Error Message

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A computer requires valid commands to operate. If the user enters a command it doesn’t recognise, an error message is displayed. In this example, a common error message appears when using direct mode.

The C64 provides a set of built‑in error messages for BASIC V2, which can appear in direct or program mode. If an error message occurs in a running BASIC program, the error message appears with the line number in which the error is detected (often a wrong or confused BASIC command). The error message shows the user or a programmer that he has made a mistake, and now he can debug or fix this program so that it runs error free.

General

One of the most well‑known and widely encountered error codes in BASIC 2.0 is:

?SYNTAX  ERROR IN 100

This message indicates that an error has occurred in BASIC line 100, and the programmer needs to debug the program to ensure it runs correctly.

Error Messages of C64 and BASIC

Error when using the BASIC command LOAD...

The error message that occurs when the BASIC command POKE is used with values that are out of range…

Error when using file names with empty strings...

Error when using too high numbers for calculations...

Messages in BASIC

Error message when using INPUT in a BASIC program: The user must only enter a number here...

Literature

• Commodore 64 User's Guide, Appendix L: Error Messages (s.150/151)
• VC-1541 Single Drive Floppy Disk User's Guide, Appendix B: Summary of CBM Floppy Error Messages; Descriptions DOS Error Messages (s.45-47)

Links

• BASIC V2 error messages with number
• BASIC V2 error messages from ROM