Re: [ql-users] ROM versions
Al Feng wrote: > Essentially, when you swap QL ROMs, the video output for "TV" mode > changes from NTSC to PAL and vice-versa for JSU & JS, respectively. > Errm...don't the ROMs contain the CPU instructions...the video output is shurely the job of other board chips (ZX8301, etc). However, (these are speculation/vague memories [of rumours?]) the screen shape is different(?) and so the drawing routines would be modified (so a CIRCLE is still a circle). Also, would the interrupt routine be running at 60Hz as opposed to 50Hz, and so some timing routines would have been rewritten? > Al > > > On Wed, 1 May 2002 04:50:15 + (GMT) Dave <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > writes: > >>Hi all, >> >>What do you think would happen if you put JS ROMs in a US spec QL? >>Or JSU >>ROMs in a UK spec QL? >> >>Dave
Re: [ql-users] Software wanted :-)
Phoebus Dokos wrote: > At 03:06 ðì 17/4/2002, you wrote: > >> In a message dated 17/04/02 07:34:14 GMT Daylight Time, >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >> >> >>> Specifically I am searching apart from the ones that I mentioned on a >>> previous email the following: >>> >>> Sandy CP/Mulator (Have the Rom, Manual but DOA disk) >>> Eidersoft's Citadel (Dead CITA_CDE file... of course the largest :-) >>> just >>> my luck) I can try and dig out and check my copy when I get some time. >>> Cuthbert in Space (The tape is cut :- ) >>> The Pawn (I have that on a ZIP-interpreter compatible format but I would >>> like to get back the original - my cartridge is dead again) >>> Psion Chess and Matchpoint (Both tapes DOA) >> >> >> >> If you had looked at my web-site (tut-tut), you would have noticed >> that I can supply a copy of Psion Chess which works from disk. I also >> have a copy of the Pawn, but this does not do away with the need for a >> key cartridge (did anyone ever overcome this problem I wonder). Yes - oops, shouldn't have said that...firstly I disabled the need for the key cartridge on my working copy; and then re-instated it, using the other working cartridge as the key cartridge, instead of the master cartridge. > > > > Well it was REALLY late and what I really wanted to write specifically > for the PSION programs is that I do have a disk based version of Chess > but wanted the original copy protected version to put on microdrive. As > for Matchpoint I don't have an unprotected version and the microdrive > well the tape is totally dead :-((( The same goes (I need the protected > version to overwrite the tape which probably was left somewhere by my > parents (say close to a speaker's magnet!) when I was away as I was able > to format it with no problems... > As I said, I do have the Pawn usable and I am almost done converting the > Magnetic Scrolls interpreter so other games as Corruption, Fish etc will > be playable on the QL as well :-) > > >> As for the others, you can sometimes recover the files by using the >> old Miracle command: >> >> FORMAT ram1_mdv1 I have a problem with my Microdeal Sinclair QL FLight Simulator: the tape got corrupted somewhere in the data block and so one or two of the nine flight areas are unusable (once I get it to load...tho' the first attempt at using it unger GC was rather difficult: on the standard QL it was ok, flying a prop plane, but with GC inserted it suddenly changed into a super-sonic Jet - 2 secs after power up and lift off speed was reached, etc). I'll try that again, if not can anyone help me (by providing the missing data blocks)?
Re: [ql-users] SuperQ Board, US QL
Dave wrote: > > On Sun, 3 Mar 2002, ZN wrote: > > >>I think these correct the 8301 ULA timing to US specs (60Hz), but I can't >>be sure, I've only had a glance at a US QL. >> > > If the US QLs have an interrupt to write out the video memory 60 times a > second, doesn't that mean they must run a good deal slower than their 50Hz > counterparts? Don't forget they've only got 525 lines (31,500 per sec) insted of 625 (31,250 per sec)
Re: [ql-users] SuperQ Board
Dave wrote: > > On Fri, 1 Mar 2002, Stephen Meech wrote: > > >>Thank you. I lurk because I am no longer an active QL-user and therefore >>rarely have anything to contribute. My QLs have not been powered up for many >>years but I retain a nostalgic interest, continue my Quanta sub and very >>occasionally contribute, from memory! >> > > I think it's quite important that you power them up occasionally, and kick > the tyres, so to speak. > > Tony or Nasta may chime in here, but I believe there are electrolytic > capacitors on the QL board, and these don't age very well if they're not used. I believe [my brother told me - I'm a mathematician] summat like the chip doping [also] goes...I've got a StarChess machine that takes ages to warm up, and it hasn't got a single valve - thanks for the reminder, must go and power it up; interesting smell arising from it, but at least it's still working
Re: [ql-users] Problem with SGC.
>>There are related notes in my version of "SMSQ/E for QPC" page 17 under >>FLP_DENSITY. >> > > Thanks John. > > Found the SGC/GC manual - couldn't find the reference, although it's in the SMSQ >docs for the QXL. I looked in the wrong place! > > There's similar facility for the CST Thor that allows you to format the Hard Disk, >but I'd fogotten that too. Just checked my archives...the previous solving messages are around 28/08/01-01/09/01, with answers from Malcolm Cadman, Dilwyn Jones & RWAP S/ware [Rich Mellor] (this last with ref to SMSQ/E & FLP_DENSITY).
Re: [ql-users] Problem with SGC.
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I've had my QLs packed up for a while and when I tried to use them yesterday I > noticed a problem with the SGC/Minerva/SH/QUBIDE machine when trying to format > an HD disk in my ED drives. The format ended, apparently OK giving the usual > 2880/2880 report, but a "dir flp2_" failed, giving "not found". The jiggle > settings AFAICR are as I used them with this setup before. Odd, I thought, so > I switched the drives to my GC/JS QL and formatted the same disk in the same > drive, format OK 2880/2880 and dir OK too!?!?! Any ideas anyone: it seems as > if I can't format on my SGC/Minerva/SH/QUBIDE any more? I had exactly the same problem with my [replacement] GC & EH drives: couldn't format HD disks; covering the HD hole led them to being formatted ok as DD. After years of suffering this, answer came last year (from this list!): put "*H" in the 11th & 12th chars of the medium name to force HIGH DENSITY: FORMAT "flp1_HD_DISK *h" (The 11th+ characters are not displayed on a DIR.)
Re: PIC/SCR Compression (Was:Re: [ql-users] DISP_COLOUR)
> I once saw a spoof email about an E.U. proposal to metricate (is there > such a word?) time into multiples of 10 and all the supposed benefits > this would give us, including the theory that days would seem longer > as there were 100 smaller minutes to each smaller hour and so on. The > sad part was it was actually believable (made me think it was one of > their better ideas!) and surprisingly left me wanting to make time > units metric for a while! Mind you, in 1897 the General Assembley of Indiana passed a Bill ruling that the value of PI was four (the normal idea of metrification is to round odd numbers, eg 240d in 1 UKp -> 100p in 1 UKp, 30/31 days in month based on 7 day weeks -> 30 days in month (based on 3 x 10 day weeks) - funny how the revolutionary French gave up on this metric calendar after a few years). My QL makes it 3.141592654269 (phew!)
Re: [ql-users] Sprites - Animation and Graphics
Phoebus R. Dokos wrote: > Another problem presented is the PAN and SCROLL Commands which do not > allow part of the physical screen to be panned or scrolled and only a > window or cursor line (which can be pretty damn annoying (and slow) if > you ask me... If you set up a window as part of the physical screen, then PAN & SCROLL will, shurely; do a "OPEN#ps_chan,scr", then just keep doing a "WINDOW#ps_chan, : PAN/SCROLL#ps_chan" - or am I just missing summat here...I nose, you wanna do this in a single command.
Re: [ql-users] Things (was Super Sprite Generator 4.0)
> Not totally, I am just trying to avoid to reinvent the wheel... but I am > afraid I'll have to... at least with a Thing solution I'll be able to > use pipes as well to supply the sprite animator with the paths of the > sprites... :-) And best of all it would be reusable... :-) I've missed summat in my years in the wilderness (away from contact with ppl with QLs)...what exactly are "Things"? > Phoebu > s Curiousity: Am I the only one, or do others get the last letter of Phoebus' messages dropped to the next line (as above)? Is it him, his mailer, or [even] my mailer?
Re: [ql-users] Super Sprite Generator 4.0
Phoebus R. Dokos wrote: > Well I had this program for ages and I never even tried it > Nasta is right, it doesn't run with anything other than the original QL > screen addresses which makes me wonder if QPC2_v3 could run it right. > (Screen at $2) > It doesn't appear to mess up anything else and I suspect that animations > run in the memory space of the original screen. The thing is that QPC > doesn't hang! > (Also it needs TurboTK instead of the extend_code as most other DP apps > which leads me to believe it was originally written in Turbo Compiled > S*Basic) xtra_code contains SUPERCHARGE extensions (SET_PRIORITY, REMOVE_TASK, LIST_TASKS, END_CMD, DEVICE_STATUS, FREE_MEMORY) which are (presumeably) used by the Supercharged DESIGN and CONSTRUCT. > so the question is now : Who wrote it? Looking at sprite_code (off DP disk 9!) it contains "R.Woodhouse 1986" right at the end. > If I could get my > hands on the original code :-) I think you'll find that all the code is prob assembler within sprite_code to add the extra procs: SPRITE, SSGON, SSGINIT, SSGSWAP, SSGFILE, SSGMODE, and FNs: SSGEDGE, SSGHIT, SSGEDGE%, SSGHIT%. Given an hour or 8.358 I'm sure I could generate a (tidyish) source for sprite_code (wonderful inventions disassemblers - try IDIS, also on DP disk 9). > > It is amazing though, very smooth animation and exactly what I want to > do, you can even switch apps and the sprites keep on going (Just the > way I want :-) > > Could it be written by SNG? R.Woodhouse mefinx...funny, I was at school with a R.Woodhouse; wonder if it was same bloke. > > Phoebus Try also a look at the manual (also on DP disk 9) SSG_DOC. Or am I just tired from the drive back to Llundain from Glasgow (flat out at 62.5 mph) and have totally misread the problem?
Re: [ql-users] CF Cards and Hot-swapable readers.
P Witte wrote: > Nasta writes: > >>>I know youve sort of answered this before, but the one thing that gives >>>me >>>cause for concern is the long-term reliablity of CF media. And how are we >>>going to notice - apart from in the most unpleasant way - that its >>>natural life is reaching its close? >>> >>CF cards use flash memory chips which can take at least 1 million writes >>to >>the same location - and the internal controller does not let the bytes be >>written to the same place if it can avoid it. Instead, the writes are >>'staggered' - a sector that is overwritten is actually declared empty and >>another is written instead, than that one is 'soft-remapped' to be at the >>same space as it's previous 'version'. Previously written sectors are only >>rewritten if it cannot be avoided due to running out of space. All of this >>is actually quite easy to do on a block oriented device, unlike one with >>purely random writes. Stupid question: how is the "soft-remapping" stored? I only ask as it seems obvious that this has to be constantly re-written each time a sector's physical location changes - or am I thinking too much in terms of disk allocation maps
Re: [ql-users] Virus
Claude Mourier 00 wrote: > The problem is that generally the one with the worm is not advised of its > presence. It can send mail (with the worm) to anything that look like an > email address on the computer ... > > Claude > I was sent (by Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200) two Italian recipes (Lattughe al prosciutto & Lattughe farcite - due to Sept 11, I haven't had as much contact with some Italian tour guides I know, so haven't had them translated yet, but I will try them some time...thank you whoever it was had them [unknowlingly] sent to me), complete with a M$ virus attachment (named soffriggete.pif) - subject: I germogli di soia, quindi [whatever that means]. Having no knowledge of the [named] sender, and having the mail addressed [exactly] to me implies that this came from some [other recipient of a] list.
Re: [ql-users] A foible ...
> I've got Pennell's Qdos Companion and Dickens - Advanced User Guide. > My QDOS refernec from Jochen is at home, so I haven't checked that out. > > Both of the above books are based on the QDOS documentation (1.03 ?) from TT > (a long time ago) and both mention -1 as being valid. Dickens only mentions -ve [word!] Job ID (D1.L) for MT.FRJOB I rarely have to use RJOB as my ICE ROM does a very good impression of the ZX81 RAM PACK wobble, causing my QL to crash [I really must get round to cleaning the contacts again] - does RJOB use MT.FRJOB? wrt the error return (RJOB ,) Dickens does a cross ref to MT.ACTIV.
Re: [ql-users] Q40/Q60/??? Ultra IO card
Bill Waugh wrote: > Dexter wrote: > >>Does anyone think it might be appropriate to have a separate list for >>ql-developers to separate the traffic from ql-users, or are you happy for >>these kind of posts filling your list? :o) >> >>More in a bit. >> >>Dave >> > > Much (most) of it goes over my head but sometimes I can can get a > general wiff of what is intended. > I don't mind it at all, it makes for a " completeness " of the list, I > think if we split the list up into to many sub lists most of them would > wither and disappear, no lets all stick together and each of us can > decide which mails we wish to read and which we can delete. > > All the best - Bill ( more of a trekie than a techie ) Some of the stuff goes right over my head as well, but it does give an insight into the problems of Hardware design and why things are as they are; I agree, lets stick together...we've always got the DELETE button.
Re: [ql-users] "seasonal cheer, Silly Season"
> Right now am having enough trouble just getting windows to work > reliably. Isn't that a contradiciton in terms? The words 'windows' and "work reliably" can't exist together in one sentence, can they?
Re: [ql-users] A new QL user needs your help :)
> SuperBAsic is a superb start. Even by today's standards it is a very > good basic indeed, but using toolkitII is essential I think. Type > tk2_ext to get it. In later SGCs there is a command that stores in in > NVR for auto addition at boot - autotk2? There are: AUTO_TK2F1 - At switch-on, enable TK2 and press F1 (monitor) key AUTO_TK2F2 - At switch-on, enable TK2 and press F2 (TV) key AUTO_DIS - Disable auto- enabling of TK2 and pressing of F1 or F2. These appear to be on my GC as well.
Re: [ql-users] US QL differences...
Dexter wrote: > Hi all, > > I've been sat like a hawk on Ebay waiting for a QL to come up for auction. > I recall the US QLs had a different ROM version and PSU, but are their any > other differences? US TVs use NTSC (Never Twice Same Color; with 525 lines, Horiz Freq 15.734kHZ) whereas UK TVs use PAL (with 625 lines, Horiz Freq 15.625kHz) (checkout http://www.bnoack.com - a mine of tech data), so the TV output (modulator) MUST be different. Assuming US build QLs had a similar list of screen outputs (TV, Colour monitor, B/W [monocrome] monitor, RGB), then a UK QL's TV & Colour [PAL] monitor will be unusable. I think that ULA ZX8301 generates the 50Hz (vertical sync) interrupt (along with the screen display) and the system (CPU) clock, so I suspect there may be a different US version . Hope I don't sound too much of a killjoy; are there any hardware gurus who can confirm/deny these suspicions?
Re: [ql-users] Psion Chess
> Is there a hack about for Chess? I have a kosher original copy > (somewhere...), and various backup copies on disk, mdv, etc., but of course > they need the master cart to run... >From what I remember doing to my copy, it's actually "fairly easy". If I remember correctly, it's summat to do with loading a hidden file from the master cartridge - it first unhides the file, accesses it and then re-hides the file; thus requiring write access to the master cartridge (along with the obvious dangers this entails). I think I loaded the data of the file into the program splatting over the protection code. I also double-hacked my copy of the Pawn. First I hacked it to remove the need for the Key Cartridge; then I re-hacked it to use my game cartridge as the Key Cartridge (instead of the proper Key Cart). Which reminds me; were [are?] FLRUN, FSAVE and FBOOT "Fast-" versions of the normal LRUN, etc in that they save/load a program in tokenadized (as opposed to normal LISTing) format?
Re: [ql-users] more noise
> I was/am a Monty Python fan - but I can't remember a moose ... Try looking for a Holy Grail.
Re: [ql-users] Clive Sinclair
> Certainly apocryphal (TP spell checker - not me) as the 3.5 drives then > were much too high. Suitable drives did not appear for years. > but a nice story. > > The same story must have happened over the years - wheel, spinning > jenny, bicycle, digital watch, mobile phone, head transplants.. Is this also true of the story behind choosing the 68008 over the full 68000; namely: At design stage the 68008 was in a plastic package and cheap, but the 68000 was in ceramic and expensive; hence went for 68008. Only prob was that when the QL actually went into production the 68000 was available in plastic and cheaper than the 68008!?
Re: [ql-users] QPC2
I'm all for going Dutch, but speaking double-dutch now?
Re: [ql-users] Aver nother laaaarf
> Also: is it possible to use RGB conector to plug into a TV or VCR w/ > Audio and Video Input? Anyone has RGB conector pinout? The QL uses an 8-Pin DIN (circular, not offset) connector, as viewed from outside the QL/solder side of plug: --- / 7 ^ 6 \ ^ = locating notch / 3 1 \ |8|1-8 = Numbered pins \ 5 4 / \ 2 / --- However, there appears to [possibly] be a mistake in the manual, as the pin functions were given in 'QL world' (May 1987) differently: Pin Manual QL World 1 Composite PAL Monocrome (b/w) video 2 GroundGround 3 Composite Monocrome PAL colour video 4 Composite SyncComposite Sync 5 Vertical Sync [No connection] 6 Green Green 7 Red Red 8 Blue Blue The main difference being that Black/White and Colour composites are swapped and Vertical sync doesn't actually do anything. As you're in Brazil, I suspect that you have NTSC as opposed to PAL TVs, so I hope the QL is so set up. If this is the case, the composite color signal may actually be NTSC. If not (and I suspect this from the request for the RGB pins and info on connecting a TV/video this way), then you'll have to use RGB, or possibly monocrome (not sure on this one as don't know how exactly NTSC & PAL [don't] relate). To connect up a TTL RGB monitor, you'll need pins 2 (Ground), 4 (Sync), 6 (Green), 7 (Red), 8 (Blue) on the QL end connected to the relevant pins of the monitor. Some TVs also have RGB inputs and so could be used as a monitor, but be warned: in the UK they also often have an 8-pin DIN (circular) socket (same as QL) with pin 8 being a low voltage output - connecting this the the QL's RGB socket could result in a dead QL. So make sure you know exactly what the pins on the monitor are supposed to do. (The 8-pin DIN circular has pins 1-7 in an arc, the 8-pin DIN offset has 2 pins in a different arc from the other 5 [I think pins 6&7, assuming same numbering].)
Re: [ql-users] Gold card disk formatting
> Yes :-) ... you can force it to format Double Density or High Density. > > I hardly ever use the command myself, yet I think it is including a *D > of a *H, after the disc name that does this. > > It seems you need to force a HD format. D'oh! Ta...that seems to work! (the *D or *H has to be in the 11th and 12th positions)...now people have mentioned it, I vaguely remember reading summat about it but not exactly wot it woz supposed to do. Perhaps it 'formatted' it as HD, but then tried to write as ED or DD (min allocation units are different)? Who nose; who cares.
Re: [ql-users] Gold card disk formatting
> >> If you do have two HD drives > > > >twin EH drives > Eh? > > You mean ED I think. oops, yep..Extra High Density (formats to 2.88M under doMeSsDOS, 3.2M under QL). > I bet you need FLP_JIGGLE 1 - this is stored in SGC clock chip. Will this need to be unset for running 720K/3.2M disks? > Mind you I found ED drives dodgy for anything other than ED disks. I've found 720K (DD or 1.44M HD conv'd to DD by covering id hole) seem to be ok in mine.
Re: [ql-users] Gold card disk formatting
> I can direct sector copy from one drive to other (easy enuff to write a > program to do it in pseudo-basic/mc), but even after doing that, when trying > to write to the disk, even when it reads the data correctly off the disk, > trying to write, it splats in the wrong place (I think...will have to check > this by format, sector-copy, write some files, change drive, write some > different files, see what first drive gives/makes of it). Having now checked this, it seems to be using the slave memory copies, so each drive has its own idea of what's actually on the disk! Gobbling up the memory (formatting fixed size ram disks), ensures it has to use the disk copy. Now it crashes the GC when trying to DIR FLPn_! help
Re: [ql-users] Gold card disk formatting
> Do you have ONE properly formatted HD QDOS disk + TWO HD drives? Never been able to format them > If you do have two HD drives twin EH drives > + one properly formatted disk, then you can > use the SCOPY program from QL TOADY (sic) ... a little tedious/slow since > it will copy ALL of the sectors from the one disk to the other, but it > will get the job done as far as imprinting the first few sectors > properly. I can direct sector copy from one drive to other (easy enuff to write a program to do it in pseudo-basic/mc), but even after doing that, when trying to write to the disk, even when it reads the data correctly off the disk, trying to write, it splats in the wrong place (I think...will have to check this by format, sector-copy, write some files, change drive, write some different files, see what first drive gives/makes of it).
Re: [ql-users] Gold card disk formatting
> Are you using the correct format command ? FORMAT FLP1_Test is there another one?
Re: [ql-users] Gold card disk formatting
Back in Feb, I asked regarding 1.44 disk formats as my Gold Card was having difficulty in fomatting them (it'd go through the motions and then apparently leave the disk unchanged). Having finally got some time to do things, and got round to transferring stuff from this PC to my QL, and trying a post/quick format proggy, I've now discovered what was going on: The format did work(ish). Only instead of storing the disk data in Side 0, Track 0, Sector 1 (0-0-1), it was actually storing the data in Side 0, Track 3, Sector 1 (0-3-1). After using direct sector access to copy this data in 0-3-1 to 0-0-1, the disk was then recognised in the other drive. I then tried to copy some files onto the disk. All appeared fine until I tried it in the other drive, when it still showed a newly formatted empty disk. Checking this out, it appears to have changed the disk data in 0-3-1 again, which the first drive seems to be reading as 0-0-1 (changing disks in this drive [forcing a re-read of physical data] causes it to loose the dir listing; but direct access still shows the change to 0-3-1, not 0-0-1 as it should be). Copying the new 0-3-1 to 0-0-1 causes the other drive to give a messed up dir listing. [As does copying *-3/4/5-* to *-0/1/2-*.] All this tells me is that 1.44M disk writing is apparently putting the data in the wrong place on the disk. (Except direct sector access which seems to work fine.) Any suggestions as to what is going wrong [and to get 1.44M disks working - other than to cover the ID hole and format as 720K which does work]?
Re: [ql-users] Ah, happy days!
> Channel 5 is on channel 37 (in the London area at least...the channel list I > have is from 90/91 prior to it - on all the transmitters listed there is > generally at least a 3 channel difference between the stations [eg Crystal > Palace: 23/26/30/33 for ITV/BBC1/CH4/BBC2] which I presume is to prevent > interference). > > Thus I suspect that CH5 interferance could well be the problem; as I have with > one of my video players. I also believe the modulator has a tendency to > wander frequency (or was that the ZX81/2). Tho' I did have a washy-like > output that improved after I had re-seated (pushed back in) the chips on the > QL (de-static-adize yourself first! - by touching something earthed). I've just used my video to display frequencies, and used http://www.bnoack.com/index.html (a veritable mine of info) to get Bandwith, etc, and came up with: Chan CH Freq Bandwidth Video Sound ITV23 487.2486-494487.25487.25 BBC1 26 511.2510-518511.25511.25 CH430 543.2542-550543.25543.25 BBC2 33 567.2566-574567.25567.25 QL 36 590.4590-598591.25591.25 CH537 599.3598-606599.25599.25
Re: [ql-users] Ah, happy days!
> >CBM PETs??? I remember the name, but not the computer itself, is it > >from the VIC20 and C64 era? > > > > PETs - 1977 to 198mumble. I believe the PET was designed by Chuck Peddle around the 6502 processor he designed based on a PDP processor of some sort (though I may be wrong). The VIC-20 was CBM's "home-computer" that the PET begat; it used the same basic + video character set, but added colour and high res graphics, and removed ~27K of RAM - it came with ~5K as opposed to the 32K of the 3032 that I used at school. The c64 was then begat by the VIC-20, having an enormous 64K of RAM! > >Now all I need is a monitor, to save me from having to use the TV (which, > >for some reason, has a lousy picture - maybe the UHF modulator is on the > >way out). Vaguely following instructions in PCW magazine, I added a composite input to my Phillips TX range TV that I originally brought for my ZX81(s) - this improved picture quality dramatically (bypasses modulation and demodulation). > Contact Bill Richardson - he has a few. The TV picture may well be > influenced by Channel 5 which, I believe, is on the same frequency. I am > not sure if I recall this correctly. Channel 5 is on channel 37 (in the London area at least...the channel list I have is from 90/91 prior to it - on all the transmitters listed there is generally at least a 3 channel difference between the stations [eg Crystal Palace: 23/26/30/33 for ITV/BBC1/CH4/BBC2] which I presume is to prevent interference). Thus I suspect that CH5 interferance could well be the problem; as I have with one of my video players. I also believe the modulator has a tendency to wander frequency (or was that the ZX81/2). Tho' I did have a washy-like output that improved after I had re-seated (pushed back in) the chips on the QL (de-static-adize yourself first! - by touching something earthed).
Re: [ql-users] Ah, happy days!
> >> - ICE on ROM (how do I start that up then, and do I need a mouse?)
The mouse, if it has one, is connected directly to the ROM cartridge. If it
doesn't then it must be an early, pre-mouse version.
> >Type ICE :-) (I have that too... you'll also need the utilities... mine are
> >already dust :-(
>
> I tried that, nothing happened... Maybe the EPROM is a goner :( Is it
> supposed to show anything at the F1/F2 screen?
Top of F1/F2 screen should say summat loike:
ICE v2.1 EIDERSOFT (C) 1985 D. Jones
[well mind does - I've got a mouse version - followed on the next line by
'Gold Card V2.49']
If this is missing it may be because the ROM isn't found during reset...I have
this problem from time to time and found 2 solutions:
a) try re-seating the cartridge: by unplugging-replugging, and/or jiggling it
in the socket (with power OFF/disconnected). If this failed,
b) [lasts longer] try lightly tinning all the connections on the ROM cartidge
with solder - making sure that NO two were accidently connected via solder
splats (a needle file between them works well) - and making sure that the edge
connector is clean (by using a little propan-1-ol [aka isopropyl alcohol] -
available from chemists, or [video] cassette tape [head] cleaning kits; which
also removes any filings). If re-tinning, having a desolder tool (solder
sucker) to remove old solder helps.
On boot-up, my ICE ROM takes control, unless the ALT key is pressed during the
reset process, when the normal MDV1_BOOT or FLP1_BOOT is run. At any time,
the ICE command allows access to the '"graphical" front-end'
>From November 1987 QL World ('Of Mice and QLs', pg 12-14):
"At present there are four brands of mouse available for the QL. The first
to make its appearance was the Eidersoft Mice system, released soon, after its
EPROM-based ICE front-end...
"The standard version of ICE relies on pressing a combination of cursor
keys to effect movement of a screen pointer which, in turn, accesses the
system commands. Command selection is made by either a single or double
pressing of the bar.
"The Eidersoft mouse system includes EPROM-based ICE and connects to the QL
through the ROM port. Command selection is made by pressing one of the three
mouse buttons."
I've got an ICE manual here sumwhere...I've found the "Mice MOUSE User's
Guide" which basically gives the mouse differences, plus describes ARTice, a
drawing program (that crashes on my GC). It mentions an optional ICE TOOLKIT,
but I can't remember what this is, but with ARTice did come a toolkit of sorts
(providing access to the mouse pointer and buttons).
Re: [ql-users] As things are quiet...
Nicholas Ashby wrote: > > Malcolm > > Would e-mail 'off list' but how do I get your e-mail address ? For Malcom Cadman try mailing to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [it appears in the 'From:' field viz: > From: "Malcolm Cadman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, July 06, 2001 7:50 PM > Subject: Re: [ql-users] As things are quiet... The mailing list as a 'Reply-to:' field that causes replies to go back to the list.]
Re: [ql-users] Program type Identification
> >Executables can be tested via the FTYP function (type 1 is executable) > >of Toolkit 2. > > Yes, they could also be identified (and some more interesting info gleaned) > from the first couple of bytes, the executable header. Don't remember the > definition of the top of my head, but I know hex 4AFB appears in it :-) It's only a 'suggestion' (that most [commercial] programs obey), code will still execute if it doesn't have this format - it's just that extensions (like 'JOBS') will not be able to display any 'job name'. When a program is EXEC'd it starts executing with the first byte of the file. The suggestion was that the program should start: 00: xx xx xx xx xx xx xx 4A FB 08: LL LL nn nn nn nn nn nn nn 10: nn where xx = executable code (usually it's just a BRA[.S] instruction = $60 ..), = the length of the program name (.W, usually 00LL), nn = the bytes of the name, eg: 00: 60 00 04 E0 00 00 4A FB £.J. 08: 00 06 45 64 69 74 6F 72 ..Editor 10: 6D 64 76 32 5F 00 00 7E mdv2_..~ etc is the start of my file editor. On 'JOBS', this appears as: Job tag owner priority 0 0 0 32 4 5 0s40 Editor > Resident extensions cannot be recognized as they are just pieces of code, > they are called after they are loaded (LRESPR), but don't have any defined > headers etc. Although there is no defined header, they usually start with code that links the next names in and then exits, and looks something like: 00: 43 FA 00 0CLEAtable,A1 04: 34 78 01 10MOVE.W $0110,A2 08: 4E 92 JSR(A2) 0A: 70 00 MOVEQ #$00,D0 0C: 4E 75 RTS 10: 00 nntable DC.W 4; Number of PROCs 12: oo oo DC.W proc1-* ; offset to 1st proc code 14: 00 LL DC.W 5; length of name 16: 70 72 6F 63 49 DC.B 'proc1' ; name of 1st proc 1B: 00 ALIGN ; Words must be on even boundaries 1C: . Tho' the LEA and MOVE.W may be the other way round, in which case the file will start: 00: 34 78 01 10MOVE.W $0110,A2 04: 43 FA 00 08LEAtable,A1 But when you get to pure executable code as opposed to a job (eg the Breakout game that came with the QL), there's no defined standard or suggestion, so good luck. Robert
Re: [ql-users] Re: Q40/Q60 device drivers
It's amazing the crap I write when I'm tired. Thinking it through I realised it was crap, re-editied it down, saw it was still crap and intended to bin it, but hit the wrong button and sent it before logging out. Sorry.
Re: [ql-users] Re: Q40/Q60 device drivers
> [meta-devices] > > > NO! Channels are meant to exchange DATA, NOT to send COMMANDS or > > PARAMETERS to a piece of hardware ! (of course, you could argue > > that "commands" and "parameters" are just some form of "data", > > but you won't, will you ? ;-) This reminds me of how the Apple ][ disk drives were accessed from within a program - via PRINT! The device driver scanned all output looking for a lead-in escape sequence and then used the rest of the output line as the command and its parameters to execute. > > Don't invoke LOGIC here, as I see no logic in your proposal: they are > > DIFFERENT devices (one SCSI and one IDE) on DIFFERENT hardware... Even > > UNIX uses DIFFERENT device names for SCSI and IDE ! But Unix DOESN'T have to! It only does so to assist the user; [roughly speaking] Unix uses "special files" which are actually pointers to device drivers (as defined by the major number of the file) which can obviously be named anything you [as root] like. > Things were easy when the only thing you could connect to a floppy > interface was a floppy. Trouble started when they inroduced tape drives. > With IDE things got complex faster - it started off as hard drive only, now > you can put almost any storage device (including floppy) onto it, using two > distinct protocols. With SCSI, things are even worse, cause there you can > use non-storage devices. Funny you should mention SCSI, I've just got a copy of next-next month's (August) Computer Shopper (it's still June and I can no longer buy a June NOR July issue!) and therein I came across an artice about it. Although SCSI was originally devised by a hard disk manufacturer (Shugart), it is actually more of a "peripheral bus" (hence its ability to have longer cables than IDE). What's actually worse about it is that SCSI normally refers to SCSI-3 which isn't very standard (from what I could gather from the article - sorry, left the mag at work, otherwise I'd give quote(s)) > Then, we have non-storage oriented interfaces that > got storage devices grafted to them, I suppose SCSI could be defined as the opposite: a storage interface that [early on, in acceptance stage by standards people,] had non-storage devices grafted on. > such as parallel ports. What's wrong with using a parallel port to access a storage device? Or is this based on the misconception that parallel port = printer [output] port (as that's for which they're generally used [by most PC users] and only that "driver" is installed)? My first meeting with a parallel port was on the Commodore Pet (3032) - an IEEE 488 interface (aka HP-IB; a parallel port) by which its floppy disks (along with a printer and any other devices) were attached. Then, if you go to the Commodore VIC-20, that (if I've got the right machine) had a floppy disk drive that was attached via a SERIAL port! Food for thought? Keep up the good work Robert
Re: [ql-users] Wanted US QL plus some other odd stuff
> P.S. (2) Section II of the Turbo Manual (if G.G. didn't update it yet which > I will have to check) is ready in PDF, Word 2K/97, Word 6/95 and EVY > formats. (currently printable in Letter Size only but that will not pose a > problem to Europeans as A4 is longer) Drop me a line if you want it A4 is also slightly thinner - it's 11.57x8.27 as opposed to Letter's 11x8.5, so beware margins (I normally use letter as that's what my DMP tractor feed prefers; but then again, I'm British, not European).
Re: [ql-users] NEXT in FOR-loop
> 100 CLS : INPUT '>';n > 110 FOR i=0 TO n > 120IF i MOD 2=0 THEN NEXT i > 130PRINT i > 140 NEXT i > 150PRINT 'done' > 160 END FOR i > > To get round this in a piece of code I'm currently engaged on, I have had > to test for i=n when the exception arises and use EXIT i when on the final > loop. Comments anyone? I find the adage "If all else fails, read the manual" useful (but I suspect that you may not have one, so here's the entry for NEXT: NEXT is used to terminate, or create a loop _epilogue_ in REPeat and FOR loops syntax: NEXT The identifier must match that of the loop which the NEXT is to control [examples cut] If NEXT is used onside a REPear - END REPeat contruct it will force processing to continue at the statement following the matching REPeat statement. [Most similar to the C 'continue;' statement] The NEXT statement can be used to repeat the FOR loop with the control variable set at its next value. If the FOR loop is exhausted then processing will continue at the statement following the NEXT; otherwise processing will continue at the statement after the FOR.)
Re: [ql-users] another float question
Jerome Grimbert wrote: > > I have a strange question about float number: > what are the maximal and minimal values for a float, on the QL. > > I have found the answer for Abacus (it's in the doc!), but > not for the SBasic/whole system. The classic QL manual, Concepts section, Page 15 "data types/variables" says: Integers are whole numbers in the range -32768 to +32767... Floating point numbers are in the range +/-(10^-615 to 10^+615), with 8 significant digits... A string is a sequence of characters up to 32766 characters long... [Note that 8 significant figures only is quoted as the 9th is used to round the 8th.]
Re: [ql-users] float
> Using school maths I get: > > 7 div 3 , 7 mod 3 => 2 , 1 > -7 div 3 , -7 mod 3 => -2 , -1 > 7 div -3 , 7 mod -3 => -2 , 1 > -7 div -3 , -7 mod -3 => 2 , -1 Don't forget that under Modulo 3, the numbers -1 and 2 are equivalent.
Re: [ql-users] bmp2pic
> At the moment I can use only 32 MB under SMS. Only Linux supports the > whole memory. Neither the amount of RAM nor the amount of hard disk space > is really needed under SMS. It's just to show that it's possible and > people that are used to the resource waste of Windoze sure like to see > these huge values ;) Whenever I have to compare my system, I usually point out that when I first got my 128K QL, 32K went to the screen, a bit more to system variables, etc leaving 77K free for use. I could then run a text editor, Assembler, Machine Code Monitor AND the program under development in this memory whereas most people with PCs with 640K memory could only barely run one of these programs at a time, requiring Windoze if they even wanted to do something similar, unlike the native QL OS. Now I point out that with 2M of memory the programs and data rattle around inside my QL (I've never run out of memory working with my QL, but had lots of problems of insufficient memory errors when trying to get PC programs to run, even with 32M installed therein!), and my floppies each hold 3.2M of data each (my box of 10 is roughly equivalent to a 30M hard disc that was the PC norm when I got my QL disk drives)! Hohum, Cm
Re: [ql-users]
Bojan Kotur wrote: > > I'm looking for the 'pin assignment' scheme for QL's expansion slot. According to the classic QL manual the connector is a 64-way male DIN-41612 indirect edge connector and has the following connections: -- | *| GND | a 1 b | GND D3 | a 2 b | D2 D4 | a 3 b | D1 D5 | a 4 b | D0 D6 | a 5 b | ASL D7 | a 6 b | DSL A19 | a 7 b | RDWL A18 | a 8 b | DTACKL A17 | a 9 b | BGL A16 | a 10 b | BRL CLKCPU | a 11 b | A15 RED | a 12 b | RESETCPUL A14 | a 13 b | CSYNCL A13 | a 14 b | E A12 | a 15 b | VSYNCH A11 | a 16 b | VPAL A10 | a 17 b | GREEN A9 | a 18 b | BLUE A8 | a 19 b | FC2 A7 | a 20 b | FC1 A6 | a 21 b | FC0 A5 | a 22 b | A0 A4 | a 23 b | ROMOEH A3 | a 24 b | A1 DBGL | a 25 b | A2 SP2 | a 26 b | SP3 DSMCL | a 27 b | IPL0L SP1 | a 28 b | BERRL SP0 | a 29 b | IPL1L VP12 | a 30 b | EXTINTL VM12 | a 31 b | VIN VIN | a 32 b | VIN | *| -- A suffix 'L' on a signal name indicates that the signal is active LOW A suffix 'H' on a signal name indicates that the signal is active HIGH --- QL Peripheral Output Signals: SIGNAL FUNCTION -- A0..A1968008 address lines RDWL Read / Write ASLAddress Strobe DSLData Strobe BGLBus Grant DSMCL Data Strobe - Master Chip CLKCPU CPU Clock E 6800[8?] peripheral's clock REDvideo Red BLUE video Blue GREEN video Green CSYNCL Composite Sync VSYNCH Vertical Sync ROMOEH ROM Output Enable FC0..FC2 Processor Status RESETCPUL Reset CPU --- QL Peripheral Input Signals: SIGNAL FUNCTION -- DTACKL Data Acknowledge BRLBus Request VPAL Valid Peripheral Address IPL0L Interrupt Priority Level 5 IPL1L Interrupt Priority Level 2 BERRL Bus Error EXTINTLExternal Interrupt DBGL Data Bus Grab --- QL Peripheral Bi-directional Signals: SIGNAL FUNCTION -- D0..D7 Data Lines --- Miscellaneous SIGNAL FUNCTION -- SP0..SP3 Select Peripheral 0 to 3 VIN+9V DC (nominal) - 500ma maximum VM12 -12V VP12 +12V GNDGround --- It is not intended that the following description of the QL peripheral expansion mechanism be sufficient to implement an actual expansion device, but rather be read to gain a basic understanding of the expansion mechanism. Single or multiple peripherals may be added to the QL up to a maximum of 16 devices [was the bug that recognised only the first one found fixed?]. ... The position of each peripheral device in the overall memory map of the QL is determined by the select peripheral lines SP0..SP3. These select lines generate a signal correcponding to the slot position in the QL expansion module, thus for a device to be selected the address input from address lines A14..A17 must be the same as the signals from SP0..SP3 respectively. --- I can't give any further info regarding actual connection as h/ware is not my speciality - especially the IDE as I have not knowledge of the IDE pins. Cm
Re: [ql-users] QL serial ports
> You could try copy ser2 (or ser1) but at a slow baud rate to > avoid problems. When we first developed QL Terminal (in 1988) we found > 2400 was the maximum safe rate, and even then sometimes chrs were lost. > The main problem was input to QL. When developing a terminal emulator to connect to my college computer system (around 87/88), we encountered major problems on the input side if the rate was too high: the buffer in the 2nd processor would over-run, causing an 11 (if eyes remembers correctly) character delay - nothing would appear from the SER port and then as each further character was received, we'd get the 11th previous character (with no loss); the only cure [we found] being a RESET. We generally used 1200. I still use the emulator that was written to connect my QL to my other PC (486, running Dos+Windoze 3.1/FreeBSD Unix) and I find 1200 baud is the best rate I can manage. Cm
Re: [ql-users] QLTdis - Help request
> >Try using hexadecimal (base 16) - it makes life much easier: > > > >Take each set of 4 bits (binary digits) and convert to a number in range > >0-15, then substitute A-F for 10-15. If you can't handle 0-15 in a single digit, you could always try octal (base 8) which uses 3 bits per digit, converting to a number in the range 0-7. (The main problem with this is that I don't know of any convention for indicating an octal number. The C format is to preceed the number by a zero (0). Personally, I prefer hex' as it works in nybbles.) eg: 1110 1100 1001 0010 -> 1 110 110 010 010 010 => 1 6 6 2 2 2 => 0166222 As you can see, the problem with octal is that 16 is not divisible by 3, but it does mean, like hex', that converting to/from binary is easy. The (minor) advantage is that the last 2 octal digits of a word are often used by the 68k series for an addressing mode, with the preceeding 2 bits indicating the size. Robert
Re: [ql-users] QLTdis - Help request
> here's an awkward one I've come across in QLTDis for QL Toady - and I've > figured it out for myself, but I don't like the solution ! > > ADDQ = 0101 ddd0 ssxx > SUBQ = 0101 ddd1 ssxx > Scc = 0101 11xx > > Where 'ddd' = data and ranges from '000' to '111' > 'ss' = size and can be '00', '01' or '10' > '' = condition code and ranges from '' to '' > 'xx' = effective address = don't care and can be anything ! [Technically the xx is split into two: mm mnnn; the 'mmm' is the addressing mode and the 'nnn' is the register number.] As you notice (later), a size of '11' means Scc (but see below) as opposed to ADDQ/SUBQ. I don't know QLTDis, but you seem to have missed out: DBcc = 0101 1100 1nnn DBRA = 0101 0001 1100 1nnn Where "nnn" is the data register number; DBRA is a synonym for DBF. > I have a mask for ADDQ/SUBQ of 0001 which gives 0101 > for ADDQ and gives 0101 0001 for SUBQ. Unfortunately, it > also gives 0100 (ie ADDQ) for some Scc instructions and 0100 > 0001 (SUBQ) for others ! (ADDQ/SUBQ are tested before Scc so we > hit a result for ADDQ/SUBQ before testing for an Scc). > > So here is the problem - how to set up my masks and results to get Scc > and/or ADDQ/SUBQ regardless of the order they are tested ? > > Simple solution, move Scc above ADDQ/SUBQ in the testing order. Can this be > guaranteed? Yes! If you are doing a single mask check for instructions, then the order should be: 1000 (0xF0F8) -> 0101 1100 1000 (0x50C8) => DBcc 1100 (0xF0C0) -> 0101 1100 (0x50C0) => Scc 0001 (0xF100) -> 0101 (0x5000) => ADDQ 0001 (0xF100) -> 0101 0001 (0x5100) => SUBQ The 'DBcc' replace the silly 'Scc An'; the 68k series only have 3 sizes specified by 2 bits: 0 = .B, 1 = .W, 2 = .L, but with 2 bits there are 4 sizes possible, so size 3, which is non-existant, is replaced, in this case, by 'Scc'. So, DBcc is a subset of Scc which is a subset of ADDQ/SUBQ > I've gone cross eyed trying to figure out all the options etc. Don't forget that destination address modes 7:2 [d16(PC)], 7:3 [d8(PC,Rx.s)] and 7:4 (#data or SR/CCR) is illegal for ADDQ/SUBQ. (ie mm mnnn cannot be in range 11 1010 [0x3A] - 11 [0x3F]). > I have noticed that the size bits in ADDQ/SUBQ are never '11' and are always > '11' for Scc so I could use this I suppose, That's how the processor spots the difference! > but this effectively moves the > ADDQ/SUBQ from type 18 to type 26 and is the same as moving the Scc test > above ADDQ/SUBQ so I'm not fully convinced. Don't understand type 18, type 26. My first dis/assembler for the QL was the pseudoBASIC one by Alan Giles in his "Quick QL Machine Language" book (from which I learnt 68k - having previously learnt 6502 & Z80 it was easy to pick up). His disassembler splits the instruction set up into functions for the first nybble (4 bits) of each instruction. Thus the ADDQ/SUBQ/DBcc/Scc are all handled by one function, 'dis5$()' > Any offers ? > All gratefully received - I've got spots in front of my (crossed) eyes now > with all this binary stuff. Try using hexadecimal (base 16) - it makes life much easier: Take each set of 4 bits (binary digits) and convert to a number in range 0-15, then substitute A-F for 10-15. I've used this above, using the C format of preceeding it by '0x' to indicate a hex' number. My machine code monitor and assembler (from Computer One) both require hex' numbers to be preceeded by a dollar ($). eg 1110 1100 1001 0010 (converting each 4 bits) => 14 12 9 2 -> 0xEC92 or $EC92 Robert
Re: [ql-users] Date and Date$
> >100 CLS > >120 d=DATE(2001,6,11,0,0,0) > >140 PRINT d > >160 d1=1.2762214E9 > >180 PRINT DATE$(d) > >200 PRINT DATE$(d1) > > > >d1 is the value returned by d (line 140) > >Why doesn't line 200 return the same date as line 180? > >...sometimes they aren't (and then the difference seems to be > >6m40s). Where have those 6m40s gone and why? > > > >Any idea? As I replied in relation to trying to solve a TRA problem: The QL uses a 31+sign bit Mantissa which means that, as integers can ALWAYS be specified exactly in any base (with enough digits), the QL will hold integer values accurately to 2^31-1 or 2.17483647E9 = 217,483,647 (tested on my Classic JM) - it's just the display routines that only convert this to 7 significant figures. In the above program, I added line 150 on my QL: 150 PRINT d-1.276e9 which then caused the output: 1.276214e9 214400 2001 Jun 11 00:00:00 2001 Jun 10 23:53:20 Now, it you consider the first two lines of output together, it means the TRUE value of d is: 1.276e9 + 214400, or 1.276214400e9, whereas in line 160 you've supplied a value of 1.276214000e9, some 400 seconds (or 6 min, 40 seconds) less than the true value. Robert
Re: [ql-users] Reply to Geoff Wicks Letter
> "They gottit from the Celts and all that lot. They had called the place > 'Londo'. > > Londo = 'wild' or 'bold' which could have been a personal name or the name > of the local tribe." Thanking you kindly for this info.
Re: [ql-users] QL List:: QPC2v1 and TRA
> John in Quiet Peaceful Corner of Heaven, TRA la la. To quote Ko-ko from the Mikado by Gilbert & Sullivan: "The flowers that bloom in spring, TRA la, have nothing to do with this case." Cm
Re: [ql-users] Reply to Geoff Wicks Letter
> Also intrigued that Robert knew the Welsh for London (it's quite close > to the original name, whatever language that came from). Why shouldn't eye know what me home-city is in Cymraeg (seeing as my nom-de-plume is(ish))? Tho' I can't remember exactly from where I discovered it. London comes from Londinium, the Roman name for Llundain; but where they'd got it from, any offers? Cm
Re: [ql-users] QL List:: QPC2v1 and TRA
> I got especially excited when Robert said ".Checking through my copies of QL > World, I've finally found a description of the TRA command (Aug '87)." and, > off to the attic I flew. Oh dear.. 11 copies in '87, all but August's! > (Thank you Robert all the same.) Just for you, here it what was said (from a section on "Bugging the ROM"): "The last new command for the "JS" ROM is TRA. This makes it easier to custimise QL software for use in other countries. TRA normally has two parameters. The first points to a table to be used to TRAnslate characters sent through serial ports and the second is the address of a new error-message table. Both tables must start with the 'nonsense' word value 19195, which crops up all over the QL system as an indication that 'data follows'. "The next two words in the serial table contains offsets to two translation lists, measured from the start of the table. The first list starts with a 256-byte list of substitute codes for each character code from 0 to 255. When a character is to be transmitted it is looked up in the table and the code from the appropriate place is transmitted instead; you can translate the QL end-of-line marker CHR$(10), by POKEing 13, the usual code for carriage return, into the eleventh byte of this list. "Put the value zero into the appropriate slot in the first list if you want to translate one code into a sequence of several characters. They appear in the second list, which the QL uses only when transmitting serial data - there is no time to use it during input. "The second list starts with a byte value, the number of four byte entries in that list. Each entry after that starts with the code to be translated, followed by three replacement codes. If you need only two replacement characters, the last code in a group should be zero. [What happens if code not found in 2nd list is not mentioned. Especially CHR$(0).] "The message table is simpler. After the 19195 there are 29 words, each holding the offset from the start of the table to a message. The messages are stored as normal QL strings - a word length, at an even address, followed by the appropriate text. Beware - the last two messages are sequences of three-character day and month names, with no length word. That is why REPORT 28 goes haywire. "If either parameter of TRA is zero, the corresponding table is left alone. TRA 1 selects the standard message table and allows characters to be transmitted through the serial ports unmolested. [Note: 'selects' was spelt 'sects', so there may, or may not, be a typo on the 'TRA 1'] "Turbo Toolkit contains an example program which uses TRA to translate Sinclair error reports into plain English; other TRA demonstrations have been printed in the user-group magazines Quanta and Quaser. Also, as I also mentioned, a later bug report of this appeared in QLW Jun 88: "The JS version of the QL introduced a new command, TRA, which translates or exchanges the codes of characters transmitted through the serial ports automatically. The bad news, according to top Danish software house Dansoft, is that TRA translates values only after it has adjusted the parity of characters, so that character codes greater than 127 may not be translated. [My thoughts are that all codes may not be translated, or some are that shouldn't be.] Cm
Re: [ql-users] Reply to Geoff Wicks Letter
> My reply of a few minutes ago to the Geoff Wicks letter was supposed to go a > couple of miles up the valley to Darren Branagh, not all over the place to > you lot! > Sorry about that, Why? I enjoyed it! & I'm an Englishman from Llundain. Technically speaking, TRUE English people (ie more original native to this isle) are not the Anglo-Saxon/Norman mix we have now, but the Celts they drove out and into Wales & Cornwall (mefinx). Cm
Re: [ql-users] QL List:: QPC2v1 and TRA
> } This difference is because you've just RESPRed another 1024 bytes of
> } memory (subject to system rounding/overheads) in line 150!
> }
>
> Why do you RESPR ?
> Why not ALCHP ...
Prob cos prog is old (published Oct '86) and most ppl (...well I) didn't
have ALCHP then.
> My current guess would be that 'start' is a float number and
> that the 4.07296E6 is missing precision, hence a bad address.
The QL uses a 31+sign bit Mantissa which means that, as integers can
ALWAYS be specified exactly in any base (with enough digits), the QL
will hold integer values accurately to 2^31-1 or 2.17483647E9 =
217,483,647 (tested on my Classic JM) - it's just the display routines
that only convert this to 7 significant figures.
Checking through my copies of QL World, I've finally found a description
of the TRA command (Aug '87). Please accept my apologies for incorrect
suggestions. Assuming that the default of an arg is zero if missing,
try:
TRA start
instead of
TRA start,0
Or, assuming you haven't changed the message table, try: TRA start,1
If both these fail, I can only assume it's an interpreter bug and it's
got a paramter count check wrong (not unknown...CLS & CURSOR have/had
this problem), or it can't handle large numbers properly (INT fails/ed
on 2^31-2). Try running the program 'til it crashes and then enter
these TRAs in immediate mode ('TRA start', etc). Also, check the whole
value of start: eg:
PRINT start
4.07296E6
PRINT start-4.0729E6
60
As a final warning (QLW Jun '88; though this may have been corrected by
SMSQ/E stage), the Sinclair ROMs only used the TRA table AFTER adjusting
parity. So if not using no-parity, it may cause odd effects/errors on
output (assuming you get it to work).
Robert
Re: [ql-users] QL List:: QPC2v1 and TRA
Just had a thought: does TRA take 2 params as in: TRA #channel,addr or TRA port,addr In which case, you need to use something like: TRA 1,start based on your: BAUD 1,9600 SER_BUFF 1,0 Robert [I apologise if I have it totally wrong...this is sheer guesswork)
Re: [ql-users] QL List:: QPC2v1 and TRA
> Anyone any ideas please?
My thoughts, based on looking at the supplied program:
> 440 TRA start,0
> 450 SBYTES flp1_tra_list,start,pointer-start
> 460 PRINT "You may reload your codes with:"
> 470 PRINT "a=RESPR(";pointer-start;")"
> 480 PRINT "LBYTES flp1_tra_list,a"
> 490 PRINT "TRA a"
...
> "at line 440:1 invalid parameter".
I don't know the TRA command syntax (added to MG ROMs(?) - I've only got
Classic JM), but even this program (as written) is inconsistant with its
usage of the TRA command. Compare lines 440 & 490:
440 TRA start,0
490 PRINT "TRA a"
In line 440, it has 2 params, but the instruction printed to the user in
line 490 only has 1. From my guessing at how it works, I can only see
that it needs 1 param: the address of the block of memory that holds the
translate definition ($4AFB, offset of codes, offset of multi-byte
translates start)
What is TRA m,n supposed to do (as opposed to just a plain TRA m)?
Try changing 440 to: 440 TRA start
> Entering "PRINT start" at this juncture yealds:
> 4.07296E6
>
> Running the program again immediately (using the same data) yealds:
> 4.07192E6
This difference is because you've just RESPRed another 1024 bytes of
memory (subject to system rounding/overheads) in line 150!
Robert
Re: [ql-users] unsubscribe
I have kept minehere it is: 8<8<8<8<8<8<8< Welcome to the ql-users mailing list! Please save this message for future reference. Thank you. If you ever want to remove yourself from this mailing list, send the following command in email to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: unsubscribe Or you can send mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> with the following command in the body of your email message: unsubscribe ql-users or from another account, besides [EMAIL PROTECTED]: unsubscribe ql-users [EMAIL PROTECTED] If you ever need to get in contact with the owner of the list, (if you have trouble unsubscribing, or have questions about the list itself) send email to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> . This is the general rule for most mailing lists when you need to contact a human. Here's the general information for the list you've subscribed to, in case you don't already have it: [Last updated on: Thu Feb 20 12:09:32 1997] Welcome --- Welcome to the QL/SMS mailing list! This list is for any discussion related to QL/SMS be it news, help, queries, for sale etc. To send a message to the list you have to address it to:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] this will then get distributed to all the people on the list. 8<8<8<8<8<8<8< What this fails to mention is that the Subject field of the message *MUST* be blank, or just a space (if your mail program can't handle empty Subject fields); as used when originally subscribing.
Re: [ql-users] Text87 & Colour
> Can one do this with Quill? The Psion Triplet Quill, Abacus and Archive (ie excluding Easel as that screen dumps) all use the printer driver (format of) file which contains "PREAMBLE CODE" (sent to printer before any of the output) and "POSTAMBLE CODE" (sent after the output). To quote the Information section of the QL Manual: "The PREAMBLE and POSTAMBLE CODES may be needed if your printer requires an initialisation sequence before you first use it. You may, for example, want to set the printer margin positions, or select a particular character set. You may also want to restore these settings to their original values when you have finished using one of the QL programs. The preamble and postamble items allow you to specify a sequence of up to 10 characters to be sent to the printer for these two purposes." You could use attributes (BOLD, UNDERLINE, SUBSCRIPT, SUPERSCRIPT) to select a specific colour (with the OFF returning to the default, as set up in any preamble). Alternatively, you could use a TRANSLATE code (any code 32-254 can be specified as the source to translate), but this causes problems with justification unless it takes up a character space (eg make it appear as a space - so a colour change uses a space on the output). For example: TRANSLATE1: 145,32,27,114,1 (convert CTRL-1 (e-circumflex) to space, esc, r, 1) means that CTRL-1 now switches to colour 1, printing a space. I've got a "Psion" sub-directory on my disks which contains the Psion Quartet so my Triplet use the same printer driver (I make use of the DEV_USE facility of Gold Card/TKII to map 'mdv_' to 'flp_Psion_') Robert
Re: [ql-users] Text87 and Colour
> I remind you from Robert's previous mail: 1=red, 2=blue, 3=magenta, > 4=yellow, 5=orange, 6=green Check DWJ's corrected list of the colours...mine was got by experimenting with my printer + fairly old ribbon + bad light + my eyesight (I was worried with the colours as the ribbon is CMYK - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black): 0-Black, 1-Magenta, 2-Cyan, 3-Violet, 4-Yellow, 5-Red, 6-Green CMYK is a subtractive printing model: Magenta (Red + Blue) - Cyan (Blue + Green) -> Blue Magenta (Red + Blue) - Yellow (Red + Green) -> Red Cyan(Blue + Green) - Yellow (Red + Green) -> Green
Re: [ql-users] Text87 and Colour
> I would like to be able to print Text87 documents in a chosen colour. It > should be possible to > send an ESC/P2 code from BASIC to the EPSON Colour Printer before one asks > T87 to print. ESC/P2 code??? I've never used T87 and so don't know how it prints. Assuming it prints ASCII as opposed to (raster) graphics (like windoze does to emulate an inkjet/laser, etc), setting the colour on my STAR LC24-200C colour printer uses: "r"colour - chr$(27) "r"- lowercase r - chr$(114) colour - 0 = Black, 1 = Red, 2 = Blue, 3 = Magenta, 4 = Yellow, 5 = Orange, 6 = Green eg: OPEN#3,ser1:PRINT#3,chr$(27);"r";chr$(2);:close#3 will set my printer to print in blue (the printer supports "Epsom printer commands"). Any help? Robert
Re: [ql-users] GoldCard and Floppy-LW
> >There is a command in the Goldcard to set the step rate which
> >has to be set for some drives and causes them to rattle when
> >not right. I don't have a manual to hand and can't remember the
> >command syntax but maybe you can look it up or somebody
> >'listening' in knows it off by heart?
>
> FLP_JIGGLE 1 is also worth trying.
FLP_JIGGLE fixes probs on Mitsubishi ED disk drives (according to my
Gold Card manual - in Super Gold Card suppliment section!; which also
mentions AUTO_TK2F1, AUTO_TK2F2, AUTO_DIS which work on my Gold Card)
Extra FLP commands are:
FLP_JIGGLE [#,]s
- Set jiggle state all or specified (#=1,2,...) drive
s = 0 -> jiggle off, s = 1 -> jiggle on.
If set on a drive which don't need it can cause 'not
found'
or 'bad or changed medium' errors.
FLP_USE- (eg FLP_USE MDV) convert all 's to FLP
(using above, eg DIR MDV1_DATA_ -> DIR FLP1_DATA_)
FLP_TRACK [#,]n - Specify number of tracks (n) on all or specified (#)
drive
FLP_DENSITY ??? - It shows up on EXTRAS and I can't find it in the
manual
(I suspect it allows you to specify the density of
the
disk in the drive, overriding any direct detection
(3.5"
drives) or for using a SD disk in a DD disk 40
track Drive
(5.25" drives?). I have no idea how the arg(s)
is/are
specified.)
FLP_STEP [#,]n - Set step rate to n millisecs for all or specified (#)
drive.
Default 3ms for 80 track, 6ms for 40 track
FLP_START [#,]n - Set time to allow disc to spin upto speed in 20ms
units
(1/50's secs). Default 0.6 sec (n=30)
FLP_SEC- Set data integrity check level:
0 - Check disk change on Open only if disk stopped
and no
files open
1 - Check disk change on Open, data/map write if
disk
stopped
2 - Check disk change on Open, data/map read/write
if disk
stopped (default)
The lower the level, the less checking & so faster
the
disk access, but higher the likelihood of data
corruption
if disk changed by user without proper closing of
files.
FLP_EXT - Pass...it appears twice on the 'EXTRAS' list, the 2nd
time
just after TK2_EXT - this 2nd entry, like the 2nd
TK2_EXT
entry being there to prevent adding the extras
twice. Can
anyone enlighten me?
Individual drive assingments ('#,' arg) are lost each reset of machine.
Global settings (no '#,' arg) are remembered between resets/power offs.
Hope this is of help.
Re: [ql-users] Screen Depth
Norman Dunbar wrote: > > Dilwyn wrote : > > >> Minor point to note re. MAX_CON - it seems fine if used in the body of > >> a program, I seem to get problems under some conditions (especially > >> error conditions) if it is called from within a PROC or FN in SBASIC > >> (not apparent in SuperBASIC), you may find occasional 'missing End > >> Define' errors for example when there is clearly an End Define in the > >> program. > > I have tried to reproduce this ever since you first reported it to me all > those years ago (wasn't that a song ?) and I have been unfortunately unable > to do so. That was on a JM and a QXL. I don't know how relevant this might be - I only having a black-box QL (JM). I've often suffered from unexplained program [QL] crashes/missing extras that were traced to linked m/c procs/fns not reserving enough memory for the names: the mean len being > 7, eg although only 2 procs were being added, their names totalled some 23 bytes [why can't people be more lazy like me and use 'ALCHP' instead of 'ALLOCATION'? and these problems don't occur] and thus "the number of procs" should be set to 3 or 4 [(# chars + 7)/8]
Re: [ql-users] GoldCard and Floppy-LW
I assume you have Toolkit II enabled (TK2_EXT): I get the same results below ONLY if TK2 is enabled. > If i insert only in flp2_ a disk and do "dir flp1_" the flp1_ LED is > activated and i get a "Nicht gefunden" (not found). Seems a right error msg: no disk in drive error > But if i insert > in flp1_ a disk and do a "dir flp2_" first the flp2_ LED was activated, > after that the flp1_ spins on and i get the floppy-name of flp1_disk > and the sectors but no directory. Doing a 'DIR FLP2_' here tries to read FLP2_. Finds no disk and so TK2 tries to locate the file "FLP2_" on the default data drive of "FLP1_", ie it does a 'DIR FLP1_FLP2_'. Finding a disk, it displays its name and sectors, but then fails to find any file starting "FLP1_FLP2_" and hence no directory listing. Check out 'PRINT DATAD$,PROGD$,DESTD$': DATAD$ - default dir for most commands (eg DIR -> DIR FLP1_) set by DATA_USE , eg DATA_USE FLP1_DATA_ PROGD$ - default dir to look for commands on EX/EXEC (eg EX FRED -> EX FLP1_FRED) set by PROG_USE , eg PROG_USE FLP1_UTILS_ DESTD$ - default dir/device for copy, etc (eg COPY RAM1_FRED -> COPY RAM1_FRED TO SER) set by DEST_USE , eg DEST_USE RAM1_TEMP_ also set by SPL_USE , eg SPL_USE SER wrt putting a disk in both drives causing both drives to die, no idea: I have a twin disk unit with a single cable from it to my Gold Card.
Re: SV: [ql-users] Nut cutlets - NO QL
> >Ok, so admittedly, you have to know machine code for this, but > >still, the QL machine code is not so difficult. > Yes indeed. My first foray into m/c was the 6502 with all sorts of > weird addressing modes that I never fully understood. It was my lecturer's uncertainty in the indirect modes of addressing that meant that my first year micro project at university was to get a Commodore Pet to calculate 2**3000 (every digit). I loved the 6502 with (what I'd consider to be) its semi-risc architecture: 3 internal registers (AXY), 256 (pairable) external "registers" (zero page), syncronous memory accessing, pipelining (resulting in small number of clock cycles per instruction)...oh such memories...
Re: [ql-users] Connect QL to SCART
> >> If too bright, connect say 100 ohm in series with R/G/B > > > >I haven't tried this, but I have been advised that it may cause ghosting > >(I've turned my brightness down). > Sounds like wrong advice. The smaller the RGB signal, the less > brightness. Maybe if too bright then one gets ghosting, maybe that is > what you meant? Ghosting occurs when the signal bounces up and down the connection cable which can happen (according to Electrical Engineer advisor [scratching his memory]) when impedences aren't matched (Scart has a 75 ohm input/output impedence on RGB signals); inserting a resistor can change the impedence (although measured in ohms it isn't resistance) of the cable/connection - as I said, having not tried it I can't really comment, only pass on info I've been given. [Impedences is something I understood years ago and have now forgotten 99.78% of.] > No extra power is drawn when UHF is connected. More likely a ground > problem with the monitor Vs TV. UHF alone or monitor alone works(ed) in both cases. UHF + old monitor worked. UHF + current monitor crashes QL! Weird! One thing I did do was convert my old Phillips TX B/W TV into a [composite] Monitor by bypassing the demodulator and the improvement in quality was quite dramatic.
Re: [ql-users] BetterBasic and CrossRef
> The problem is that BetterBasic did not come with a manual and CrossRef only > came with a short one. Does anyone have an electronic version of either of > these manuals? Since the code is in the PD, does this also apply to the > manual? Or does anyone care? I only have the BetterBasic update document (late manual changes) in Quill format, plus the CrossRef manual in perfection format. I could supply either/both of these if required/allowed in their current formats, or plain ASCII. Robert
Re: [ql-users] Connect QL to SCART
Tony Firshman wrote: > The circuit that works for me is: > > QL SCART > > Red 715 > Green 611 > Blue87 > Csynch 416 /\/\/ 20 > 220 ohm > GND 25/9/13/17 I've got almost the same...except: Csync420 (Composite Video or Sync Input) GND 213/9/5 (R/G/B Ground) My monitor has a switch to select RGB input - Scart 16 needs to be +1v to +3v [logic 1] to enable RGB input; and it has the R/G/B ground linked at its socket! > > If too bright, connect say 100 ohm in series with R/G/B I haven't tried this, but I have been advised that it may cause ghosting (I've turned my brightness down). I have noticed, however, that having switched from an RGB monitor (that died) to a scart monitor, trying to use a UHF connection as well (to demonstrate the difference) now causes the QL to crash...mefinx too much power is being drawn (voltage dropped?). Robert
Re: [ql-users] QPC2 and floppy drives
> I would like to > > come off the mailing list from ql user group > How does one inform the group? Welcome to the ql-users mailing list! Please save this message for future reference. Thank you. If you ever want to remove yourself from this mailing list, send the following command in email to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: unsubscribe Or you can send mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> with the following command in the body of your email message: unsubscribe ql-users [I believe the subject field has to be empty (or just a space) if mailing to majordomo.] Robert
Re: [ql-users] Gold card disk formatting
Dave, thanks...got it and will try it out l8r when got more time (hopefully lots this week due to half term) Robert
[ql-users] Gold card disk formatting
Can anyone help me with a small problem I have: I have a "Gold Card V2.49" (and "ICE v2.1 EIDERSOFT (C) 1985 D. Jones") with ED (3.2M) drives. Trying to format HD (1.44M) discs goes through the motions to end up with no change to the data on the actual disc - checking out the "formatted" disc in the other drive shows no data change; this has *never* worked (pretending they are DD (720K) by covering the HD hole and they format ok to 720K!). I haven't tried to re-format my ED (3.2M) discs. On using direct access to the HD discs (via: OPEN #ch,"flp1_d2d" PUT #ch\(sector + side*256 + track*65536),data$ ) *will* change the data on the disc (so if anyone can give me the 1.44M disk format I could write my own proggy to convert doMeSDOS format to QL format). Thanks Robert
