[7.38] Why Use Ti Basic - Texas Instruments TI-89 Tip List

2nd method
This method needs no string of all the labels, and directly builds the label from the index i. The general
form is
goto #( label_root &string(exact(i)))
where label_root is the 'root' of the label names, and i is the index. For example, if the labels are l1, l2
and l3, then the root is "l" and the expression is
goto #("l"&string(exact(i)))
The exact() function is used to convert the index to an integer string with no decimal points; see tip
[8.1] for details. As with the first method, try...endtry can be used to trap errors from invalid index
values.
(Credit to Samuel Stearly (first method) and Stuart Dawson (second method))

[7.38] Why use TI Basic?

TI Basic is the built-in programming language of the TI-89 and TI-92 Plus calculators. It is one of
several programming languages you can use; the other languages are M68000 assembly language
and two C compilers. "TI Basic" is not Texas Instruments' name for the built-in programming language.
In fact, the TI-92 FAQ says this about it:
"Programming language of the TI-92 - is it BASIC?
No. There are a number of features that are similar to
the BASIC programming language, but it is not BASIC."
The Getting Started web page for the TI-89/92+ SDK has the only TI reference to "TI Basic" I have
found, but I will use that term since it is common and well-understood in the calculator community.
Some programmers claim that TI Basic is unsuitable for coding, citing real and imagined advantages of
C. TI Basic does have some serious limitations, but there remain several compelling reasons to use it:
! TI Basic is built into every calculator, and programs can be completely developed on the calculator.
You don't need an external interpreter, assembler, compiler, editor or development system.
! The TI Graph Link software can be used for program development if desired. Programs can be
edited on the PC, then downloaded to the calculator for execution and debugging.
! The learning curve for TI Basic is short and shallow compared to learning C or assembler.
! TI Basic is stable and robust. It is either difficult or impossible to crash the calculator with a TI Basic
program.
! There is no 24K ASM limit for TI Basic programs. You need no hacks or patches to run large TI
Basic programs.
! TI Basic functions may return results to other functions or programs, or to the home screen.
! TI Basic functions may be used in expressions, just like built-in functions. This can be done with C
functions, but it requires a patch and a hack with AMS 2.05 and HW2 calculators.
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