Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQ/E bugs: is a fix possible? Probably not

[Marcel Kilgus via Ql-Users]

Wolf via Ql-Users wrote:
> In the last months on the Italian Sinclair QL mailing list we had quite a
> number of discussions on some bugs (?) that appeared in SMSQ/E and were
> probably not promptly spotted because of the impossibility of testing
> everything and lack of feedback from users (who maybe were not upgrading
> regularly).

It's also mostly access to the required hardware. I was going to buy
Jochen Hassler's SGC but so far he wasn't able to find it! :-( Hope it
turns up in a box sometime.

I do have a QXL that was kindly donated to me 10 years ago or so, but
I don't really see much point in maintaining it.

>> 1) SMSQ/E for Aurora does not read anymore DD floppy disks. Everything was
>> working till 2.91. From the tests did on some SMSQ/E version we found 2.95
>> has the bug, 2.98 crashes, 3.03 has the bug
> The version of SMSQE I got was 2.99.

The latest I have found in a quick search is 2.93. I probably have
older ones at least partly on some floppy discs. But the thing is 2.92
was the introduction of the Q40 and if I remember correctly this was
such a major change in the sources that comapring 2.91 and 2.91 will
not result in much more enlightnment.

>> I guess it does not make sense to spend effort for SMSQ/E for QXL, but the
>> issues on the GC/SGC/Aurora versions I think would deserve at least a try.
> Both deserve a try, and both have already got a try from me, 
> unfortunately without success.

I will help once I get my hands on the hardware, but this can take a
while. And while I find the offers very kind I don't want to work on
loaned hardware, sorry.

Cheers, Marcel

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[Ql-Users] SMSQ/E bugs: is a fix possible? Probably not

[Wolf via Ql-Users]

Hi,

just a few thoughts.


I will try to recup the main ones and I would appreciate if anybody could
help fixing them or at least providing ideas on how other QL users could
help.



1) SMSQ/E for Aurora does not read anymore DD floppy disks. Everything was
working till 2.91. From the tests did on some SMSQ/E version we found 2.95
has the bug, 2.98 crashes, 3.03 has the bug


The version of SMSQE I got was 2.99.
If the bug pre-existed, as it seems to be the case, then I can't find 
out what, if anything, has changed since.
The chances of me finding out what causes the bug are then next to 
inexistent.




2) SMSQ/E for QXL
in DISP_COLOUR 3:
- DISP_SIZE 512,256 - works OK
- DISP_SIZE 640,480 - works OK
- DISP_SIZE 800,600 - no error but the resolution is 640x480
- DISP_SIZE 1024,768 - no error but the resolution is 640x480

in DISP_COLOUR 0:
- DISP_SIZE 512,256 - works OK
- DISP_SIZE 640,480 - works OK
- DISP_SIZE 800,600 - no error but the screen is corrupted and unreadable
- DISP_SIZE 1024,768 - no error but the screen is corrupted and unreadable

So the maximum possible resolution is 640x480

BAUD returns an error


On what versions?
Here, some work was done on the QXL PC side by Bruno Coativy in 2006, an 
avid QXL user at that time. I'm pretty sure that he would have noticed 
the screen problems. I think I also tested the QXL version (but I'm not 
entirely sure anymore) and I would have noticed the screen problems. The 
QXL version needs at least a 386.



IIRC, bugs 1 & 2  were brought up by Andrea Carpi.
I already had a look at the code for both bugs but couldn't find out why 
this is happening.


I would like to know whether there is anybody out there, apart from 
Andrea, who is still using a QXL. If so, do they have the same problem?




3) SMSQ/E for Gold Card does not initialise external interface.



I don't recollect this having been brought to my attention before. I'll 
correct it in the next version of SMSQE.




I guess it does not make sense to spend effort for SMSQ/E for QXL, but the
issues on the GC/SGC/Aurora versions I think would deserve at least a try.


Both deserve a try, and both have already got a try from me, 
unfortunately without success.




Any feedback and contributions to the above findings would be welcome.


Agreed, especially about the "contributions" part...


Wolfgang
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