Superb Operability - Sharp MZ-80B Owner's Manual

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1.1.2 Superb operability
The MZ-80B becomes a BASIC language computer after the SB-5 510 BASIC interpreter has been
loaded and activated by the IPL. You can now perform a wide variety of operations with the MZ-80B,
such as data input and output, text file generation, debugging and file access.
The MZ-80B's superb operability and expandability will help you to perform such operations with
ease.
• Keys on the console are divided into groups according to their functions. The main typewriter
keyboard and the numeric pad are located at the front of the console. The special function keys,
cursor control keys and cassette tape deck control keys are located under the CRT display screen
and cassette tape deck.
All ordinary operations other than power on/off can be performed with these keys.
• Alphabetic characters, numerics and symbols are all input from the typewriter keyboard. The [Fivs]
key allows input of reverse characters and the
r-GRPH
I
key enables input of graphic patterns from
the keyboard .
Small letters are normally input from the console of the MZ-80B by pressing the [
SHIFT ]
key.
A command is provided , however, which makes it possible to reverse the shift function so that
capital letters are input when the[
SHIFT )
key is pressed. Tabulation settings can also be made
by the program.
These functions improve the efficiency of message coding and table and graph editing. The cursor
control keys allow these tasks to be performed even more efficiently.
• A separate numeric pad including
0 "'
0, (
oo] ,
G , EJ
and
8
keys is also provided. This
is convenient when input of large amounts of numeric data is required. The numeric keys are
scanned by a different scan signal than that which scans the numeric keys on the typewriter key-
board. This makes various applications possible. For example, keys on the numeric pad can be
easily operated with the right hand as real time operation interruption keys.
• Functions of the 10 special function keys are all user definable . Therefore, by defining a special
function key as a frequently used command, the command can be executed just by pressing the
key once.
The MZ-80B uses the high speed Z80A-CPU which allows instructions to be executed in half the time required by
the Z80-CPU.