WIDTH

The WIDTH statement changes the text dimensions of certain SCREEN modes or devices.

Syntax

For SCREEN

• WIDTH [columns%] [,rows%]

For CONSOLE (Windows Console Only)

• WIDTH [columns%] [,rows%] [,buffer_columns%] [,buffer_rows%]

For Files

• WIDTH file_number | device, columnwidth%

Parameters

• When parameters are not specified, columns defaults to 80 with 25 (30 in SCREEN 11 or 12) rows.

Description

• WIDTH should be used after a program SCREEN statement. It does not affect screen graphics or graphic coordinates.
• Affects SCREEN 0 Window size and alters the text block size of each screen mode listed in QBasic:

• SCREEN 0 can use 80 or 40 columns and 25, 43 or 50 rows. Default is WIDTH 80, 25.
• SCREEN 9 can use 80 columns and 25 or 43(not supported on many monitors) rows. Default WIDTH 80, 25 fullscreen.
• SCREEN 10 can use 80 columns and 25 or 43 rows. Default is WIDTH 80, 25 fullscreen.
• SCREEN 11 and 12 can use 80 columns and 30 or 60 rows. Default is WIDTH 80, 30 fullscreen.

• QB64 can alter all SCREEN mode widths and heights which may also affect text or _FONT block sizes.
• If a $CONSOLE window is active and you set _DEST _CONSOLE, WIDTH will affect the console output window size (Windows only), with the last two optional parameters setting the buffer size for the console. (For example, you can set a console to be 80 characters x 25 lines for the display, with a buffer size of 300 characters and 100 lines, which allows you to display that much information and navigate the visible display with the scroll bars.)

Note

• WIDTH changes may change screen color settings in QBasic. Use PALETTE to reset to default colors.
• WIDTH LPRINT is not supported in QB64.

Examples

Example 1

• Showing the use of the buffer parameters for $CONSOLE usage.
• The program creates more output than fits to the display, but the buffer preserves the output and you can scroll back and forth.

$CONSOLE:ONLY WIDTH 80, 25, 300, 100 CLS FOR i = 1 TO 97 PRINT i NEXT PRINT STRING$(100, "0") + STRING$(100, "1") + STRING$(100, "2") 'print the 100's placeholders FOR j = 1 TO 3 FOR i = 0 TO 9 PRINT STRING$(10, _TRIM$(STR$(i))); 'print the 10's placeholders NEXT NEXT FOR j = 1 TO 30 FOR i = 0 TO 9 PRINT _TRIM$(STR$(i)); 'print the 1's placeholders. NEXT NEXT SLEEP

See also

• Featured in our "Keyword of the Day" series
• SCREEN, COLOR, OUT
• _PRINTWIDTH
• _WIDTH (function), _HEIGHT
• _FONT, _FONTWIDTH, _FONTHEIGHT

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