Home
CBM
  ASCII-X
  BASIC
    Disk Commands
    Enter RUN mode
    Program Format
    Secret Variables
    Variable Format
    Expressions
    Keywords
      (divide)
      (equal)
      (less)
      (minus)
      (more)
      (multiply)
      (plus)
      (power)
      Abs
      And
      Append
      Asc
      Atn
      Auto
      Backup
      Bank
      Begin
      Bend
      Bload
      Boot
      Box
      Bsave
      Bump
      Catalog
      Char
      Chr
      Circle
      Close
      Clr
      Cmd
      Collect
      Collision
      Color
      Concat
      Cont
      Copy
      Cos
      Data
      Dclear
      Dclose
      Dec
      Def
      Delete
      Dim
      Directory
      Dispose
      Dload
      Do
      Dopen
      Draw
      Ds
      Ds string
      Dsave
      Dverify
      El
      Else
      End
      Envelope
      Er
      Err
      Exit
      Exp
      Fast
      Fetch
      Filter
      Fn
      For
      Fre
      Get
      Get num
      Getkey
      Go
      Gosub
      Goto
      Graphic
      Gshape
      Header
      Help
      Hex
      If
      Input
      Input num
      Instr
      Int
      Joy
      Key
      Left
      Len
      Let
      List
      Load
      Locate
      Log
      Loop
      Mid
      Monitor
      Movspr
      New
      Next
      Not
      Off
      On
      Open
      Or
      Paint
      Peek
      Pen
      Pi
      Play
      Pointer
      Poke
      Pos
      Pot
      Print
      Print num
      Pudef
      Quit
      Rclr
      Rdot
      Read
      Record
      Rem
      Rename
      Renumber
      Restore
      Resume
      Return
      Rgr
      Right
      Rlum
      Rnd
      Rreg
      Rspcolor
      Rsppos
      Rsprite
      Run
      Rwindow
      Save
      Scale
      Scnclr
      Scratch
      Sgn
      Sin
      Sleep
      Slow
      Sound
      Spc
      Sprcolor
      Sprdef
      Sprite
      Sprsav
      Sqr
      Sshape
      St
      Stash
      Step
      Stop
      Str
      Swap
      Sys
      Tab
      Tan
      Tempo
      Then
      Ti
      Ti string
      To
      Trap
      Troff
      Tron
      Until
      Using
      Usr
      Val
      Verify
      Vol
      Wait
      While
      Width
      Window
      Xor
    Syntax
    Tokens
  C128
  D64plus
  Disk
  Escape Codes
  Hardware
  PCxface
  PETSCII
  Pet2asc
Futurama
IBM PC-AT
Contact
Games
Glossary
Hall of fame
Hall of shame
Miscellaneous
Privacy policy
Programming
Twisty puzzles
KeywordAbbreviationToken (hex)Version(s)Classification
FNnoneA51.0+Function and Preposition

 Syntax 
FN name ( argument )
 ~ or ~
DEF FN name ( parameter ) = expression
 
ParametersTypeLegal Value(s)Default ValueNote(s)
nameLiteral character(s)
first (required): letter
others (optional): letter or digit
 
Can not be (or include) a keyword,
but it may be the same as a reserved variable!
argumentNumeric
depends on expression
parameterLiteral character(s)
first (required): letter
others (optional): letter or digit
Can not be (or include) a keyword.
Can not be a reserved variable name.
expressionBASIC textany mathematical expression
Should reference parameter.
May reference other variables, including reserved variables.
 
ReturnsTypeValue(s)Note(s)
resultFloating-point
depends on expression
 
 Purpose 
Calculate the value of a user-defined function (evaluate expression with parameter replaced by argument).

 
 Remarks 
The FN keyword acts like a preposition when defining a function; see DEF.
 
The primary use of FN is for calling a user-defining function.  The name used when calling the function must match that of a previously defined user function (see DEF).  If no matching name is found, an UNDEF'D FUNCTION ERROR is generated.  Per BASIC naming rules, only the first two characters are significant for matching, the first character must be a letter, the remaining characters (if any) may be either a letter or digit, and the name may not be (or have embedded inside of it) any BASIC keyword. 
 
The argument may be any numeric expression in general.  It may be a literal a number, a calculation, an integer or floating-point variable, or a function.  The argument may be (or include) a user-defined function, including the same function.  Each time the user-defined function is evaluated, the argument is used in place of any (all) occurance(s) in the expression used in the definition (i.e., it replaces the "dummy" parameter).  It is important to note that no "real" variable called parameter is created, and if one already exists it is not affected (or accessible) by the user function.
  
The legal values of argument and the returned result depend (in general) on the particular expression that defines the user function.  However, both the argument and the result must be numeric; custom string functions are not supported.  Otherwise a TYPE MISMATCH ERROR is generated.
 
Because a user function can only be defined in a program, calling such a function does not happen often in immediate/direct mode.  This is allowed, however, if the line defining the function is still in memory and has been executed by BASIC at least once.
 
Unlike the similar USR function, this custom user-function is defined in BASIC (see DEF), and you may have multiple custom functions by giving each a unique name.
 
Examples 1:
NEW

READY.
10 DEF FNY(X) = X*X
20 PRINT FNY(5)
30 PRINT X
RUN
 25 0

READY.
PRINT FNY(3)
 9

READY.
NEW

READY.
PRINT FNY(3)
?UNDEF'D FUNCTION ERROR

READY.

Example 2:
NEW

READY.
10 DEF FNC(X) = 2*X+1
20 C = 1 : X = 10 : REM has no effect on function
30 PRINT FNC(3)
40 PRINT C : PRINT X
RUN
 7 1 10

READY.
NEW

READY.
10 DEF FNF(X) = X*X+Y : REM emulate function of 2 parameters
20 Y = 100 : PRINT FNF(5)
RUN
 125

READY.

 Compare With 
 
 Contrast With 
 
 See Also 

© H2Obsession, 2014