Re: [ql-users] QL Pawn by Magnetic Scrolls

[Roy Wood]

Yes , it belonged to Ian Bruntlett so there is lots of programming stuff
in it, Ian left it with me as he was going to dump it.
It is taking up a lot of space in my garage so I would like to get rid
of it, there's  a working Cub monitor as well.

Bill Richardson may buy the monitor. Ian wrote some really neat things 
for the QL in his day. I still use a couple of them.
I really must get it all listed. so much to do - so little time ( I
spend hours just pondering this problem ) (:-)

And If I had the time I would answer this.

--
Roy Wood
Q Branch, 20 Locks Hill Portslade. Sussex. BN41 2LB. UK
Tel : +44 (0)1273 386030 Fax : +44 (0)1273 430501 (New number!)
Mobile +44(0)7836 745501
Web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk

Re: [ql-users] QL Pawn by Magnetic Scrolls

[Bill Waugh]

- Original Message -
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 10:22 PM
Subject: Re: [ql-users] QL Pawn by Magnetic Scrolls


> In a message dated 06/02/03 22:04:42 GMT Standard Time,
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>
>
> > Did you get any replies for this Rick.
> > I have a load of stuff that an X Qlr "gave me" I think QLPawn is in
> > there but have not had time to go through it and list it all to
paper as
> > yet.
> > Two Miracle hard discs as I recall and loads of programming books in
all
> > sorts of languages
> >
>
> I did manage to get a copy of QL Pawn which now works fine thanks
Bill...
>
> Are you looking to sell this equipment?? I am already selling a load
of stuff
> for Quanta...

Yes , it belonged to Ian Bruntlett so there is lots of programming stuff
in it, Ian left it with me as he was going to dump it.
It is taking up a lot of space in my garage so I would like to get rid
of it, there's  a working Cub monitor as well.
I really must get it all listed. so much to do - so little time ( I
spend hours just pondering this problem ) (:-)

All the best - Bill

Re: [ql-users] QL Pawn by Magnetic Scrolls

[RWAPSoftware]

In a message dated 06/02/03 22:04:42 GMT Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:


Did you get any replies for this Rick.
I have a load of stuff that an X Qlr "gave me" I think QLPawn is in
there but have not had time to go through it and list it all to paper as
yet.
Two Miracle hard discs as I recall and loads of programming books in all
sorts of languages


I did manage to get a copy of QL Pawn which now works fine thanks Bill...

Are you looking to sell this equipment?? I am already selling a load of stuff for Quanta...
--
Rich Mellor 
RWAP Software
35 Chantry Croft, Kinsley, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF9 5JH
TEL: 01977 610509
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/rwapsoftware

Re: [ql-users] QL Pawn by Magnetic Scrolls

[Bill Waugh]

- Original Message -
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2003 11:14 AM
Subject: [ql-users] QL Pawn by Magnetic Scrolls


> Does anyone have a copy of the Key cartridge which they can email me
please -
> one of the files is corrupt on my copy and I need to replace it.
>
> The corrupt file is "mdv1_ " (yes, the file with a space after the
> underscore).

Did you get any replies for this Rick.
I have a load of stuff that an X Qlr "gave me" I think QLPawn is in
there but have not had time to go through it and list it all to paper as
yet.
Two Miracle hard discs as I recall and loads of programming books in all
sorts of languages

All the best - Bill

Re: [ql-users] QL Pawn

[Robert Newson]

Dilwyn Jones wrote:

>>This sounds very much like the protection on Paraoh (right name?) -
>>
> where
> 
>>you had to navigate through a purple(ish) maze with egyptian style
>>
> music in
> 
>>the background, avoiding naties like snakes.  A bit of code was
>>
> loaded from
> 
>>a hidden file (the directory had to be changed before it could be
>>
> loaded,
> 
>>and changed again afterwards to rehide it) into the base of the
>>
> screen
> 
>>memory ($2) where upon it was called.
>>
> This sounds like the system used in the old Sinclair Production Kit,
> protected fast load basic programs, with some code held in hidden
> files. In older versions, the file was called no name (i.e. FLP1_) but
> when subdirectories were 'invented' this got changed to a single space
> "FLP1_ " which you often couldn't see as it was the last file on the
> cartridge so you didn't notice the filename.


The visible code file (well, for Pharoah anyway) contained the object code 
encrypted and the hidden file contained a simple bit of code to decrypt 
(look out DMCA...) the program/data.  If I had the time...


> Some software didn't have copy protection as such and was simple
> written to run from specific addresses. OK on a 128KB QL then on
> expanded memory systems the code wasn't where it expected to be and
> BANG! when you tried to call or execute it.


Hence the 'addr=RESPR(RESPR(0)-)' that some proggies used to try 
and ensure they got their correct address...I vaguely remember some program 
that actually absolute-a-dized itself at run time (I think it had a table of 
offsets that stored offsets that were added to the base address of the job 
and replaced) - the mark II of the absolute program.


> If you can find copies of 4Matter and Locksmithe from Zitasoft, these
> had facilities to remove protection on some of these types of
> protection. Sadly, they also would only work on certain QL systems (I
> used to have a copy in DJC days which would not run on a Gold Card
> system).
> 
> Several people have over the years managed to bypass this copy
> protection method and create disk based copies and so on. Not wanting
> to be a killjoy, remember that many old QL programs are still
> copyrighted and shouldn't be copied without permission. As far as I
> know, there's no harm though in producing programs which patch the
> originals to run on modern systems though.
> 
> --
> Dilwyn Jones
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> http://www.soft.net.uk/dj/index.html

Re: [ql-users] QL Pawn

[Dilwyn Jones]

> This sounds very much like the protection on Paraoh (right name?) -
where
> you had to navigate through a purple(ish) maze with egyptian style
music in
> the background, avoiding naties like snakes.  A bit of code was
loaded from
> a hidden file (the directory had to be changed before it could be
loaded,
> and changed again afterwards to rehide it) into the base of the
screen
> memory ($2) where upon it was called.
This sounds like the system used in the old Sinclair Production Kit,
protected fast load basic programs, with some code held in hidden
files. In older versions, the file was called no name (i.e. FLP1_) but
when subdirectories were 'invented' this got changed to a single space
"FLP1_ " which you often couldn't see as it was the last file on the
cartridge so you didn't notice the filename.

Some software didn't have copy protection as such and was simple
written to run from specific addresses. OK on a 128KB QL then on
expanded memory systems the code wasn't where it expected to be and
BANG! when you tried to call or execute it.

If you can find copies of 4Matter and Locksmithe from Zitasoft, these
had facilities to remove protection on some of these types of
protection. Sadly, they also would only work on certain QL systems (I
used to have a copy in DJC days which would not run on a Gold Card
system).

Several people have over the years managed to bypass this copy
protection method and create disk based copies and so on. Not wanting
to be a killjoy, remember that many old QL programs are still
copyrighted and shouldn't be copied without permission. As far as I
know, there's no harm though in producing programs which patch the
originals to run on modern systems though.

--
Dilwyn Jones
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.soft.net.uk/dj/index.html

Re: [ql-users] QL Pawn

[RWAPSoftware]

In a message dated 01/07/02 00:16:18 GMT Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:


Dave Walker wrote:

> Rich,
>
> I once looked into this.   The copy protection itself is easy enough to 
> break - if I remember correctly it was based on reading some hidden 
> sectors from the microdrive.  The issue was that it had to be read into 
> a specific address in memory and executed from there - and the address 
> in question only seemed to work on an unexpanded QL.


This sounds very much like the protection on Paraoh (right name?) - where 
you had to navigate through a purple(ish) maze with egyptian style music in 
the background, avoiding naties like snakes.  A bit of code was loaded from 
a hidden file (the directory had to be changed before it could be loaded, 
and changed again afterwards to rehide it) into the base of the screen 
memory ($2) where upon it was called.


If anyone has managed to get Pharoah to run from disk without being memory location specific, please send me a copy as I have the rights to sell it again!!  I have tried, and failed miserably.

Maybe Ergon could provide the source for the program they wrote to overcome the problems with Psion Chess being location specific (Davide??)

Psion Chess _WAS_ position dependent and the boot program RESPR'd lots of 
memory to get the right address - if my memory serce me right it used the 
same protection method (seactor header) as The Pawn...

> I might have to 
> dig out my copy and see (assuming it still works) whether anything 
> better can be done.


It loads as a RESPR (a=RESPR(001024):LBYTES mdv1__,a:call a) and it uses the 
cartridge random ID number from the header of each sector (got via vector 
12A).  If the ID on the key cartridge matches the required number, it then 
continues with the boot program (OPEN_IN#3,"mdv1_ ":FLRUN) - if the ID 
didn't match it reset the machine.  The code loaded (mdv1__) contains the 
code for FBOOT, FSAVE and FLRUN.

It's very easy to break...a little modification to the check (2 m/c 
instructions) will suffice - I can dig out the details of a change, if you want.

That bit is dead easy to overcome yes, and for a while I had the main program for QL Pawn loading off disk - the problem was the data microdrive if I recall this correctly - bits of the adventure were loaded from specific microdrive sectors methinks!!

Rich Mellor 
RWAP Software
7 Common Road, Kinsley, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF9 5JR
TEL: 01977 614299
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/rwapsoftware

Re: [ql-users] QL Pawn

[Robert Newson]

Dave Walker wrote:

> Rich,
>
> I once looked into this.   The copy protection itself is easy enough to 
> break - if I remember correctly it was based on reading some hidden 
> sectors from the microdrive.  The issue was that it had to be read into 
> a specific address in memory and executed from there - and the address 
> in question only seemed to work on an unexpanded QL.


This sounds very much like the protection on Paraoh (right name?) - where 
you had to navigate through a purple(ish) maze with egyptian style music in 
the background, avoiding naties like snakes.  A bit of code was loaded from 
a hidden file (the directory had to be changed before it could be loaded, 
and changed again afterwards to rehide it) into the base of the screen 
memory ($2) where upon it was called.

Psion Chess _WAS_ position dependent and the boot program RESPR'd lots of 
memory to get the right address - if my memory serce me right it used the 
same protection method (seactor header) as The Pawn...

> I might have to 
> dig out my copy and see (assuming it still works) whether anything 
> better can be done.


It loads as a RESPR (a=RESPR(001024):LBYTES mdv1__,a:call a) and it uses the 
cartridge random ID number from the header of each sector (got via vector 
12A).  If the ID on the key cartridge matches the required number, it then 
continues with the boot program (OPEN_IN#3,"mdv1_ ":FLRUN) - if the ID 
didn't match it reset the machine.  The code loaded (mdv1__) contains the 
code for FBOOT, FSAVE and FLRUN.

It's very easy to break...a little modification to the check (2 m/c 
instructions) will suffice - I can dig out the details of a change, if you want.


> Dave
>
> - Original Message -
> 
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
> 
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
> 
> Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2002 7:55 PM
> 
> Subject: [ql-users] QL Pawn
> 
> Does anyone have a copy of the original program by Magnetic Scrolls
> complete with manual etc. they would like to sell??  I have had a
> good offer...
> 
> This is not much use to modern QLers after all , as no-one seemed to
> be able to crack the copy protection (shame).
> 
> Rich Mellor
> RWAP Software
> 7 Common Road, Kinsley, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF9 5JR
> TEL: 01977 614299
> http://hometown.aol.co.uk/rwapsoftware

Re: [ql-users] QL Pawn

[RWAPSoftware]

In a message dated 23/06/02 10:40:18 GMT Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:


Rich,
 
I once looked into this.   The copy protection itself is easy enough to break - if I remember correctly it was based on reading some hidden sectors from the microdrive.  The issue was that it had to be read into a specific address in memory and executed from there - and the address in question only seemed to work on an unexpanded QL.   I might have to dig out my copy and see (assuming it still works) whether anything better can be done.
 
Dave


That would be great, thanks...
Rich Mellor 
RWAP Software
7 Common Road, Kinsley, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF9 5JR
TEL: 01977 614299
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/rwapsoftware

Re: [ql-users] QL Pawn

[Dave Walker]

Rich,
 
I once looked into this.   The copy 
protection itself is easy enough to break - if I remember correctly it was based 
on reading some hidden sectors from the microdrive.  The issue was that it 
had to be read into a specific address in memory and executed from there - and 
the address in question only seemed to work on an unexpanded QL.   I 
might have to dig out my copy and see (assuming it still works) whether anything 
better can be done.
 
Dave
 

  - Original Message - 
  From: 
  [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2002 7:55 
  PM
  Subject: [ql-users] QL Pawn
  Does anyone have a copy 
  of the original program by Magnetic Scrolls complete with manual etc. they 
  would like to sell??  I have had a good offer...This is not much 
  use to modern QLers after all , as no-one seemed to be able to crack the copy 
  protection (shame).Rich Mellor RWAP Software7 Common Road, 
  Kinsley, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF9 5JRTEL: 01977 
  614299http://hometown.aol.co.uk/rwapsoftware