Vector Basic Interpreter Basic 80 Reference Manual - page 89
"&"
Specifies
a variable
length
string
field.
When
the
field
is specified
with
"&If,
the
string
is
output
exactly
as input.
Example:
10 A$a"LOOK":B$-"OUT"
20 PRINT
USING
"!";A$;
30 PRINT
USING
"&";B$
RUN
LOUT
When
USING
is used
to print
numbers,
the
following
special
characters
may
be
used
to
format
the numeric
field:
A number
sign
is used
to
represent
each
digit
position.
Digit
positions
are
always
filled.
If the number
to be
printed
has
fewer
digits
than
positions
specified,
the
number
will
be
right-justified
(preceded
by
spaces)
in
the
field.
A decimal
point
may
be
inserted
at
any
position
in
the
field.
If the
format
string
specifies
that
a digit
is to precede
the
decimal
point,
the
digit
will
always
be
printed
(as
0 if
necessary).
Numbers
are rounded
as necessary.
USING
"#1.+.-;.78
0.78
USING
".II.tt";987.654
987.65
USING
"ti.it
";10.2,5.3,66.789,.234
10.20
5.30
66.79
0.23
In the
last
example,
three
spaces
were
inserted
at
the end of the
format
string
to separate
the
printed
values
on the
line.
A plus
sign
at
the
beginning
or
end
of
the
format
string
will
cause
the
sign
of the number
(plus or minus)
to be printed
before
or
after
the number.