QB64-PE/internal/help/PRINT_(file_statement).txt

The [[PRINT (file statement)|PRINT #]] statement prints numeric or string expressions to a sequential file, IO port or device.


{{PageSyntax}}
::: '''PRINT #''fileNumber&''''', [ [{{Parameter|expression}}] [{;|,] ... ]


{{Parameters}}
* {{Parameter|fileNumber&}} is the file number of a file or device opened for writing. See {{KW|OPEN}}.
* {{Parameter|expression}} is a numeric or string expression to be written to the file. Quotes will be removed from strings.
* The print statement can be followed by a [[semicolon]] to stop the print cursor or a [[comma]] to tab the next print.


''Usage:''
* [[STRING]] values will be stripped of leading and trailing quotation marks when printed to the file. Use [[CHR$]](34) to add quotes to a file.
* {{Parameter|separator}} is used to separate multiple expressions and specifies how the file cursor is to be moved before writing the next expression. It can be one of the following:
** semi-colon (;) - specifies that the print cursor stop immediately after the print. A subsequent print will start there.
** comma (,) - specifies that the file cursor is to move to the next 14-column tab-stop. If the file cursor is at column 56 or greater, it is moved to the next file row at column 1.
* If {{Parameter|separator}} is not used at the end of the expression list, the file cursor moves to the next file row at column 1.
* PRINT # can use the '''+ concatenation''' operator or semicolons to combine strings.
* [[SPC]]({{Parameter|n%}}) - specifies that {{Parameter|n%}} space characters will be written in a print.
* [[TAB]]({{Parameter|column%}}) - specifies that the file cursor is to move to a column number {{Parameter|column%}}. If the file cursor is beyond that column, it is moved to that column on the next file row.
* When printing literal or variable numerical values the following rules apply:
** If the value is positive, the number is prefixed with a space character, otherwise, the number is prefixed with a negative sign (-).
** If the value is an [[INTEGER]] (whole number), no decimal point or fractional part will be written.
** If the value is not an integer (whole number) and has zero for a coefficient, no leading zero is written. For example, -0.123 is written as "-.123 "
** If a numeric literal is in scientific notation, the number is also written in scientific notation. [[PRINT USING (file statement)|PRINT #, USING]] can return actual rounded numerical values in string form.
** The numerical value is always followed by a space character unless [[STR$]] is used to convert it to a string value.
* Whenever [[PRINT (file statement)|PRINT #]] moves the file cursor to a new file row, a carriage return character ({{KW|CHR$|CHR$(13)}}) followed by a line feed character ({{KW|CHR$|CHR$(10)}}) is written. The combination are referred to as the "CRLF" character.
* '''Note: [[RANDOM]] and [[BINARY]] files are not affected by PRINT # statements to them and will create a syntax error in QB64!'''


''Example:'' Prints data to a text file sequentially and reads it back to the program screen as one line of text.
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
filename$ = "testfile.dat" 
x = 1: y = 2: z$ = "Three" 

{{Cl|OPEN}} filename$ {{Cl|FOR...NEXT|FOR}} {{Cl|OUTPUT}} {{Cl|AS}} #1 'opens and clears an existing file or creates new empty file 

{{Cl|PRINT (file statement)|PRINT}} #1, x, y, z$ 

{{Cl|CLOSE}} #1 

{{Cl|PRINT}} "File created with data. Press a key!" 

K$ = {{Cl|INPUT$}}(1) 'press a key 

{{Cl|OPEN}} filename$ {{Cl|FOR (file statement)|FOR}} {{Cl|INPUT (file mode)|INPUT}} {{Cl|AS}} #2 'opens a file to read it 

{{Cl|LINE INPUT (file statement)|LINE INPUT}} #2, text$ 

{{Cl|CLOSE}} #2 

{{Cl|PRINT}} text$ 
{{Cl|WRITE}} text$

{{Cl|END}} '' ''
{{CodeEnd}}
: ''File content:'' [[PRINT (file statement)|PRINT]] string file values will not include the enclosing quotation marks but can be read by [[LINE INPUT (file statement)|LINE INPUT]] as text.  
{{TextStart}} 1             2            Three'' '' {{TextEnd}}
: ''Screen output:'' [[PRINT]] string values will not display enclosing quotation marks. [[WRITE]] screen displays will.
{{OutputStart}} 1             2            Three
" 1             2            Three"
{{OutputEnd}}


{{PageSeeAlso}}
* [[SPC]], [[SPACE$]], [[TAB]]
* [[PRINT USING (file statement)|PRINT #, USING]]
* [[PRINT]]
* [[WRITE (file statement)|WRITE #]], [[INPUT (file statement)|INPUT #]]
* [[LINE INPUT (file statement)|LINE INPUT #]]
* [[OPEN]], [[LPRINT]], [[WRITE]]


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