The '''INPUT$''' function is used for the program input of a certain number of bytes from a user's keyboard input, a file or a port.



{{PageSyntax}}
:: INPUT$(bytes%[, file_or_port_number])


* Keyboard input is limited to the [[INTEGER]] number of bytes(characters) designated by program.
* The keyboard is the default device when a file or port number is omitted. The byte number is number of key presses to read.
* INPUT$ will wait until the number of bytes are read from the keyboard or port. One byte per loop is recommended with ports.
* INPUT$ will display a cursor in a fixed spot if [[LOCATE]] , , 1 is used in the cursor parameter previous to a read.
* Bytes cannot exceed 32767 in [[BINARY]] opened files or a Qbasic error will result. 
* [[RANDOM]] opened file bytes can be up to the [[LEN]] = record length statement or 128 if no statement is used.
* File or port number is the number that was used in the [[OPEN]] AS statement.
* Returns [[STRING]] values including spaces or non letter\number ASCII characters.
* Backspacing is ignored and will add the [[CHR$]](8) character to an entry!
* Use [[LOCATE]],,1 to view the cursor entry. Turn off the cursor using LOCATE ,,0.
* Ctrl + Break will not stop the Qbasic program until there is a full INPUT$ key entry.
* Use [[_DEST]] [[_CONSOLE]] before INPUT$ statements to be used in a [[$CONSOLE|console]] window.


''Example 1:'' A Keyboard limited length entry can be made with a fixed blinking cursor. Entry must be completed before it can be shown.
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
{{Cl|LOCATE}} 10, 10, 1         'display fixed cursor at location
year$ = {{Cl|INPUT$}}(4)        'waits until all 4 digits are entered
PRINT year$              'display the text entry '' '' 
{{CodeEnd}}


''Example 2:'' Reading bytes from a text file for an 80 wide screen mode.
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
{{Cl|LOCATE}} 5, 5, 1                    'locate and display cursor
{{Cl|OPEN}} &quot;Diary.txt&quot; FOR {{Cl|INPUT (file mode)|INPUT}} AS #1  'open existing text file
text$ = {{Cl|INPUT$}}(70, 1)
{{Cl|LOCATE}} 5, 6, 0: PRINT text$       'print text and turn cursor off '' ''
{{CodeEnd}}


''Example 3:'' Getting the entire text file data as one string value.
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
{{Cl|OPEN}} &quot;Diary.txt FOR {{Cl|BINARY}} AS #1  'open an existing file up to 32767 bytes
IF {{Cl|LOF}}(1) &lt;= 32767 THEN Text$ = {{Cl|INPUT$}}(LOF(1), 1)
{{Cl|CLOSE}} #1 '' ''
{{CodeEnd}}
:''Explanation:'' The IF statement gets the entire contents when the file size is less than 32768. The program can then work with the string by using [[MID$]] or [[INSTR]]. Note: A text file string will also have '''CrLf''' line break end characters [[CHR$]](13) + [[CHR$]](10).


''See also:'' 
* [[INPUT]], [[LINE INPUT]] {{text|(keyboard input)}}
* [[INPUT (file mode)]], [[INPUT (file statement)|INPUT #]], [[LINE INPUT (file statement)|LINE INPUT #]] {{text|(file input)}}
* [[OPEN]], [[LOC]] {{text|(file)}} 
* [[LOCATE]] {{text|(cursor on/off)}}


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