Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
On 27 Nov 2004 at 19:12, P Witte wrote: At least the latter is not impossible. Whats the workaround? The Open call exits via the scheduler. Not the way I do it - I just call the open routines of the different device drivers directly Anyway, didn't the ancient PRT device back then already solve most problems discussed here. Not these specific problems, but it would be worth looking into for ideas. (...) Wolfgang www.scp-paulet-lenerz.com ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
I think that Wolfgang has put together an excellent proposal here which is obviously very well thought out in the light of previous discussions. Having given this problem some considerable thought myself, I do think that Wolfgang's solution has some definite positive aspects, not least of which is the ability for us to program a GUI (Printer Control Program) in something easier than machine code PLUS no-one has to learn how to program in THINGs. The idea of a small background job initiated when the PFF device is loaded sounds ideal, provided that it can be configured with the location of the Printer Control Program which it needs to launch. I would also rather go for having this Printer Control Program start with a priority of zero, which can then be set to 1 (or higher) by the PFF device when it is asked to open a channel. The job's priority can be reset to 0 once it has created the necessary link between the PFF device and the Filter Program. However, I do perceive a problem here. I still favour the ability of the user being able to use either a PIPE or a file as the temporary storage for the output from the PFF device. This could of course be configurable in the same configuration block that contains the location of the Printer Control Program. However, we return to the main stumbling block. The Printer Control Program needs to maintain a set of channels open to temporary storage areas - how does the Printer Control Program pass the ID of the channel back to the PFF Device so that the PFF device knows where to output its data?? The GUI === The idea of this being launched as and when needed from disk sounds ideal. However, the reasons why it was proposed that some of this function be included within the Printer Control Program (running as a THING) are as follows: 1) If stored on floppy disk, we have to remember that the user may not have the correct disk in the drive. OK we can overcome this by prompting the user to insert this in the disk if required - however, what if they are using XChange program in one disk drive, their documents in another disk drive and then need a third disk containing the GUI and filter programs. 2) The various filter programs written for use with the system could register themselves with the THING, so that the user can be offered a list of the various output options available (it also means we do not have to re-write the GUI each time a new filter is written). The solution to this would be (presumably) for each filter to be stored in a specific directory - the GUI program could then look at the list of filters in that directory and check some sort of header (either within the filter or in a separate file for each filter), to see what solutions are available. A header would be preferable to using the actual name of the Filter. 3) How do we report back to the PFF device that printing has failed?? PFF options === Just a small comment here - the PFF device was not designed to allow the user (or program) to specify the type of output to produce. It is mainly to specify the type of output produced by the program - PFFe would be Epson ESC/P2 codes PFFn would be Native Proforma Output PFFp would be Postscript Output PFFg would be QL Graphics Dump Output Obviously these all require different filters - PFFn would be a simple filter to send the output directly to Proforma and PFFp would be one to send it directly to Ghostscript. The idea is not to allow a long device name, but rather one that is at most 5 characters, the same as allowed for SER devices. A letter is better than using the number to identify the type of output because it makes it a lot easier to patch old programs - rather than having to convert various SER1e settings to PFF3 etc It was always envisaged that the user would then be offered the choice of output options based on the known filters which could handle this intermediate protocol - perhaps you have misunderstood this Wolfgang (or just forgotten in the sea of emails). COMMUNICATION = Perhaps we still need a THING - possibly just a small one which can be used to contain various data to allow each element of the program to communicate with each other? Finally I am pleased that this has gnerated so much interest - I realise it may be beyond many of the subscribers to this list, and possibly provided too many emails for them to digest - please bear with us - at least the list is showing a lot of activity for now rather than simply moaning and arguing -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services 26 Oak Road, Shelfield, Walsall, West Midlands WS4 1RQ http://www.rwapservices.co.uk/ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
RE: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
Hi Rich, Whats wrong with a back ground job started at boot with low priority as the intermediate. It could : look for a configuration file and read that in then know to ; clear the pipe anytime something is put into it by PFF device save the contents of the pipe to a designated location on disk - ram rom win flp if so configured call the appropriate filter eg Quill files configured to be treated as ASCII as no printer driver loaded for this version of Quill Text 87 files treated as ESCP2 and a proportional font used for printing QD files have FF added by the filter and so on upto the user Or call the GUI before exec ing a filter if thats the configuration set up. GUI could be used to change configuration at run time and inform the background task by printing the new config file to the PFF device with a header that tells it to read the new configuration rather than call a filter etc Duncan Neithercut -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Rich Mellor Sent: 28 November 2004 12:57 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter I think that Wolfgang has put together an excellent proposal here which is obviously very well thought out in the light of previous discussions. Having given this problem some considerable thought myself, I do think that Wolfgang's solution has some definite positive aspects, not least of which is the ability for us to program a GUI (Printer Control Program) in something easier than machine code PLUS no-one has to learn how to program in THINGs. The idea of a small background job initiated when the PFF device is loaded sounds ideal, provided that it can be configured with the location of the Printer Control Program which it needs to launch. I would also rather go for having this Printer Control Program start with a priority of zero, which can then be set to 1 (or higher) by the PFF device when it is asked to open a channel. The job's priority can be reset to 0 once it has created the necessary link between the PFF device and the Filter Program. However, I do perceive a problem here. I still favour the ability of the user being able to use either a PIPE or a file as the temporary storage for the output from the PFF device. This could of course be configurable in the same configuration block that contains the location of the Printer Control Program. However, we return to the main stumbling block. The Printer Control Program needs to maintain a set of channels open to temporary storage areas - how does the Printer Control Program pass the ID of the channel back to the PFF Device so that the PFF device knows where to output its data?? The GUI === The idea of this being launched as and when needed from disk sounds ideal. However, the reasons why it was proposed that some of this function be included within the Printer Control Program (running as a THING) are as follows: 1) If stored on floppy disk, we have to remember that the user may not have the correct disk in the drive. OK we can overcome this by prompting the user to insert this in the disk if required - however, what if they are using XChange program in one disk drive, their documents in another disk drive and then need a third disk containing the GUI and filter programs. 2) The various filter programs written for use with the system could register themselves with the THING, so that the user can be offered a list of the various output options available (it also means we do not have to re-write the GUI each time a new filter is written). The solution to this would be (presumably) for each filter to be stored in a specific directory - the GUI program could then look at the list of filters in that directory and check some sort of header (either within the filter or in a separate file for each filter), to see what solutions are available. A header would be preferable to using the actual name of the Filter. 3) How do we report back to the PFF device that printing has failed?? PFF options === Just a small comment here - the PFF device was not designed to allow the user (or program) to specify the type of output to produce. It is mainly to specify the type of output produced by the program - PFFe would be Epson ESC/P2 codes PFFn would be Native Proforma Output PFFp would be Postscript Output PFFg would be QL Graphics Dump Output Obviously these all require different filters - PFFn would be a simple filter to send the output directly to Proforma and PFFp would be one to send it directly to Ghostscript. The idea is not to allow a long device name, but rather one that is at most 5 characters, the same as allowed for SER devices. A letter is better than using the number to identify the type of output because it
Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
Wolfgang Lenerz wrote: Anyway, let me all know what you think of the above scheme, knowing that I could continue developemnt on the PF GUI and the PFF to implement all of what I have mentioned above. Wow, Wolfgang, great work. I have to admit that your scheme sounds much more sensible than the stuff I proposed. It sounds very sensible and (major major advantage) quite easy to implement and solves all the problems I tried to consider. Even better, as you seem to already have sone most of the work, it even exists. Hear hear for Wolfgang ! Well done. Where does PROforma print? == However - how does PROforma know WHERE to print? Mine just worked straight out of the box prnting to PAR. The only thing I have found is that this seems to be hard coded in the device drivers (pfd). Is this correct? It is indeed configured in the device drivers. There is a PFconfig program which is part of ProWesS (in the utilities button). This allows you to configure the printer drivers, and part of that allows setting the default printer device. In a standard ProWesS configuration, these configurations are stored in the win1_pws_mine_PROforma_cfg file. There is a section for each printer driver which contains (amongst other things) the default driver setting. When actually printing, you can still pass a printer device. IIRC when nothing is passed the default is used. Joachim ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
Joachim Van der Auwera writes: Please remember, PROforma exists, has existed for almost ten years now I installed ProWesS some years ago, but never really used it very often, because what I always liked about the QL was its simplicity and efficiency. This is in no way a critism of ProWesS, which is an absolute master piece! It just never suited me. The machines we had at the time were also not ideal, being too slow and having a limited resolution. In connection with the printer project, I wanted to run Proforma, but couldnt get it to work, so I tried loading it together with the ProWesS installation I did some years ago, which I know was working. I couldnt get it to work either. So I downloaded the latest files from your website (progs.be) and started all over again. No problem installing everything from flp1_ and modifying my boot file accordingly - but no joy. It still didnt work. After mucking about for too many hours, I wiped out the installation and started again. To speed things up I cloned the floppy to a ramdisk, altered the PWSDIR$ variable and ran the boot program: The machine hangs during the loader startup, just after installing DATAdesign (ie, that is the last message on the display) - more or less the same problem I was having with the installation all along. Ie, it appears I can only run it from a floppy disk. Any suggestions? Per ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Changing display size in QPC2
Rich Mellor wrote: You could be right there - though its a problem cos SuperBASIC cannot be killed !! This is exactly what's happening. Its channels get lost (except #0, which is special), but it cannot be killed. Perhaps the problem here is in the timing. If it is true that jobs with windows outside the screen area are killed after a resize (which would seem to fit in with what happens to the elements in the button frame), then this would appear to be patently wrong. You're welcome to rewrite the SMSQ/E screen driver to cope with off-screen windows. Plus after you've done that background redrawing might be a piece of cake to implement. Plus job 0 should never be killed !! It isn't, is it? Marcel ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Changing display size in QPC2
On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 17:47:40 +0100, Marcel Kilgus [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Rich Mellor wrote: You could be right there - though its a problem cos SuperBASIC cannot be killed !! This is exactly what's happening. Its channels get lost (except #0, which is special), but it cannot be killed. Perhaps the problem here is in the timing. If it is true that jobs with windows outside the screen area are killed after a resize (which would seem to fit in with what happens to the elements in the button frame), then this would appear to be patently wrong. You're welcome to rewrite the SMSQ/E screen driver to cope with off-screen windows. Plus after you've done that background redrawing might be a piece of cake to implement. OK - might knock that up over a cuppa tonight... (maybe not) Surely the other option would be to write it into the task scheduler, so that a program who's windows are outside the screen area is just ignored rather than the task being killed automatically when the window is made too small - especially useful if you were editing a file and had not saved it before changing the display size. Plus job 0 should never be killed !! It isn't, is it? It behaves very oddly - either you cannot get to #0 even, or it crashes when you try to print to #1 or #2 (because those windows are lost - although still listed in the QPAC2 Jobs THING, so they are obviously not closed, just lost) -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services 26 Oak Road, Shelfield, Walsall, West Midlands WS4 1RQ http://www.rwapservices.co.uk/ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] The hardware conflict...
Unfortunately, getting it to work with some machine combinations would take longer than copying Rich's pile of floppy disks. :-))) Never quite known anything like Sernet. Once you get it to work it works brilliantly. Getting past the serial connections stage is a nightmare other than between two PCs, where a standard PC cable works fine with the 9 and 25 pin D sockets. I still say there must be a market for QL-PC sernet compatible cables and how to wire up the MinisQL port leads that Ron Dunnett supplied. Never once managed to get the serial link from MinisQL working to anything I don't think. I used it between an atari and a PC without many problems. Yes, PC Atari and Q60 seem to be the problem free zone as far as Sernet is concerned. One day, when I have time, I'm going to get the QL and MinisQL serial ports sorted out. Somewhat frustrating to have a Minis-QL with a network incompatible with the PC with a network on the same desktop not speaking to each other (OK, so some would say the Aurora is only being sensible!) The Minis-QL serial port connectors are simple IDC to 9-pin D but I haven't been able to get the pinouts sussed, once past that stage it should be fairly simple top sernet them. Better than a PC crashing, though, eh? I expect a PC to crash. Worries me when it doesn't. :-) (Says he one reinstall later, with Win-TV card in the bin and suddenly the PC is working without problems so far after reinstalling the damaged Windows from CD, let's see how long it lasts this time!). -- Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
Depends - someone might at some stage develop a program which can output both text and graphics.. I think there was an old utility which already could do this from a Quill DOC file - am thinking back to CGH Services days (late 80s) Surely it would make more sense to send everything as graphics, then? Wolfgang The way my NLQL program was going to work from what I remember all those years ago was that it would output a line of text, CR back to the start of the line, calculate how much graphics would fit in that line and print those over the line of text, in other words mixed text and graphics. In other words, rather than rasterise the text, text was output as text and graphics superimposed. It meant I had a very long winded print process to say the least. The one hiccup was 9-pin dot matrix printers which printed NLQ by 2 slightly vertically offset passes to reduce their dottiness so the 9-pin printer driving was difficult to say the least. Looking back, it seems so complex I'm amazed I took it as far as I did before I stopped writing it! -- Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] The hardware conflict...
Now that comment shows you to be a bit far removed from the average user. Serial ports might be easy to you, so you haven't had to deal with the regular flow of 'sernet doesn't work' messages. It's taken me this long to (fail) to get sernet working from PC or Aurora to anything, yet it works just fine between PCs for me (and Ataris and Q60s by all acounts). The Aurora in my MinisQL has a 9 pin D connector so you'd expect it to work with a PC cable, but it doesn't! And the IDC connectors can go on the Aurora either way, there is no locking mechanism to make sure it's in right way round Sorry, but anyone who thinks serials are easy is living on a different planet to the average user. Dilwyn Serial communication really isn't. Tony ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
Well, there is a program called NLQ in Quanta library which IIRC takes plain text and prints it as bit image graphics using NLQ fonts. Must go and have a look to see how that works. Dilwyn Jones - Original Message - From: Rich Mellor [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, November 27, 2004 4:17 PM Subject: Re: Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter cut Depends - someone might at some stage develop a program which can output both text and graphics.. I think there was an old utility which already could do this from a Quill DOC file - am thinking back to CGH Services days (late 80s) Surely it would make more sense to send everything as graphics, then? In that case it would, but then you need a rendering program like Proforma to do the conversion from text to graphics !! -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services 26 Oak Road, Shelfield, Walsall, West Midlands WS4 1RQ http://www.rwapservices.co.uk/ ___ 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] The hardware conflict...
USB to (any kind of) networking is a bad solution at best... especially if your USB/NIC are USB 1.1 compatible... you WILL experience at best hiccups or temporary lock-ups and that's not the machine's fault (nor Windows' impressively :-) On this machine, XP allowed USB peripherals to work with nothing other than XP drivers (printer and Mobile Disk memory sticks), which I expected, but an error 'no driver' is shown for one of the onboard components for which you have to install a driver from the motherboard CD supplied. I don't know what it does, but it did need a driver. And even though the Mobile Disks and USB on my PC are both USB2.0 it still gets the warning message 'high speed device plugged into non-high-speed USB hub'. Likewise, this modem needs an XP driver from the supplied CD. Likewise, the TV tuner card needs XP-specific drivers Likewise, the printer needs XP specific drivers (in fact the Win2000 ones work as there's not yet XP drivers for it). Likewise, the scanner needs XP-specific drivers, except Primax don't do XP drivers and tell people to use their NT or Win2000 drivers instead. Rich is right: back to a QL! Incidentally, can anyone tell me if my line wrap at 70 characetrs is working now? It isn't on-screen as I type this, but you never know what it might be until it reaches the modem! Also, am I sending plain text (it's set to plain text but I can't tell!) -- Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] The hardware conflict...
Dilwyn Jones wrote: What exactly is the registry? The mother of all INI files. Actually it's a database which stores all configuration information. Marcel ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] The hardware conflict...
Dilwyn Jones wrote: Incidentally, can anyone tell me if my line wrap at 70 characetrs is working now? Don't bother, Outlook Express is broken in this respect and has always been. Only solution is to use a real email program. Marcel ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] The hardware conflict...
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tony Firshman wrote: On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 at 13:28:02, Dilwyn Jones wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) I use a ROMDisq in this situation, though a new 128MB ROMDisq would solve the problem. (8-)# Technically I could make a 16mb RomDisq with the existing hardware. Unfortunately the minimum chip buy is about UKP5,000, so not on. Tony This all sounds a bit silly when you consider that a cheap compact flash card and reader for the PC costs about £12. I bought a smartmedia card and jenreader (USB) for about that much for my son recently. OK, it's USB, but CF crad readers which work with Qubide do exist, better (well, more cost effective I should say) to go down that sort of route rather than invest in large memory costly romdisqs which not many might buy. The Romdisq chips of any size are not expensive - I would just have to buy in vast quantities! They come in racks and are not sold individually. Worse than that, the 4mbyte chip is more than twice the 2mbyte chip! I take it that that is not the AM29F032B -90FC and AM29F032B -90EC? -- Tarquin Mills ACCUS (Anglia Classic Computer Users Society) http://www.speccyverse.me.uk/comp/accus/ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] The hardware conflict...
At 16:24 28/11/2004 +, you wrote: It was a drivers issue. Hauppauge's Win-TV-PCI drivers for XP actually knacker other XP drivers (and I tried all driver versions for XP from 3.35 to 3.43beta). Hence the problems every other bit of hardware was having. Bin the Win-TV card (which worked fine on this machine under WIn98SE) I have the Ati all in wonder 128, after upping to XP new driver from Ati and now it even does TIVO. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] The hardware conflict...
At 17:02 28/11/2004 +, you wrote: What exactly is the registry? Although I've had to change one or two settings, it's pretty gibberish to me. Gives me the impression of being something akin to what we would call a BOOT program or config block. If you have to ask you really don't want to know - it is hell in there. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] The hardware conflict...
At 17:00 28/11/2004 +, you wrote: Rich is right: back to a QL! No IV No Scanner No mobile disks No USB and printer problems as a bonus ! Incidentally, can anyone tell me if my line wrap at 70 characetrs is working now? It isn't on-screen as I type this, but you never know what it might be until it reaches the modem! Or beyond - can always email to yourself. And as someone else remarked it gets buggered if the recipient has a narrow window. It is the original complainant who should set his prog to WRAP Also, am I sending plain text (it's set to plain text but I can't tell!) As a QLer why would you have your prog set to fancy ? ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
RE: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
Duncan - what has happened to your formatting?? Sorry I have been playing with the stettings in OE and thought I had improved them - obviously not!! -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Rich Mellor Sent: 28 November 2004 17:06 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 14:08:14 -, Duncan Neithercut [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Rich, Whats wrong with a back ground job started at boot with low priority as the intermediate. Didn't say there was anything wrong with this - it sounded quite a good idea. Its the communications which are a problem... It could : look for a configuration file and read that in then know to clear the pipe anytime something is put into it by PFF device save the contents of the pipe to a designated location on disk - ram rom win flp if so configured call the appropriate filter eg Quill files configured to be treated as ASCII as no printer driver loaded for this version of Quill. Text 87 files treated as ESCP2 and a proportional font used for printing. QD files have FF added by the filter and so on upto the user Or call the GUI before exec ing a filter if thats the configuration set up. Hmm I guess this could be an answer - the pipe from the PFF device could be kept relatively small and would soon be emptied as the Printer Control Program would soon open a channel to the temporary storage area and copy the information from the pipe to there... Good idea unless anyone else sees a problem here GUI could be used to change configuration at run time and inform the background task by printing the new config file to the PFF device with a header that tells it to read the new configuration rather than call a filter etc Yes - that could be an idea - the header to tell it to read the new configuration data MUST containt non-printable codes however (otherwise you might get this special header inside a document - eg. the manual !!) Duncan - what has happened to your formatting?? Also, please don't quote the whole of an email - just the relevent parts as it makes it awkward to read. Duncan Neithercut -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services 26 Oak Road, Shelfield, Walsall, West Midlands WS4 1RQ http://www.rwapservices.co.uk/ ___ 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] Proforma Filter
At 19:49 28/11/2004 +, you wrote: Duncan - what has happened to your formatting?? Also, please don't quote the whole of an email - just the relevent parts as it makes it awkward to read. For some reason your quoted text is coming thru unmarked - really hard to tell what is new, or in this last from whom it comes. Last signature being Rich. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] The hardware conflict...
I think that is quite proper, the CD is working properly, just the SETUP is intended to run in Windows. There is no external DOS with XP. I created a DOS boot disk from XP to test that. Sure enough, even booting into that DOS disk, the XP CD still would not start, it says something about not running in DOS. The XP GD is intended to be the boot device. I'm not sure, but I think Win XP can only be installed by booting into the CD. When you are not doing something as fundamental as removing a major hardware component you will be better off to use XP's restore feature. Normally yes. The Win-TV drivers knackered this too. A W98 boot disk offers CD operation as a choice, never tried the XP one. It's a very basic DOS bootup disk, not really like the Win98 concept. There's no DOS prompt as such in Win XP as you say. You have to run CMD.EXE I thinkit's called to issue DOS style commands. Actually, quite useful as you can get a printed list of files similar to a DIR command with DIR C:\*.* PRN or similar, which amazingly Windoze Exploder can't do. The things we take for granted on a QL eh? DIR \PAR,FLP1_ for example. -- Dilwyn Jones ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] The hardware conflict...
Thanks Malcolm. There's something wrong with how it displays on my machine in OE, but as long as I'm sending correctly, I'll sort my end out later. I've set it to use Courier for both compose and read, but it's using Arial non-proportional for both. For plain text, I'd prefer a fixed pitch font, but I'll get there. Dilwyn Jones Incidentally, can anyone tell me if my line wrap at 70 characetrs is working now? It isn't on-screen as I type this, but you never know what it might be until it reaches the modem! Also, am I sending plain text (it's set to plain text but I can't tell!) It is fine now ... :-) -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
Dilwyn Jones wrote: The Filter is in effect a partial printer emulator. What you print from Quill, S*Basic, or Easel, etc, via a device (Ser, Par, etc) with or without printer drivers (printer_dat, gprt_dat) is what the Filter responds to. But instead of converting the incoming data into ink on paper, it converts the data stream into an intermediate format which is processed by other tasks This is what I mean with OE cannot produce readable output, no matter how you configure it. It is the only email program daft enough to wrap quoted text. Having seen reference to named pipes in all this, does that mean this project will be restricted to SMSQ/E users only? Even so, might be a good incentive to finally do the switch, wouldn't it? One question: are there any Proforma versions handling GD2 colours, i.e. any screen dumps for 256 colour and 16-bit colour graphics? Joachim did the Q40 and I adapted it for QPC/QXL driver. There is no Aurora driver. I've looked into it but soon gave up. Do all programs have a word length counter before the device name or do some have a byte length one? And any programs known to use a device name delimited by LF or whatever rather than the internal format with length word/byte? Remember, the string is supposed to be a device name string that can be recognised by SMS. And SMS needs 2 bytes (1 word) length counter and no LF, so there you are. The program could of course do a runtime conversion into a buffer, but I think this is pretty unlikely. Marcel ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
Wolfgang Lenerz wrote: The FILTER === Nice work there. Much more reasonable than most things that have been floating around lately. Marcel has pointed out on this list that the old PRTBUF device would be suitable, however I feel this is not the case since that can only send output to ser or par IIRC (?). And it can't start the job we'll come to later on. I admit I've never used it (and I have neither the sources nor the binary of it, only a library), but as a spooler driver, didn't it have to start a job at some point? This however was felt to be too complicated for the poor end user who, some think, cannot be counted upon to remember to do this. Even though I'd have a tendancy to think that such an end user should be shot rather then receive an award for his behaviour, lol, that made my day, thanks. Marcel ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
P Witte wrote: In connection with the printer project, I wanted to run Proforma, but couldnt get it to work, Best way is either install ProWesS (make a copy of your boot and let the program rip), or else you could simply have a look at the boot file on the disk. It should IIRC be quite well documented. Just cut off all the ProWesS loading stuff. Basically, once PROforma has been loaded, everything else after that can be removed. However, some of the extensions loaded before executing PROforma are required (hot_rext, syslib etc). Joachim ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] October / November Quanta Magazine
Hi Rich, We believe it is an error on the diverter from Quanta to John S. Try [EMAIL PROTECTED] Regards, John Gilpin. - Original Message - From: Rich Mellor [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, November 27, 2004 3:46 PM Subject: Re: [ql-users] October / November Quanta Magazine On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 14:34:41 -, P Witte [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Malcolm Cadman writes: I have just received my copy of the October / November Quanta magazine, and it is back to being quite a good read, with a variety of articles. Well done to Roy Bereton for his editorship. Agreed, much better. The last one wasnt too bad either. I do miss your digest of some of the highlights on this list in the Quanta rag ;) Sometimes theres so much going on that not everyone can afford to read everything, and often there will be discussion that may interest (and entice) those not already connected. I know it must take up a lot of time, but for me at least it was well worth it ;) Per Yes well said Per... BTW secretary AT quanta email address is still not working Does anyone have John's direct email address for me please... -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services 26 Oak Road, Shelfield, Walsall, West Midlands WS4 1RQ http://www.rwapservices.co.uk/ ___ 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] Changing display size in QPC2
On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 at 00:14:21, Rich Mellor wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 00:01:16 -, Duncan Neithercut [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: The problem is SuperBASIC. Any suggestions as to why this happens?? Aren't Jobs with windows outside the active screen area are killed after a resize? Dont know why. Alternative to resizing SBASIC windows is to put it asleep in a button before resizing and wake after screen resolution is restored. Duncan Neithercut You could be right there - though its a problem cos SuperBASIC cannot be killed !! Yes it can if it is Minerva multibasic window. I use that a lot when testing. Tony -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname.co.uk http://www.firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Byfleet Show
On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 at 14:55:08, Dave P wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) On Sun, 28 Nov 2004, Malcolm Cadman wrote: Although it was mainly a 'user group' meeting, as the only trader attending with Tony. I was nevertheless enjoyable. Just what kind of 'services' are you offering there, buddy? ;) (8-)# The 't' was not missing at the show - there was an excellent (as usual) cafe service. Tony -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname.co.uk http://www.firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Changing display size in QPC2
On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 at 00:41:48, Marcel Kilgus wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Tony Firshman wrote: You could be right there - though its a problem cos SuperBASIC cannot be killed !! Yes it can if it is Minerva multibasic window. Well, we're talking of a) QPC and b) job 0. I was making a parallel point here (8-)# Multibasic is a brilliant idea, and would be a good addition to any O/S. When testing, I _always_ use multibasic which is finished by a CLOSE #0. Of course every daughter basic can be killed, otherwise you'd never get rid of them! Tony -- QBBS (QL fido BBS 2:252/67) +44(0)1442-828255 tony@surname.co.uk http://www.firshman.co.uk Voice: +44(0)1442-828254 Fax: +44(0)1442-828255 TF Services, 29 Longfield Road, TRING, Herts, HP23 4DG ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 21:01:26 -, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: cut The filter only needs to respond to two different types of output: ESC/P2 (for example, as this was the most commonly available and emulated printer in the QL's heyday) and, as a concession to Linedesign users, output that has already been formatted by Proforma and doesnt need any further processing, ie it should go unFiltered straight through to Proforma. Great, this is exactly how I saw it going as I watched the correspondence develop. I see no reason for building in obsolesence - why should it not be able to support PCL output as well from one of Dilwyn's programs if someone wants to write a filter which would convert that to Proforma or Postscript?? It seems as though this is arguing over nothing really - it is not exactly difficult to allow filters which will support a different intermediate protocol. Anyone is able to write the filters so it is up to the users and programmers to decide which intermediate protocols they want to support - the program which we are discussing on the list is simply an interface so why put restrictions on it. cut Whatever printer is attached, in theory Proforma should be able to rasterise with a suitable driver. With these difficult printers data has to be in a rasterised format even if we don't know yet what format that is. There are two choices, Pistscript or Proforma. I guess if a driver was written Proforma might be able to output Postscript? Yes Dilwyn, but Joachim says this would not be very easy. There is already a simple Epson to Postscript convertor which should be used as a starting point methinks. AFAIK Proforma is the only rastering system available to us, so it's use that, Postscript or nothing. Yes... Having seen reference to named pipes in all this, does that mean this project will be restricted to SMSQ/E users only? Although I think there is a named pipe driver for QDOS somewhere IIRC. There are QDOS named pipes (by Hans Luub??) though they are not quite compatible with the SMSQ/e ones from memory. You've got a copy of them with the SBASIC/SuperBASIC Reference Manual toolkits !! We should only strictly need a pipe between the PFF device and the Print Control Program (GUI), since the GUI can be configured to use a temporary file or a pipe to communicate with filters. As the PFF device will start up the GUI, there is actually no need for a named pipe - a normal one could presumably be used? cut Thanks to those who contributed ideas for the SER/PAR to PFF converter. I had a play with looking at the string length bytes before the found string and it works, although it slows it down slightly of course. Hope you have remembered to allow for both upper and lower case !! Next job, put a nice front end on it. Do you think it'll need a 'query each replace' option for when 'auto-replace' fails or for those who don't trust it to work correctly? Hmm - probably you do need to offer this and show say the 10 bytes either side of the string... Do all programs have a word length counter before the device name or do some have a byte length one? And any programs known to use a device name delimited by LF or whatever rather than the internal format with length word/byte? Good question - normally a word length. What about inside a C program (remembering that C expects strings to end with a 0 byte and not have a word length. ?? -- Rich Mellor RWAP Services 26 Oak Road, Shelfield, Walsall, West Midlands WS4 1RQ http://www.rwapservices.co.uk/ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] Proforma Filter
Rich Mellor wrote: On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 21:01:26 -, Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Do all programs have a word length counter before the device name or do some have a byte length one? And any programs known to use a device name delimited by LF or whatever rather than the internal format with length word/byte? Good question - normally a word length. What about inside a C program (remembering that C expects strings to end with a 0 byte and not have a word length. ?? C does not use a length, in C the string is null terminated (so a null byte after the string, no easy way to figure out what the beginning of the string is. What about tokenized basic, or compiled basic? In SBasic (in some places at least), string length is indicated with a byte. Joachim ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
