: Canon Cat Internals :
How to enable the FORTH interpreter


The Canon Cat is programmed with FORTH, a remarkably different programming language in itself.

On the Canon Cat, you can access the FORTH interpreter with a special sequence of key presses. Here are exact working instructions thanks to Sandy Bumgarner:

  1. Type Enable Forth Language exactly like that, capitals and all.

  2. Highlight from the En to the ge, exactly [i.e. Leap back to Enable by keeping the left Leap key down while typing E n a, release the leap key, then click both leap keys simultaneously], and press USE FRONT with ERASE (the ANSWER command).

  3. The Cat should beep and flash the ruler.

  4. Then press USE FRONT and the SHIFT keys together and tap the space bar. Note that the cursor stops blinking. Now a Pressing the RETURN key gets the Forth OK and you are 'in' as they say.

Type, for example 1 1 + . to see the result 2 OK.

Notice how the Forth text just appears on top of anything else without any formatting.

You can learn more about the Forth inside the Canon Cat


Updated 3.1.2002. 1514 hits. Since 2001. Hosted by