[Ql-Users] QPC
In Vista, QPC comes up with a full screen QPC together with quarter screen QL panel and another information panel. How do I get QL full screen? What am I doing wrong? *Bryan H* ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Quanta Mag. back issues
I have some Quanta Magazines to pass on, five years issues 2008 to 2012. Free to collect from near Stockport. Postal cost not checked. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Job data space - foibles?
On 08/10/2013 06:54, Lee wrote: Hee he, it has to be on a standard QL Norman. Or on QemuLator standard QL settings You shouldn't get a 0, but another * Sent from my iPad On 8 Oct 2013, at 17:56, Norman Dunbar nor...@dunbar-it.co.uk wrote: universe ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm I get the * OK on my QL with Super Gold Card. This reminds me of a test we used to do on early scientific calculators. Key in a number, then something like sin, cos, tan and the inverses. The answer would come the same for a range of inputs. This varied according to the make/model of calculator. Quite a bit of industrial time was wasted on this, I guess. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QPC2 3.40 Beta 3
On 27/08/2013 01:38, Norman Dunbar wrote: On 26/08/13 22:25, Dilwyn Jones wrote: Although I moan about Windoze, it's fulfilled my needs reasonably well and Windows 7 is actually more stable than older versions, it'll do for me until I get time to learn Linux one day (just to please Norman). I'll agree with that. Windows 7 is stable and very usable, if I have to! It came on my laptop and I think, might still be there, somewhere! I know I used it a long time back for something, and I was seriously impressed. And you can quote me! ;-) As for learning Linux to please Norman - I wouldn't bother for that reason. Do it, like everything else, because you want to! It's better than way. :-) Cheers, Norm. My son has just visited us. He has for some time been a Linux fan and uses Suse Enterprise, I think, which is maintained for professional use; but disappointingly that is changing, He says that many versions are going the popular way with smartphone/tablet type displays, and not supporting the old. He feels that it is being really messed up for the professional/industrial user, and is seeking a way forward. He couldn't at present suggest a version which would serve me for the next five or ten years without my having to learn new tricks, which I don't want to do at my advanced age - 87. A dedicated version is needed for the older generation. At least I can still have my QL, but not for online use. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] AGM
Although local, I wasn't able to attend the AGM; I'm surprised that there hasn't been a word about it here. Did it actually happen? Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Printing from XCHANGE
Hello all, Printing from XCHANGE My printer has parallel interface. For QL, a ser/parallel convertor is fine. PC XCHANGE in DOSBOX on W2000 laptop with parallel O/P printed ok. Current VISTA laptop USB only. USB/parallel convertor works fine generally. PC XCHANGE in DOSBOX full screen. How can I get it to print out to USB? Also from SMSQmulator? Xchange and any other little programs I enter? Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQmulator
On 01/02/2013 06:29, Wolfgang Lenerz wrote: Hi Bryan, * When I select Xchange, I cannot find out how to bring it up to screen size; I've already set the screen size correctly Simple : you can't Xhange has a fiwed screen size which you can't change (unless you poke around somewhere in the program's code, I think). * I cannot select the three panel screen from the menu; if I exit the menu to the three panel screen, how do I get back to the menu? The menu is a simple Basic program that is run from win1_. (win1_boot). You can thus interrupt it by the CTRL+SpAce keysroke. You can also hit the ESC key. Now type WMON. This will bring up the red,white black windows. To get back to the menu just type run which will rerun the program. * How can I bring the three panels up to display size? Well you will have to set the window sizes with the WINDOW command. Do you think you can do that? I could set up a procedure that checks the window sizes and fits everything together (not before this weekend). * How can I add my own programs to the menu? Simple : edit the basic program, adding your wishes and resave it as win1_boot. Wolfgang. Thank you very much Wolfgang. It will take me a little time to get my head round this, and work out the sequence. To get Xchange to full display size perhaps I need to change the native laptop screen to a differnt scaling. That would perhaps be easier on the Raspberrypi as it wouldn't interfere with normal laptop usage. I'm on an uphill learning curve here and a downslide in ability at 86!! Anyway, keeps the neurons battling away. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] SMSQmulator
Hello all, I've got this running now. Great potential for me. I made a folder in Program Files but it wouldn't install in there. I tried putting it elsewhere and it ran all right. I then copied the fileset to the folder which I had prepared but it wouldn't run. I am reliably toldthat this is because of the space in Program Files. So I started a new section Program_Files, made the appropriate folder and installed there. I have also got another .jar program, Genj working the same way. * When I select Xchange, I cannot find out how to bring it up to screen size; I've already set the screen size correctly * I cannot select the three panel screen from the menu; if I exit the menu to the three panel screen, how do I get back to the menu? * How can I bring the three panels up to display size? * How can I add my own programs to the menu? Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQmulator not loading
On 28/01/2013 06:50, Wolfgang Lenerz wrote: Downloaded and un-zipped the files. .jar file; double click - nothing; try the java instruction from manual; right click and open with offers Java so accept that. Lot of action from hard disk then nothing. It is Vista. Disappointing. and awfully time consuming. Bryan H Hi Bryan, for some reason, the file association between a .jar file and java wasn't done in your system. I don't have a windows system here right now, but the jar file must be started with the -jar parameter, eg. jave -jar path to filename. DO you know how to open a command prompt under WIndows? If you, do so, and the cd into the directory where you have unzipped SMSQmulator. From there type java -jar SMSQmulator.jar. Report back any errors Wolfgang ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Thanks Tim Wolfgang for the helpful advice. I did start by clearing out Java and installing ver 7 afresh. When I use the command prompt as described, there is a pause and then a load of error messages scroll up the screen. And Tim, I've tried Genj; the set-up was supposed to set a desktop short cut, but didn't, and nothing happens when I double click on Genj.jar. I did manage to freeze thisfirst error line, but strayed into the cmd screen and it scrolled on. Exception in thread AWT-EventQueue-0java.lang. NoClass.. I think that I had better get someone more knowledgeable than myself actually on the computer, when they might quickly spot the problem. As an engineer I know the difficulty of diagnosing faults at a distance. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQmulator not loading
On 28/01/2013 10:20, WILLIAM WAUGH wrote: From: Bryan Horstmann b...@newlan.org To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Sent: Monday, 28 January 2013, 9:32 Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQmulator not loading On 28/01/2013 06:50, Wolfgang Lenerz wrote: Downloaded and un-zipped the files. .jar file; double click - nothing; try the java instruction from manual; right click and open with offers Java so accept that. Lot of action from hard disk then nothing. It is Vista. Disappointing. and awfully time consuming. Bryan H Hi Bryan, and well done Wolfgang same thing happened on my PC Brian first time. Although the files and .jar file appeared in the folder it would not load, I moved the files to a new folder then right click and choose Extract all then it works BTW not Ql related but I've had strange screen shut down usually after a left mouse click since upgrading Java prior to trying QLmulator, a reset to before the upgrade seems to have cured this I'm way down the ladder of computer literacy just about one rung up thanks to Sbasic so here's what could be a silly question for those that might knoe - I have an Asus TF201, (Andriod) great machine for my needs if reliability is not an issue (been off for a new on/off switch already), I see that Java can be downloaded to Andriod devices, so could QLmulator run on my tablet? QLmulator on tablet QPC2 on PC both on network - got to be good All the best - Bill Bill and Wolfgang, Useful tip, Bill. I extracted to a new folder on my personal set, instead of in Program Fles, and it works!! No inkling of why; leave that puzzle to the experts! Extracted the same way Genj also runs. In haste. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQmulator not loading
On 28/01/2013 12:00, Norman Dunbar wrote:
On 28/01/13 11:14, Bryan Horstmann wrote:
Useful tip, Bill. I extracted to a new folder on my personal set,
instead of in Program Fles, and it works!! No inkling of why; leave
that puzzle to the experts! Extracted the same way Genj also runs.
I wonder if it is because there's a space in at least one of the
folders in the full path name? I know some programs don't like spaces
(or other weird characters) in the path. They get confused at the
first one.
Linux, on the other hand, copes!
On 64 bit Windows, all 32 bit applications are installed into program
files (x86) or similar, and quite a lot of them barf at the space,
and the '(' or ')' - so Microsoft give you a folder by default that
many programs cannot actually use. Go figure.
Cheers,
Norm.
I've mada a folder Program_files_2 in C:\ and copied them into there.
Both SMSQ and Genj run ok from there so perhaps it is a
space-in-the-filename thing.
Bryan H
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Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQmulator
Hello All, Downloaded and un-zipped the files. .jar file; double click - nothing; try the java instruction from manual; right click and open with offers Java so accept that. Lot of action from hard disk then nothing. It is Vista. Disappointing. and awfully time consuming. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQmulator
On 22/01/2013 08:58, Dilwyn Jones wrote: 1. Make sure your computer has Java 6 or 7 installed (if not, try downloading from http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp) 2. Get SMSQmulator from Wolfgang Lenerz's website at http://www.wlenerz.com/SMSQmulator 3. It downloads as a zip file. Unzip this into a folder on your Windows hard disk. 4. Double click on the SMSQmulator.jar file (or make a shortcut to it from your desktop or start menu in the usual Windows way!). That's all - the emulator should now start. 5. It starts up with a QXL.WIN called SMSQmulator.win automatically, giving you three games and a copy of Xchange (which has to be run in a screen size of at least 512x512 or it won't work properly) you can use straight away. 6. It comes with a couple of PDF file manuals in the zip file which will tell you everything you need to use SMSQmulator! Enjoy! Dilwyn Jones Thanks Dilwyn, but how do I find the Java version. please? It just seems to ask to install updates from time to time, which I accept. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQmulator
On 23/01/2013 11:50, Dilwyn Jones wrote: Thanks Dilwyn, but how do I find the Java version. please? It just seems to ask to install updates from time to time, which I accept. Bryan H I'm not sure if there is a better way than this but here is how I achieved this on Windoze 7: Method 1: In the start menu search box, type in Java, when the result (might be 'Java 32 bit') appears, it will start up the Java control Panel. In the General tab, click on About. On mine, for example, it shows version 7 update 10 just under the red Java logo. Method 2: go to Control Panel, Click on PROGRAMS, then locate JAVA in the list, this brings up the same Java control panel as in method 1. Good luck! Dilwyn For inlo, Dilwyn. In Vista the first method flashes up a page of text which immediately disappears IN Control Panel, Programs Java wasn't listed!! I tried again after lunch and there were now two items, Java 6 update 22 and Java 6 update 33. The only action available by clicking on them is to un-install; no details. Why it has kept the old version I don't know. Perhaps I should get the latest 7 from the site if it is compatible. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQmulator
On 23/01/2013 02:59, Timothy Swenson wrote: On 1/23/2013 3:21 AM, Bryan Horstmann wrote: but how do I find the Java version. please? This is documented in the SMSQmulator User Guide. Use the 'java -version' command. Tim Ahh, now I've got it thanks Tim; java (space)(hyphen)version. That tells me 1.6.33, so the 1.6.22 program folder is just wasting 98Mb and could be deleted possibly? Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQmulator
On 23/01/2013 03:18, Wolfgang Lenerz wrote: Hi, in your place I would : download v. 7 u 11 from Oracle's website. Go to your control panel, software and uninstall all old versions of java. Install the newest one you just downloaded. Wolfgang Followed your advice, Wolfgang, and used Revo uninstaller to clear the decks, then installed ver 7; all went smoothly and I got the messge that it was installed. That is enough for the present. Go carefully one step at a time. To get the java version I seem to have to go into command prompt/comsole and enter java -version; it doesn't work in the window at the bottom of the page which comes up with Windiws key. Thanks, Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQmulator
I have a Vista laptop. Advice please on how to obtain, install and run this emulator with Xchange included. Later it will be my Raspberry-pi when I have it up and running with the Atrix lapdock. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Building a netbook from Raspberry Pi
On 08/01/2013 11:47, Tony Firshman wrote: On 8 Jan 2013, at 23:14, Tobias Fröschle tobias.froesc...@t-online.de wrote: All, (Have somehow been cut off from ql-users and have now resubscribed) the modifications to the cabling as shown in the video seem to be necessary only on older RPi revisions. Mine (received in November) worked without modifications to the cabling. Apparently (according to som blog entries I found) this has to do with the specific make of HDMI adapter - It should connect really all the wires and not just a bare minimum. I use a µHDMI-to-full adapter that I got from Amazon plus some standard, unmodified HDMI and USB cables. If you ask Google for Atrix Dock Raspberry Pi there's lots of references. So how did you connect yours exactly. I am unclear how you got power and usb. I thought hdmi was just video. Tony I don't know what this Motorola dock provides but for the money but this 7in tablet I've been shown looks good. Has the Motorola a keyboard? http://www.ebuyer.com/407319-sumvision-cyclone-voyager-tablet-pc-cycvoy7 Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Ql emulation on Raspberrypi
Hello R-pi guys, I use a 110 char parallel port dot matrix printer with serial and USB convertorsswitched. This works fine on QL Xchange and 3D CAD. SBASIC programs instruct the printer to do just what one needs and I can also manually position the paper if need be, and alter printer settings from within a program or by command line.What might be the position with the emulator on the R-pi? Is there a simple means of convertinga QL twin disk HD drive to the required USB? Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Ql emulation on Raspberrypi
Thank you Derek, but I need to be able to access all my existing floppy disks without having to copy them. Bryan H On 09/12/2012 11:05, Derek Stewart wrote: On 09/12/12 10:20, Bryan Horstmann wrote: Hello R-pi guys, I use a 110 char parallel port dot matrix printer with serial and USB convertorsswitched. This works fine on QL Xchange and 3D CAD. SBASIC programs instruct the printer to do just what one needs and I can also manually position the paper if need be, and alter printer settings from within a program or by command line.What might be the position with the emulator on the R-pi? Is there a simple means of convertinga QL twin disk HD drive to the required USB? Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Try http://www.floppytousb.net/ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Ql emulation on Raspberrypi
Unfortunately I've no idea what Perl is and no experience of C. Just an
old SBASIC user, although years ago I did have an introduction to Coral55.
Bryan H
On 09/12/2012 03:43, Tony Firshman wrote:
Bryan Horstmann wrote, on 9/Dec/12 11:41 | Dec9:
Is Python procedure/function based like SBASIC?
Absolutely - like Perl.
No line numbers used either. It is ironic that superBasic actually
needs none but forces them.
Python differs from most similar languages (including Perl and C) in
not using {} structures. It relies on indenting.
This is brilliant as it *forces* a readable layout.
Like Perl, it also uses 'objects' which is possibly the main
difference to superBasic.
A lot of the syntax is similar to C, where variables are bunched at
the end of a statement, with % identifiers embedded.
Tony
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Re: [Ql-Users] QL on Raspberry-pi
On 21/11/2012 05:56, Dilwyn Jones wrote: On 20/11/2012 10:11, Malcolm Lear wrote: I believe the QL can already be emulated on the Raspberry Pi by way of the MESS emulator. There was talk of running SMSQ a while back but I'm not sure that was ever achieved. However Trump card + memory and Sandy SuperDisk emulation was implemented. Did that include disk access to get files in and out of MESS? That was a problem with the early versions I looked at - the emulation ran pretty OK but at the time there was no disk access. Yet another way to get QL on the R-pi! It would be useful to have a folder with details of all known working or proposed emulations for QL on the R-pi. I've been pointed by an Oracle chap to a lot of info on Java and the R-pi, which should fit in with Wolfgang's work. And we have the uqxl route. There seem to be a lot of folk trying in their own way, not surprising with the huge numbers of R-pi getting into circulation. How about it Dilwyn? I'll provide what I can. Bryan H Remember I have no knowledge of neither Java nor Raspberry Pi, Bryan! I don't mind hosting suitable stuff but would need someone with the knowledge and time to keep it going. Once the emulators are stable enough for public release I'd happily see what we can do. (Emulator authors: keep me informed!) Dilwyn Jones ___ I appreciate your position, Dilwyn. However I feel that somewhere we could do with a Raspberrypi section to collate all activities attempting to get an emulation going. I guess effort will be into getting old games going which is what NESS is about, but that isn't my interest at all so I wouldn't pick up on it. Perhaps it should be on the R-pi site, but someone needs to put it there. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QL on Raspberry-pi
On 20/11/2012 10:11, Malcolm Lear wrote: I believe the QL can already be emulated on the Raspberry Pi by way of the MESS emulator. There was talk of running SMSQ a while back but I'm not sure that was ever achieved. However Trump card + memory and Sandy SuperDisk emulation was implemented. Yet another way to get QL on the R-pi! It would be useful to have a folder with details of all known working or proposed emulations for QL on the R-pi. I've been pointed by an Oracle chap to a lot of info on Java and the R-pi, which should fit in with Wolfgang's work. And we have the uqxl route. There seem to be a lot of folk trying in their own way, not surprising with the huge numbers of R-pi getting into circulation. How about it Dilwyn? I'll provide what I can. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QL on Raspberry-pi
On 19/11/2012 06:18, Wolfgang Lenerz wrote: Hi Bryan, Unfortunately I don't have a Pi. I'm araid, SMSQmulator would be pretty slow there, anyway Regards Wolfgang Low speed doesn't worry me Wolfgang, as I only need to run my own small legacy SBasic programs and make little new ones as per the original QL. If anyone fancies trying this route I will fund a Raspberry-pi if need be; they hope to have them off the shelf soon. Regards, Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] QL on Raspberry-pi
Hello Wolfgang, I note your work to get QL on Java. I see from the link below that Oracle have Java running on the R-pi. It seems that this will provide another way of getting the QL onto the R-pi. http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2214531/java-one-oracle-demos-java-se-embedded-running-on-raspberry-pi Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Posts
I haven't been getting any posts since 23rd September; I feel sure that everyone hasn't gone to sleep!! Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] R-pi
On 22/10/2012 01:04, John Alexander wrote: To Be fair Bryan I'm using a supadupa 32GB 45MB/s card and this costs a whopping £20 fro Amazon a cheaper 32GB is just £13 so really these or smaller still cheaper cards arn't Going to break the bank. Personally I would invest in a faster card anyway as it really does seem to make a difference in the usability of the RPi !! John --- On Sun, 21/10/12, Bryan Horstmann b...@newlan.org wrote: From: Bryan Horstmann b...@newlan.org Subject: [Ql-Users] R-pi To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Date: Sunday, 21 October, 2012, 14:42 Hello All, I've loaded an SD card with the Raspian-wheezy recommended and it just goes onto a 2G with 20M to spare. All that just to host a tiny QL emulator. 'Twould be nice if the ARM could emulate the 68000 and we could go straight on. There are minimal distros I understand, and I would like one to use solely for the QL emulator. Will have to get a bigger SD if I come to do anything more adventurous. Will the Ql emulator fit in the spare 20M? Bryan H Thanks for helpful comment. I came across a bit about ARM emulating 68000, so that Atari and early Mac programs would run. Way above my head, but it seems to be another way round. I know SD cards 8G and above are quite cheap but I see no point in having programs like word processor, spreadsheet and browser etc loaded when they are redundant. They'll only pop up asking to update etc. Just need a bare Linux with only the tools to manage it; not even sound in my case. My son-in-law has his R-pi just tucked away driving his home server and nothing else. I just want the lightest Raspian there is. Perhaps I need to get into the Debian community. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] R-pi
Hello All, I've loaded an SD card with the Raspian-wheezy recommended and it just goes onto a 2G with 20M to spare. All that just to host a tiny QL emulator. 'Twould be nice if the ARM could emulate the 68000 and we could go straight on. There are minimal distros I understand, and I would like one to use solely for the QL emulator. Will have to get a bigger SD if I come to do anything more adventurous. Will the Ql emulator fit in the spare 20M? Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] R-pi
Hello All, I received a message to say that my R-pi was dispatched by RS yesterday ParcelForce Express 24 hrs, and gave me a tracking no. It duly arrived in Manchester 7.24am. Not having come by lunchtime, I rang ParcelForce. If extra wasn't paid for Saturday delivery it will come on Monday. I wouldn't normally be bothered but I have grandchildren visiting who would love to get their hands on it (and their Dad would too!). I've not even got an SD card prepared. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QL keyboard on Raspberry-pi
On 19/10/2012 10:36, Tony Firshman wrote: Bryan Horstmann wrote, on 19/Oct/12 09:32 | Oct19: Bryan/ Is there an easy/in-expensive way to use the QL keyboard, which I find quite OK, on a R-pi? Interesting to know though if anyone can come up with a method. The starting point I guess is an I/O device to convert the QL row/column into a serial stream. I daresay it is not impossible but ... There's a Ciseco board on ebay for £7.68 K002 - Slice of Pi/o - add on Raspberry Pi - buffered I/O I2C upto 128 ports!!! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/K002-Slice-of-Pi-o-add-on-Raspberry-Pi-buffered-I-O-I2C-upto-128-ports-/221134890594?pt=UK_Computing_Other_Computing_Networkinghash=item337caaa662. Is that the sort of thing which might do it? This gives 16 inputs and matches the QL keyboard row/columns exactly. The issue then is software only maybe. One has to persuading the system to stuff data into the keyboard queue. Not a clue how though, or even if it is possible at all. The IBM keyboard input is serial and a complex structure. Over to Linux experts Tony Thanks for the help, Tony. My son is into the Andrino board used for robotics which has digital inputs so handling digital inputs on Linux may be well sorted. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] QL keyboard on Raspberry-pi
Hello all, Is there an easy/in-expensive way to use the QL keyboard, which I find quite OK, on a R-pi? There's a Ciseco board on ebay for £7.68 K002 - Slice of Pi/o - add on Raspberry Pi - buffered I/O I2C upto 128 ports!!! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/K002-Slice-of-Pi-o-add-on-Raspberry-Pi-buffered-I-O-I2C-upto-128-ports-/221134890594?pt=UK_Computing_Other_Computing_Networkinghash=item337caaa662. Is that the sort of thing which might do it? Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] My slice of Pi
On 16/10/2012 04:17, Norman Dunbar wrote: Hi Bryan, On 16/10/12 11:43, Bryan Horstmann wrote: Somehow we've got into top reply, so I will follow. I've just realised that one USB keyboard I have is a radio one so I get a bonus of keyboard and mouse using only one USB. Back to bottom posting! ;-) You might have a problem with the USB stuff depending on the revision on Pi that you get. The originals had a limit of 100mA per USB port and some keyboards and/or mice drew more which caused a drop in the voltage available on the board, which caused the Pi to either drop key-presses and/or auto-repeat at a million presses per micro-second! Later models, even those prior to the new 512 Mb version, have had the usb poly-fuses removed thus removing the limit, but if your power supply is flakey in any way, it will still cause problems if too much is drawn by the USB ports. I've upgraded my own Pi by soldering a jumper over the two poly fuses. Nice work if you have young eyes! Got there in the end though, and so far, no problems. There is a list of compatible USB keyboards and mice (amongst other things) at http://www.elinux.org/RPi_VerifiedPeripherals. Cheers, Norm. Hello Norman, The wireless keyboard/mouse is battery powered within in the units, so the only load is the wireless dongle, which shouldn't take much. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] My slice of Pi
On 12/10/2012 02:38, q...@mcad.demon.co.uk wrote: Hi, Finally received my slice of Pi - the Raspberry Pi, from RS - today 12th October 2012. I had to re-order, earlier in the Year, when my email address used was no longer working I also ordered a Type B Case, in white, and a 4GB SD Card with OS installed. Which all fits together by simple clip fittings on the injection moulding. Although, RS are posting the Pi PCB with a plastic protective casing, albeit in a translucent shade of raspberry pink! Umm ... like the early days of 'home computing', you have to put something else with it. I don't have an HDMI display, yet may be able to use a DVI on my old TV. Then there is the need for a USB keyboard and mouse. My Pi is due soon; I've a USB keyboard, USB hub and card reader, and PSU. The missing bit is a monitor. I use a mono Philips on the QL, video input and have another later style Philips as spare. Will the Pi work through the video input? Otherwise I have got video i/p on the TV. By then I hope to be able to get an SD card with a QL emulation; is anyone going to market one, please? Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] My slice of Pi
On 12/10/2012 05:56, QL-MyLink (f/fh) wrote: Brian asks - Will the Pi work through the video input? Otherwise I have got video i/p on the TV. -- In the current 'Computer Active' (382) at page 12, a correspondent has written - I have been using my Pi with a HDMI to VGA adapter which costs about £14. Using the composite output produces very poor resolution but on my VGA it is extremely good. Greetings to all, John in Wales Thanks for all the advice; the USB Hub/card reader can be powered if need be. I only want the display to show QL, and that only for running/keying in programs, so resolution isn't a problem. I've also USB floppy drives which I still use a lot. One floppy will keep all my work for a particular project, and I can find it easily. Also two portable hard drives a 6GB and a 30G. Plenty of permutations there!! But I just want this one to switch on and run like my QL, so my wife can use it as well. I'll get another one if I want to start tinkering. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Gaming event
Gaming isn't my sphere but I noticed this locally and asked if QL will be represented, but Dave said sadly, no. I's just PC. I don't know anything about this community, obviously, but they seem to have these weekends all round the country. Perhaps the QL will come to their notice if youngsters/adults (it is over 18 entrance) get the QL easily on the R-pi as seems likely (hopefully). Bryan H *26th October 06:00PM* *Apache Lan 9* Leewood Hall Bramhall Stockport SK7 2BX to 28th October 01:00PM /Contact details:/ David Wright 07887693388 daz...@googlemail.com mailto:daz...@googlemail.com It's a computer gaming weekend event. The atmosphere is relaxed and laid back where everyone is welcome. The events run over a weekend with the distance in mind that some attendee's travel. For example coming from: Ireland, Wales, York, Derby, Stoke, Liverpool and all over the Manchester area. The venue has a car park for those that drive. For those that don't literally 2 minutes on foot from the venue is a train station and bus route which some do use. 5 minutes on foot from the venue is: shops, supermarkets, takeaways, cafes, petrol stations, pubs and banks. Everything that is needed really. The venue has a grass area to the side that is used for a BBQ during an event if the weather is nice. Various genres of games are played to cover different tastes. From previous events I have had several sponsors. The venue has a stage area. As well as PC interest being covered, Gamebeast comes along as well to cover Consoles interest. Gamebeast being a truck trailor that has been specially kitted out with 4 system linked Consoles, 4 42 LED HD screens, 16 gaming headsets and 16 big comfy gaming chairs. Gamebeast will be attending the full event. For insurance and health and safety reasons with the venue it's open to 18 and above only. Please do ask anything you wish. I am more than happy to answer. I look forward to hopefully hearing from you real soon please. Kind Regards, David Wright. For more details see http://www.apachelans.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=31t=2027. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] ADSL speed up
Hello John, We have Virgin (ex Nynex) in the street and my neighbour is on it. The essential difference is that the copper to the house is broadband co-axial, not ordinary twisted pair, as it was set up for cable TV. The Government trumpeted at the time that it was harnessing the private sector to kit out the UK with a high speed comms network for the future. I'm told that the R-pi is over the counter now at Microdirect in Manchester, whilst I'm still waiting for mine (due in a few of weeks time). Bryan in Cheshire On 27/09/2012 07:50, Dave Walker wrote: -Original Message- From: ql-users-boun...@lists.q-v-d.com [mailto:ql-users- boun...@lists.q-v-d.com] On Behalf Of QL-MyLink (f/fh) Sent: 26 September 2012 16:59 To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Subject: [Ql-Users] ADSL speed up Greetings! I live in the UK and have a BT ADSL connection (400 metres by wire to the exchange). Generally, bandwidth was in the order of 6 to 8Mbps - usually the latter provided I did not switch of my router too frequently. Move over copper, glass has arrived. Stable reported speed (W/Xp system tray) for the past 3 days? 21.3Mbps. I like glass... and I had to tell someone. ;-) [Also might be of teccy interest - eh?] Best wishes to all, Through the glass, John in Wales ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Interesting you should say that - I am on cable (Virginmedia) and as it happens my speed was doubled overnight from 10Mbps to 20Mbps (at no extra cost to me).I can now get up to 120Mbps if I was prepared to pay the premium for the extra speed. Talking to a friend, it appears that Virginmedia's current round of internal network upgrades are preparing them to deliver speeds of up to 400Mbps to consumers when the time is right. I believe that is based on fibre technology up to the street level, and then copper for the last leg into customers houses. I would not be surprised to see any new installations starting to use fibre for that last hop as well assuming that is not already happening. Dave Walker Tel: +44 (0)1707 652791 Web: http://www.itimpi.com Skype: itimpi ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] A3 scanner
On 12/09/2012 04:40, Dilwyn Jones wrote: I don’t suppose anyone on this list has a second-hand A3 scanner they’d like to sell? I need to scan some documents (with photos) of roughly A3 size and stitching 2xA4 scans together doesn’t really work – the ‘stitching’ looks awful when the two halves are joined after scanning. I know A3 scanners can be bought for about £200 on the internet, but the job isn’t really big enough to justify buying a brand new scanner, so I thought I might as well offer to buy second hand off a QLer first. It will be used with a Windows 7 PC (the scanner, not the QLer). Dilwyn Have you Freegle/Freecyce round there, Dilwyn? It is surprising what un-usual things can be found from a Wanted posting. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi
Sony are now making R-pi in the UK, and the foundation estimate possibly one million shipped in 2012. It is inconceivable to me that there won't be a rub-of for QUANTA. It would be nice to demonstrate a set-up which just brought up QL quickly on switching on, as the QL did, providing programming straight away, or the Xchange suite if needed. No need for it to be a QL look-alike. http://www.bbc.co.uk/search/news/raspberry_pi Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Withdrawing from the QL Market
On 12/06/2012 09:58, Rich Mellor wrote: On 11/06/2012 16:56, Dilwyn Jones wrote: I think the key advantage for an SD-card project is something Urs already said years ago, that it might appeal to computer collectors. These are not terribly interested in the QL per se but might pay something if it enables them to transfer files to one of their collector items without too much pain. And this group is potentially much larger than the QL community itself, I guess. Though I'm not sure if a small and self-contained ROM dongle might be a bit better suited for these people, as this is probably preferable to opening the box and breaking the keyboard membrane in the process ;-) Ideally both forms could be supported with the same drivers and only little hardware changes. Marcel I agree. Whatever of the two forms it takes, this has the potential to be THE QL mass storage device. No need for Qubide and external hard disk for example. No need for floppy drives most of the time (apart from transferring stuff from original floppies). Plug in the Gold Card/Trump Card/whatever just for expanded memory, for example. A self-contained mass-storage unit with removable media (i.e. SD cards) would give the good old black box a new lease of life and of course there's always the possibilities of using the SD card for file transfer between QL and other computers where the filing system permits. So this is potentially good for existing users and retro computer collectors. I hope Peter manages to find someone to make it available. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm It is just a shame that there was not all this enthusiasm and discussion some months ago when Adrian needed to see some interest in the QL-SD Interface. Personally, I think that an internally fitted option is a non-starter - collectors want to keep the QL as original as possible, but still have a simple means of getting software onto the computer and using it - I still get orders for people wanting software on microdrive cartridge - but I normally go through 15-20 cartridges to make a good copy, only to find that the felt pad drops off in the post, or wears away after the customer has used it 10 times... At the moment, with very few disk and memory interfaces on the second hand market (I have just a Trump Card and a Super Gold Card and need the Trump Card!), people are left with no viable alternatives. A nice easy solution which plugged into the QL ROM port would be ideal for these collectors and many users - including a lot of the Quanta members (although they may then need a means of acquiring extra memory!). I understand the reasoning, Rich, but my ROM port is already taken by a ROMDISK ; it would need a through port. Bryan H Finance for projects is readily available - both through myself and Quanta It is more to do with the time needed by Peter if he is to redesign the project to work in the QL ROM port and overcome some of the issues. As to whether it is viable commercially, who was it that said 'Build it and they will come' ? I certainly have a number of customers wanting some form of storage solution - be it a disk drive + interface, SD interface, or a RomDisq. I have to draw parallels here with the ZXpand interface for the ZX81 - admittedly there was an upsurge in interest because of its 30th anniversary (we need to start on plans for something to celebrate the QL's 30th anniversary ), however, the original designer was planning to build 20-25 interfaces and sell them just for the cost of the parts. Although there were not even 20 people who had expressed an interest, following discussions, we decided to get 150 units made, and sell them commercially - and are now just starting to get the next batch of 200 interfaces made (having sold out). The original designer has made a nice little profit on his efforts and it has inspired him to create more hardware for the ZX81 (an AY sound and joystick module) which has similarly sold well. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi Tracker (Google Maps)
On 30/05/2012 12:07, Dilwyn Jones wrote: I was going to put mine down then it asked for a confirmation email...Nice try i wonder what they send you after you have clicked In my case, absolutely nothing Neil Some do, some don't. Most sites force you to enter an email address for validation to prevent automated spamming and possibly malicious intent (someone signing you up to something without your knowledge - stops me signing up every QL user I know to QL Forum and this list without their knowledge, for example). Must admit, if a site I don't know wants an email address from me, I usually avoid it if I'm unsure. That said, there are some temporary (short-lived) email address services you can use just for signing up to websites like this to avoid using your regular email address - once the short-life email address dies after you've had long enough to sign up and respond to a validation email address, they can't spam your regular email address if you are unsure about a site. I suppose it pays to have an extra email address you can use just for purposes like this, to control spam etc. That way, once you are satisfied the website is bona fide, they will let you alter your email address later to your regular email address if you wish. I'd probably go as far as to say that unless you are 100% happy with a site, NEVER use your regular email address to sign up to anything. Dilwyn Jones My son-in-law is in the computer industry and I was discussing the source of spam, and he has given me, on his own domain, ten email addresses which he can change as needed. You plant one when you are asked to respond with a contact, and if it goes further, you know who to blame. Works a treat to have email addresses under one's own control independent of service ;provider. He recommends having one's own domain which only costs about £5 pa. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Blowtorches
On 09/05/2012 10:07, Dilwyn Jones wrote: Norman Dunbar wrote: My image when I hear the word blowtorch is of my dad filling his with paraffin and pumping it for what seemed ages to get some pressure up and then a huge blue flame! That was my reaction when I heard Lee make the remark at the Quanta Workshop in Manchester. Actually, the notion of whacking the board against something to make the chips/sockets fall out after heating was what tickled me most! I have managed to fry a few components using just a soldering iron over the years, never mind a blowtorch :-) Dilwyn Jones At work we had multiple de-soldering tools which fitted on a soldering iron and had holes linked to a suction machine; the tool was applied and it left it solder-free to then just pull out (usually). In the lab (and at home) it was common to work pin by pin melting the solder and then knocking sharply when most of the solder would come out; it was practically as good as a suction de-solderer and one didn't have to re-load it. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi - starts
On 23/04/2012 03:15, tobias.froesc...@t-online.de wrote: more specifically: google.co.uk only (They don't seem to consider this an international anniversary) -Original-Nachricht- Von: Lee Privettlee.priv...@gmail.com An: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Betreff: Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi - starts Datum: Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:27:02 +0200 Google image is very retro today ZX Spectrum anyone ___ My Google search shows a St George logo. Bryan H UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi - starts
On 20/04/2012 09:40, Dilwyn Jones wrote:
So like all the BASICS, it is interpreted as it is run.
Not quite the same. Yes- superBasic runs uncompiled but errors only
show when they
are encountered.
Python (and perl - my preference) compiles first, syntax errors show
then and it stops
with error display - often wildly confusing if things lke closing
quotes (or a dreaded ';' in
Perl) is missed. Only if it compiles does it run the program.
It will be interesting to see whether this happens, and which
computer languages actually
then get used.
One of the really great features of python is no {} structure or
semi-colons - it relies on indenting.
This imposes good layout, which I in fact always attempt in perl (
and C).
This all sounds very interesting and possibly a fairly straightforward
language for S*BASIC users to learn. I notice there's versions of
Python for Windows as well as Linux etc. Anyone know if a Python
program written on one platform such as Windows, be run on another
such as Linux? Guess if the programs are written and saved using a
text editor there's a chance this might be possible, although probably
endian issues might arise with numbers, for example? Admittedly I know
nothing about Python (yet... - it looks interesting)
I always thought it was a pity superBasic demanded line numbers. They
were not actually necessary,
and if GOTO did not exist, not even used.
I think QLiberator at least can compile without line numbers (never
actually tried that). Perhaps George could tell us if Turbo can too.
GOTO and GOSUB are one thing, you can usually do without them. What
about RESTORE line_number though?
Dilwyn
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The only things I know about Python are from the Cheat Sheet I mentioned
earlier. But where are the equivalent of all the many other S*BASIC
Keywords?
Bryan H
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Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi - starts
I've had a look at Python too, Malcolm, and found Python Languages Syntax Cheat Sheet. Under basic arithmetic it says i=a%b e.g. 11%3 2 I cannot make sense of that. I'll just hope that we can get an emulator and stick to SBASIC I know. But if RS have 220,000 outstanding orders, it'll be some time before I get one! Bryan H. On 17/04/2012 10:37, Malcolm Cadman wrote: In message 1334691190.17608.yahoomailclas...@web29403.mail.ird.yahoo.com, John Alexander acontractor...@yahoo.co.uk writes Hi John, Well done ... I guess you may be the first on this list ... :-) In the meantime, I am starting to getting around to learning the Python programming language. As you may guess, the link between Pi and Python names is not accidental in all this, either. As Python is the preferred programming language for the Pi. Well at least at this early stage. For those who do not program, it also no accident that the Python programming language is directly termed after the Monty Python comedy. The Tutorial with the Version that I have, on a PC, gets in early with a variable definition termed SPAM ... which is an obvious reference to one well known comedic sketch. I guess that this will open up everyone's imagination and humour, too . My RPi arrived yesterday ;) http://youtu.be/6X2P7sVL-wU --- On Tue, 17/4/12, Dilwyn Jones dil...@evans1511.fsnet.co.uk wrote: From: Dilwyn Jones dil...@evans1511.fsnet.co.uk Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi - starts To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Date: Tuesday, 17 April, 2012, 18:33 Lee Privett wrote: Someone already has atleast one emulator running on the Pi http://www.raspberrypi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/simcoupe.jpg Looks good, but a QL emulator would be even better! Dilwyn ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi - starts
On 19/04/2012 12:03, Miguel Angel Rodriguez Jodar wrote: El 19/04/2012 12:00, Bryan Horstmann escribió: I've had a look at Python too, Malcolm, and found Python Languages Syntax Cheat Sheet. Under basic arithmetic it says i=a%b e.g. 11%3 2 I cannot make sense of that. That's the modulus operator, as in C language. The binary operator a%b returns the remainder of the integer division between a and b. It's equivalent to the MOD function in SBASIC. For example, 11%3 returns 2 because 11 divided by 3 gives 3 and remainder 2. It's a very powerfull operator to perform modular aritmethic. For example, imagine that you want to calculate fast sine functions, and to to that, you have set up a table with 360 numbers, indexed from 0 to 359. Element with index i will contain the sine of i (with i expressed in degrees). Then, for an arbitrary (positive integer) angle, you can do something like: sineofi = sinetable[i%360]; The index expression inside the brackets will wrap around 360, giving you 0,1,2,...,358,359,0,1, ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Thanks Miguel. I've no knowledge of C and my scientific calculator wouldn't accept it. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi - starts
I've come across this which might be useful. I see functions but not procedures. http://cottagelabs.com/python-language-syntax-cheat-sheet/ Bryan H On 17/04/2012 10:37, Malcolm Cadman wrote: In message 1334691190.17608.yahoomailclas...@web29403.mail.ird.yahoo.com, John Alexander acontractor...@yahoo.co.uk writes Hi John, Well done ... I guess you may be the first on this list ... :-) In the meantime, I am starting to getting around to learning the Python programming language. As you may guess, the link between Pi and Python names is not accidental in all this, either. As Python is the preferred programming language for the Pi. Well at least at this early stage. For those who do not program, it also no accident that the Python programming language is directly termed after the Monty Python comedy. The Tutorial with the Version that I have, on a PC, gets in early with a variable definition termed SPAM ... which is an obvious reference to one well known comedic sketch. I guess that this will open up everyone's imagination and humour, too . My RPi arrived yesterday ;) http://youtu.be/6X2P7sVL-wU --- On Tue, 17/4/12, Dilwyn Jones dil...@evans1511.fsnet.co.uk wrote: From: Dilwyn Jones dil...@evans1511.fsnet.co.uk Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi - starts To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Date: Tuesday, 17 April, 2012, 18:33 Lee Privett wrote: Someone already has atleast one emulator running on the Pi http://www.raspberrypi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/simcoupe.jpg Looks good, but a QL emulator would be even better! Dilwyn ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Jan Jones
On 03/04/2012 06:48, Geoff Wicks wrote: -- From: Dilwyn Jones dil...@evans1511.fsnet.co.uk Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2012 5:34 PM To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Jan Jones If an approach were to be made to Jan Jones it probably would best come from Quanta as an official body. However I cannot stress enough that there is all the difference in the world between a limited reprint with paid royalties and complete publication on the internet. Absolutely. Which is why I am trying to find out the history of all this so that we don't get off on the wrong foot with any attempts to reprint or eBook or whatever. It was NEVER my intention to publish it without agreement of the author. I hope that is clear, at least. The only reason I asked Tim for his doc files was to make sure that IF Quanta seeks to make the book available in any form subject to agreement, that we at least have the text of the book to enable us to reprint or e-publish or whatever else the author consents to. I have found a copy of the email where Javier Guerra told me he had permission to put the public PDF on his website, but there is no message from the author in that email, just Javier's assurance that the permission had been obtained. Perhaps if Javier is still on this list he can clarify. In any event, I am perfectly happy to put a proposal to Quanta committee to seek to make the book available in some form if agreement can be reached, or should we find documents (such as those which John Taylor referred to) that prove the original agreement is still valid. If the original agreement is found to be valid, we would then need to enter into discussions regarding the royalties. It would quite likely be too expensive to do a full reprint with the amount of sales we may be able to achieve, so realistically a deal of some form regarding royalties on an eBook such as a Kindle download may be the only option. I'm just as prepared to make sure we have an electronic version ready which could form the basis for a legal reprint or e-publication. Perhaps Malcolm Lear could let us know how far he got with his efforts to make an electronic version (for the same reason). I have no criticism of the way you are handling the problem and I know you respect copyright. I think we are now getting onto a more businesslike approach to the problem. As far as the technical side is concerned the problem with a pdf file is that we will need it to be searchable and include the illustrations. Perhaps the people who did the QL Today pdf archive could help. The best solution would probably be an e-book. I would certainly be prepared to pay a tenner for that, so that if it oils the works, we can offer Jan Jones royalties. I think its is relevant to mention that we cannot expect a quick Quanta decision as two of the officers are currently out of the UK for an extended period, Best Wishes, Geoff It is probably If SBASIC gets somehow on to the Raspberrypi, then demand for the manual could be great. A neighbour has told me that there are electronic printing houses where one supplies the file and they print say 100 copies quite reasonably. Families use it to produce a ancestor book for the family. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Anyone know what this is for ....
On 29/03/2012 04:31, Norman Dunbar wrote: On 29/03/12 14:02, Norman Dunbar wrote: I *think* it could be italics on/off, but I'm not sure and could be making it up! That wasn't a bad guess, thanks to Dilwyn I can confirm that code 19 aka Hex(13) is indeed an italics toggle control code. Thanks all. Cheers, Norm. I take it that this is occcurs the .doc text, and so is also embedded in the printer translate codes list. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Anyone know what this is for ....
On 29/03/2012 02:02, Norman Dunbar wrote: I'm slightly amending QStripper to read Quill files for the PC. I've got most of the changes done - not many to be honest, but I've notices a control code I know nothing about. It's Hex(13) or 19 Decimal. I *think* it could be italics on/off, but I'm not sure and could be making it up! Does anyone know? Cheers, Norm. Hello Norman, My old Printer Codes List gives 19 as DC3 Remote Printer Deselect. Another list shows it as a double exclamation mark !!. There doesn't appear to be an ESC DC3 command. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Anyone know what this is for ....
On 29/03/2012 04:08, Dilwyn Jones wrote: I'm slightly amending QStripper to read Quill files for the PC. I've got most of the changes done - not many to be honest, but I've notices a control code I know nothing about. It's Hex(13) or 19 Decimal. I *think* it could be italics on/off, but I'm not sure and could be making it up! Does anyone know? PC Four and Xchange PC do indeed support italics so it may well be the code for that. The codes in Quill files usually act as toggles, so the first 19 might be italics on, the second 19 might be italics off. But that's not the only new facility in them of course. Reading an old review I find it also supports sequence presets which allow the insertion of predefined phrases such as Yours Sincerely into documents, but I couldn't pick up whether they are encoded by a control code in the file with control codes or not. I have found a copy of pcfour here, but it fails to run on Windows 7 64 bit. I'll see if I can persuade Ann's laptop (XP) to run it. If I can, I'll save and send some sample files to you. Dilwyn Jones Yes, I've just had a look a at XCHANGE on PC and it is called GLOSSARY. One can store text strings up to 250 chrs, recalled by pressing F5 and the character. But the code isn't embedded in the text. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Printer Ribbon
I use an old Fujitsu DL1150 dot matrix printer which does me fine, and will still work with Vista. It has been difficult to get ribbons; there is a lot of old, dried out stock around. I've found www.cartridgesave.co.uk, a small company locally in Stockport with ribbons, with fair prices including delivery so no shocks at the checkout. My particular model is 110 chrs that is it takes A4 landscape and so will print portrait on A3. I find that this gives me useful extra space for spreadsheets: I used to do an A5 magazine on the QL too, paired pages together. Unfortunately Vista won't always recognise this and then insists on turning it round! Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Raspbery Pi
I apologise for repeating my post but I thought I was making a mistake as they weren't appearing last night. Bryan H On 05/03/2012 07:03, Bryan Horstmann wrote: Whilst I'm not denigrating it, all this publicity of development boards etc. is missing the concept of the Rpi, which is to just connect the necessary ancillaries and use it for program development by youngsters, not circuit design. They're already using SCRATCH I understand which is just for making things work on the screen by complex sprites; but it does get them planning things in detail, even if only a sort of film storyboard. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] RaspberryPi
I've no idea what the items you mention are John. Perhaps noting to do with QL scene. Bryan H On 05/03/2012 04:27, John Alexander wrote: Arduino clone for I/O expansion called a Piduino and a MoPi ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] RaspberryPi
Whilst I'm not denigrating it, all this publicity of development boards etc. is missing the concept of the Rpi, which is to just connect the necessary ancillaries and use it for program development by youngsters, not circuit design. They're already using SCRATCH I understand which is just for making things work on the screen by complex sprites; but it does get them planning things in detail, even if only a sort of film storyboard. Bryan H On 05/03/2012 04:27, John Alexander wrote: My RaspberryPi is due the 12th according to Farnell. Fedora is the community edition as it were where the technology that RedHat uses gets tested first! I've already got a few bits of hardware ready an Arduino clone for I/O expansion called a Piduino and a MoPi which is an out and out dev board for the RaspberryPi http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embeddedv=u5c1Dfaf57g http://shropshirelug.wordpress.com/2011/12/10/mopi-a-prototype-board-for-raspberrypi/ Take alook at the video shown at the Last Shropshire Linux user Group (SLUG) on PCB manufacture http://shropshirelug.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/review-of-february-2012-meeting-11/ John A --- On Mon, 5/3/12, Norman Dunbarnor...@dunbar-it.co.uk wrote: From: Norman Dunbarnor...@dunbar-it.co.uk Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] RaspberryPi To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Date: Monday, 5 March, 2012, 11:59 Morning Malcolm, I thought that you would one the first 'Rpi owners ... :-) No, I'm afraid not. There are 10,000 lucky owners but I'm not one of them. I need my sleep too much to be setting alarms to get up at 05:45! I have not heard of Fedora Linux ... though I guess it not a hat? Close, very close. Red Hat is, if you like, the parent company, They produce Red Hat Enterprise Linux but used to produce a community version called Red Hat Linux. They stick to RHEL these days and are (or are about to be) the first open source company to break the $1 billion income mark. They charge for support and give the product away for free. Fedora is the community version - Red Hat Linux as was. New stuff usually hits Fedora first before it rolls out in RHEL. Both are, indeed, hat related! Of course, it you ned or want an enterprise level Linux for free, you simply get Centos or Scientific Linux which are RHEL with the Red Hat badges removed. It's all legal under the terms of the license. Development tools ... yes, but what actual software or 'apps' are already around to make it immediately usable? Too much to mention. When you install a Linux distro you get tens of thousands of apps thrown in for free and there are many more that may not be included in the distro, but are available elsewhere. CAD tools, compilers for just about every language under the sun, development environments, games, science stuff, astronomy, games, deocumentation tools, DVD players, CD players, MP3, Video editing, sound recording editing, text editors, whole office suites, - everything. Compare with Windows and Minsweeper or Solitare! ;-) I specialised in control and electronics and all the 'new technology' stuff, so was always being creative. I put together a 555 timer in astable mode this weekend on a breadboard looking for a square wave generator. I wanted to use it to switch on another circuit, then off again at regular intervals. How hard could it be? I got an always on LED! Sigh! It's far simpler with Arduino! Schools have mirrored and followed almost exactly all of the previous mistakes that industry first followed. Have they mirrored or have they been pushed in that direction by politicians and other do-gooders with an agenda? 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 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Raspbery Pi
Whilst I'm not denigrating it, all this publicity of development boards etc. is missing the concept of the Rpi, which is to just connect the necessary ancillaries and use it for program development by youngsters, not circuit design. They're already using SCRATCH I understand which is just for making things work on the screen by complex sprites; but it does get them planning things in detail, even if only a sort of film storyboard. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Custom case for Raspberry Pi Model B *professional! Recycled!* | eBay
How's this for entrapeur spirit! With this note at the end*Computer cigarettes not included. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Custom-case-Raspberry-Pi-Model-B-professional-Recycled-/290677470826?pt=UK_Computing_DesktopComponents_RLhash=item43adba366a Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] RaspberryPi
On 29/02/2012 01:11, Norman Dunbar wrote: On 28/02/12 10:15, Bryan Horstmann wrote: The Raspberry Pi Foundation will be making a big (and very positive) announcement that just might interest you at 0600h GMT on Wednesday 29 February 2012. Come towww.raspberrypi.org to find out what's going on. Well, the release of Raspberry Pi into the wilds went well. Interest was so great that both Farnell's and RS discovered an effective DDOS attack on their servers this morning. The tinkerers are taking over again! I've got my order in - I missed the first 100,000 even at 06:25 this AM. Cheers, Norm. I see someone has pre-ordered 10 and is offering on ebay for £95 each. I thought only one per person was allowed. Wish we could rid ourselves of these touts trying to collar the market. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] RaspberryPi
On 29/02/2012 07:36, Bryan Horstmann wrote: On 29/02/2012 01:11, Norman Dunbar wrote: On 28/02/12 10:15, Bryan Horstmann wrote: The Raspberry Pi Foundation will be making a big (and very positive) announcement that just might interest you at 0600h GMT on Wednesday 29 February 2012. Come towww.raspberrypi.org to find out what's going on. Well, the release of Raspberry Pi into the wilds went well. Interest was so great that both Farnell's and RS discovered an effective DDOS attack on their servers this morning. The tinkerers are taking over again! I've got my order in - I missed the first 100,000 even at 06:25 this AM. Cheers, Norm. I see someone has pre-ordered 10 and is offering on ebay for £95 each. I thought only one per person was allowed. Wish we could rid ourselves of these touts trying to collar the market. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm I'm happy to wait until the market settles, and then perhaps we shall be able to buy over the counter locally at Stockport RS counter to avoid carriage. My simple need is to replace the bulky QL, and also having to keep spares just to do my little apps. I've usb hubs, wireless usb keyboard and usb floppies which do me. I just haven't the time or skills to set it up. I'm going to have to rely on help, probably from the local group or a workshop. I take it that this will be getting the right stuff on the SD card. Bryan H UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi
The ebay auction for the first ten Raspberry Pi's netted just over £16000; nice bit of cash to put in their kitty. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QL compatible Printers
On 03/01/2012 01:02, Norman Dunbar wrote: On 26/12/11 15:15, alf...@juno.com wrote: When THAT happens, it is necessary to spend 5-to-10 minutes (maybe, it took a longer time -- who can remember?) pressing the button which tells the printer to CLEAR its print jets (whatever the process is called to re-initiate the printer). Breaking with tradition and bottom posting! ;-) My Epson Stylus 800 was a fine printer, the best one I ever had to be honest. However, as it had a system whereby the cartridge was replaced and the print head remained, then leaving it unused for any long length of time resulted in the head gumming up with dried up of gungy ink. The press the cleaning buttons option sometimes worked but simply accelerated the emptying of the cartridge. Way too expensive. I obtained a proper printer cleaning kit from PC World which contained - amongst other things - a small sponge thing on a long handle and a decent sized bottle of isopropyl alcohol. Soak the pad with alcohol then apply generously to the print head - I admit it was fiddly to scrub (gently) the head between the platen roller and whatever else was in there - but it worked and reduced the number of refills I needed. Eventually, I gave up and bought a new printer - an HP 2610 Photosmart all in one - this one replaces the print head along with the ink, and it has never clogged up on me no matter how infrequently I use it. I prefer to keep my heads but sometimes the better option isn't as good - think VHS versus Betamax - and you just have to adapt. Also, when I tried to dismantle the Epson once - for fun - I discovered that the vast majority of the internals was nothing more than a huge sponge. Every time the printer cleaned or flushed the head, the sponge absorbed the overspill and eventually became a huge blob of used ink. Very, very, very mucky indeed! However, it did solve the riddle of where all the ink went! Happy 2010 everyone. Cheers, Norm. You must have binged too much, Norman. My calendar is headed 2012 Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QL compatible Printers
On 03/01/2012 04:05, Tony Firshman wrote: On Jan 3, at 13:02 | Jan3, Norman Dunbar wrote: Norman/ On 26/12/11 15:15, alf...@juno.com wrote: When THAT happens, it is necessary to spend 5-to-10 minutes (maybe, it took a longer time -- who can remember?) pressing the button which tells the printer to CLEAR its print jets (whatever the process is called to re-initiate the printer). Breaking with tradition and bottom posting! ;-) In all the mailing lists and usenet lists I use, *everyone* bottom posts, and they get flamed if they don't. As I am sure you know, I think top posting makes it so hard to pick up threads. Both Apple Mail and Thunderbird use multicolouring to identify quotes. They both (TB with an extension) actually hide some levels of quoting, with a 'more' expansion clickable item. I really really don't understand why top posting is so liked. well I do actually - it is harder to read on a mobile, but one gets used to scrolling down. I suppose it is that M$ products default to top quoting. Interestingly all the mailers I have ever used (Turnpike, Thunderbird and Apple Mail) default to bottom posting. My Epson Stylus 800 was a fine printer, the best one I ever had to be honest. However, as it had a system whereby the cartridge was replaced and the print head remained, then leaving it unused for any long length of time resulted in the head gumming up with dried up of gungy ink. The press the cleaning buttons option sometimes worked but simply accelerated the emptying of the cartridge. Way too expensive. I obtained a proper printer cleaning kit from PC World which contained - amongst other things - a small sponge thing on a long handle and a decent sized bottle of isopropyl alcohol. Soak the pad with alcohol Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) not 12yr malt whisky I presume (8-)# then apply generously to the print head - I admit it was fiddly to scrub (gently) the head between the platen roller and whatever else was in there - but it worked and reduced the number of refills I needed. Not quite the same, but IPA has also kept my 1986 Brother 2024 dot matrix going, and it is also great for cleaning off label glue and QL PCBs! I use old toothbrushes as applicators. I use the Brother still for printing invoices from my archive based programs. This is slightly complicated now as no modern printer has parallel ports, and my printer and Windows cannot communicate with usb parallel devices (yes I know it is likely to be lpt2!). I have an old pretty dead HP laptop to do the printing, networking to XP (running under VMware) on my Macbook. 'net use' is also a great command for printing to Windows based printers from DOS, which Arcplus runs under. I love using my Archive business programs. They were developed on QL Archive and moved to PC Four. Even with PC Four I was still getting file corruptions - mainly index files. I then moved to Arcplus, which has been 100% trouble free. I still use my sales database program, which has about 7000 entries, the majority of which are (well were) QL based. Eventually, I gave up and bought a new printer - an HP 2610 Photosmart all in one - this one replaces the print head along with the ink, and it has never clogged up on me no matter how infrequently I use it. I prefer to keep my heads but sometimes the better option isn't as good - think VHS versus Betamax - and you just have to adapt. You don't have to adapt. If you use *good* fixed head inkjet printers, like the Canon Pro9000, they very very rarely block up. Even when they do, it is a minor job cleaning them. I very much prefer the fixed heads, as replacement non-manufacturer cartidges are really really cheap, and I find them just as good. I had an Epson Stylus (830p I think) and that was TERRIBLE. I had it exchanged before I even used it after getting through loads of cartidges trying to get even colour. It was *sllightly better after that, but still not reliable. Also, when I tried to dismantle the Epson once - for fun - I discovered that the vast majority of the internals was nothing more than a huge sponge. Every time the printer cleaned or flushed the head, the sponge absorbed the overspill and eventually became a huge blob of used ink. Very, very, very mucky indeed! However, it did solve the riddle of where all the ink went! Oh yes indeed. I loaned my printer to someone once who put it upside down (in a box) on their hall carpet, and then complained to me about the black stain. This must also have dislodged the print head as it never printed from then on. I did not feel at all guilty about the stain! Tony I have an old Fuji DL1150 dot matrix, Tony, which is the old 110 char so takes A3 portrait My Vista laptop drives it perfectly via a usb to parallel convertor thought I haven't tried it from PCXCHANGE which I use with DOSbox. I can get full screen with that whereas Vista support for dos no longer has full screen option. On local Freegle there
Re: [Ql-Users] eBooks
On 03/01/2012 04:45, Dilwyn Jones wrote: Having got myself a little Android tablet computer (ancient v2.2 or so, was only really bought because of low price) I started playing with eBooks on it. It’s crossed my mind that as these things have reasonable screens, one of the things I’d like to try to do is to port QL documentation (e.g. QL manual) as eBooks so that I can keep them all to hand, so that (i) the bookshelf can be cleared out and (ii) I don’t have to keep flicking between the QPC screen and reference PDFs on the PC all the time while programming (having the Android tablet propped up by the PC would be helfpul). I don’t know much about eBook formats, but a quick use of google did suggest that it’s possible to convert between PDFs and the various eBook formats. Anyone got experience in this area, so I don’t have to reinvent the wheel? If this works, it might be an idea for the medium term to then try to get these ebooks on ebook websites to make QL documentation more widely available for those returning to the QL, for example? Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm A neighbour has been putting novels on Kindle, Dilwyn. He says that hefollowed instructions on the amazon KDP website. The original document must be in Word format Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Christmastide Greetings
*_Happy Christmas All_* ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Phone connector
I have need of a small phone socket of the size used on laptops. I don't know the designation or where I can get them. Any pattern will do for my application. Can anyone help, please? Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QaLendar 2012
On 09/12/2011 08:48, Norman Dunbar wrote: Morning all, I tried yesterday with the 2012.doc version - it simply refused to load into Libre Office 3 - General input output error - which, I have to say, is not the most helpful error message in the world! Last years 2011.docx loaded fine. Dilwyn, could you upload the 2012.docx version please and I'll give it a try - there isn't one on the web-site (that I can see - and I looked!) at the moemnt. Thanks. I'm thinking that maybe Office can't do docx-doc transformations very well! ;-) Cheers, Norm. I've tried deleting the picture placeholders, Dilwyn, but it is no help. Incidentally I found that OO had downloaded version 3.3 but hadn't installed it, so I did so. It now won't load the 2011 .docx properly. My son-in-law works for Oracle so if I wish to comment on anything it needs to relate to the current version, in this case why it doesn't work so well. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QaLendar 2012
On 09/12/2011 10:02, Bryan Horstmann wrote: On 09/12/2011 08:48, Norman Dunbar wrote: Morning all, I tried yesterday with the 2012.doc version - it simply refused to load into Libre Office 3 - General input output error - which, I have to say, is not the most helpful error message in the world! Last years 2011.docx loaded fine. Dilwyn, could you upload the 2012.docx version please and I'll give it a try - there isn't one on the web-site (that I can see - and I looked!) at the moemnt. Thanks. I'm thinking that maybe Office can't do docx-doc transformations very well! ;-) Cheers, Norm. I've tried deleting the picture placeholders, Dilwyn, but it is no help. Incidentally I found that OO had downloaded version 3.3 but hadn't installed it, so I did so. It now won't load the 2011 .docx properly. My son-in-law works for Oracle so if I wish to comment on anything it needs to relate to the current version, in this case why it doesn't work so well. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm I've now got the 2011 .docx reasonable in OO; it was the Month and picture widths which had gone wrong and needed both widening and positioning, it would be a bit of a pain to go through getting them all right. There were also a load of spurious pages at the end with odd pictures on them!! I haven't tried anything on the 2012.doc, as it isn't clear what has happened. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QaLendar 2012
On 09/12/2011 11:14, Bryan Horstmann wrote: On 09/12/2011 10:02, Bryan Horstmann wrote: On 09/12/2011 08:48, Norman Dunbar wrote: Morning all, I tried yesterday with the 2012.doc version - it simply refused to load into Libre Office 3 - General input output error - which, I have to say, is not the most helpful error message in the world! Last years 2011.docx loaded fine. Dilwyn, could you upload the 2012.docx version please and I'll give it a try - there isn't one on the web-site (that I can see - and I looked!) at the moemnt. Thanks. I'm thinking that maybe Office can't do docx-doc transformations very well! ;-) Cheers, Norm. I've tried deleting the picture placeholders, Dilwyn, but it is no help. Incidentally I found that OO had downloaded version 3.3 but hadn't installed it, so I did so. It now won't load the 2011 .docx properly. My son-in-law works for Oracle so if I wish to comment on anything it needs to relate to the current version, in this case why it doesn't work so well. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm I've now got the 2011 .docx reasonable in OO; it was the Month and picture widths which had gone wrong and needed both widening and positioning, it would be a bit of a pain to go through getting them all right. There were also a load of spurious pages at the end with odd pictures on them!! I haven't tried anything on the 2012.doc, as it isn't clear what has happened. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm A bit that should have been on my last message got lost. Open Office has WIZARDS which include converting Microsoft to OO formats. This says that OO files .odt is XML, which I believe .docx is. So the latter should load OK. I ran the wizard on 2011 .docx, but it still doesn't load right. Bryan H x ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QaLendar 2012
On 08/12/2011 07:53, Dilwyn Jones wrote: This proved to be a harder nut to crack than I thought. All my efforts so far have yielded similar results. I don't have Open Office installed, but whatever I do with M$ Works causes the same scrambled layout. I'm wondering if it is the docx extension/format that is causing you grief. Does your version of Office allow you to save files as old-style doc? Yes, the file concerned is a .doc (which seems to load OK in M$ Office 2003). The problem comes when other programs which claim Office compatibility try to load it. Albeit the original was a .docx file, which I saved as a .doc file. Problem was I think that the calendar was created using a Calendar wizard so I have no real control over how it generates the layout. I'm sure I'll find a way to simplify it, but I have had the odd problem like this in the past which took me a while to sort out. Anyway, too much non-QL talk (even though the QaLendar is something for QL users). Dilwyn ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Dilwyn, on your original message about the calendar you said that the .docx file would be 10M; however the 2011 one on your website is 1.3M. This 2011 one loaded into OO perfectly, with the pictures at the top. The 2012 pdf has pictures at the bottom. Your good intentions have put you to all this trouble and I apologise for this. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Abacus file transfer PC to QL
On 06/12/2011 07:55, Dilwyn Jones wrote: I finally got around to testing this. I created a test spreadsheet using the Psion Abacus for DOS. I saved the file as a transfer file (.abt). Changed the extension to _abt, and moved it onto a directory that Q-emulator has access to. I got into Xchange and Abacus. I loaded the file via the transfer option (as type psion not dif) and the spreadsheet loaded up just fine. The formulas were retained. Just for the record, I use DOSbox to run the DOS version of Abacus. Tim Swenson Thanks, Tim. I guess this might only work on Xchange for QL, not on standard Abacus (SS in north America?) - I don't think standard Abacus has the Transfer file creation ability. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm I also use DOSbox to run the Psion suite Tim, but use the PC version of Xchange. I take it that this would work the other way, from QL to PC with the approprite format transfer with Diskover. DOSbox will run in full screen on Vista, whereas the native dos support won't now. I've never got an emulator going as I find them too much of a bother to get going. By contrast I can put a live small Linux disk in and have it up and running quite easily. That is what is wanted for a Ql emulator. Bryan H UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QaLendar 2012
On 20/11/2011 10:17, Dilwyn Jones wrote: QaLendar 2012 My annual offering of the QaLendar (QL themed calendar) is now available to download free from my website. Filled with QL themed pictures, it is available in two forms 1.PDF file of the complete calendar with pictures. This is about 380KB to download. 2.The skeleton of the QaLendar as a 12 page Word .doc file, with just the one month per page and a placeholder 1x1 table at the bottom of each page in which you can add your own photos to customise it. About 177KB to download. I chose not to add the Word .docx version of the QaLendar to the website as it is almost 10 MB in size and would take forever to upload and download. The PDF will be of more use to most of us. Access it from the QaLendar page on my website at http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/gen/calendar/calendar.html I've just downloaded the calendar blank, Dilwyn, and I only have Open Office 3 to display it. It is haywire. Jan, Feb ok. March April titles together and no calendar. May no calendar. June title below calendar. July to Sept no calendar. Nov and Dec ok. I was just about to send it to someone to add photos for me. I've not had trouble with .doc files before. I've downloaded it twice to make sure. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QaLendar 2012
On 20/11/2011 10:17, Dilwyn Jones wrote: QaLendar 2012 My annual offering of the QaLendar (QL themed calendar) is now available to download free from my website. Filled with QL themed pictures, it is available in two forms 1.PDF file of the complete calendar with pictures. This is about 380KB to download. 2.The skeleton of the QaLendar as a 12 page Word .doc file, with just the one month per page and a placeholder 1x1 table at the bottom of each page in which you can add your own photos to customise it. About 177KB to download. I chose not to add the Word .docx version of the QaLendar to the website as it is almost 10 MB in size and would take forever to upload and download. The PDF will be of more use to most of us. Access it from the QaLendar page on my website at http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/gen/calendar/calendar.html Further; I've just tried downloading the .docx Dilwyn and that loads into OO fine. How come that the pictures are at the top whereas those on the skeleton are at the bottom? Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Abacus file transfer PC to QL
What is the advantage of this Transfer (giving an abt file) over just using the normal aba file? On my test Transfer seems to need Psion option not dif(which only carries over figures) Bryan H On 26/11/2011 02:53, Bob Spelten wrote: Op Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:54:38 +0100 schreef Dilwyn Jones dil...@evans1511.fsnet.co.uk: Please give the procedure for converting Abacus files under Psion 4 (DOS) to Abacus files running on QL (QDOS) and QPC2. The above is a query received by Quanta Helpline. Does anyone have experience of transferring between these systems? Xchange for PC and QL both have the Transfer command (F3/Files), for moving data between Abacus's on different machines. This process can keep formula data intact, unlike export. The help pages don't mention the other system but it should be worth a try. If Psion 4 doesn't have this option, an upgrade to Xchange may be needed. I believe it's on your pages somewhere. Bob ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Emulation on DOSbox
Quill and Abacus were sufficient for my needs having a printer with resident fonts. So I got PC XCHANGE to run on an old laptop I had been given, and later it worked on W2000 too. Now elevated(??) to VISTA full screen isn't supported and I have been pointed to DOSbox. This is apparently targeted at the retro games market and can be configured to do just about anything it seems. It runs PC XCHANGE in fullscreen fine on default settings. Now I would like to emulate QL there too and would be pleased to receive advice. My main use is just to produce little SBASIC programs quickly to meet my occasional needs; also to modify records which it isn't worth the time of transferring to another format. Everything is on floppies, and I have two USB drives to plug into the laptop. With floppies I can keep a project, the programs, data and notes together and get them out when I return to it. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Indian Aakash computer
This cheap Aakash Indian computer developed partly in UK I believe seems in some ways a duplication of the RaspberryPi one. The former has Android operating system so no QL emulation I suppose. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Dilwyn's scanner
On 08/10/2011 12:10, pjwitte wrote: On 07/10/2011 17:38, Dilwyn Jones wrote: But first, I have to find new drivers for my old Benq5000 scanner. The manufacturer's site lists no drivers for Win7 64-bit and the driver on CD does not work either, even using the compatibility assistant for drivers, so I may have to do this using the old PC :-( You may be able to load drivers and run your scanner in a virtual machine. I did that successfully with a device attached to USB, for which there was no 64bit driver, in a VirtualBox machine sporting W2k. Per That's interesting. I tried the same trick with VMware for my scanner, but it wouldn't work and I was told that VMware relies on the host machine for peripheral drivers and other services. Bryan H UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Dilwyn's scanner
On 09/10/2011 09:39, Dave Walker wrote: -Original Message- From: ql-users-boun...@lists.q-v-d.com [mailto:ql-users- boun...@lists.q-v-d.com] On Behalf Of Bryan Horstmann Sent: 09 October 2011 08:51 To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Dilwyn's scanner On 08/10/2011 12:10, pjwitte wrote: On 07/10/2011 17:38, Dilwyn Jones wrote: But first, I have to find new drivers for my old Benq5000 scanner. The manufacturer's site lists no drivers for Win7 64-bit and the driver on CD does not work either, even using the compatibility assistant for drivers, so I may have to do this using the old PC :-( You may be able to load drivers and run your scanner in a virtual machine. I did that successfully with a device attached to USB, for which there was no 64bit driver, in a VirtualBox machine sporting W2k. Per That's interesting. I tried the same trick with VMware for my scanner, but it wouldn't work and I was told that VMware relies on the host machine for peripheral drivers and other services. Bryan H UK That is true for non-USB devices and also where you have USB devices that you let the host OS take control of rather than the VMWare guest OS. The VMWare USB support allows for a transparent pass-through mode and in that mode you can normally use anything that the guest OS has drivers for. To use this mode you need to be running the guest OS and it must have the current focus when you plug the USB device in. Dave Walker Tel: +44 (0)1707 652791 Mob: +44 (0)7999 218953 Web: http://www.itimpi.com Skype: itimpi Thanks Dave. But I don't understand current focus. Can you explain a bit please as I struggle with the techhie bits. VMware was set up for me and I hardly understand it except that it gives me Kubuntu and W2000 (or did until the latter failed) Bryan Bryan ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Dilwyn's scanner
On 09/10/2011 10:32, Tony Firshman wrote: On 9 Oct 2011, at 10:22, Bryan Horstmannb...@newlan.org wrote: On 09/10/2011 09:39, Dave Walker wrote: -Original Message- From: ql-users-boun...@lists.q-v-d.com [mailto:ql-users- boun...@lists.q-v-d.com] On Behalf Of Bryan Horstmann Sent: 09 October 2011 08:51 To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Dilwyn's scanner On 08/10/2011 12:10, pjwitte wrote: On 07/10/2011 17:38, Dilwyn Jones wrote: But first, I have to find new drivers for my old Benq5000 scanner. The manufacturer's site lists no drivers for Win7 64-bit and the driver on CD does not work either, even using the compatibility assistant for drivers, so I may have to do this using the old PC :-( You may be able to load drivers and run your scanner in a virtual machine. I did that successfully with a device attached to USB, for which there was no 64bit driver, in a VirtualBox machine sporting W2k. Per That's interesting. I tried the same trick with VMware for my scanner, but it wouldn't work and I was told that VMware relies on the host machine for peripheral drivers and other services. Bryan H UK That is true for non-USB devices and also where you have USB devices that you let the host OS take control of rather than the VMWare guest OS. The VMWare USB support allows for a transparent pass-through mode and in that mode you can normally use anything that the guest OS has drivers for. To use this mode you need to be running the guest OS and it must have the current focus when you plug the USB device in. Dave Walker Tel: +44 (0)1707 652791 Mob: +44 (0)7999 218953 Web: http://www.itimpi.com Skype: itimpi Thanks Dave. But I don't understand current focus. Can you explain a bit please as I struggle with the techhie bits. VMware was set up for me and I hardly understand it except that it gives me Kubuntu and W2000 (or did until the latter failed) It simply means the vmware is the current selected window. Tony Thanks for the help. There is a devices button at the top of VMware whereby the floppy can be connected to VMware or connected to the host. Is that effectively what is meant? When connected to the guest, it doesn't appear on the computer Vista devices screen. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QIMI Manual
On 07/10/2011 04:38, Dilwyn Jones wrote: Welcome to the Club, Dilwyn, I have a lot of stuff here where I lost or mislaid the manuals. I had a non-QL phase of like ten years where I threw away lots of I won't need that anymore paperwork. Cheers, Tobias He he, I know what you mean :-) I have found the manual for the QJUMP version of QIMI - it is quite old so I don't know if it is correct for what Rich needed. Once I have managed to scan it, I'll send a copy on to Rich to find out. But first, I have to find new drivers for my old Benq5000 scanner. The manufacturer's site lists no drivers for Win7 64-bit and the driver on CD does not work either, even using the compatibility assistant for drivers, so I may have to do this using the old PC :-( Dilwyn Hi Dilwyn, When I tried to use my old Visioneer scanner on Vista I couldn't get it to work although I had downloaded the driver from mfr website. It was suggesed that in the Control Centre I get the scanners, and for the Visioneer ask it the update the driver. It went to the Windows site and found a driver there, installed it and all is well. An expert who has trade access to Windows info then tried to find it on their site but it is tucked away somewhere secret. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Aurora discussion
On 21/09/2011 04:44, Dave Park wrote: To kick things off for this... Could someone kindly convert the Quill format manual to a format I can access, as I don't have a working Quill (or any of the Psion apps) for my QL... Then I'll be able to participate in my own discussion ;) Dave On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 3:32 PM, Dave Parkplasticu...@gmail.com wrote: I have been looking at the assorted hardware I have and the online literature, and decided that the info doesn't cut it. I look at the knowledge and experience of the members on this list and know we can do a lot better. Take an example: The Aurora has a manual in Quill format, which I cannot access. However, the OS, drivers and etc have developed a lot since then, so I am sure those who know could outline the current state of play and answer questions from the peanut gallery - often what people want to know is not in the manual. Also, often, quirks and bugs have come to light, or been fixed, and people just don't know... What comes out of it is a repository of fresh information and discussion and a lot of people who can then take the info and use it to flesh out the QL wiki and technical library. To that end I think if we choose one interesting piece of hardware and one interesting piece of software each month, and discuss them in detail... I suggest to get the ball rolling, for the hardware we discuss Aurora, and for software, we discuss QPCII. The AUrora discussion can continue in this thread and QPCII discussion in a new thread I'll start in a minute. Dave Hello Dave, I use a PC version of XCHANGE, Quill was also marketed by Psion separately as part of PC Four. Quill files can be zipped, changed to PC format and then opened in PC Quill/Xchange. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Fwd: [Raspberry Pi] August update - boards back and running content
I've also been in contact with them about SBASIC and the QL on it, and probably many more have too. Bryan H On 30/08/2011 05:33, Norman Dunbar wrote: Hey Lee, On 30/08/11 16:50, Lee Privett wrote: Just picked this up as I have been rather busy, Me too. Italy has lovely icecream Oh indeed it does. And the food as well, yum! and lastly I confess :) Good man, well done. The Ql is famous (famouser (sorry Tony!)) now. Cheers, Norm. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Undue modesty?
On 20/08/2011 08:23, Tony Firshman wrote: On Aug 19, at 21:18 | Aug19, Malcolm Cadman wrote: In messagea54ce6c7-a769-47d9-aec4-05c877d35...@firshman.co.uk, Tony Firshmant...@firshman.co.uk writes On Aug 15, at 21:23 | Aug15, Malcolm Cadman wrote: In message003201cc5b75$bfd154d0$6402a8c0@baerchen, Ralf Reköndtralf.rekoe...@t-online.de writes From Geoff Wicks Quanta is being very shy at the moment. If you are curious go to the penultimate item of the Just Words! news page. www.gwicks.net/justwords.htm Remember where you heard it first! You shouldn't open PDF files in your own frame. Let them open in a new, separate browser window. Cheers...Ralf A lot of people do not like having to separately download a PDF file, (etc ...), when browsing a web site. Which may be why Geoff has done it within own frame. Better still, is to convert the PDF or Word file, etc, to HTML; and then view it as a web page. Ouch - the html files Word produces I would not recommend to anyone - they are bloated and very obscure code. … but I have not found *any* pdf files on the site. Tony Hi Tony, Does anyone use Word for HTML's? I agree with your sentiments absolutely. However when one gets given a complex word file each week for my church's website it is the only practicable way when the designer *demands* html (8-(# It works but is horrendous code. Tony Does Open/Libre Office do any better as that is the one I use? Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Ql compatible printer
I've just been following up an offer of an HP 1220 A3 printer; I find that printing on A4 is helpful for the spreadsheets I do. This has USB and Centronics parallel inputs and 8 resident fonts so should work direct with the QL. It is 23.4 wide x 9.2 deep and 15 high with the trays off. This seems quite compact. It seems to be a good printer and is available re-furbished for around £75 - £95. Also on second hand sites for perhaps £40, and in this case on Freecycle for nothing. The manual can be downloaded from the HP website, and HP have a pretty good reputation. Bryan H UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Ql compatible printer
On 15/08/2011 07:17, Bryan Horstmann wrote: I've just been following up an offer of an HP 1220 A3 printer; I find that printing on A4 is helpful for the spreadsheets I do. This has USB and Centronics parallel inputs and 8 resident fonts so should work direct with the QL. It is 23.4 wide x 9.2 deep and 15 high with the trays off. This seems quite compact. It seems to be a good printer and is available re-furbished for around £75 - £95. Also on second hand sites for perhaps £40, and in this case on Freecycle for nothing. The manual can be downloaded from the HP website, and HP have a pretty good reputation. Bryan H UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm A4 in the first line should of course be A3 B. H. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £20 PC
On 03/08/2011 09:28, Neil Riley wrote: In the latest issue of gamesTM, page 20, there is an article on the Raspberry Pi which is basically a £20 pc. This device is the size of a USB memory stick, has a USB port one end an a HDMI the other. The provisional specs are decent enough, a 700Mhz ARM11 , 256MB SDRAM, OpenGL ES 2.0, 1080p30 H.264 high profile decoder, Composite and HDMI video output, USB 2.0, SD/MMC/SDIO memory card slot. It comes with a simple Linux based Operating system. Developed by David Braben (!) and Dr Eben Upton of the Raspberry Pi Foundation. The idea of the device is to plug it into a USB hub Back to the article and back on topic... It mentions Sir Clive Electronic Innovation and tinkering is a grand British tradition that's slowly died out since the days of Sir Clive Sinclair stalking the cobbled streets of Cambridge in his little three-wheeled buggy..[snip] Aimed at Education it is awaiting Government support. Interesting! Neil Simon first broke this news at the beginning of June Neil and there have been a number of update posts with more detail since. Bryan H UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi the £20 PC
On 03/08/2011 10:42, Dilwyn Jones wrote: In the latest issue of gamesTM, page 20, there is an article on the Raspberry Pi which is basically a £20 pc. If it comes with Linux, one of the Linux QL emulators (uQLx, QLay for Linux) with it... bingo, a £20 QL. If it is at the heart of it a PC, it might not be too long before somebody finds a way to put Windows on it, even though that would mean Windows would be on an unsupported platform and Windows would cost more than the PC it ran on! Alternatively, if the Linux on it was capable of supporting WINE or some such Windows environment, and the processor is up to it, it might open up possibilities for QemuLator, QPC2 and QL2K for example. In this case, just think, a £20 system could emulate all our favourite 1980s home computers! Dilwyn Jones I think from the later info this is a $20 computer £15 to us. There is also some info that WINE isn't an emulator but DOSBOX might be useable. I believe someone from the QL community has already had contact with them about getting SBASIC or similar on. Portable Apps is a way of running prograns without installing on the host machine and slowing the machine down with installed programmes used infrequently. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Fwd: [Raspberry Pi] July update - boards released to manufacture
I've received this. Bryan H Original Message Subject:[Raspberry Pi] July update - boards released to manufacture Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:19:43 + From: Eben Upton eben.up...@gmail.com Over the past three months, we’ve been working hard to finalize the specs for the Raspberry Pi device, and to produce schematics and a PCB layout. Last Tuesday, we sent an alpha release of the board for manufacture. For more details, check out our shiny new website at: http://www.raspberrypi.org ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] RaspberryPi computer - a possible future system running the QL emulation?
On 25/07/2011 12:51, Lee Privett wrote: Well, the website has been updated and now looks very clean and professional, no further information there yet though http://www.raspberrypi.org/ Regards, Lee Privett -Back to the QL- http://backtotheql.blogspot.com/ https://sites.google.com/site/iwant2learn2/ https://sites.google.com/site/theqlimagerepository/ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm I've just received this reply from Eben Upton at Rasbperrypi:- Hi there Thanks for your mail, and apologies for the delay in replying; as you can imagine, we're swamped. The devices should be available to the general public later in the year; I'll add you to our mailing list, and will keep you posted as we get closer to launch. Bryan H UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] A year ago today
On 25/07/2011 01:15, Geoff Wicks wrote: Today is an anniversary, but a sad one. It is a year ago that Quanta's website went down. The last structural update occurred on 25th July 2010. With all respect to Quanta they must now ask themselves a simple question. If they have not be able to sort out the problems with the Content Management System (CMS) in 12 months, will they ever sort them out? The matter has gained a urgency now that Quanta is paying £300 p.a. for its website, but getting no return on the investment. Bluntly that is over £75 of members' money down the drain since the AGM. I would ask Quanta now to scrap the CMS and urgently set up a simple temporary site to give them a web presence. If they want to continue experimenting with the CMS then they can set up a shadow site on their domain for committee members and testers only. And can I suggest they avoid the staid maiden aunt style of the old site, but put something on the front page to attract members and non-members? Dilwyn's QL news pages for example, Best Wishes, Geoff PS if you are missing the Quanta website you can always try: www.gwicks.net/justwords.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm I received myNEMQLUG, reminder, Thursday July 28th.2011 is the date of our next get-together. Things will be just a bit different this month. This month Sarah has invited the QUANTA Committee over for the evening . . . . . Perhaps they will get your message . Bryan H UK. Bryan ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] What's New at Memory Lane - The Q-BUS Prototype lives!
On 17/07/2011 10:01, Memory Lane Computing Ltd wrote: All, Here is some news about two new projects, still in the very early stages, code-named Q-BUS and Ser-USB++ Whereas the Ser-USB is targetted solely at file transfers, and is limited by the speed of the QL's truly abysmal serial ports, the Ser-USB++ would be a full fixed disk replacement operating at significantly higher speeds. The Ser-USB++ would use the same core driver (with a different Hardware Abstraction Layer slotted in) and would be targetted solely at Base QLs running QDOS versions up to and including Minerva. It will use the ROM port for its connection and a microcontroller (essentially another IPC outside the QL, but 100s of times more powerful than the QL itself) to provide a standard command interface that will isolate the QL from the underlying protocols of the storage devices that it controls. Why the ROM port? Because every QL has one, and the expansion slot is often occupied with floppy controllers, Trump Cards, Gold Cards etc. Obviously this will not deliver the same performance as direct connection to the QL's expansion bus, but it worked well enough for the Miracle Hard Disk and the fantastic ROMDisQ (Tony - why on Earth don't you start making that again?). Writing through the ROM port has been done several times before and there's no great technical wizardry involved; just allocate a 256 byte range of addresses for write operations and map the low eight bits of the address bus onto the outbound data bus when that range is accessed. (OK, there's a little bit more to it than that, but anyway). Instead of creating a ROM port interface dedicated solely to the Ser-USB++, this project would be built upon a new base peripheral called Q-BUS. This card will plug into the ROM port and provide an external bus with 256 individually addressable read/write 8 bit I/O ports. It will also provide operating system extensions to manage the new I/O bus. The Q-BUS prototype has been constructed using discrete logic, but this will ultimately be replaced with a single PLD to do all the address decoding, latching etc. Anyway, here are some pictures of the prototype hardware: Q-BUS Prototype - Top View This is built around a scrapped QL ROM cartridge that somebody had hacked about to take a 27512. This saved the need run off a PCB for the connector. The logic consists of address decoding, bidirectional tri-state buffers and a peripheral select latch. The red jumper allows the interface to draw power from the QL (but it could be externally powered), the white jumper pulls the external Interface Enable line low. Note the unpopulated EPROM pass-through socket. It would be a simple matter to extend the address decoding logic to support paged ROMs, but the prototype does not do this. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/232/p1020116v.jpg/ Q-BUS Prototype - Side view http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/189/p1020117n.jpg/ Q-BUS Prototype - Underside view of wiring You cannot imagine how much fun this was to wire up! http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/29/p1020118t.jpg/ Prototyping Rig - Top View The principal components are a Pic32 microcontroller board and a USBWiz (which currently talks via I2C to the Pic32). http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/543/p1020121m.jpg/ Q-BUS Prototype plugged into QL ROM Socket This is way too long, but replacing the discrete logic with a PLD should solve that issue. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/96/p1020119g.jpg/ Q-BUS Prototype connected to Prototyping Rig http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/39/p1020120n.jpg/ Q-BUS Prototype connected to Prototyping Rig Pull-ups are added to the data lines so that the Pic32 (which is 3.3v logic) can drive them to TTL levels with pins configured as open collector. At the completion of this first test run, it was confirmed (by numerous PEEKs) that the Peripheral Address Select Latch was working and that the bi-directional data bus was functioning correctly. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/35/p1020122s.jpg/ The next step is writing the firmware for the Microcontroller, which will use I2C or SPI to talk to the USBWiz . or it may not use a USBWiz at all (once the microcontroller is interpreting commands from the QL, it could talk to anything - and I have some other ideas about better ways of providing USB and SD card interfaces having gone this far). There is no timetable for this project, and absolutely no guarantee whatsoever that the Ser-USB++ might become a product that you could buy (my fingers are still burning from the investment that I made in the Ser-USB!) but I thought people here on the list might be interested in what's going on. For the moment, the Ser-USB remains the current solution. btw If I'm allowed a small plug . there are still three left to buy at sellmyretro ;) when they are gone I will only be producing Ser-USBs to order. Adrian http://www.memorylanecomputing.com
Re: [Ql-Users] Fujitsu Printer ribbons
On 22/06/2011 08:57, Malcolm Cadman wrote: In message 4e022bc0.1090...@newlan.org, Bryan Horstmann b...@newlan.org writes Hi Bryan, You could look for a re-inking device for the ribbons that you already have. Does anyone know a source of good ribbons for my Fujitsu DL1150 dot matrix printer. The last ones were old stock dried out. Is there anyone re-manufacturing them, perhaps. This takes A4 landscape which is useful for spreadsheets, printing a long strip although I have difficulty getting Windows to understand this. Bryan H UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Thanks, Malcolm, but that isn't appropriate. The ribbon cartridge is a small one on the carriage with a sponge plastic reservoir and feed strip. Both these deteriorate to a podge. Bryan H. UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Fujitsu Printer ribbons
Does anyone know a source of good ribbons for my Fujitsu DL1150 dot matrix printer. The last ones were old stock dried out. Is there anyone re-manufacturing them, perhaps. This takes A4 landscape which is useful for spreadsheets, printing a long strip although I have difficulty getting Windows to understand this. Bryan H UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Xover
On 17/06/2011 05:07, Dilwyn Jones wrote: Geoff Wicks wrote: Xover was an ancillary program that was part of DP's PC Conqueror suite. In case you have forgotten this was a PC emulator for the QL. Xover was a QDOS - MSDOS floppy transfer program. If I remember rightly it was very user friendly and I used regularly before QPC and SMSQ came along. I might just have a copy somewhere but there are two big problems. One I have no idea where to look. Two I have no idea what the copyright position is. May I suggest the best thing you can do is to point the person to other similar programs. If he has the pointer environment and is a Quanta member I believe there is one in the Quanta library, Best Wishes, Geoff Thank you Geoff. Unfortunately the member is in Italy and has stated he wants the software on floppy disk and not by email, or I would have emailed him the other file transfer programs in the library, or suggested the free ones on the File Transfer page on my website. I'll pass on the information anyway and see how he wishes to proceed. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm I've just remembered, XOVER is part of Media Manager Special Edition disk I have, and as mentioned, it is for alien disk formats. It comes up on the main menu options as MS-DOS/TOS File Copier. Bryan H UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] just spotted
On 07/06/2011 05:02, fern wrote: hi there. just a quicky, killing off a few minutes i tried searching for QL instead of Sinclair QL on ebay, and amongst all the shoes, and brakepads i found this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-QL-Computers-Gold-Card-and-host-accessories-/320710144734?pt=UK_VintageComputing_RLhash=item4aabd072de#ht_1042wt_934 if i didn't already have all the gubbbins i'd jump at it. fern ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm I see that this fetched £132, 7 bids, plus £20 carriage. Bryan H UK ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Error trapping
On 13/06/2011 08:25, Wolfgang Lenerz wrote: Hi, check whether the file exists : result=ftest(p$) result=0 if the file exists, if not you get different error codes. HTH Wolfgang Nb I think ftest is a tk2 function... In a short SBASIC program a filename P$ is to be entered, and then it proceeds to print Copy_N P$, Ser$ where Ser$ is preset to the correct format for the printer. If the filename was entered wrongly, then the program exits with an error message. How can I ensure either that the name entered is valid, or error trap to revert to the entry screen with the appropriate message to try again. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Many thanks, Wolfgang, that is another little glitch sorted thanks. QL manual gives the error codes, but they seem to be negative values. I've not done much programming for some time now, just tying to tweaking old programs when their faults annoy me enough!. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Error trapping
In a short SBASIC program a filename P$ is to be entered, and then it proceeds to print Copy_N P$, Ser$ where Ser$ is preset to the correct format for the printer. If the filename was entered wrongly, then the program exits with an error message. How can I ensure either that the name entered is valid, or error trap to revert to the entry screen with the appropriate message to try again. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
[Ql-Users] Off topic- Watch batteries
I bought some watch batteries on Amazon; Renata batteries are available from many suppliers there. I had a dud, and two replacements were dud(low voltage) also (right hand picture below). Three supplied ones as on the left, seemed OK on voltage per Renata's spec. I asked Renata how I could tell the age and was surprised by their response:- Dear Mr. Horstmann, We did receive your fax regarding the fake batteries. It seems that you did buy fake batteries from an unsafe source. The blister pack on the right hand side of your picture is a fake battery, for sure. The blister on the left hand side is looking like our blisters, but you don't know what is inside. We are aware that fake batteries Renata and other brands are offered via internet and trade shop sources in China, Hong Kong and Dubai (and maybe some other places too). Prices are very low because these are alkaline button cells. Each and every genuine Renata battery is marked with a date code on the battery itself. May I strongly recommend that you purchase Renata batteries exclusively from an official Renata distributor. Could you please let us have more information about your company and your business activities (complete address details, homepage etc.) in order to be able to inform you about your nearest official distributor for genuine Renata batteries. Thank you very much in advance and best regards, Daniel Cragnolini Key Account Manager Consumer Batteries Renata SA:- Fake Renata watch batteries ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Off topic- Watch batteries
On 08/06/2011 04:48, Bryan Horstmann wrote: I bought some watch batteries on Amazon; Renata batteries are available from many suppliers there. I had a dud, and two replacements were dud(low voltage) also (right hand picture below). Three supplied ones as on the left, seemed OK on voltage per Renata's spec. I asked Renata how I could tell the age and was surprised by their response:- Dear Mr. Horstmann, We did receive your fax regarding the fake batteries. It seems that you did buy fake batteries from an unsafe source. The blister pack on the right hand side of your picture is a fake battery, for sure. The blister on the left hand side is looking like our blisters, but you don't know what is inside. We are aware that fake batteries Renata and other brands are offered via internet and trade shop sources in China, Hong Kong and Dubai (and maybe some other places too). Prices are very low because these are alkaline button cells. Each and every genuine Renata battery is marked with a date code on the battery itself. May I strongly recommend that you purchase Renata batteries exclusively from an official Renata distributor. Could you please let us have more information about your company and your business activities (complete address details, homepage etc.) in order to be able to inform you about your nearest official distributor for genuine Renata batteries. Thank you very much in advance and best regards, Daniel Cragnolini Key Account Manager Consumer Batteries Renata SA:- Fake Renata watch batteries ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Oh dear; they stripped out the picture embedded in the text. The left hand was black printing on white and the right hand had an orange on blue Renata logo on the bottom portion. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] QIMI Mice + RasberryPi
I don't know much about software details. Shouldn't we be linking with the Raspberry pi folk. Does any QL-user know what the ARM chip offers that SBASIC/Minerva could integrate with? Perhaps a different processor would be compliant. Bryan H On 07/06/2011 11:06, Dilwyn Jones wrote: Norman Dunbar wrote: I have also been racking my brains as to what I could do with multiple systems such as these inside the QL black box. Multi-multi-multi-multi-task? Umm, Linux running uQLx running a Spectrum emulator which in turn runs a ZX81 emulator which in turn has a MSDOS emulator??? ;-) Ok, being serious for a bit, it happens occasionally! Having SuperBasic available at switch on is probably possible. You can do it in a number of different ways: * Have init be redirected to run a shell that runs whatever that runs SuperBAsic. Once you quit though, you are out of the system and in a shutdown. (I think!) * Have each user's default shell be set to whatever that runs SuperBasic. That way, when the user logs in, they go direct to SuperBasic (ok, via whatever) and when they exit from SuperBasic, they effectively logout. The system stays running and they can login again. * There are other ways, like a startup script that runs SuperBasic somehow. and so on. It would be interesting to see how cleanly QDOS and SuperBASIC (or equivalent in SMSQ/E) are implemented and how easy or hard it would be to separate them. Or, someone like Laurence or Marcel might have views on how feasible it would be to do a stand-alone BASIC or whether the OS and interpreter are too integrated to separate them. Problem, how do you run Superbasic - written in 6800x assembly - on a system that will not be running a 6800x processor? Well, you could write SuperBasic in C or C++ (If you must!) or some other language that is processor insensitive. When done and tested, make it Open Source and see if the developers of the Raspberry Pi want to offer it as a built in language. If this were to prove possible, it opens up all sorts of possibilities, not just for this computer. We would then be in the realms of something like BBC BASIC all those years ago which was implemented on all sorts of systems 6502, Z80 and 808x for example. Not just BBC micros. Of course, the advantage is that you would be able to recompile the system for other chip types and hopefully have a working system for all platforms that Linux runs on. Could it be done? Probably. I'm not sure about what copyright etc [still] exists for SuperBasic - both the name, the language and the whatevers that go with it. It might be an interesting project though. Given that, and assuming it can be done, it's easy to set up a new project on Sourceforge and open it up to all and sundry to help with, but how many people on this list (or known to this list) have the ability to do such a thing? Of course, it would work just as happily as a Windows project as well, assuming we use decent cross platform tools (wxWindows, QT, Fox, etc). So, those are my ramblings on the matter. Any comments? It's very interesting proposition, if it proves to be technically possible. After all, all sorts of interesting QL-type projects have sprung up outside the mainstream QL areas, e.g. the QL board made using the Propeller robotics chips, the MESS emulator and so on. I look forward also to people's views on this and whether it is a viable project. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] Raspberry Pi
On 06/06/2011 10:07, Dilwyn Jones wrote: SIMON BALDERSON wrote: Did anyone see this report this morning on Click? Looks like it runs Linux and is designed to be very cheap and aimed at teaching children to program. It'd be great if it came bundled with SBASIC/SMSQ/E. The designer has previously worked on the ZX Spectrum amongst other early 80's computers. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/default.stm ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Very interesting! The proposed cost makes it very attractive in itself, of course. Porting Minerva or a QL emulator to it would open up a whole new range of possibilities for us. It seems to be aimed slap bang at where we want to go - a cheap little home computer flexible and open enough for writing programs and running retro games. A cheap new QL, but probably flexible enough that you could implement all sorts of things on it. While it seems to be using Linux at the moment, it would be great if some of our hardware experts could take a look at the practicalities of using it for our own ends. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Surely uQLX could be run under Ubuntu if there is memory space, or on a stick as SD card or in a USB hub. I think that the iceweasel loaded is a browser like Firefox and Python seems to be a high level programming language for producing applications. Bryan H ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [Ql-Users] New QL Hardware
On 16/03/2011 10:36, Dilwyn Jones wrote: thorsten herbert wrote: Hi, Interesting project, thanks for the link. I also think that there are already useable 68k projects out and posted the link to the www.fpgaarcade.com a week ago. My knowledge about this hardware developments is too limited but I would be happy if somebody of the specialist could just post an opinion. Do we need to reinvent the wheel or can a QL FPGA project be done on excisting solutions? cheers, Thorsten Thanks Thorsten. That link has a lot of very useful facts about the FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) chips and the programming languages involved etc. A good overview, and an interesting read in their forum about developing ST and Amiga type boards from these FPGAs too. I thought that people on this list might like a basic summary of what this is all about, so here goes. This comes from the FAQ on the site. The site explains how well suited FPGA systems are for making retro computers with. The computer system is described using a high level language called VHDL allowing you to design and simulate hardware, which the site says can be anything from a modern CPU to a digital watch, and hopefully turn the design into a real set of physical logic gates. In other words, I guess it would probably allow much of a QL chipset to be turned into a single large logic gate chip if I have understood this correctly. VHDL stands for VHSIC Hardware Description Language, where VHSIC is an acronym for Very High Speed Integrated Circuit. The idea of writing an Amiga, ST or even possibly a QL into these chips using the high level languages VHDL is something I hadn't come across before. That's the basics of it all - go to the link Thorsten supplied and read about it all in greater detail. Now I know why Dave was so enthusiastic about these FPGAs. Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm Thanks, Dilwyn, that has helped me a lot as I don't know much about the workings of hardware, I just apply it like a tool. Bryan ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
