally used at the program start, they should have their own program line and must be commented with an ' or REM.

• $DYNAMIC set all program arrays as changeable in size using REDIM.
• $INCLUDE designates a text code library file to include with the program.
• $STATIC set all program arrays as unchangeable in size using DIM.

Legacy style, but QB64-PE only

• $FORMAT controls the code formatting behavior in QB64-PE its IDE and the command line formatting mode (-y switch).

QB64 Metacommands

• QB64 metacommands must not necessarily used at the program start. However, it's still the best location for some of it (see individual descriptions).
• QB64 metacommands must not be commented with an ' or REM, but should have their own program line too.

• $ASSERTS enables debug tests with the _ASSERT macro.
• $CHECKING turns event and error checking OFF or ON.
• $COLOR includes named color name constants in a program.
• $CONSOLE creates a console window that can be used throughout a program.
• $DEBUG enables debugging features, allowing you to step through your code line by line.
• $EMBED is used to embed any file's contents into the compiled executable. Recall the embedded file contents using _EMBEDDED$.
• $EXEICON is used with an .ICO icon file name to embed the image into the compiled executable.
• $INCLUDEONCE prevents that include file contents is injected multiple times into a program.
• $MIDISOUNDFONT (deprecated) enables the MIDI support for _SNDOPEN.
• $NOPREFIX (deprecated) allows QB64-specific keywords to be used without the underscore prefix.
• $RESIZE used with ON allows a user to resize the program window where OFF does not.
• $SCREENHIDE hides the program window from view.
• $SCREENSHOW displays the program window after it was hidden.
• $UNSTABLE will enable the use of features that have not yet been made a permanent part of the language.
• $VERSIONINFO adds metadata to Windows only binaries for identification purposes across the OS.

QB64 Precompiler Commands

• These are a special type of QB64 Metacommands, which allow for conditional compiling, hence including or excluding certain code sections depending on given conditions.

• $ELSE used in conjunction with $IF for the precompiler.
• $ELSEIF used in conjunction with $IF for the precompiler.
• $END IF used in conjunction with $IF for the precompiler.
• $ERROR used to trigger compiler errors from within the precompiling pass.
• $IF used to set an IF condition for the precompiler.
• $LET used to set a variable for the precompiler.

See also

• Statement, Sub (explanatory)
• Function (explanatory)
• Apostrophe, REM

QB64 Programming References

Wiki Pages Main Page with Articles and Tutorials QB64 specific keywords (alphabetical) Original QBasic keywords (alphabetical) QB64 OpenGL keywords (alphabetical) Keywords by Usage Got a question about something? Frequently Asked Questions about QB64 QB64 Phoenix Edition Community Forum Links to other QBasic Sites: Pete's QBasic Forum Pete's QBasic Downloads