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Chapter 25.9 - DATA and READ
Loading an array with a lot of values can get pretty boring.

  ' Load up the array
  A(0) = 10
  A(1) = 24
  A(2) = 31
  A(3) = 15
  A(4) = 67
  A(5) = 34
  A(6) = 87
  A(7) = 92
  A(8) = 14
  ' ... This could go on for quite a while

  FOR I = 0 TO 8
    PRINT A(I)
  NEXT I

To save space, and typing, QBASIC provides the DATA and READ statements. You can place a list of data values in a DATA statement and read them into an array using READ. The following program will do exactly what the previous program does.

  DATA 10, 24, 31, 15, 67, 34, 87, 92, 14

  FOR I = 0 TO 8
    READ A(I)
  NEXT I

  FOR I = 0 TO 8
    PRINT A(I)
  NEXT I

QBASIC skips the DATA statements in the code. It only pays attention to them when it finds a READ statement. Each time a READ happens, QBASIC takes a value from the DATA statement and places it in the variable in the READ statement.

RESTORE
RESTORE tells QBASIC which DATA statement to start READing from. You might need to load several different arrays in your program. RESTORE lets you organize the DATA statements any way you want.

  Names:
  DATA Fred, Joe, Jack, Sue
  Values:
  DATA 10, 24, 31, 15, 67, 34, 87, 92, 14

  ' Start with the DATA statement after "Values:"
  RESTORE Values
  FOR I = 0 TO 8
    READ A(I)
  NEXT I

  ' Start with the DATA statement after "Names:"
  RESTORE Names
  FOR I = 0 TO 8
    READ N$(I)
  NEXT I

RESTORE tells QBASIC to start reading at the next DATA statement after a label. A label is a name like "Names:" or "Values:". Notice that when we make a new label, we use a colon ":", but when we use the label in the RESTORE statement, we drop the colon.

Loading a Database
DATA statements are perfect for loading a database. Here's a new version of the database example using DATA statements this time.

    DATA "Joe Blow", "1-310-555-1212"
    DATA "Jack Sprat", "1-340-555-6545"
    DATA "Carol Christmas", "1-350-555-2421"

    TYPE FriendType
      FullName AS STRING * 20
      PhoneNumber AS STRING * 14
    END TYPE

    ' The database
    DIM Friends(2) AS FriendType

    ' Read in the database from the DATA statements
    FOR I = 0 TO 2
      READ Friends(I).FullName, Friends(I).PhoneNumber
    NEXT I

    ' Print out the entire database
    FOR I = 0 TO 2
      PRINT Friends(I).FullName; ": "; Friends(I).PhoneNumber
    NEXT I

data 1,2,3
data 4,5,6

dim array(6)

for n=1 to 6
  read (array(n))
  print str$(array(n))
next n

make memblock 1,6
data 1,2,3,4,5,6

for n=1 to 6
  read v
  write memblock byte (1,n,v)
next n

for n=1 to 6
  v=read memblock byte (1,n)
  print v
next n

  READ A$
  PRINT A$
  WAIT FOR KEYPRESS 
  END

  DATA "Hi Mom"