BREAK
Commodore Commodore 64
Severity: MinorWhat Does This Error Mean?
BREAK on the Commodore 64 means a running BASIC program was interrupted by the user pressing the RUN/STOP key. This is intentional behaviour — it is not a crash. Type CONT and press RETURN to resume the program.
Affected Models
- Commodore 64
- Commodore 64C
- Commodore 128 (C64 mode)
- VICE emulator (C64)
Common Causes
- User pressed the RUN/STOP key while a program was running
- RUN/STOP key accidentally pressed
- Program intentionally uses STOP command to pause for debugging
How to Fix It
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Type CONT and press RETURN to continue the program from where it stopped.
CONT (continue) resumes a program that was interrupted by RUN/STOP or a STOP command. Note: CONT only works if you have not typed any new lines or changed variables since the break.
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Press RUN/STOP + RESTORE together to perform a warm reset if the program cannot be continued.
RUN/STOP alone pauses a program. RUN/STOP held while pressing RESTORE performs a soft reset of the C64, clearing the screen and returning to BASIC ready state.
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If you are debugging: use BREAK intentionally with STOP in your code.
Adding STOP on a program line pauses execution at that point, displaying BREAK IN [line number]. This lets you inspect variable values before typing CONT to resume — a handy debugging technique.
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To prevent the user from breaking your program, POKE 808,239.
POKE 808,239 disables the RUN/STOP key so users cannot interrupt your program. Restore normal behaviour with POKE 808,237.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BREAK the same as a crash on the C64?
No. BREAK is a clean, user-initiated interrupt — no data is lost and the program can be resumed with CONT. A real crash (like an infinite loop or a machine language fault) requires a full reset.
Why does CONT fail after a BREAK?
CONT fails if you have edited any program line or typed a command that changed the program state since the BREAK. In that case, you must RUN the program again from the start.