Frequently Asked Question
How do I use PEEK and POKE commands?
Last Updated about a month ago
PEEK and POKE: Direct Memory Access
PEEK and POKE let you read and write directly to memory - the key to unlocking your Commodore's full power!
Syntax
POKE address, value : REM Write value (0-255) to address X = PEEK(address) : REM Read value from address into X
Useful Memory Locations
| Address | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 53280 | Border color (0-15) | POKE 53280,0 = Black border |
| 53281 | Background color | POKE 53281,6 = Blue background |
| 646 | Cursor color | POKE 646,1 = White text |
| 198 | Keyboard buffer count | POKE 198,0 = Clear buffer |
| 657 | Shift key flag | IF PEEK(657)=1 THEN... |
| 53272 | Character set select | POKE 53272,23 = Lowercase |
Fun Examples
10 REM FLASH THE BORDER! 20 FOR I = 0 TO 15 30 POKE 53280, I 40 FOR D = 1 TO 100: NEXT D 50 NEXT I 60 GOTO 20
10 REM DISPLAY MEMORY CONTENTS 20 FOR A = 0 TO 255 30 PRINT PEEK(A); 40 NEXT A
Warning: POKEing to wrong memory locations can crash your computer! Always save your work first. When in doubt, turn off and on to reset.