[Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
Hi all, I was laid low the last couple of weeks with another horrible chest infection. As a Brit living in a tropical climate, it seems I have finally acquired the tree-pollen allergy that all people who move here seem to get after 3-4 years. This causes me to be vulnerable to whatever's around, and since the allergy started, I have had 7 severe chest infections in 6 months. It's really beaten me down, but now I'm tackling the root cause, hopefully that will stop! I haven't done any programming in that whole time. I was struggling a bit with the ATC sim - mostly speed issues at native QL speed. I have now decided that the sim simply won't run on native speed QLs, since almost everyone has access to something faster. Also, my US QL PSU died (transformer internal fault) so I am a little stuck until I find/make a replacement PSU. I have worked it with my ATX power controller prototype and +5v right into the regulator socket, but serial and microdrives are dead in that arrangement so it is of limited use! I'm open to suggestions on where to get a replacement transformer, or for simple designs for a PSU that gives the correct AC output too. I spent the money I was going to use for getting PCBs and components paying the medical bills for the infection, so everything there will be held back by a few weeks. Got to love the American healthcare system. $120 x-rays and $25 antibiotics... And that's with insurance. Finally, I regained the energy to start doing things then found my web server had died - a PCB issue. I am building a new server from spares I have laying around. I'm not treating it as "urgent" so it may be a few days before my websites are back up. Unfortunately, it looks like when the PCB died it spent some time writing garbage to the drives, so I see a backup restore in my near future. So, that's updates in my life. How are you all doing? Dave ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
+5v right into the regulator socket, but serial and microdrives are dead in that arrangement so it is of limited use! I'm open to suggestions on where to get a replacement transformer, or for simple designs for a PSU that gives the correct AC output too. Hi Dave, I hope your feeling better soon. You should be able to connect your ATX +12V and -12V supplies onto the QL's +12V and -12V lines (IC36,37). Cheers Malcolm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
I haven't done any programming in that whole time. I was struggling a bit with the ATC sim - mostly speed issues at native QL speed. I have now decided that the sim simply won't run on native speed QLs, Well as long as it can be Turbocharged or are you using that already? Malcolm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
Malcolm Lear wrote, on 12/Apr/11 07:19 | Apr12: +5v right into the regulator socket, but serial and microdrives are dead in that arrangement so it is of limited use! I'm open to suggestions on where to get a replacement transformer, or for simple designs for a PSU that gives the correct AC output too. Hi Dave, I hope your feeling better soon. You should be able to connect your ATX +12V and -12V supplies onto the QL's +12V and -12V lines (IC36,37). Check this as it is all from old memory, but QL spec is: 10 VDC 1.8A (LH pin looking at back of QL m/b connector) GND - centre pin 16 VAC 500ma(?) RH pin. The values are written on the bottom. Both these voltages are unregulated. I always thought 10v DC (and it was often 11v) was too high and the reason for the hot 7805. 8V would be fine. Dave - I *know* you are really ill, as you have been very quiet on Skype (8-)# Tony -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:257/67) +44(0)1442-828255 t...@firshman.co.uk http://firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 Skype: tonyfirshman TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
Am 11.04.2011 21:39, schrieb Dave Park: Hi all, I was laid low the last couple of weeks with another horrible chest infection. As a Brit living in a tropical climate, it seems I have finally acquired the tree-pollen allergy that all people who move here seem to get after 3-4 years. This causes me to be vulnerable to whatever's around, and since the allergy started, I have had 7 severe chest infections in 6 months. It's really beaten me down, but now I'm tackling the root cause, hopefully that will stop! I haven't done any programming in that whole time. I was struggling a bit with the ATC sim - mostly speed issues at native QL speed. I have now decided that the sim simply won't run on native speed QLs, since almost everyone has access to something faster. Also, my US QL PSU died (transformer internal fault) so I am a little stuck until I find/make a replacement PSU. I have worked it with my ATX power controller prototype and +5v right into the regulator socket, but serial and microdrives are dead in that arrangement so it is of limited use! I'm open to suggestions on where to get a replacement transformer, or for simple designs for a PSU that gives the correct AC output too. I spent the money I was going to use for getting PCBs and components paying the medical bills for the infection, so everything there will be held back by a few weeks. Got to love the American healthcare system. $120 x-rays and $25 antibiotics... And that's with insurance. Finally, I regained the energy to start doing things then found my web server had died - a PCB issue. I am building a new server from spares I have laying around. I'm not treating it as "urgent" so it may be a few days before my websites are back up. Unfortunately, it looks like when the PCB died it spent some time writing garbage to the drives, so I see a backup restore in my near future. So, that's updates in my life. How are you all doing? Dave ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Hi Dave, we don´t know each other, but from one QL-guy to another QL-guy I wish you all the best (and health, of course) ! Greetings from Vienna/Austria, Anton ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
Hi all, I am completely bogged down with the air traffic control simulator. I have planes I can command to fly around and change speed and altitude and that all works great. Unfortunately, I'm not mathically inclined, and can't figure out how to do glideslopes and so forth. In distress, and with no ability to test on my real QL (PSU died) I have put that project down for a little while. Instead, I am working on a spacial game that is a more-or-less 3D version of Lunar Lander. It works in a spacial plane where several objects orbit a central body. The objective is to take off from one object and land on a target object (which may be a large planet or tiny meteor or another ship doing it's own thing)... It uses elements I have already written and doesn't use glideslopes! Also, I have been writing a simple hotel/campground/RV park reservation system that people might like. Once written, I might re-do it in C or PHP or some-such on a linux box... So, that's what I am up to. Dave ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
Hi Dave, On 26/05/11 05:44, Dave Park wrote: ... Instead, I am working on Good luck with that lot then Dave. For my sins, here's what I'm up to: * Working! * Making sure my bees stay healthy * Writing documentation for the firebird Open Source database (www.firebirdsql.org) * My QL Today stuff on assembler. * Writing a beginner's guide to database design. * Still trying to port SQLITE 3 to QDOS. * Attempting to create an ebook reader for the QL. possibly pointer driven as well. * And some other stuff that I'd rather not mention just yet. However, like many things, time seems to be the bug-bear. :-( Cheers, Norm. -- Norman Dunbar Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd Registered address: Thorpe House 61 Richardshaw Lane Pudsey West Yorkshire United Kingdom LS28 7EL Company Number: 05132767 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
On Thu, May 26, 2011 at 4:29 AM, Norman Dunbar wrote: > Hi Dave, > > On 26/05/11 05:44, Dave Park wrote: >> >> ... >> Instead, I am working on > > Good luck with that lot then Dave. For my sins, here's what I'm up to: > > * Working! > * Making sure my bees stay healthy > * Writing documentation for the firebird Open Source database > (www.firebirdsql.org) > * My QL Today stuff on assembler. > * Writing a beginner's guide to database design. > * Still trying to port SQLITE 3 to QDOS. > * Attempting to create an ebook reader for the QL. possibly pointer driven > as well. > * And some other stuff that I'd rather not mention just yet. > > However, like many things, time seems to be the bug-bear. :-( > > > Cheers, > Norm. That's a good and healthy list. If you port SQLlite to QDOS so it can be used with some SBASIC extensions, I would have a lot of use for it. Or any SQL subset that supported the basics... How is that going? Dave ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
Interesting, my reply from last night doesn't appear to have arrived. Try again! That's a good and healthy list. If you port SQLlite to QDOS so it can be used with some SBASIC extensions, I would have a lot of use for it. Or any SQL subset that supported the basics... I've had that one on my radar for years to be honest. Never got as far as doing anything with it. How is that going? I actually downloaded the latest source code this very week and attempted a trail compile under C68 - in an interesting way, I think it failed. The compiler produced no warnings, no errors, no output file and not a single message to the screen! I've never seen that happen before. The source file (for there is only one) is over 4mb in size which makes me wonder if C68 can actually handle such a large file in one go. Maybe Dave Walker will notice and chip in. I assume, from past experience, that progress will be slow. Probably very slow. :-( Cheers, Norm. -- Norman Dunbar Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd Registered address: Thorpe House 61 Richardshaw Lane Pudsey West Yorkshire United Kingdom LS28 7EL Company Number: 05132767 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
On 27 May 2011, at 08:47, Norman Dunbar wrote: >> >> How is that going? > I actually downloaded the latest source code this very week and attempted a > trail compile under C68 - in an interesting way, I think it failed. The > compiler produced no warnings, no errors, no output file and not a single > message to the screen! I've never seen that happen before. That is certainly interesting. You simply have to forget a semicolon to produce about 900 error messages. By stopping the compilation at the assembler stage you can see what C68 intends to happen. I use this a lot. George ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
Norman, > > How is that going? > I actually downloaded the latest source code this very week and > attempted a trail compile under C68 - in an interesting way, I think it > failed. The compiler produced no warnings, no errors, no output file > and > not a single message to the screen! I've never seen that happen before. > > The source file (for there is only one) is over 4mb in size which makes > me wonder if C68 can actually handle such a large file in one go. Maybe > Dave Walker will notice and chip in. I have no idea whether c68 can handle a single file that large! Lack of output could mean that something has gone wrong, but it could also mean that c68 is simply still working. In theory there should be no upper size limit (RAM permitting). However it has never (to my knowledge) been tested against such a large source as a single file. I wonder why the SQLite people have produced it that way in the first place - it must be an absolute pig to maintain. > > I assume, from past experience, that progress will be slow. Probably > very slow. :-( If you are doing a test compilation I would make sure that you have disabled all the optimization options. The optimisation processes will keep running until no further improvements can be made, and the larger the file the longer it will take to run. It is probably also a good idea to stop after the c68 phase has completed, and run the assemble phase separately. I also do not know if AS68 is likely to choke on such a large file and that would at least give you a clue. Another possibility is to use a version of c68 compiled to run on a PC under Linux as that is likely to run much faster. Dave ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
On 27 May 2011, at 16:31, Dave Walker wrote: > > It is probably also a good idea to stop after the c68 phase has completed, > and run the assemble phase separately. I also do not know if AS68 is > likely to choke on such a large file and that would at least give you a > clue. GWASS has recently been amended to deal with much larger files than previously. You might therefore try using GWASS for this. Of course you need QPC2 or Q40/60 or Super Gold card. George ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
Hi Dave, I have no idea whether c68 can handle a single file that large! Lack of output could mean that something has gone wrong, but it could also mean that c68 is simply still working. Ok, I've not been able to repeat the original error where nothing appeared on screen. When I attempt to comile the code now, I get an error about insufficient memory. I suspect the "bufp" parameter is what I need to adjust, but I see in the docs that that affects the LD linker only. I don't see anything under C68 in the docs, have I missed something. I'm compiling on QPC with 64 MB RAM, so I should be able to up the buffer size a bit. In theory there should be no upper size limit (RAM permitting). However it has never (to my knowledge) been tested against such a large source as a single file. I wonder why the SQLite people have produced it that way in the first place - it must be an absolute pig to maintain. They have two systems, one where all the files are split and another, called the Amalgamation, where everything has been preprocessed, the include files are inline and so on. This makes it easier, apparently, for people to compile the system into their apps or as a library. I can probably work with the individual files as well without any trouble, but I haven't tried yet. I assume, from past experience, that progress will be slow. Probably very slow. :-( If you are doing a test compilation I would make sure that you have disabled all the optimization options. The optimisation processes will keep running until no further improvements can be made, and the larger the file the longer it will take to run. I was referring to my own progress as opposed to casting aspersions on C68 - hope you didn't get the wrong impression! ;-) It is probably also a good idea to stop after the c68 phase has completed, and run the assemble phase separately. I also do not know if AS68 is likely to choke on such a large file and that would at least give you a clue. Another possibility is to use a version of c68 compiled to run on a PC under Linux as that is likely to run much faster. I don't suppose there's one already compiled etc - or am I about to "roll my own" from the source? Time to dive into the docs again I think. It's been quite a few years since I did any C68 work, I'm having to try and remember everything I've forgotten! Cheers, Norman. -- Norman Dunbar Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd Registered address: Thorpe House 61 Richardshaw Lane Pudsey West Yorkshire United Kingdom LS28 7EL Company Number: 05132767 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
Morning Dave, FYI: I have no idea whether c68 can handle a single file that large! Lack of output could mean that something has gone wrong, but it could also mean that c68 is simply still working. Well, the file size caused more than C68 to have problems. QED, the editor supplied alongside C68, reads in the first 32676 lines and gives no indication of any problems. Luckily I didn't save! QD loads the file and seems to load all of it, but the line number indicator on the top of the screen has "interesting" characters when you get too high in line numbers. I am going to have to split the file into it's constituent parts and build a make file to cope I think. Cheers, Norm. -- Norman Dunbar Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd Registered address: Thorpe House 61 Richardshaw Lane Pudsey West Yorkshire United Kingdom LS28 7EL Company Number: 05132767 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
Hello Norman, There is another zipped file in the downloads section, with all the files as separate files, just needs a make file written to build the application. Regards Derek On 01/06/11 11:24, Norman Dunbar wrote: Morning Dave, FYI: I have no idea whether c68 can handle a single file that large! Lack of output could mean that something has gone wrong, but it could also mean that c68 is simply still working. Well, the file size caused more than C68 to have problems. QED, the editor supplied alongside C68, reads in the first 32676 lines and gives no indication of any problems. Luckily I didn't save! QD loads the file and seems to load all of it, but the line number indicator on the top of the screen has "interesting" characters when you get too high in line numbers. I am going to have to split the file into it's constituent parts and build a make file to cope I think. Cheers, Norm. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] [ql-users] [off-topic] Updates in Dave-land...
Evening Derek. Apologies for top posting, this tablet doesn't allow inline or bottom posting! I've seen the zip file there, but, it needs lots of preprocessing with TCL and such like to produce anything they say can be used. :-( What I'm doing is parsing the big file and recursively extracting embedded files from within. I almost have it sort of nearly working. I think:-) cheers, Norm. PS. It seems this tablet removes the email I'm replying to! Sent from Samsung tablet ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
