Virtual consoles let one Raspberry Pi host several independent MMBasic sessions. Switch with Ctrl+Alt+1 through Ctrl+Alt+4; the active console is the one whose screen is shown. The same chord works on the Linux/SDL build, where the desktop claims Ctrl+Alt+F1..F4 for its own virtual terminals, so those function-key chords are retired.
Each console keeps its own interpreter state, so programs and variables do not leak between them. A console also keeps its own input line and command history, and its own screen: what you drew or printed on one console is still there when you come back.
Opening a console Ctrl+Alt+1 first console (the one shown at boot) Ctrl+Alt+2 second console Ctrl+Alt+3 third console Ctrl+Alt+4 fourth console
The numeric keypad works as well: Ctrl+Alt+keypad 1..4 selects the same console as the top-row digit (NumLock is ignored for the chord).
A console that has not been used yet starts with the MMBasic banner and a prompt, just like a fresh boot.
Running programs A program started with RUN keeps running while its console is shown. Switching away stops it at the next statement boundary and saves it. Switch back and it continues from where it stopped instead of restarting from the top.
Full-screen apps The EDIT editor, FILES, WORDPAD and TERM belong to the console that started them, and their screen and state survive a switch. You can leave the editor open on one console, connect with TERM on another, and keep a calculator session on a third.
Background work Some things keep running while their console is not the one shown. A queue started with JUKE advances to the next track, an established TERM session keeps draining its TCP connection, and a CONNECT session keeps reading. Output for an inactive screen is held back and shown when you return; network bytes still reach the serial port live.
This is deliberately limited to socket and queue housekeeping. Keyboard input, focus-dependent keys and screen painting only ever happen on the console that is shown, so a background app cannot swallow a keystroke or draw over the active screen.
Notes Only one instance of each full-screen app can be open at a time, and there is one network connection, so keep a single TERM session open and use the other consoles for editing and the prompt. FILES and WORDPAD views are per console but their working files are shared on the disk.
See RUN, EDIT, FILES, WORDPAD, TERM and CONNECT.
Source: docs/help/consoles.txt inmmcore. On the computer, typeHELP CONSOLES.