``` PRINT INK 9; ... ``` ### ATTR The **ATTR** function has the form: **ATTR** (*line*, *column*) Its two arguments are the *line* and *column* numbers that you would use in an **AT** item, and its result is a number that shows the colours and so on at the corresponding character position on the screen. You can use this as freely in expressions as you can any other function. The number that is the result is the sum of four other numbers as follows: **128** if the character position is flashing, **0** if it is steady\ **64** if the character position is bright, **0** if it is normal\ **8** *times* the code for the paper colour –and finally–\ the code for the ink colour For instance, if the character position is flashing and normal with yellow paper and blue ink then the four numbers that we have to add together are **128,0,8\*6=48** and **1**, making **177** altogether. Test this with: ``` PRINT AT 0,0; FLASH 1; PAPER 6; INK 1; " "; ATTR (0,0) ``` **ATTR** works **only** on *Layer 0* and that is because it works by reading each COLOUR_FILE location. On different modes where the memory organisation and usage differs it will return a number that corresponds to the original COLOUR_FILE memory location, which could be for all purposes nonsense. That being said, you can get information on the extended colour attribute display if the *EnhancedULA* functions are enabled presuming the screen area hasn't moved. That number will correspond to the indices in use and it changes according to which **PALETTE FORMAT** command is in effect as we'll see below. For other modes it's safer to use the **POINT TO** command which we will examine in *Chapter 16*. ### PALETTE In previous sections of this chapter we got introduced to the subject of palettes and how they affect colour display and manipulation in each of the colour modes. We also got briefly introduced to the **PALETTE** keyword and a few of its uses. We can now expand a bit more on the subject, as **PALETTE** not only affects printing of the characters on screen but also all aspects of graphics including the ZX Spectrum Next's Sprite Engine. The **PALETTE** keyword can be used as a primary statement or as a modifier to the **LAYER** and **SPRITE** statements to perform a variety of functions that pertain to colour manipulation. As we saw, colour on the ZX Spectrum Next when using *extended colour attribute display* or any mode that doesn't use attributes, can be defined using 9 bits or 8 bits per colour. The default is 9; when 8 bits are chosen, as we have already seen previously, non attribute modes can emulate a straight-up bitmapped linear display (with the side-effect that only 4 levels of blue are available). In the latter case you can basically ignore all **PALETTE** statements as non-applicable for *Layer 2* –and this whole section for that matter– however you need to use them if you want to manipulate *LoRes* or any of the *Layer 1* and *Layer 0* modes and/or change the default colours anywhere in your system, or even to recolour an old game. In order to do that and to have access to the broadest gamut of colour you will need to change the *bit-depth* of your palette(s). You can do so with the **PALETTE DIM** statement in the form: **PALETTE DIM** *bits*