HOW TO CONVERT GWBASIC/BASICA PROGRAMS INTO QBASIC PROGRAMS:
(This info is also found in QBasic's Help/Table of Contents menu)
QBasic can read plain text (.txt, otherwise known as ASCII), but it can't read GWBASIC's binary code format. The problem is easily solved.
1) The program to be converted into Qbasic must be in ASCII format (otherwise known as .txt format). To convert a binary GWBASIC program into ASCII while running GWBASIC, type the following command at the "OK" prompt:
save "filename.bas",a
Be sure to put double quotes around the file's name.
(Since I already have posted my programs in ASCII, you can skip this step. Proceed to step #2).
2) Your program file should now be in ASCII format. Move the ASCII file into the same directory/folder where Qbasic.exe resides.
3) If your ASCII file's extension ends in ".txt" then be sure to rename the file with a ".bas" extension.
4) In most cases, all you have to do is load Qbasic (it can be loaded either from the MSDOS prompt or from a Windows shortcut icon) and then load the ASCII file from within Qbasic (click on FILES/OPEN and click on the file's name and then click on "ok").
If everything went all right, you will see your program's code appear in the Qbasic window. Skip step 5 and proceed to step 6. But if nothing appears in the window, then Qbasic didn't recognize your file. To fix this problem, exit Qbasic and proceed to step 5.
5) Reboot the computer in MSDOS mode and go to the directory/folder where Qbasic.exe resides. Load Qbasic.exe manually (i.e., via the keyboard) by typing the following at the MSDOS prompt:
qbasic.exe/mbf
6) While in Qbasic, click on (FILES/OPEN) to load your program as in step 4. Click on the file name, and then click on the "ok" button.
7) To run the program, click on RUN/START on the QBasic menu bar.