The VIC Custom Character Solution

In reference to the letter from Dick Gough in the January 1983 issue regarding custom characters on the VIC-20 with 8K or larger expansion, here is a solution.

You must move BASIC RAM above page 30. This is done by POKEing locations 44 and 643 with the value 32. You must also POKE location 8192 with the value 0. If you don't POKE 8192 with the value 0 you will get a Syntax Error when you try to run your program. This is because the first location in RAM for BASIC must have the value 0. I use the following program for this:

10 POKE 8192, 0: POKE 44, 32: POKE 643, 32: POKE 198, 1: POKE 631, 131

When you run this program, it will move BASIC RAM to page 30, load, and run the next program on the tape.

If you are writing a program from scratch, and not loading from tape, you must type "NEW" before you start your program.

Tom Ayers

Our thanks to Tom and several other readers who supplied this information.