Commodore VIC-20 User Manual page 370

356
The VIC 20 User Guide
When a LOAD statement accessing a cassette unit is executed in
program mode, LOAD message displays are suppressed unless the tape
PLAY
key is up (off). If the
PLAY
key is off, the PRESS PLAY ON TAPE#l
message is displayed so that the load can proceed. All LOAD messages are
suppressed when loading programs from a diskette in program mode.
NEW
The NEW statement clears the current program from memory.
Format:
NEW
When a NEW statement is executed, all variables are initialized to zero
or null values and array variable space in memory is released. The pointers
that keep track of program statements are reinitialized, which has the effect
of deleting any program in memory; in fact the program is not physically
deleted. NEW operations are automatically performed when a LOAD
statement is executed.
If there is a program in memory, you should execute a NEW statement
in immediate mode before entering a new program at the keyboard. Other-
wise, the new program will overlay the old one, replacing lines if their
numbers are duplicated, but leaving other lines. The result is a scrambled
mixture of two unrelated programs.
Example:
NEW
NEW is always executed in immediate mode. If a NEW statement is
executed from within a program, the program will "self-destruct," or clear
itself out.
NEW (DOS Command)
Use PRINT# to prepare and format a new diskette or to erase and
reformat an old diskette.
Format:
PRINT#lf,"N[EW]dr:disk name, vv"
The diskette in drive
dr
is prepared. When a diskette is prepared, sectors
are laid out on the diskette surface. The diskette directory and Block