Poly Basic

This document serves as a technical manual for "POLY BASIC," a stand-alone computer system designed for PDP-8, 8/I, and 8/L computers. The manual provides a comprehensive overview of the BASIC language as implemented on these systems, including tutorials on basic syntax, program flow (loops and branches), the use of arrays and tables, and mathematical functions.

Key sections of the document include:

• BASIC Programming Guide: Introduces the fundamental elements of BASIC, such as line numbering, variable assignment, arithmetic operators, and control statements (FOR/NEXT, IF/THEN, GOSUB/RETURN).
• Operating Instructions: Details the command-line interface for the POLY BASIC system, including commands for file management (SCRATCH, RENAME, SAVE, OLD), system monitoring (CATALOG, LENGTH), and program execution (RUN, LIST, DEBUG).
• Special Features: Outlines advanced capabilities such as the CHAIN statement, the use of the \ character for multi-statement lines, and specific I/O methods for the Teletype.
• Error Handling: Provides a reference list of error codes that may occur during compilation or execution, aiding in the debugging process.
• System Appendices: Includes instructions for loading the system software, as well as technical guidance for interfacing user-written machine language routines with the BASIC interpreter.