[Ql-Users] Large turbo tasks

[Michael Bulford]

I am developing a program in SuperBASIC, and compiling with Turbo.  The size of 
the compiled code is around 133k at the moment but I still have quite a lot to 
add.  The problem is I am getting reports of Code too large to compile, 
etc.   What I have decided to do is to remove some parts of my code, and 
down-grade the program slightly.  I can also move some parts to another 
separate task, but overall this is some problem.
 
What I was wondering is if perhaps new versions of the parser and codegen tasks 
could be produced to increase the limits to allow larger sizes to be compiled.  
It is so easy nowadays to write large programs without having to worry about 
program size or the amount of dataspace used.
 
Michael Bulford 
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Re: [Ql-Users] Large turbo tasks

[Michael Bulford]

Thanks for the idea.  I can split my program up into two or more modules, and 
then use LINK_LOAD.  Variables, procedures and functions can then be shared.  
This is a great idea.

Michael



 From: George Gwilt grggw...@gmail.com
To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com 
Sent: Tuesday, 14 February 2012, 10:10
Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Large turbo tasks
 

On 13 Feb 2012, at 22:05, Tobias Fröschle wrote:

 Am 13.02.2012 22:45, schrieb Dilwyn Jones:
 I'm not sure if this has changed in recent versions of Turbo, but there used 
 to be a setting which allowed you to produce smaller programs by limiting 
 the compiled size to 64K (word length addressing etc I suppose). There is a 
 setting on the control panel (the green screen started by the CHARGE 
 command) which lets you select 64K or 64K in one of the boxes. There's 
 also a equivalent compiler directive which I can't remember from memory (one 
 of the TURBO_nnn commands, possibly TURBO_MODEL - see Turbo Toolkit manual) 
 which lets you tell the compiler which settings to use to control over the 
 reduced file sizes - remember Turbo was originally conceived when we didn't 
 all have as much memory on our systems as today!
 
 Dilwyn Jones
 
 -Original Message- From: Michael Bulford
 Sent: Monday, February 13, 2012 9:28 PM
 To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com
 Subject: [Ql-Users] Large turbo tasks
 
 I am developing a program in SuperBASIC, and compiling with Turbo.  The size 
 of the compiled code is around 133k at the moment but I still have quite a 
 lot to add.  The problem is I am getting reports of Code too large to 
 compile, etc.   What I have decided to do is to remove some parts of my 
 code, and down-grade the program slightly.  I can also move some parts to 
 another separate task, but overall this is some problem.
 
 What I was wondering is if perhaps new versions of the parser and codegen 
 tasks could be produced to increase the limits to allow larger sizes to be 
 compiled.  It is so easy nowadays to write large programs without having to 
 worry about program size or the amount of dataspace used.
 
 Michael Bulford
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 -
 No virus found in this message.
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 Michael,
 If you're mentioning 133k compiled, that's definitely large.
 The largest SB program I know is Editor, with about 100k code size.
 I guess you should also run out of line numbers shortly.
 Have a look at LINK_LOAD et al - This allows you to off-load parts of your 
 code into external libraries.
 
 Cheers,
 Tobias
 

Yes. LINK_LOAD ought to work.

George

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[Ql-Users] DEBUG

[Michael Bulford]

There is some code in my program that I do not want compiled: this is only used 
when the SuperBASIC version is running.  So, I use DEBUG 1 before the code and 
DEBUG 0 afterwards.  When compiling the parser stops with the report of
 
 Task Turbo 5.06 halted, after line 0. Reason: out of range
 
The display panel reads:  Pass: 1    Line 22300, which is a few lines after the 
DEBUG 1 statement.  Can anyone please tell me what I am doing wrong?  The 
program will compile successfully if the DEBUG command is not used.  I have 
tried using DEBUG_LEVEL but this makes no difference.
 
Michael Bulford
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Re: [Ql-Users] DEBUG

[Michael Bulford]

Hi George
 
On Saturday 18 February 2012, 9:56George Gwilt wrote:
 
 I use DEBUG 0 and 1 for the same reasons as you and have never had the fault 
 you mention.
 
 If you could send me, privately, a copy of your program I'll try to locate 
 the problem.
 
Thanks for your offer of help, this is really appreciated.  However, I believe 
I have solved the problem.  I tried moving the piece of code to near the 
beginning of the program, and this solved the puzzle.  My guess is that because 
my program is over 64k, the DEBUG mechanism could not cope, so that the fault 
is actually with Turbo.  DEBUG must be using unsigned integers, when it should 
be using floating point variables.  That is my guess.  The piece of code under 
question is:
 
22268 REMark DEBUG 1
22276 DEFine PROCedure how
22284 LOCal p, scan_rt
22292  CLS 2 : PRINT
22300  p = BASIC_L(56)
22308  REPeat scan_rt
22316   p = p + 24
22324   IF p  BASIC_L(60)-24 : EXIT scan_rt
22332   IF BASIC_W%(p+18)0
22340 PRINT Call at ;BASIC_W%(p+18); in ;
22348   ELSE
22356 PRINT Stop at ;BASIC_W%(146); in ;
22364   END IF
22372   IF BASIC_W%(p-12)  0 : IF NOT COMPILED : LIST #1; BASIC_W%(p-12)
22380  END REPeat scan_rt
22388 END DEFine how
22396 REMark DEBUG 0

 
This piece was copied from the Turbo Toolkit Demos file, the original procedure 
name being How_COME.  My idea of using DEBUG was to try and save a little bit 
of code, because my program is so large.
 
 
Hi Malcolm
 
On Friday 17 February 2012, 21:35 Malcolm Cadman wrote:
 
 Also useful to use and declare integer values, wherever you can, at the start 
 of the BASIC program - which is value% rather than value.
 
Yes, I agree.  There is a particular reason for this.  Suppose the compiled 
program stops somewhere with an out of range error.  The SuperBASIC version 
could then be run using the same input data, duplicate the error and stop at 
exactly same place.  The procedure how would then be run to discover the call 
hierarchies that got the program to that point.  Variable values could then be 
examined with the view to pin-point the cause of the error.  However, if using 
IMPLICIT% value, then the SuperBASIC version would be using floating point 
variables and the same error would not be produced and so would not stop at the 
same place.
 
Michael Bulford
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Re: [Ql-Users] DEBUG

[Michael Bulford]

On 19 Feb 2012, at 15:07, George Gwilt wrote:


  
 I use DEBUG 0 and 1 for the same reasons as you and have never had the fault 
 you mention.
  
 If you could send me, privately, a copy of your program I'll try to locate 
 the problem.
  
 Thanks for your offer of help, this is really appreciated.  However, I 
 believe I have solved the problem.  I tried moving the piece of code to near 
 the beginning of the program, and this solved the puzzle.  My guess is that 
 because my program is over 64k, the DEBUG mechanism could not cope, so that 
 the fault is actually with Turbo.  DEBUG must be using unsigned integers, 
 when it should be using floating point variables.  That is my guess.  The 
 piece of code under question is:
  

DEBUG is trapped by PARSER_TASK to see whether code is to be ignored or 
compiled. If fact in PARSER_TASK the values 0 to 9 (which is the allowed range 
of DEBUG) are held in an fp variable.


 22268 REMark DEBUG 1
 22276 DEFine PROCedure how
 22284 LOCal p, scan_rt
 22292  CLS 2 : PRINT
 22300  p = BASIC_L(56)
 22308  REPeat scan_rt
 22316   p = p + 24
 22324   IF p  BASIC_L(60)-24 : EXIT scan_rt
 22332   IF BASIC_W%(p+18)0
 22340     PRINT Call at ;BASIC_W%(p+18); in ;
 22348   ELSE
 22356     PRINT Stop at ;BASIC_W%(146); in ;
 22364   END IF
 22372   IF BASIC_W%(p-12)  0 : IF NOT COMPILED : LIST #1; BASIC_W%(p-12)
 22380  END REPeat scan_rt
 22388 END DEFine how
 22396 REMark DEBUG 0
 

With the DEBUG commands REMarked out TURBO will ignore them.

With the DEBUG commands not REMarked out  the IF NOT COMPILED is, of course, 
not needed.


  
 This piece was copied from the Turbo Toolkit Demos file, the original 
 procedure name being How_COME.  My idea of using DEBUG was to try and save a 
 little bit of code, because my program is so large.
  
  



I have a copy of parser506_bas and have managed to compile this
with line numbers included.  Trying this
on my program the parser stops at line 14490, which is in the middle of ignoring
code.  I then inserted the following line
 
14488 PRINT #log%, BASIC_NAME$(value%) ! var%
 
After recompiling and running, this produced the following
output
 
CLS 216
PRINT 144
p -3
 
At line 14490, where the parser stops, struct% is an array
and so the -3 has caused this to go out of range.
 Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] DEBUG

[Michael Bulford]

Hi George

 
There is an error in the Turbo parser at line 14490.  Here is this line:
 
14490  IF var%0
AND (struct%(var%)directive_mask%)=directive_mask%
 
Both sides of the AND get to be evaluated.  Although var% is tested for being 
non
negative on the left hand side, the right hand side will be evaluated in any
event.  Should var% happen to be
negative, then struct%(var%) would be outside of the array bounds and will
crash SuperBASIC.  The above line needs
to be re written so that the right hand side will only be evaluated if the left
hand side evaluates to true.  Here is my
suggested work-around:
 
1  LOCal both :
REMark (if needed)
14488  both = 0
14489  IF var%0:IF
(struct%(var%)directive_mask%)=directive_mask% : both = 1
14490  IF both
 
Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] DEBUG

[Michael Bulford]

Hi George
 
On Wednesday, 22 February 2012, 14:24  George Gwilt wrote:
 
 You are quite right. But how did you get var%=-3? Does this imply another 
 mistake in Parser?

No, I don't think so.  -3 comes from for_flag% for an earlier occurence of p

Your solution looks the best - it's neater.

Michael
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[Ql-Users] Printing numbers in non exponent form

[Michael Bulford]

Some weeks ago
someone enquired as to how to print numbers in non exponent form.  I believe it 
was George Gwilt who suggested
using CDEC$.  Here is a function that I
use ...

 
750 DEFine
FuNction comma$(num)
760 LOCal t, fra
770  IF num  0 : RETurn -
 comma$(ABS(num))
780  IF num  1000 : RETurn num
790  IF num/1000  2^31-2 : RETurn num
: REMark otherwise INT(num/1000) will fail
800  t = INT(num/1000)
810  fra = num – t * 1000 : IF
e- INSTR fra : fra = 0
820  RETurn comma$((t)) 
,  FILL$(0,(fra100)+(fra10)+(fra1 AND
fra0))  fra
830 END DEFine comma$
 
This only works
properly for whole numbers, and if the number cannot be converted then the
exponent form is returned.
 
PRINT
comma$(2^31) gives 2,147,483,648
 
PRINT
comma$(1000.753) gives 1,000.7529998
 Michael Bulford

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Re: [Ql-Users] Printing numbers in non exponent form

[Michael Bulford]

- Original Message -
From: Malcolm Lear malc...@essex.ac.uk
To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com
Cc: 
Sent: Monday, 5 March 2012, 11:28
Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Printing numbers in non exponent form

It was I who required a way to do this. Thanks for this. Very well timed since 
I now need to print unsigned 32 bit integers and unfortunately none of the DEC$ 
functions can do this. Hopefully a few changes to this will provide a solution.


On 05/03/2012 09:59, Michael Bulford wrote:
 Some weeks ago
 someone enquired as to how to print numbers in non exponent form.  I believe 
 it was George Gwilt who suggested
 using CDEC$.  Here is a function that I
 use ...
 
   750 DEFine
 FuNction comma$(num)
 760 LOCal t, fra
 770  IF num  0 : RETurn -
   comma$(ABS(num))
 780  IF num  1000 : RETurn num
 790  IF num/1000  2^31-2 : RETurn num
 : REMark otherwise INT(num/1000) will fail
 800  t = INT(num/1000)
 810  fra = num – t * 1000 : IF
 e- INSTR fra : fra = 0
 820  RETurn comma$((t))
 ,  FILL$(0,(fra100)+(fra10)+(fra1 AND
 fra0))  fra
 830 END DEFine comma$
   This only works
 properly for whole numbers, and if the number cannot be converted then the
 exponent form is returned.
   PRINT
 comma$(2^31) gives 2,147,483,648
   PRINT
 comma$(1000.753) gives 1,000.7529998
   Michael Bulford
 

I have been having problems with my browser, but have now blocked addons.  
Hopefully, the newlines being inserted into my text will not happen.  The text 
should have read as follows ...

Printing numbers in non exponent form

Some weeks ago someone 
enquired as to how to print numbers in non exponent form.  I believe it 
was George Gwilt who suggested using CDEC$.  Here is a function that I 
use ...

750 DEFine FuNction comma$(num)
760 LOCal t, fra
770  IF num  0 : RETurn -  comma$(ABS(num))
780  IF num  1000 : RETurn num
790  IF num/1000  2^31-2 : RETurn num : REMark otherwise INT(num/1000) will 
fail
800  t = INT(num/1000)
810  fra = num – t * 1000 : IF e- INSTR fra : fra = 0
820  RETurn comma$((t))  ,  FILL$(0,(fra100)+(fra10)+(fra1 AND fra0)) 
 fra
830 END DEFine comma$

This only works properly for whole numbers, and if the number cannot be 
converted then the exponent form is returned.

PRINT comma$(2^31) gives 2,147,483,648

PRINT comma$(1000.753) gives 1,000.7529998

The CDEC$ function range is +/- up to only 1E9 and is difficult to use as it 
has 3 parameters.  It is however, highly accurate when printing numbers between 
zero and one!

Michael Bulford
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Re: [Ql-Users] Jan Jones

[Michael Bulford]

- Original Message -
From: Norman Dunbar nor...@dunbar-it.co.uk
To: ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com
Cc: 
Sent: Wednesday, 28 March 2012, 20:13
Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Jan Jones

On 28/03/12 16:29, Dave Park wrote:
 I managed to contact her and asked for permission. They said they
 would think about it and get back to me and never did. I did not
 receive a response to a followup two weeks later.

 I didn't want to follow up too hard and appear all pestilential and
 harrassy and maybe turn them against what we were trying to do, so I
 dropped it.

 Dave

Ok, thanks Dave. Maybe one day 

Cheers,
Norm.


Here is Jan Jones' website: http://www.jan-jones.co.uk/index.html
She says ...

Hi, I'm Jan Jones. Welcome to my website.
I am, first and foremost, a writer of romance. I believe that everybody, no 
matter how stressful their life, is entitled to at least one happy ending.

She has apparently written quite a number of books since writing QL SuperBASIC 
The Definitive Handbook.
 
Michael Bulford

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[Ql-Users] Finding the line number in QPC2

[Michael Bulford]

Hi all

I’m sorry about my previous message – I had forgotten to use plain text, and 
this appeared garbled. Hopefully, with any luck, this should now be transmitted 
correctly. Here is how the message should have been ...
 
Sometimes my programs will stop with a nice friendly error message, giving me 
the line number where the error occurred and a short description of what went 
wrong. I can then list the program, test the values of variables, and try to 
fathom out why my code is not doing what it should. It can also be helpful to 
know from what line number the current procedure/function was called from. This 
can be found with ... foo = BASIC_L(60)-24 : Lnum = BASIC_W%(foo+18). 
Additionally, there is a short routine in the Turbo Demos file called How_COME 
which lists the call hierarchies up to the current point. However, all of this 
is only available under QDOS. What I was wondering is can something like this 
be done in QPC2?

Michael
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[Ql-Users] Re: Final call for QL Today V17 + DVD orders

[Michael Bulford]

Dave
Park schrieb:

Any chance you could offer the disk by itself? I'm sure many people
might want that who don't need the four magazines and expenses that go
with that?
Mmmmh, I don't
think so. First of all I do not want to upset all the people who already
paid - and who got a lot to read and play with for little money...
If people were not willing to spend less than what QPC2 on its own cost,
then so be it.
I so much agree!   For so
many years I had been putting off getting QPC2 simply because Q-emuLator was
satisfying my every need!  I did
eventually start to use QPC2, but that was less than a year ago, with version
3.34.  I have now upgraded to this latest
version 4.00. 
To be totally honest, I can now say that all of my programs now work flawlessly
with QPC2!  There are no longer any fatal
errors.  There have been so many bug
fixes.  QPC version 4.00 just simply has
to be the very best version of the QL S*Basic language there ever is!  Let us 
consider some of the advantages that
QPC2 has to offer over QDOS ...
* Bug improvements:
QPC2 performs better the QDOS
* Qdos is limited to
25 lines.  I can now get up to 35 lines or
even more!
* colours : QPC2 can
produce eight colours even in mode 4!
* Speed: QPC2 is
astronomically fast: Only Turbo compiled programs are faster!
* QPC2 has a dos
device – you can explore your entire PC drive!
* QPC2 can call up PC
programs with the QPC_EXEC command
If, like me, you
have been delaying getting QPC2, then now is the time to get it.  If, like me, 
you are a Q-emuLator fan, then I
can only advise you to get QPC2 version 4.00, as well.  This simply has to be 
the very best QL software
available at the present time.
Michael 
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Re: [Ql-Users] Finding the line number in QPC2

[Michael Bulford]

Hi 

 since there seems to be no way to get at this with Peek and Poke, I've
 made a small SBasic extension to tget the value on the return stack,
 called RET_STK and RET_STK2: 

 You can download this extension from www.wlenerz.com/QLStuff 

I’ve tried this.  From inside a function it prints/returns the line number from 
where it was called, and inside a procedure either the same or the next line 
number, depending on whether there is any more code on the calling line.  
Thanks very much for this.  This is just what I wanted and is a useful addition 
to my debugging tools. 

Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] QL-SD What is it?

[Michael Bulford]

On Thursday, 5 December 2013, Colin Mckay Wrote:
 
 Please describe the hardware  software which forms it, sufficiently for us
 to know what you are talking about.

  On Wednesday, 04 December 2013, Peter pg...@q40.de Wrote:  the 
  restriction that a QL memory expansion is madatory for QL-SD has been 
  removed.

  If a QL-SD filesystem of 3 MB size (and Groupsize 8) is attached, there 
  still remains 62.5 KB free memory on an unexpanded QL. Not very much, but 
  enough to load TK2 and still be able do useful things.

  This way, even an unexpanded QL has more mass storage than the ED floppy 
  interface of a (Super) Gold Card offers, and that at harddisk speed 
  without moving mechanical parts.

  (Larger filesystems, like the 64 MB default, can not be used on an 
  unexpanded QL at all. This won't change.)
 
We are talking state of the art technology.   Surely, a size of 3 Gigabytes 
would seem to be more appropriate.   Why has there to be any restrictions?   If 
this is down to software, then can anything be done about it?
 
Michael
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[Ql-Users] RET_STK and debugging SBASIC code

[Michael Bulford]

Hi all,

I believe I have discovered a very good way of using the RET_STK function

DEFine FuNction bug(p1$, p2$, p3$, p4$, p5$)
LOCal n, x$
   PRINT #0,PAUSEd at line ! RET_STK !
   FOR n = 1 TO 5
  x$ = PICK$(n, p1$, p2$, p3$, p4$, p5$)
  IF PARNAM$(n) OR x$: PRINT #0,!! PARNAM$(n)   =   x$ ! 
   END FOR n 
   CURSEN #0 : PAUSE : CURDIS #0 
   PRINT #0, : RETurn 0 
END DEFine bug 

Note that PICK$ is from DIY Toolkit VolE_CONTROL_code.  A function is used 
rather than a procedure so that RET_STK will always produce the correct line 
number. 

Suppose I wanted to stop my program under some condition at line 2885 and print 
out the values of the variables row, col and count.   The following line could 
be inserted 

2885 IF some_condition : ERT bug(row,col,count) 

Then what could appear in #0 is 

PAUSEd at line 2885   row = 19   col = 20   count = 156 

All the parameters are optional.   You can even supply expressions, although 
only their values would get printed. 

I have found this to be so useful.  There is no need to type in any line 
numbers – RET_STK is doing all the work.  Since using this, my debugging has 
become so much easier and less time-consuming. 

Michael 
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[Ql-Users] RET_STK and debugging SBASIC code

[Michael Bulford]

Hi Wolfgang,

PICK$ will select the nth item from the list that follows the n.

Consider  PICK$(n, aaa, bbb, ccc, ddd, etc)

If n is 1 then PICK$ will return aaa because it is the 1st item in the list.  
If n is 5 then etc would be returned because it is the 5th item.  The 
parameters of PICK$ can be of any type: they will be coerced into strings.  
Expressions can be supplied, for example, dev$  file$.
 
There is a particular problem that PICK$ may help us to solve.  Occasionally, 
we may want to iterate through a list of items.  If these items are strings, 
then we may well reach for a FOR loop and do something like . . .

FOR x$ = aaa, bbb, ccc, ddd, etc 

Unfortunately, this is not allowed.  The identifier for a FOR loop has to be 
numeric, either floating point or integer.  This leaves us with a problem: how 
to do the above? 
There is a way to do this.  A normal numeric FOR loop could be used, and then 
assign values to x$ depending on the FOR loop index, like this . . .

FOR n = 1 TO 5 
  SELect ON n = 1 : x$ = aaa : = 2 : x$ = bbb : = 3 : x$ = ccc : = 4 : x$ 
= ddd : = 5 : x$ = etc

This can also be done using PICK$ . . .

FOR n = 1 TO 5 
  X$ = PICK$(n, aaa, bbb, ccc, ddd, etc)

Which version do you prefer?

The version using PICK$ may be more readable, but please bear in mind the 
following.  PICK$ will evaluate all of its parameters before deciding  which 
value to return, so, in terms of efficiency, this would not be the best choice. 
 If outright execution speed is top priority, then the Select version should be 
chosen.

What I like about PICK$ is the readability factor.  I use PICK$ in my own 
programs and can recommend it.

Michael
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[Ql-Users] QPC2 and Qliberator externals

[Michael Bulford]

Hi All,


There are a couple of patches with QPC2 that allows Qliberator externals to be 
LRESPRd.  The qlib.run patch seems to work, but the qlib.obj patch does not, 
and I get the message of Unknown Version.  Has anyone else come across this?


Michael
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[Ql-Users] Recovering deleted files from a QXL

[Michael Bulford]

Hi everybody,

Does anyone know whether there is any software around that can recover a 
deleted file from a QXL? 

Assuming not, could a program be written to do so?  I assume it cannot be done 
in S*BASIC, but how about machine code?  Would anyone like to try?  The format 
of how the data is stored would have to be known.  I would imagine this could 
be an interesting program to write.

Michael

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Re: [Ql-Users] QLis30 dinner - urgent

[Michael Bulford]

On 13/08/2014 17:45, John Gilpin wrote:
 Hi all intended diners at QL is 30 Dinner.

 QUANTA has, today added an extra page to it's Web Site containing two 
 new PayPal Payment buttons which can be used to pay for the dinner at 
 the QL is 30 event.

 In an effort to limit the possibility of misuse by the general public 
 who have general access to this site, this new page has not been added 
 to the navigation details and will therefore be difficult for anyone 
 to find without the following info:-

 Please enter (or Copy) the FULL URL into your browser. The URL is   
 https://quanta.org.uk/ql-30/

 any problems, please let me know.

 Kind Regards,

 John Gilpin.
 QUANTA Membership Secretary
 and QUANTA Treasurer
 membership @quanta.org.uk
 treasurer @quanta.org.uk


I cannot find the above link mentioned anywhere on the Forum. This means that 
for those QLers who only read the Forum and do not read these pages, they will 
be unable to order their dinner. Do you think the above link should be 
advertised on the Forum?

Michael

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[Ql-Users] QLis30 - has anyone found my glasses, please?

[Michael Bulford]

I seem to have mislaid my glasses somehow, and this would have happened at the 
QLis30 workshop. These glasses only get used occasionally, and I keep them in a 
black case. I would guess that I might have placed the case down on a table, 
afterwards someone could have absent-mindedly picked this case up, believing it 
to be theirs, and put it in their own pocket, then forgot about it. These 
things can easily happen. I hope this is the case, because I would like to have 
these specs back. They are a prescription and tinted pair, and I have had them 
for many years. So, if anyone does have them, can you please let me know.


Kind regards,


Michael Bulford

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[Ql-Users] Toolkit 3

[Michael Bulford]

Hi,

In the latest Quanta magazine, Toolkit 3 is now advertised as freeware.  After 
downloading and unzipping the file, it wouldn't work, it just freezes the QL.  
I've tried using LRESPR with both QPC2 and Q-emuLator, both without joy.  
There's no instructions in the user manual.  Has anyone tried this?

Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] QPC2 and Win 8

[Michael Bulford]

Hi Peter,

  can you help me on the other matter of increasing the size of QXL.win 
partitions, please?

I've had this problem myself.  What I did was to create another QXL.win file,
formatted it to a much higher capacity, then copied all the files across.
To preserve the original dates, I used ...

  COPY a$ TO b$
  SET_FUPDT \b$, FUPDT(\a$)

Michael
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[Ql-Users] C68 arrays

[Michael Bulford]

Hi all,

I am developing a program in Cee which uses several arrays, and which is 
crashing.
Eg. ..  int array[101]; and using elements from 0 up to 100.
I have discovered that by declaring the array with one extra element cures the 
problem,
Eg. ..  int array[102]; and again using only elements up to 100.
This seems to happen with both global arrays, or arrays created from malloc,
although the crash is different in either case.
I was wondering if anyone has experienced this as well.


Kind regards,
Michael Bulford
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[Ql-Users] Q_Liberator externals

[Michael Bulford]

Hi everyone,
 
One of the features I like about Q_Liberator is that resident procedures and 
functions can be written in Basic, and compiled into machine code, to be 
lrespr-ed in a boot file.  These functions can even have parameters.  This 
works well with Q-emuLator.  With QPC2 there seems to be a problem, and I have 
been unable to compile such code.  This very problem with Q_Liberator externals 
has been mentioned in the QPC Manual, and a patch program written in SBASIC is 
provided. However, I have been unable to get this to complete successfully.  
I’m hoping that Marcel will have some ideas on this.
 
Kind regards,
Michael
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[Ql-Users] Qxlwin

[Michael Bulford]

Hi Norman,

A feature I would like to see in Qxlwin is this: When re opening Qxlwin, it 
resumes exactly where it was the last time it was used.  This means the last 
used .win file would be re opened and displayed exactly at it was before, and 
also any text file being displayed also re opened and displayed at the same 
position as before, etc.  I use Notepad++, and this does this - very nice.

The windows installer works fine, but the existing files have to be manually 
removed, else it complains and asks for another directory to install to.


Kind regards,
Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] More Help Please

[Michael Bulford]

Hi Peter,

I believe I may have had the same problem myself.  Let me explain.  I use QPC2 
regularly, and have an elaborate boot file, which gets occasionally modified.  
Some time ago, I made some changes, and saved the boot file.  The very next 
time I started QPC2, it crashed, and was totally unusable.  What I then needed 
to do to recover the situation was to re edit my boot file to reverse the 
changes.  But how could I do this, when every time I started QPC2, it crashed.  
That was the problem.

If this is the problem you are having, there is a way around this.  On QPC2s 
front panel, select the devices button, which is at the bottom left corner.  
Under Boot options, there is the choice of selecting either from floppy disk, 
if one is loaded, or choosing a win directory, in which to look for a boot 
file.  There is a choice of eight of them.  And even if all that fails, you 
could always blank out the win1_ entry under Win/Dos connections.  Once QPC2 
starts, you then have access to everything, and can sort out all your files 
from everywhere.


I hope that helps.


Kind regards,
Michael



 
>- Original Message -
>From: peterfox 
>To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com
>Sent: Thursday, 16 June 2016, 17:15
>Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] More Help Please
>
>Tobias,
>
>Thank you for coming back to me. I did not know that attachments did 
>not go through so apologies.
>
>What I have managed to do is find a much better boot file which solve 
>all my problems provided that I can get it into QPC2 which is not 
>working at the moment and without a floppy drive available.>
>
>Have you any ideas?
>
>TIA & Regards,
>
>Peter
>
>
>
>
>On 16.06.2016 12:47, tobias.froesc...@t-online.de wrote:
>> Peter,
>>
>> I assume you are talking about an attachment you were adding to your
>> post - Note the list does _not_ forward attachments, so we cannot see
>> it.
>>
>> I am a bit at loss why you would want to explicitely want to load
>> SMSQE.BIN (or SMSQR, which could well be a re-configured one) in your
>> boot. QPC2 loads SMSQ/E without being asked for it, after all it's 
>> the
>> only OS it has and that must be already running before BOOT time . 
>> You
>> do not need that and it seems to be a sign of very responsible
>> programming by the original authors that this used to work at all.
>>
>> What IPCEXTUK is supposed to do escapes me as well - I'm afraid we'd
>> need the BOOT embedded as text into an e-mail to further look into
>> this.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Tobias
>>
>>
>>
>> -Original-Nachricht-
>> Betreff: [Ql-Users] More Help Please
>> Datum: 2016-06-16T10:51:07+0200
>> Von: "Peter Fox" 
>> An: "ql-us...@q-v-d.com" 
>>
>> Hi there,
>>
>> In an effort to change a few things in my boot file in QPC2, I have
>> run into a very large
>> number of problems.
>>
>> Firstly I have SMSQR dated 2003 and 65K bytes. My boot file working
>> perfectly well until
>> I disturbed it. SMSQE  was in the boot file but now it does not find
>> either SMSQE or
>> SMSQR. I have REMarked it out at the moment. Will this give me any 
>> problems?
>>
>> In addition, I have been having problems with IPCEXTUK which is in
>> line 180. The calls
>> are in line 200 and are shewn in the screen shot to have the wrong 
>> parameters.
>>
>> These parameters did work but what please should I do next?
>>
>> TIA & Regards,
>>
>> Peter
>>
>> p.s. I have a nasty feeling that these problems may well continue but
>> I will have to try
>> and deal with them one at a time.
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Re: [Ql-Users] More Help Please

[Michael Bulford]

Hi Norm,
I think I'll wait .. there appears to be something wrong with this download.The 
file seems much bigger than advertised.
Michael


  From: Norman Dunbar 
 To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com 
 Sent: Friday, 17 June 2016, 20:24
 Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] More Help Please
   
Alternatively, this might work...If you can't wait! ;-)

http://api.256file.com/qwindows.dll/en-download-59653.html

Save it in the same folder as the rest of the files.

But for goodness sake, virus scan it first. This is Windows after all!


Cheers,
Norm. 
-- 
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
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Re: [Ql-Users] More Help Please

[Michael Bulford]

Norm,

I've followed your instructions down to Double click the exercise file to run.
Then the following messages appear ...

This application failed to start because it could not find or load the Qt 
platform plugin "windows" in "".
Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.

This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way.
Please contact the application's support team for more information.

Michael



- Original Message -
From: Norman Dunbar 
To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com
Sent: Friday, 17 June 2016, 14:03
Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] More Help Please

OK,  lunchtime!

I've uploaded a 32 bit windows binary to 
https://sourceforge.net/projects/qxlwin/.

1. Click on the files tab.
2. Click on Windows 32-64bit.
3. Click on Qxlwin.Zip to download.
4. Click parent folder.
5. Click QT5SupportFiles.
6. Click QR5SUPPORTFILES.zip to download.

Create a folder, call it c:\qxlwin. Extract both zip files into that location.
Double click the exercise file to run.
File->Open and select your qxlwin file.

The Header tab displays details of the file. Numbers are in hex or decimal. 
Change with the two buttons at the bottom.

Map displays the map. Not likely to be helpful.

Files displays the entire structure of the directory tree. It's windows 
explorer for qxlwin files.

File Viewer is just that. Double click  file in the Files tab to display it 
here. 

I haven't looked at this utility since 2012 but I'm sure you can copy the text 
of a file in the viewer to save it as a PC file. Beware of ql to PC character 
conversion though.

HTH.


Cheers,
Norm.


On 17 June 2016 09:20:18 BST, Norman Dunbar  wrote:
>I have a utility on https://sourceforge.net/projects/qxlwin/ which
>should allow anyone to extract any file from a QXL win file. 
>
>However,  I've just checked and it appears I've never uploaded a
>compiled version. Oops!
>
>Like qstripper, it runs on Linux, Windows and if you have QT, on Mac if
>you compile the source yourself.
>
>I'll try to get a compiled version uploaded ASAP. 
>
>
>Cheers,
>Norm.
>-- 
>Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
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[Ql-Users] Romance

[Michael Bulford]

Hi all,

On 29/04/2016, Rich Mellor wrote:
>The link to the ebook on Amazon is:
>
>*http://tinyurl.com/zhnmhfd
>
>*Rich

>>  On 29/04/2016 14:59, Caroline Mathieson wrote:
>>  there was an email recently about jan jones ebook. Can anyone remind me of 
>> the amazon details please?

Jan Jones is now a prolific author of romantic novels.
I wonder if there have ever been any romantic get-togethers from people through 
the QL.
This could always be possible.

Michael
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[Ql-Users] Software Preservation Project - Tasks

[Michael Bulford]

On Thursday 7 July 2016, 21:29:04, Rich Mellor (RWAP) wrote :


> Shirley Butler (C-Fix program for use with SuperBASIC C-Port) - not sure if 
> she
> had any more involvement in C-Port.  I also emailed Dave Walker, but no 
> response
> from either

Hi Rich,
I also wrote to Shirley, but had no response.  This morning, I tried ringing 
her on the number she gave in the C-Fix user manual from 1992, but this was 
unobtainable.  Are you still in contact with Freddy Vaccha?  Perhaps he might 
know something.  
What I would like to do is to get a copy of the source SuperBASIC code for both 
C-Port and C-Fix.  The idea being to update them so that they can work fully 
with modern day emulators, and also to cure some bugs and generally improve 
them.   I have actually managed to use C-Port with some success.  Recently I 
have C-Ported a 58k SBASIC program into Cee without any problems.  I did of 
course have to keep on changing the code until it finally Cported.  The 
resulting Cee code certainly needed some tinkering with before it would C68 
compile.  The program was a version of the Travelling Salesman program, which I 
have been working on with Steve Poole.  In my opinion, C-Port is far better 
than its reputation, but is certainly in need of some improvement.  The C-Fix 
addition is very useful, however it is not complete.  The numeric array bases 
have not been treated.
If however the source is unavailable, then how about reverse engineering?Derek, 
have you thought any more about your idea of reverse engineering Turbo?  I 
would be willing to work with you jointly on this.  I am well acquainted with 
the Turbo parser and understand how it works.  If you can regenerate the 
pseudo-code for C-Port, I am sure I could regenerate the SuperBASIC code from 
there.  What we could end up with is a SuperBASIC program that perhaps works, 
but would be totally unreadable, since we would not know the original variable 
names used.  We would just have to guess at how it works.  But this would be a 
start.  This may take some while to complete, but the more time spent on it, 
the better it would become.
About the legal aspect, I would agree this may be illegal - if we go by the 
letter of the law.  But if we go by the spirit of the law, this may be another 
matter.  We would be producing something that would be of benefit to the whole 
QL community.  I am certain the authors of Turbo / Cport / C-Fix would welcome 
our contributions.
We may not have to go down this road.  Who knows - perhaps Freddy Vaccha can 
come up with the goods - and supply the SuperBASIC sources.  If anybody knows 
him, can you please contact him and ask.
Michael






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Re: [Ql-Users] More Help Please

[Michael Bulford]

Hi Norm,
I downloaded the file and installed it in c:\Qxlwin\plugins\platforms.The same 
error messages appear, as before.  All of the .dll files have the type of Free 
Viewer association.Would that make a difference?
Michael

  From: Norman Dunbar <nor...@dunbar-it.co.uk>
 To: ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com 
 Sent: Sunday, 19 June 2016, 19:28
 Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] More Help Please
   
On 18/06/16 12:37, Michael Bulford wrote:
> Hi Norm,
> I think I'll wait .. there appears to be something wrong with this 
> download.The file seems much bigger than advertised.

Right then it seems that this is more complicated on Windows than it 
needs to be.

I've uploaded the correct qwindows.dll to 
https://sourceforge.net/projects/qxlwin/files/Windows%2032-64bit/so you 
will need to go there and fetch it.

In your QxlWin application directory, create a new directory called plugins.

Within this new directory, create a new directory called platforms.

Save the qwindows.dll in there.


Now it should work. The problem I have in testing with a completely bare 
CMD session, is that no matter whet I did, with or without that file 
present or not, it simply worked.

There's no Windows around here that has not got Qt installed (I only 
have it in a VM these days) so I'm unable to test this. From the docs on 
the Qt web site, it needs to be in the application/plugins/platforms folder.

Why they make this complicated I don't know, it was never like this on 
the previous versions.

Good luck. Let me know how you get on.


Cheers,
Norm.
-- 
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
27a Lidget Hill
Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7LG

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] Qxlwin

[Michael Bulford]

I finally got this to start, however my security software decided to remove the 
application.
Michael


  From: Norman Dunbar 
 To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com 
 Sent: Sunday, 19 June 2016, 22:14
 Subject: [Ql-Users] Qxlwin
   
The qwindows.dll that was uploaded earlier should, contrary to what I said 
Earley,  go into a "platforms" folder located beneath the one where the 
application and the other dlls go.

Let me know how you get on and I'll update the docs, thanks.


Cheers,
Norm. 
-- 
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
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Re: [Ql-Users] WXQT2 alternative?

[Michael Bulford]

On Tuesday, 21 Feb 2017 12:49:18, Norman Dunbar  wrote:


> Afternoon all,

> The QXLWIN tool never updates a qxl.win file. It can read and extract files 
> from a qxl.win, to Windows or Linux (or Mac?) 

> But not the other way around.


> Cheers,> Norm.


Hi Norm,

Any chance of adding an UNDELETE feature to the QXLWIN tooL?
This could be a welcome addition.

Kind regards,
Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] toolkit-ii-the-sequel

[Michael Bulford]

On 2017-03-19 22:28, Marcel Kilgus wrote:

> Why? Because I can.
> 
> Read the details here:
> 
> https://www.kilgus.net/2017/03/19/toolkit-ii-the-sequel/

>>Michael Bulford wrote:
>> I have installed the bin version on Q-emulator. My initial thoughts
>> were that this is fantastic, since it noticeably improves the
>> performance of my programs - they start up quicker!  
>> However... when I enter WSTAT win5_, the output is garbled. STAT win5_ gives 
>> 0/0 sectors.

>Ah yes, I fixed that bug in the ROM but forgot to update the _link for
>the RESPR version. Please download again.

>Marcel

Thanks for fixing this, but the STAT bug remains.
Also, ALTKEY doesn't work.  ALT ENTER does work.

Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] toolkit-ii-the-sequel

[Michael Bulford]

Marcel Kilgus wrote:
> Michael Bulford wrote:
>> Thanks for fixing this, but the STAT bug remains.
>
> Do you use QemuLator by any chance? It returns allocation size as "1
> bytes" for attached directories, which the TK2 code can't handle
> never could). It expects multiples of 256 bytes. Other devices work
> fine here.

If QemuLator is used with SMSQ_QEM, then both STAT and DIR will work with RAM,
but it still won't work with WIN directories.  It has been working correctly 
before.

Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] toolkit-ii-the-sequel and CDEC$

[Michael Bulford]

There seems to be a problem with CDEC$.
CDEC$(123,4,0) should give " 123", but gives instead 4 asterisks.

Michael
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[Ql-Users] Subject: Re: New TK II version 2.30

[Michael Bulford]

On 2017-03-19 22:28, Marcel Kilgus wrote:

> Why? Because I can.
> 
> Read the details here:
> 
> https://www.kilgus.net/2017/03/19/toolkit-ii-the-sequel/

I have installed the bin version on Q-emulator. My initial thoughts were that 
this is fantastic, since it noticeably improves the performance of my programs 
- they start up quicker!  
However... when I enter WSTAT win5_, the output is garbled. STAT win5_ gives 
0/0 sectors.

Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQ/E and unset variables

[Michael Bulford]

Hi all,

Thanks for your comments.  I will look into both XREF and QREF which I have on 
my system.

My latest thoughts are that perhaps we can combine the best of both worlds.  We 
can continue to have default values of zero in the case of locals, while at the 
same time give an error if no value is available.  Any global variables used 
will need to be initialised.  Locals do get initialised and so are seen as bona 
fide variables.  Looking at the SB name table, this is easy to see, even using 
SBASIC.  Using Turbo toolkit, a "type" function can be defined as ...

DEFine FuNction type(var)
LOCal var$(127)
 var$ = PARNAM$(1)
 RETurn BASIC_B%(BASIC_L(24)+BASIC_INDEX%(var$)*8)
END DEFine type

This function returns 2 if var has a value, else zero.
By giving an error, this will trap both spelling mistakes and also variables 
accessed out of scope.
Michael Bulford
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[Ql-Users] SMSQ/E and unset variables

[Michael Bulford]

Hi all,

When QDOS evaluates an expression and encounters a variable with no value 
assigned, it STOPs with “error
in expression” and reports the line number.  The programmer may well have made 
some spelling mistake, and can immediately make a correction.  QDOS is doing 
exactly what the programmer wants.

Can SMSQ/E be upgraded to follow suit?  

Currently, in the above-mentioned case, SMSQ/E will use a zero value and will 
carry on blindly with no error reported.  The assumption is made that any new 
variable will have a default value of zero.  This behaviour does not take 
account of the fact that people are human and will sometimes make spelling 
mistakes.  The unintentional mistake gets buried and lost in the middle of the 
code.  I can spend a great deal of time and effort composing a program; I can 
type it all in, and can even double check it, but I can still overlook things.  
After writing a program in SMSQ/E, I can never be certain that it is free of 
typos.  There is this constant anxiety in the mind.  Programming can be 
difficult, even without the additional workload required of having to track 
down possible spelling mistakes, when there might be none at all - one can 
never tell.  QDOS is much friendlier in this respect.  This is why I would like 
for SMSQ/E to be upgraded to act like QDOS.  If this would entail a slight loss 
of efficiency, then that would be acceptable.  For me, the most important 
aspect of programming is to be able to write code that is going to work as 
intended.  If SMSQ/E could be upgraded, then this would mean that all new 
variables would need to be initialised with values before
they are used.  This would apply to both global and local variables in 
procedure/functions.  However, this is a recognised good practice in any case.  
It is good practice because these initialisations are being documented.  We 
have to remember that others will want to look at and understand the code we 
write.  SMSQ/E would be enforcing this desirable state of affairs, as QDOS does.

Michael Bulford
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[Ql-Users] EXEP_W

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

Hi,

I am wanting to use EXEP some_turbo_task; arg$, "i", "u"
and then wait until that job completes before continuing.
Is there such a command that does this?
If not, then how can this be implemented?
Any ideas please

Michael
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[Ql-Users] Function type error

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

Hi all,
I've no idea whether this has been mentioned before, but consider this … 100 
:110 PRINT #0, Min_Int%(330.7, 440.7)120 PAUSE -1130 STOP140 :150 DEFine 
FuNction Min_Int%(x%,i)160  IF x% < i : RETurn x% : ELSE : RETurn i170  END 
DEFine The correct result should be 331, sincethis is an integer function.On 
QPC2, SBASIC gives the result as 330.7QLiberator likewise also gives 330.7 Can 
anything be done? Michael
   
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Re: [Ql-Users] Function type error

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

Thanks for your explanations.  This is all specific to SBASIC.
Tobias gives an example with a LOCal name the same as the function name.
Although this is possible, it cannot be recommended.  You will not be able
to call the function recursively.  And it won't compile with either QLiberator 
or Turbo!
Michael

On Thu, 10 Aug 2017 20:33:58, Tobias Fr?schle via Ql-Users 
 wrote:

The type of a function is not determined by the function name ending in a $ or 
% sign, but rather by what it returns - You can even write a function STRING% 
that returns a string or a function a$ that returns an integer value. The name 
you give your function is simply a hint to yourselves on what it might return.

What you actually return in your original function is the result of an 
/expression/ - and numerical expressions in S*BASIC are of type floating point. 
If you assign the value to the expression to a LOCal integer value and return 
that, you will actually get your desired result.

1000 DEFine FuNction x% (param)
1010   LOCal x%
1020   x% = param / 10
1025  REMark assign to integer variable x% to make sure INT is returned
1030  RETurn x%
1040 END DEFine x%
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[Ql-Users] Turbo Parser

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

I’ve been working on a new proposed update to the Turbo parser. Here is what it 
can do: Warn of duplicated parameters/locals, locals overwriting parameters, 
names used again in nested FOR/REPeat loops; locals not used - or used but not 
assigned. If MANIFEST or IMPLICIT statements are made too late, then Turbo will 
now be able to give the line number where they need to be placed. Any missing 
REFERENCE statements are now warned of with a by-ref/by-value conflict check. 
REMarks can now be attached to the top of IF/SELect/FOR/REPeat structures.
  
Besides the above additions, some existing parts of the code have been improved 
upon. Warnings of "LOCALs must follow DEFinitions." and "Meaningless command 
ignored." have not been working. This is now fixed. Some bugs are extremely 
minor - On Turbo's front panel, it is possible to overflow the report file 
window. This is now fixed.
  
May I ask everyone please, if you are aware of any problems in using Turbo, can 
you please inform me. I’m quite familiar with Turbo's code, having studied this 
for some while, so should be able to investigate.

The parser will increase in size by 11k to 91k. I presume this will be 
acceptable. I need to check my code first, before submitting this to George.

Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] PCB Design v7.52

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

Hi,

Wolf wrote: 
> In the boot all file separators are "." (eg. "tk.bin"), but when 
> dezipped, the file separators are "_" as they should be, so the boot 
> can't find them.

There is the -Q1 option in unzip to reverse the "_" <-> "." 
Eg. EX unzip,#1; "-Q1 dos7_PCBDesign752.zip -d ram6_"
and they all come out with dots in them !

I have run the code and this does work well using QPC2, in extended screen size.

As a matter of interest, I tried my new Turbo parser on the BASIC code, and 
this was the result ..

 ERROR at 32210: Variable assignment expected.  
 Warning at 2570: Not assigned: global WinW2  
 Warning at 2570: Not assigned: global WinH2  
 Warning at 2570: Not assigned: global WinX2  
 Warning at 2570: Not assigned: global WinY2  
 Warning at 15290: Not assigned: global GScale 

TURBO: Parsing done, at 197440 statements per minute.
1 error and 5 warnings.

The 1 ERROR refers to "CD" which presumably is CHANGE_DIR, or DATA_USE

The 5 variables would have been initialised to zero, which may be acceptable,
unless you are using "AH" or "JM", in which case you'll get an "error in 
expression".

Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] Quanta Magazine

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

I've received two issues this year, up to the Feb/March issue.
None received since then.  I did email John Gilpin last week, but no reply as 
yet.


Michael
Dilwyn wrote:

> I've forwarded this to committee members (don't know the answer myself), 
> hopefully a reply soon.
>
> Dilwyn
>
> -Original Message- 
> From: sba1derson via Ql-Users
> Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2017 9:08 AM
> To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com
> Subject: [Ql-Users] Quanta Magazine
>
> Has anyone received an electronic copy of Quanta magazine since the 
> January/February 2017 issue?  I've not received one since.  I've contacted 
> Quanta via their website but so far have had no response.
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[Ql-Users] Subject: Re: PCB Design v7.52

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

Whenever I try to run any new SBASIC code, there is this overlapping problem of 
some variable names used are possibly already installed as resident procedures. 
 The code then either does not work as intended, or can stop with an error 
message.  In these circumstances, I usually have to go through the code and 
rename the variables. 

Compiling into machine code can solve the above mentioned problem.  I first of 
all compiled using Turbo.  There was one REFERENCE statement that had to be 
inserted for the procedure Rotation, which passes back the values x and y to 
the caller, FreeRotate, which by the way is not even called.  There was just 
one expression at line 1230 that had to be re-written, to avoid Turbo using 
integer arithmetic and stopping with an overflow error.  The resulting task 
seems to work as well as the SBASIC version. 

Next I tried Q-Liberator, which compiled the code easily enough.  The resulting 
object file fails to display the x and y coordinates at the bottom of the 
screen. 

Both Turbo and Q-Liberator issued a Warning at line 23030 of .. END IF without 
an IF. 
A few weeks back I made mention about a new proposed update to the Turbo 
parser, which I have almost finished tweaking. I tried this new version on the 
code, and this did not warn of the above condition.  It did however, give 
information messages about how variables are being used - being the difference 
between Interpreted code and Turbo code.  It transpires that if one wants the 
SBASIC code to match exactly what the Turbo version does, then a great deal of 
changes will need to be made. 

I only have one criticism of the program so far.  When the program ends it does 
a NEW.  I may have made some changes or added some REMarks, and before closing 
down I would SAVE the code.  But after a NEW, all the code has gone!  The 
existing file is replaced with a blank one. 

Michael 
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Re: [Ql-Users] EXEP_W

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

On Wed, 16 Aug 2017, Duncan wrote:

Question : are you using QDOS or smsqe? with smsqe it should be possible to 
create a wrapper basic executable program that will EXEP "task; parameters" 
then continue to run and check the jobs list (you will know the task name) 
until the task it EXEP has finished before continuing with what you want to do 
next.
Hi Duncan,
Thanks for your suggestion, I did think of that idea.
Also, I have found FEP(...) which returns the id of the job created.
So, I'm guessing I could do something along these lines ...
id = FEP(etc)
REPeat wait
SUSPEND_TASK 25
IF PJOB(id)=0  : IF OJOB(id)=0  : IF JOB$(id)="" : EXIT wait
END REPeat wait
I haven't tried this yet. Doing it this way, the task name would not need to be 
known.
Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] TURBO and testing it exists

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

On Thu, 17 Aug 2017 21:08:31, Per Witte  wrote:

> Thats a nice solution. Not sufficient for all manner of keywords, though. 
A
> more general solution for checking for relevant toolkits in boot programs,
> without having to load a toolkit to do so can be found in this article:
> http://www.hunggartorino.it/ql/findkey/ (also available in Italian!)

Hi Per, I cannot get the above link to work.  It says not found.



On Thu, 17 Aug 2017, 16:54:32, Duncan   wrote:

Hi Lee, If booting from a Win drive  on the first instance of needing to 
load the Turbo toolkit check for the existence of a file on the boot device 
called "TTKLoaded", or similar. If the file does not exist create it and 
load TurboTK. If the file is found to exist do not load the toolkit. At the end 
of the session tidy up the boot device by deleting this file. Not elegant 
but practical.


Hi Duncan,

But what if during the session the QL crashes?  The TTKLoaded file will remain 
on the Win drive, and the next time the QL session is started, it won't work 
properly.  A nice idea though.  Another way of doing this is to use environment 
variables, which I use myself.  The details are here: 
http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/tk/env.zip


Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] Lear PCB Design v7.55

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

On Mon, 18 Sep 2017 at 14:26, Dilwyn Jones  wrote:

> A new update of Malcolm Lear's PCB Design is available from the Graphics page 
> on my website. Details of the little bug fix in the REVISIONS.TXT file.
>
> version 7.55  Fixed 1 mil offset correction for snake shape with odd offset.
>
> download free of charge from  http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/graphics/index.html
>
> Dilwyn
I have noticed that the procedure FreeRotate, defined at line 1850, is never  
called. 
- Just thought I'd point this out.
Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] Lear PCB Design v7.55

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

On Mon, 18 Sep 2017 at 14:26, Dilwyn Jones  wrote:

> A new update of Malcolm Lear's PCB Design is available from the Graphics page 
> on my website. Details of the little bug fix in the REVISIONS.TXT file.
>
> version 7.55  Fixed 1 mil offset correction for snake shape with odd offset.
>
> download free of charge from  http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/graphics/index.html
>
> Dilwyn

Sorry - I meant line 31850, this hasn't been called - the procedure FreeRotate. 

Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] TYPE_IN

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

Hi all, 


I am hoping now to explain what is going on.  First, here is some code that 
does work .. 

100 DIM Top$  (100) : Top$   = "REMark " & FILL$( "*"  ,20) 
110 DIM Final$(100) : Final$ = "REMark " & FILL$("text",20) 
120 An = 2 
1920 TYPE_IN An&":"$(10) 
1930 TYPE_IN (An+1)$$(10) 
1932 TYPE_IN (An+2)$$(10) 
1940 TYPE_IN (An+3)$$(10) 
1950 TYPE_IN "CLS#2:LIST"$(10) 
1960 PRINT #0,"Program completed successfully" 

After running the above code, you may notice that the “completed” message does 
not appear. 
To explain why, we have to consider how this code works.  If this code is 
compiled, then SuperBASIC will act immediately upon each of the TYPED_IN 
commands.  Under the Interpreter, they will not be acted upon, but will get to 
be stored in #0’s buffer.  After the “completed” message gets printed to #0, 
the code comes to an end, and the SuperBASIC cursor comes back to life.  The 
contents of the #0 buffer then gets entered into the command line, and will be 
acted upon, scrolling the “completed” message out of the way. 

Now consider what can happen if we change the first line to read FILL$(“*”,60). 
 Running the code again with this larger figure will lead to it “locking up”, 
with nothing apparently happening.  What has happened is that #0’s buffer has 
become full, and it is waiting there for some characters to be removed, which 
never happens.  The only thing to do is to press Ctrl-SPACE and Ctrl-c to 
abort. 

As long as the buffer length of 128 bytes is not exceeded during a TYPE_IN, all 
should be well. 
Each TYPE_IN will need to be made separately, with the QL stopping, then 
continuing. 
The need to STOP is necessary to force the #0 buffer to empty its contents. 
Notice that we do not STOP if COMPILED, as doing that would remove the task. 
Here is the same code as above with these amendments … 

100 DIM Top$  (100) : Top$   = "REMark " & FILL$( "*"  ,60) 
110 DIM Final$(100) : Final$ = "REMark " & FILL$("text",60) 
120 An = 2 
1920 TYPE_IN An&":"$(10)   :IF NOT COMPILED:TYPE_IN 
"CONTINUE"$(10):STOP 
1930 TYPE_IN (An+1)$$(10)  :IF NOT COMPILED:TYPE_IN 
"CONTINUE"$(10):STOP 
1932 TYPE_IN (An+2)$$(10):IF NOT COMPILED:TYPE_IN 
"CONTINUE"$(10):STOP 
1940 TYPE_IN (An+3)$$(10)  :IF NOT COMPILED:TYPE_IN 
"CONTINUE"$(10):STOP 
1950 TYPE_IN "CLS#2:LIST"$(10) :IF NOT COMPILED:TYPE_IN 
"CONTINUE"$(10):STOP 
1960 PRINT #0,"Program completed successfully" 

The above code works as expected in SMSQ/E.  It should not work under QDOS as 
after entering any new line in the code, QDOS will lose its place and would not 
be able to continue.  For QDOS it is best to compile the code.  Another point 
to bear in mind is that any line TYPED_IN with invalid syntax will lead to the 
SuperBASIC cursor being re-entered to enable the faulty line to be edited.  
There is a simple way to cope with this condition, by starting each TYPE_IN 
with a CHR$(27) - the Escape key. 
This kind of code can be far easier to write and get working if it is compiled 
with Turbo.  After any TYPE_IN to SuperBASIC, Turbo could wait in the 
background, in a loop, monitoring the SuperBASIC cursor position, and 
determining whether the typed-in line was successful or not.  This arrangement 
would allow the user to correct the command line and press ENTER.  Only when 
everything is okay could Turbo decide to exit the loop and continue.  If the 
128-character limit is too restrictive, one could use a temporary MERGE file 
instead of using TYPE_IN. 

This discussion would be more entertaining if we had more details of what is 
trying to be achieved. 
What is being used? - The QL, Q-emuLator or QPC2? - also is this compiled?  I 
notice that each TYPE_IN starts with an integer, which would mean that lines 
are being added to SuperBASIC. 
This is indeed intriguing! 

Michael 
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Re: [Ql-Users] Function type error

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

> > On 7 Sep 2017 at 15:15, George Gwilt <ql-us...@q-v-d.com> wrote:
> >
> > Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] Function type error
> >
> > On 10 Aug 2017, at 22:49, Michael Bulford via Ql-Users 
> > <ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com> wrote:
> > 
> > Thanks for your explanations.  This is all specific to SBASIC.
> > Tobias gives an example with a LOCal name the same as the function name.
> > Although this is possible, it cannot be recommended.  You will not be able
> > to call the function recursively.  And it won't compile with either 
> > QLiberator or Turbo!
> 
> Actually TURBO does compile the program and gives the answer 331.
>
> George

Indeed, yes.  I've also tested this with Minerva on Q-emuLator.
Both under the Interpreter and Turbo, the result is again 331.
However, Q-Liberator gives only 330.7

With both compilers now free, and with more and more people using them,
it should follow that these functions need to be written with greater care in 
the future.

Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] TYPE_IN

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

> Fellow QL'ers 

>

> I have a slight problem with TYPE_IN 

>

> Using it to put some commands in #0, works well in an instance until I 

> reach what appears to be a maximum set of characters, where the QL just 

> hangs. 

>

> e.g. 

>

> 1920  TYPE_IN An&":"$(10) 

> 1930  TYPE_IN (An+1)$$(10) 

> 1932  TYPE_IN (An+2)$$(10) 

> 1940  TYPE_IN (An+3)$$(10) 

>

>

> An is an integer 

> Final$ is just text 

> Top$ is a string of asterisks 

>

> it locks up displaying halfway through 1940 

>

> Is there a buffer I can clear after using TYPE_IN? 

>

> or can I increase the length of the number of characters TYPE_IN can use? 

>

> Many thanks in anticipation 

>

> Lee 


If this is a compiled Turbo program, then there should be no problems as each
of the typed-in commands would be processed separately.

Running this under the Interpreter is slightly different. Each of the typed-in

commands will only get to be processed once the SuperBASIC program has come 

to a stop. Before this stop happens, everything typed in to SuperBASIC's #0

will be stored in #0's buffer. If there are many commands to be processed, then

this buffer could be exceeded, resulting in one of the commands being truncated
and the remainder being lost. There is a simple way to overcome this problem.
The program can be deliberately stopped after each of the TYPE_INs, and then be
made to continue afterwards.  To get the program to stop, use the STOP command,
and to get the program to continue, use the CONTINUE command. This idea can be
implemented by extending each of the TYPE_IN commands in the program, as 
follows ..

: IF NOT COMPILED : TYPE_IN "CONTINUE" & CHR$(10) : STOP

Notice the STOP command at the end. This is important and is the secret. The 
STOP
command stops the program and allows the typed_in command to execute, after 
which
the CONTINUE command causes the program to continue.  By doing it this way, all
commands will be executed separately, similar to how a compiled program would 
work.
Lee, can you please try the above suggestion and let us know how you get on.
Best wishes,
Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] CPORT

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

Hi Norman,
I have both CPORT and CFIX.  I find that CFIX doesn't work correctly in QPC2,

so to get around that problem, I use Q-emulator for that one.

CPORT does work well in QPC2, provided that memory is limited to 16M.
There's also some other related files.
I'll dig them out.  How can I get them to you?

Kind regards,
Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] EXT_PROC

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

On Wed, 8 Nov 2017 21:05:55, Per Witte  wrote:

> I was just made aware of a number of features in Q-Lberator that I havent
> seen documented anywhere: EXT_PROC, EXT_FN, GLOBAL, and possibly others. I
> believe I have a general idea of what theyre about, but should like to see
> some documentation. Ive been told there is a chapter 14 in some manuals?
> The two pdf manuals I found online, one of them claiming to be of V3.36,
> dont mention these keywords, and my printed one is altogether of an older
> vintage.


Hi Per,
See this link .. http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/qlib/index.html

There are a couple of v3.36 manuals that clearly document these EXT_FN, 
EXT_PROC and GLOBAL keywords.  They might not work as expected on QPC2, as 
SMSQ/E is being used.  But these should work on Q-emulator.

Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] QPC2 4.04 BUG (RWAP Software)

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

> Does anyone know why the following in QPC2 reports "Invalid Channel ID"
>
> WINDOW 448,200,32,16
> PAPER #1,3
>> In fact, any attempt to change #1 after the WINDOW command reports an 
> invalid channel.>> I also found some of the character combinations were not 
> working in 
> v4.04 (eg CTRL SHIFT - did not produce a down arrow).
> That also now works in v4.05 but CTRL \ does not produce the left arrow 
> still.     Hi,    I am using both QPC2 4.04 SMSQE/E 3.26 and also QPC2 4.05 
> SMSQE/E 3.31.They both seem to work the same.I cannot replicate any of the 
> errors mentioned, except that I cannot produce the left arrow.    As Dilwyn 
> points out, doing an OPEN #1, would do an automatic CLOSE #1 first, and 
> perhaps that has caused the problems.    > On QPC2 v4.04 here I didn't have 
> to close anything - I just entered the
> two commands above as soon as it started     Perhaps there is something in 
> the Boot file causing the issue?          Michael

   
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Re: [Ql-Users] QED v2.01 released!

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

* TAB compression and expansion supported
* Raw and cooked LOADing and SAVing of files for CR/LF conversion
Hi Jan,
Many thanks, this is highly welcome.I use your software quite a lot.

Michael

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Re: [Ql-Users] Select on

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

If we are talking about Selecting on single-character strings, such as when 
coding actions depending on some keypress, I would like to tell you about how I 
get around this problem. At the very beginning, I would declare some constants 
of the codes of all the alphabetical characters, all 52 of them. Underscores 
are used in the names to highlight these vars are constants and their initial 
values should not change. I will give what the code would look like under 
Minerva, and then how this would look in SMSQ/E. Note that when Selecting on 
strings, both cases, capitals and lower case letters are considered equivalent. 
This has to be taken into account.

100 : 
110 :
120 REMark In Minerva SuperBASIC
130 case$ = "" : REMark "a" == "A" - both cases
140 SELect ON case$
150 = "a" : PRINT 'Choice is "A"'
160 = "b" : PRINT 'Choice is "B"'
170 = "c" : PRINT 'Choice is "C"'
180 = "d" : PRINT 'Choice is "D"'
190 = "e" : PRINT 'Choice is "E"'
200 = "f" : PRINT 'Choice is "F"'
210 = CHR$(27) : PRINT 'Esc pressed'
220 END SELect
230 :
2000 REMark In SMSQ/E S*BASIC
2010 REMark Note: MANIFEST is optional TURBO command for extra constant checking
2020 :
2030 MANIFEST : _a =  97 : A_ = 65
2040 MANIFEST : _b =  98 : B_ = 66
2050 MANIFEST : _c =  99 : C_ = 67
2060 MANIFEST : _d = 100 : D_ = 68
2070 MANIFEST : _e = 101 : E_ = 69
2080 MANIFEST : _f = 102 : F_ = 70
2090 MANIFEST : ENTER = 10 : Esc = 27
2100 CLS
2110 REPeat loop
2120 PRINT 'Choose case: Press a letter between "a" and "F" ';
2130 case = CODE(INKEY$(#1,-1)) : IF case <> ENTER : PRINT CHR$(case); " ";
2140 SELect ON case
2150 = _a,A_ : PRINT 'Choice is "A"'
2160 = _b,B_ : PRINT 'Choice is "B"'
2170 = _c,C_ : PRINT 'Choice is "C"'
2180 = _d,D_ : PRINT 'Choice is "D"'
2190 = _e,E_ : PRINT 'Choice is "E"'
2200 = _f,F_ : PRINT 'Choice is "F"'
2210 = Esc   : PRINT 'Esc pressed' : EXIT loop
2220 = REMAINDER : PRINT 'Try again'
2230 END SELect
2240 END REPeat loop
2250 PRINT 'Test complete'
2260 PRINT #0,'Test complete'

Michael
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Re: [Ql-Users] Select on

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

 If we are talking about Selecting on single-character strings, such as when 
coding actions depending on some keypress, I would like to tell you about how I 
get around this problem.  At the very beginning, I would declare some constants 
of the codes of all the alphabetical characters, all 52 of them.  Underscores 
are used in the names to highlight these vars are constants and their initial 
values should not change.  I will give what the code would look like under 
Minerva, and then how this would look in SMSQ/E. Note that when Selecting on 
strings, both cases, capitals and lower case letters are considered equivalent. 
 This has to be taken into account.
100 : 
110 :120 REMark In Minerva SuperBASIC130 case$ = "" : REMark "a" == "A" - both 
cases140 SELect ON case$150 = "a" : PRINT 'Choice is "A"'160 = "b" : PRINT 
'Choice is "B"'170 = "c" : PRINT 'Choice is "C"'180 = "d" : PRINT 'Choice is 
"D"'190 = "e" : PRINT 'Choice is "E"'200 = "f" : PRINT 'Choice is "F"'210 = 
CHR$(27) : PRINT 'Esc pressed'220 END SELect230 :2000 REMark In SMSQ/E 
S*BASIC2010 REMark Note: MANIFEST is optional TURBO command for extra constant 
checking2020 :2030 MANIFEST : _a =  97 : A_ = 652040 MANIFEST : _b =  98 : B_ = 
662050 MANIFEST : _c =  99 : C_ = 672060 MANIFEST : _d = 100 : D_ = 682070 
MANIFEST : _e = 101 : E_ = 692080 MANIFEST : _f = 102 : F_ = 702090 MANIFEST : 
ENTER = 10 : Esc = 272100 CLS2110 REPeat loop2120 PRINT 'Choose case: Press a 
letter between "a" and "F" ';2130 case = CODE(INKEY$(#1,-1)) : IF case <> ENTER 
: PRINT CHR$(case); " ";2140 SELect ON case2150 = _a,A_ : PRINT 'Choice is 
"A"'2160 = _b,B_ : PRINT 'Choice is "B"'2170 = _c,C_ : PRINT 'Choice is 
"C"'2180 = _d,D_ : PRINT 'Choice is "D"'2190 = _e,E_ : PRINT 'Choice is 
"E"'2200 = _f,F_ : PRINT 'Choice is "F"'2210 = Esc   : PRINT 'Esc pressed' : 
EXIT loop2220 = REMAINDER : PRINT 'Try again'2230 END SELect2240 END REPeat 
loop2250 PRINT 'Test complete'2260 PRINT #0,'Test complete'
Michael
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[Ql-Users] (no subject)

[Michael Bulford via Ql-Users]

Ql
 
 
 
https://bitly.com/3v6iFgH
 
 
 
 
Michael Bulford
 
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