Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Glad it is working for you so smoothly. If you do hit any problems, there is an errata and FAQs page on my website. I am racing towards a full release copy and both Roy Wood and Jochen Merz are the distributers who you can order through. And believe me - big difference between the demo and the full version :) I will let everyone know when we get closer to the final release day this month. cheers, jim On Jan 4, 2005, at 10:58 AM, Derek Stewart wrote: I received the QL Today demo of QDT, which I have installed on my Q60. The QDT install program worked great first time, merging all my boot file together with QDT boot file. No problems there at all. QDT looks really slick and I have been running it constantly since it was installed, as I do not switch off the Q60. QDT on my Q60 has only 18 days to run, then I do not know what will happen, I can not seem to buy a full copy. A really nice piece of software. Derek ___ 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] QDT Demo
Ex-traders could do the same. There are cdroms out there (Dilwyn's,..) I have never seen at a QL meeting and so never had the opportunity to buy them. Franois Van Emelen My CDs are all freely copyable, so you could arrange for anyone to bring you a copy if required, or you can tell me what you want and we'll barter items for them if it's too expensive to get pounds, or just send Euros to Darren Branagh at his new address in County Mayo, Ireland as he has current copies of all the CDs. In principle, I've no problem with one of the traders with a CD writer bringing copies of my CDs to an overseas QL show and copying them on site for anyone that wants them. They're freely copyable, no royalties or anything like that. With the emulators CD in particular the aim was to spread the QL message as widely as possible. Even if I don't manage to make it to an overseas meeting, I'm sure I could arrange for the CDs to be there, e.g. with Roy or Jochen if they'd agree to copying them for a few Euros for the visitors. None of my CDs have to have a sleeve (I do supply them with case and sleeves but this is incidental), the only one which should is Gerhard Plavec's QL PD CDR, but the sleeves are on the CD as a graphic image anyway. Dilwyn Jones -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.298 / Virus Database: 265.6.7 - Release Date: 30/12/2004 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
cut If available at the QL metting in Eindhoven (March?),I will buy it, together with QWORD( Dutch and French versions). Happy New Year to all of you. Why wait?? I shall not be able to attend Eidnhoven and so will have to rely on someone else to take stock (Geoff)? They might have sold out you never know !! -- 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] QDT Demo
Malcolm Cadman Anyone else tried the QDT Demo supplied with QL Today yet ? I haven't been able to read the disk supplied with Toady. :-( Jon. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
I wrote earlier: snip I've installed on QPC. It took 2 attempts. The first time I ran into a file name length problem. Solved by not trying to put QPT in win1_SYSTEM_QPT_ but win1_QPT_ It works now and all I can say is WOW!!! I meant QDT not QPT of course Jon. ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dent [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes I wrote earlier: I haven't been able to read the disk supplied with Toady. :-( Jochen sent me the files. I've installed on QPC. It took 2 attempts. The first time I ran into a file name length problem. Solved by not trying to put QPT in win1_SYSTEM_QPT_ but win1_QPT_ It works now and all I can say is WOW!!! Now to try it on my Aurora :-) Be careful on the Aurora. It is probably OK on the demo because you have a limited number or items but the full version has problems if the window is too large. I found the bug last night when I installed it on my MinisQL and Jim is looking into it -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], François Van Emelen [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Malcolm Cadman wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes snip Personally I would like someone to add on a 3D sculptured look to the QDT windows - which are essentially flat at present. Then the 'eye candy' appeal will be even greater. snip Anyone else tried the QDT Demo supplied with QL Today yet ? Hi Francois, interesting comments. Doubt Jim will reply too. Yes, off course. It has been running for over a week now. Installation was smooth and fast, no error messages or problems. QDT has the best installer I have seen on the 'QL': it even beats the 'Prowess' installer. I copied the files from FLP1_ to RAM1_, loaded QDTinst_bas in QD replaced all occurencies of 'win1_' with 'win2_' and ran the installer from within QD. Another ingenious way of doing it ! Yes, the Installer is 'cool'. Some comments: 1)I have a 'UNKOWN' folder that doesn't contain any object. I tried to add one in this folder(as I did in 'APPS') but QDT prompted a warning window '.. aborted.. . QDT doesn't allow to delete the folder either telling me the folder isn't empty. 2) A folder's window should be closed once an object is executed. 3) I miss an 'ESC' button in the 'About windows' and a 'Close/ESCP/ Quit' button in some 'dropdown menus'. Yes, your point 3 is annoying in the Demo, you can't get rid of it ... :-( 4) The icons are, of course, outstanding. Why not keep the same high quality standard for the icons/sprites in the folders/warning/About windows? (for example the JDH logo,ESC,?(help), W(warning),... This doesn't diminish the functionalities of QDT of course!! 5) All 'Icons/Folders/ About/Warning have the same names( Object icon/ Folder icon/ Wait/ About). This is not a good idea in case one would hang or crash: I woundn't know which one to 'rjob'. 6) If you delete an object in a folder and add a new one the space left by the deleted object remains empty. If you that a few times you will have to resize the folder's window to see the new added object. All the above comments would change my opinion about QDT: It's a great piece of software. If it had been around 10-12 years ago this list would have a few hundreds of active subscribers instead of a few tens. I agree with you. QDT will make using all the features of the new QL system more accessible. The difficulty will be in reaching the all the users who have dropped out for various reasons. -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Some more great feedback - keep it coming everyone, as it is most useful. Here are some responses below... On Jan 1, 2005, at 6:33 PM, François Van Emelen wrote: 1)I have a 'UNKOWN' folder that doesn't contain any object. I tried to add one in this folder(as I did in 'APPS') but QDT prompted a warning window '.. aborted.. . QDT doesn't allow to delete the folder either telling me the folder isn't empty. In this case it is empty due to the limits of the demo. In the full version, any executable that is not found in the database but found on your search path will be placed here, up to the limit of 100 objects. Then you can decide if you want to keep them or delete them. The reason you can't add anything is again the limits of the demo. The limits are both for a single folder plus overall limits. If you delete something from one of the other folders or the desktop, then you will be able to try adding one in this folder. 2) A folder's window should be closed once an object is executed. The executable folder (not enabled in the demo) will be kind of like this. This is a folder that when its object is clicked on it will execute a program (normally within the folder) and not open the folder itself. Or you can from the menu open the folder. I may in the future be adding an option to close a folder when opening a new folder or executing something - user configurable. It is on the wish list at this point. 3) I miss an 'ESC' button in the 'About windows' and a 'Close/ESCP/ Quit' button in some 'dropdown menus'. Will be adding a specific ESC button. For now, just hit escape to close it. I fell into a mental trap and followed a very bad example from the PC world with many About windows. I am considering an option for future drop down menus to allow a single click close of them. Will also consider a separate icon or method. But for now, please also use ESC to abort from any drop down menu. This will likely not be in the full release but would be added in one of the free updates. 4) The icons are, of course, outstanding. Why not keep the same high quality standard for the icons/sprites in the folders/warning/About windows? (for example the JDH logo,ESC,?(help), W(warning),... These are being worked on along with some other cosmetic improvements - just did not make it in time for the demo. 5) All 'Icons/Folders/ About/Warning have the same names( Object icon/ Folder icon/ Wait/ About). This is not a good idea in case one would hang or crash: I woundn't know which one to 'rjob'. Will look into name differentiation for future updates. For actual errors, additional more specific information is added to the qdt.log file (but never enough it would seem :) ). Will also be releasing as a future update a separate job manager that will allow you to block out all the QDT items if desired (each object on the desktop, icon or open folder, is a separate job). 6) If you delete an object in a folder and add a new one the space left by the deleted object remains empty. If you that a few times you will have to resize the folder's window to see the new added object. This isn't quite true but for some reason the first space in a folder is not being used in the placement algorithm. The algorithm for placement of new objects is based on a preset grid. I am currently doing some much needed tuning for icon placement but the theory is that if any object is within a grid square it will not be reused for a new one for automatic placement. Currently there are a few locations not being used properly in the demo but this will be correct in the full release. Of course, you can always move any object around so if you want to pack things tighter or spread them out, no problems. All the above comments would change my opinion about QDT: It's a great piece of software. If it had been around 10-12 years ago this list would have a few hundreds of active subscribers instead of a few tens. Timing seems to be everything. But to tell the truth, if we have hundreds of active subscribers I would spend all my time monitoring this list and not getting anything done on the QDT release :) If available at the QL metting in Eindhoven (March?),I will buy it, together with QWORD( Dutch and French versions). Happy New Year to all of you. At this point in time QDT development is my full time job (took a mini-sabatical from the work force to finish this and a few other projects) So it will definitely be shipping this month. I understand that Jochen and Roy are both taking orders at this time. We will announce final shipping dates when I get a bit closer to the golden release copy. Again, thanks for excellent feedback. Jim JDH Software Technologies ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
The demo should be OK for the unknown folder since no objects are being placed in it on this version. The sizing issue that Roy has discovered will be fixed in the full release. Cheers, jim JDH Software Technologies On Jan 2, 2005, at 8:43 AM, Roy wood wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dent [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes I wrote earlier: I haven't been able to read the disk supplied with Toady. :-( Jochen sent me the files. I've installed on QPC. It took 2 attempts. The first time I ran into a file name length problem. Solved by not trying to put QPT in win1_SYSTEM_QPT_ but win1_QPT_ It works now and all I can say is WOW!!! Now to try it on my Aurora :-) Be careful on the Aurora. It is probably OK on the demo because you have a limited number or items but the full version has problems if the window is too large. I found the bug last night when I installed it on my MinisQL and Jim is looking into it -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.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] QDT Demo
0In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes SNIP 3) I miss an 'ESC' button in the 'About windows' and a 'Close/ESCP/ Quit' button in some 'dropdown menus'. Yes, your point 3 is annoying in the Demo, you can't get rid of it ... :-( Interesting that we are now so centred on desktop furniture that we don't think of hitting the ESC key. That gets rid of it. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Still no excuse for me. After these years at Apple, you would think that I would be more consistent on every part of the interface :) Plus, many users of this probably won't be used to the PC side of things so I shouldn't be making that kind of assumption. Will definitely take care of these points one at a time... Cheers, jim On Jan 2, 2005, at 11:38 AM, Roy wood wrote: 0In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes SNIP 3) I miss an 'ESC' button in the 'About windows' and a 'Close/ESCP/ Quit' button in some 'dropdown menus'. Yes, your point 3 is annoying in the Demo, you can't get rid of it ... :-( Interesting that we are now so centred on desktop furniture that we don't think of hitting the ESC key. That gets rid of it. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.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] QDT Demo
Roy wood wrote: snip 3) I miss an 'ESC' button in the 'About windows' and a 'Close/ESCP/ Quit' button in some 'dropdown menus'. Yes, your point 3 is annoying in the Demo, you can't get rid of it ... :-( Interesting that we are now so centred on desktop furniture that we don't think of hitting the ESC key. That gets rid of it. I had already discovered that. I only wanted to show some inconsistencies: some windows have an 'ESC' button others don't. François Van Emelen ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes 0In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes SNIP 3) I miss an 'ESC' button in the 'About windows' and a 'Close/ESCP/ Quit' button in some 'dropdown menus'. Yes, your point 3 is annoying in the Demo, you can't get rid of it ... :-( Interesting that we are now so centred on desktop furniture that we don't think of hitting the ESC key. That gets rid of it. Indeed, I didn't try the ESC key ... yet you expect the GUI to refer to itself and not the keyboard. As everything else is based on the GUI. -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Rich Mellor wrote: snip Why wait?? I shall not be able to attend Eidnhoven and so will have to rely on someone else to take stock (Geoff)? Please see my reply to Geoff. They might have sold out you never know !! You are pulling my leg here (correct English? :) If so, it would be great for you, Geoff and Dokos. Why not ask other traders to add QWORD in their catalog: Roy and Jochen are usually attending Eindhoven. Ex-traders could do the same. There are cdroms out there (Dilwyn's,..) I have never seen at a QL meeting and so never had the opportunity to buy them. Franois Van Emelen ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 00:32:51 +0100, Franois Van Emelen [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Rich Mellor wrote: snip Why wait?? I shall not be able to attend Eidnhoven and so will have to rely on someone else to take stock (Geoff)? Please see my reply to Geoff. They might have sold out you never know !! You are pulling my leg here (correct English? :) If so, it would be great for you, Geoff and Dokos. Why not ask other traders to add QWORD in their catalog: Roy and Jochen are usually attending Eindhoven. Ex-traders could do the same. There are cdroms out there (Dilwyn's,..) I have never seen at a QL meeting and so never had the opportunity to buy them. The problem is that QL software is supplied on a very tight budget - doesn't really leave any room to let others take a share of sale proceeds, especially after taking account of the cost of getting the disks and manuals etc to the trader in the first place. Also, having stocks with other traders also causes problems when you update the software (or need to keep a list of your customers since traders don't always get these details). Because the QL market is so small, and so few people actually attend shows / buy stuff at the shows, it makes the postage to the trader a very high proportion of the actual profit on any sales (I sent some stuff to teh Norwich show for sale - the profit from the two items that were actually sold did not cover the postage, so I won't be doing that again - leave it for people to order over the internet, or if they aren't willing to find a way of ordering from abroad, let them lose out). Coupled with the problems of getting payment from fellow traders, it really is not worthwhile any more. If foreign users want to order stuff from the UK, I would gladly take payments via PayPal and pass on the payment to the actualt trader (less the PayPal fee - about 6%). I have done this before for some of my customers. -- 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] QDT Demo
On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 at 21:18:05, Phoebus Dokos wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Sat, 1 Jan 2005 01:48:33 +,() Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: What are you talking about ? Firmware is what is on the board itself. Each Chip has a set of instructions built into it and you have to interface with the controller to talk to the hardware. How else could you do it. Really this is silly. Every device has to be able to talk to the controlling software. On the SGC there was a standard device to talk to the floppy drives and the 'glue' chip on the SGC talked to that. Both of these were firmware in a s much as they were written to the chip itself . In the case of the ISA controller there is only one kind of firmware and that is the code on teh chips which talks to the hardware. You obviously have it confused... Definitions of Firmware (from various sources) 1. Software that is embedded in a hardware device that allows reading and executing the software, but does not allow modification, e.g., writing or deleting data by an end user. (188) Note 1: An example of firmware is a computer program in a read-only memory (ROM) integrated circuit chip. A hardware configuration is usually used to represent the software. Note 2: Another example of firmware is a program embedded in an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) chip, which program may be modified by special external hardware, but not by an application program. www.bandwidthmarket.com/resources/glossary/F3.html 2. Alterable programs in semipermanent storage, e.g., some type of read-only or flash reprogrammable memory. www.lantronix.com/learning/glossary/ 3. Software routines stored in read-only memory (ROM). Unlike random access memory (RAM), read-only memory stays intact in the absence of electrical power. Startup routines and low-level input/output instructions are stored in firmware. See also BIOS, EFI. www.microsoft.com/hwdev/glossary.htm 4. Any software stored in a form of read-only memoryROM,EPROM,or EEPROM---that maintains its contents when power is removed. The BIOS used in IBM-compatible computers is firmware. www.angelfire.com/ny3/diGi8tech/FGlossary.html 5. Software (programs or data) that has been written onto read-only memory (ROM). Firmware is a combination of software and hardware. ROMs, PROMs and EPROMs that have data or programs recorded on them are firmware. www.5starsupport.com/info/glossary.htm 6, Software routines that are permanently written onto read-only memory www.puredata.com/manual/backboneswiches/appendix/glossary.html 7. A computer program or software stored permanently in PROM or ROM. www.bbdsoft.com/glossary.html As you can see by definition Firmware has nothing to do with hard coded logic embedded into chip designs (logic gates etc). One can argue that this is firmware but the definition of Firmware also means software. By the classic definition of software you need some kind of CPU to run it (ie Control Unit, ALU, Memory) which hardware doesn't have. Your example of the Super Gold Card is wrong of course because the SGC is a full computer that HAPPENS to have a multi i/o chip on it. The CPU on the SGC needs some software (included in the ROM - the SGC ROM that is) together with logic circuits provided in hardware (but that could be theoretically software) and which is the GLUE chip. The glue chip has NO firmware. It has logic burned into it. It cannot be changed like software. And also that logic by itself can do nothing. It's the SGC's firmware (the ROM) that makes it work (that and the rest of the system). Remember for the SGC example the rest of your QL is nothing but a serial, video, kbd and microdrive IO board for the *real computer* that is the SGC. Even the ROM is really not needed as the SGC patches it and creates a new rom version in RAM. Now on other kind of hardware you can or you cannot have firmware (ROM/EPROM/PROM/FLASH) based software on it. Q40 cards don't. I am sure Roy's firmware definition tied in with this. He was not talking about the processor. Whe he said Firmware is on the board he was talking Eproms, logic chips etc. I am -sure- he was not talking about logic embedded into chip designs. If you are going to 'argue' about semantics, it is probably best left to private emails. 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] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes SNIP You obviously have it confused... I do not see how any of what you wrote makes what I said confused.. The controller chips on I/O boards are firmware by the definitions you gave. (And which I have removed so no one has to read it all twice- can we try to do this please?) SNIP As you can see by definition Firmware has nothing to do with hard coded logic embedded into chip designs (logic gates etc). Pedantic - that was not what I was saying. One can argue that this is firmware but the definition of Firmware also means software. By the classic definition of software you need some kind of CPU to run it (ie Control Unit, ALU, Memory) which hardware doesn't have. Also rather pedantic. Your example of the Super Gold Card is wrong of course because the SGC is a full computer that HAPPENS to have a multi i/o chip on it. The CPU on the SGC needs some software (included in the ROM - the SGC ROM that is) together with logic circuits provided in hardware (but that could be theoretically software) and which is the GLUE chip. The glue chip has NO firmware. It has logic burned into it. It cannot be changed like software. And also that logic by itself can do nothing. It's the SGC's firmware (the ROM) that makes it work (that and the rest of the system). OK the SGC is not a full computer because it can only read an O/S in from an external source and I did not say that the Glue chip was firmware but that the device controller chip was. It was bought pre-programmed and the Glue chip provided the drivers that allowed communication between that and the QL in order to make the drives work. Remember for the SGC example the rest of your QL is nothing but a serial, video, kbd and microdrive IO board for the *real computer* that is the SGC. Even the ROM is really not needed as the SGC patches it and creates a new rom version in RAM. It is needed because it would have nothing to start up with if it was not there. If your example were true we would not need anything else except a Qubide and a superHermes for the I/O - should be an easy board to make. I look forward to you making one for us. Anyhow let us stop this sill pedantic argument about what is or isn't a definition of firmware. All I was saying was that the logic or whatever you want to call it on the I/O board may have trouble dealing with drives of a size for which the original programmers could not have foreseen. Many BIOS's have problems with today's drives. SNIP Well at least I remember that v.2y99 was the first one that could get Prowess that had a lot of trouble with the cache to work properly. Before that only the patched 2.98 (courtesy of RZ) could work properly where cache was concerned. I got ProWesS to work by turning off the caches completely. They may have had a good effect of shaving a few seconds off a benchmark but I wanted the software to work and that was why I wanted the Q40. At the time it was the fastest thing around. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Guys, Can you do me a bit of a favor? Change the subject line if you want to keep talking about this other stuff? Trying to monitor for any QDT specific stuff but instead end up reading all about something else. Indeed :-) Back on the topic ... with a new day, new year ( ! ) and a fresh brain :-) I have now been able to install QDT Demo successfully from the Demo disk supplied by QL Today. Nice to see what it is ... and well done to yourself for producing it. I solved the installation difficulty by starting QPC2 v.3.23 without running my normal boot sequence at all. Just went straight to the Demo disk. Ran the installation from there, used the 'Easy' option to write to the boot file present ( after taking the precaution of saving a backup copy of the boot, just in case ). I did this on the main 'win1_' drive. It all ran smoothly and installed fine. QPC2 just needs to be in the High Color mode, which for me is either 640 x 480, or 800 x 600. Which is the limitation of the graphic card that I have in the PC. As Rich Mellor correctly pointed out my misgivings about the Wman present being the problem, were unfounded, as the High Color version it is built into SMSQ/E. Previously, with the 'QDTINST_BAS' programme I was getting this error after entering 'flp1_' as the source location : InfoZip 5.21b (jh) - cannot find QDTINST_ZIP. Which is why I also previously had to copy the files across to a hard drive directory of 'QDT_', and proceed to install from there. I have had time too, to check the previous 'manual' installation that I did to 'win2_', the Zip Drive; and get this working. Using 'Rjob' I could see that 'QDT_EXE' was actually present in memory. It just hadn't started after the 'EX' command. For some reason. Just a cursor in an empty SBASIC window. All I needed to do was to issue the 'RUN' command. Subsequently I have created a separate 'boot_QDT' as an option from my boot file. As I don't necessarily wish to have the QDT Demo as the desktop at present, the Demo is limited in what it what it can do, inevitably. QDT is a very nice interface, even at this development stage - 'a work in progress' - and works very smoothly and quickly. So, if you are reading this - give a go ! Ideal for all the users who are familiar other WIMP environments ( Windows / Icons / Mouse / Pointer ), like Windows, IMac, etc. Can they be tempted back to a SMSQ/E + QDT environment too ? As ever it is good software that makes users like and want to use a system. Hopefully having QDT as a desktop will encourage this. Personally I would like someone to add on a 3D sculptured look to the QDT windows - which are essentially flat at present. Then the 'eye candy' appeal will be even greater. For example, on my old RISC OS system I have an add-on called '!NewLook' which gives that flat WIMP appearance the 3D treatment.. Which still looks as good as anything on Windows, although '!NewLook' was done over 10 years ago on RISC OS. Which was at the time of Windows 3.11 ( remember that interface ? ). The latest IMac interface makes yet another step forward with its use of transparency and translucency. Which you Jim will know all about :-) -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Sat, 1 Jan 2005 13:28:37 +,() Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: I solved the installation difficulty by starting QPC2 v.3.23 without running my normal boot sequence at all. Just went straight to the Demo disk. Ran the installation from there, used the 'Easy' option to write to the boot file present ( after taking the precaution of saving a backup copy of the boot, just in case ). You actually didn't have to do this as it saves a backup copy of your bootfile big snip Personally I would like someone to add on a 3D sculptured look to the QDT windows - which are essentially flat at present. Then the 'eye candy' appeal will be even greater. For that you probably have to change the system palette a bit. Marcel has a nice set of two (or more now?) basic files that will do that for you The latest IMac interface makes yet another step forward with its use of transparency and translucency. You mean of course Aqua and OSX :-) Which you Jim will know all about :-) Wait until he shows you that mucho cool task switcher that Apple has (simple wow... I was so jealous I nearly drilled his head ;-) hehe Ffibys ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Phoebus Dokos writes: The last version of SMSQ/E which was 'approved' for the Q40 / Q60 by its builders was, I believe, patched to remove problems with the caches. Again, I am out of the loop with this now and the Q40 is rarely switched on so I am not sure but I ran it all day today on v 3.07 and saw no fragmentation on my sysmon. Maybe my Sysmon or QPAC2 version is what's causing the problems. I don't know if it has changed since last year. You may be using one of the beta versions of the updated Qpac2 suit. View the top few bytes of the binary for the version numbers. My sysmon is 2.09 and Qpac2 is v1.42 - but a number of test versions have the same version number! Get the latest from your supplier. Per ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Hopefully he will have the free QL emulator working on it soon. QemuLator for Mac Daniele Terdina style or the Mac uQLx on Phoebus's site? Getting confusing now, too many good emulators around ;-) -- Dilwyn Jones -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.298 / Virus Database: 265.6.5 - Release Date: 26/12/2004 ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Sat, 1 Jan 2005 12:15:40 -0800,() James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: Yes, but I won't be going quite that far with QDT. After all I am one person plus the help of a few on a fairly old OS while Apple has the latest hardware and tons of programmers :) But still -even-older software... since OS X is based on BSD (the only true Unix out there except that bastardisation from SCO) which was old even when the ZX80 was brand new Wait until he shows you that mucho cool task switcher that Apple has (simple wow... I was so jealous I nearly drilled his head ;-) hehe Actually, you did start the drill if I recall. Luckily there was nothing to leak out. Started but never started (kinda like the Clintonesque never inhaled) thing ;-) Ffibys ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Dilwyn Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Hopefully he will have the free QL emulator working on it soon. QemuLator for Mac Daniele Terdina style or the Mac uQLx on Phoebus's site? Getting confusing now, too many good emulators around ;-) He is trying both QLAY and Qemulator ... and there is the Mac uQLx. A rich field indeed :-) -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Sat, 01 Jan 2005 15:38:16 -0500,() Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: Started but never started (kinda like the Clintonesque never inhaled) thing ;-) Of course that didn't come out right even for my Greeklish :-) I meant started but never touched :-) Ffibys ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Malcolm Cadman wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes snip Personally I would like someone to add on a 3D sculptured look to the QDT windows - which are essentially flat at present. Then the 'eye candy' appeal will be even greater. snip Anyone else tried the QDT Demo supplied with QL Today yet ? Yes, off course. It has been running for over a week now. Installation was smooth and fast, no error messages or problems. QDT has the best installer I have seen on the 'QL': it even beats the 'Prowess' installer. I copied the files from FLP1_ to RAM1_, loaded QDTinst_bas in QD replaced all occurencies of 'win1_' with 'win2_' and ran the installer from within QD. Some comments: 1)I have a 'UNKOWN' folder that doesn't contain any object. I tried to add one in this folder(as I did in 'APPS') but QDT prompted a warning window '.. aborted.. . QDT doesn't allow to delete the folder either telling me the folder isn't empty. 2) A folder's window should be closed once an object is executed. 3) I miss an 'ESC' button in the 'About windows' and a 'Close/ESCP/ Quit' button in some 'dropdown menus'. 4) The icons are, of course, outstanding. Why not keep the same high quality standard for the icons/sprites in the folders/warning/About windows? (for example the JDH logo,ESC,?(help), W(warning),... This doesn't diminish the functionalities of QDT of course!! 5) All 'Icons/Folders/ About/Warning have the same names( Object icon/ Folder icon/ Wait/ About). This is not a good idea in case one would hang or crash: I woundn't know which one to 'rjob'. 6) If you delete an object in a folder and add a new one the space left by the deleted object remains empty. If you that a few times you will have to resize the folder's window to see the new added object. All the above comments would change my opinion about QDT: It's a great piece of software. If it had been around 10-12 years ago this list would have a few hundreds of active subscribers instead of a few tens. If available at the QL metting in Eindhoven (March?),I will buy it, together with QWORD( Dutch and French versions). Happy New Year to all of you. François Van Emelen ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 11:09:51 -0500, Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: So assuming we are already up in 1024 x 512 and we issue a WMON 50,50 (as per M.K. usual standard which I have adopted as itleaves sufficient space for the button frame - thanks Marcel) and then issue either a DISP_SIZE 512,256 (which should switch to512x256 Hi-colour) or DISP_COLOUR 0,512 (Which should switch to Mode 4 512 x 256) the OS dies - And when I mean dies... diescompletely -Only a hardware reset will bring it back. However if you keep your job 0 within the confines of the 512x256 (upper half corner of the screen) then switching is no problem. You will kill a couple of PE jobs here and there but that's to be expected. Is this not the same problem as I highlighted on this very some time ago - the problem is that the SuperBasic windows exceed the visible screen area and so smsq/e tried to kill the job (it kills all jobs which would have any part of their windows outside the reduced screen area). I can see why this happens (although it should NOT affect job 0 - which should surely force #0,#1 and #2 into the standard WMON setup (in 512x256) - possibly just stop the current job from running and close any windows which would fall outside 512x256. Without background screen writing, it is impossible to let other jobs run. However, my suggestion was that jobs should not be killed when the screen resolution is altered - only when they are brought to the top of the pile (so that they would be able to write to the windows which are outside of the screen area). In this way, if the user switched from 1024x512 to 512x256 to run a small program, they could carry on using the high resolution program, provided that they changed the screen mode back before PICKing the job. Another option could be for the task scheduler to increase the screen size if a task cannot fit within the confines of the current screen - though I do not think that this would look very neat. Any other suggestions on the best way of handling these ?? I thought someone had offered to look at background screen drawing - did they ever do anything other than offer their services?? -- 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] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Rich Mellor [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 13:39:08 -0800, James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Malcolm, clip For the installation, you should run the basic program that came with the install. It should run everything for you, including the unzipping and starting the official installer. The intent is that the three files are self contained. Just by running the basic program, you don't need to know much else. This is one of the problems with the QL being over 20 years old before it has software with automated installers. The first thing people do is try to copy the software across to their desired device themselves and configure it - not thinking that they should read the instructions and actually try to LRUN the boot file on the disk. I actually did try it from the Demo floppy as it has LRUN flp1_QDINST_BAS printed on it. Although it didn't seem to want to start from there. Thus I made a directory on the win drive called 'QDT' and copied the files from the floppy to there. The problem was that my 'unzip' was running the version that I have on the win drive, which is 5.32. This threw up some errors in the 'ICONS' of QDT. Using the 'unzip' provided solved that, and software installed with no difficulty. I note, too, from your other email that 'unzip' is now at version v.5.40. I believe that all of these things are important and worth commenting on. As those of us who have some expertise should make it as easy as possible for users to install software ... especially when it is something which is highly complex. If I wore a hat I would take it off to you for the QWord installation process, which is the neatest I have come across. -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Hi Malcolm, Could you forward me separately to the email address below copies of: - install_log file (should be either in your win1_QDTINST_ folder or more likely in your win1_QDT_ folder (assuming that is where you installed it)? - qdt.log (should be in your win1_QDT_ folder, same assumption) - your boot file(s) Also, any additional notes about your install process would be appreciated. For the installation, you should run the basic program that came with the install. It should run everything for you, including the unzipping and starting the official installer. The intent is that the three files are self contained. Just by running the basic program, you don't need to know much else. You might want to go to the QDT website to download the PDF QDT Installer User Manual. It has complete screen shots and lots more detail. It also has a few more user manuals plus errata, FAQs, etc. http://www.jdh-stech.comThere is a link near the top of this page that takes you directly to QDT contact at jdh-stech dot comFor email of any issues or need for support If anyone else has any problems with this install, please contact me directly as quickly as possible as I am racing to get the final full production release ready. By the way, the EXIT button only happens at the end of the install itself. The bottom right button is always the next step button, whether it be NEXT, START, or EXIT. I am really curious why you do not have anything visible on your screen to start with, especially since you are running it on QPC. Perhaps it has to do with the way you started things versus using the automated install from the basic program. Malcolm, one last thing, where did you get the more recent InfoZip copy? Thanks, Jim. I don't think it is anything to do with your software. After looking at it again today the problem for me is that my version of the 'Wman' is v1.53, which has been superceded for the High Color screens. As your software is quite rightly exploiting the latest graphic abilities, this is where I have been caught out. It took me some time to realise it ! . as I wasn't looking for that as the cause, and there were no error messages being shown. Your Installer is well implemented. I am just saying make it as foolproof as possible ... especially as it can be quite a lengthy process. Maybe put in some 'dummy values' into the boxes that are blank - for example 'Empty'. With regard to the InfoZip copy I obtained it through one of the London QL Quanta group members. Presumably it was downloaded off the web. -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes SNIP If you do not use PE applications at all (speaking of my experience) the system is just fine. Problems start once you use some PE applications which don't fare too well with either extensions or the memory scheme (I would assume as I haven't been able to point my finger on it yet) I replied to some of this in the other mail but what do you mean about 'extensions' which extensions do you refer to. Maybe it is the amount of hard drives/their size that I have (I have currently 3 exceeding a combined 160 Gigs capacity) that causes the OS to go nuts (or at least some applications). I seem to recall that the Q40 had limit to the size of the partitions available for SMSQ but that may have been fixed. As David McCann pointed out the limit was 256mb but I suspect this has now been addressed. Nonetheless you are, of course, running this on an ISA slot controller which possibly has firmware which is not designed to handle large drives. Doubt this would fragment memory though. The last version of SMSQ/E which was 'approved' for the Q40 / Q60 by its builders was, I believe, patched to remove problems with the caches. Again, I am out of the loop with this now and the Q40 is rarely switched on so I am not sure but I ran it all day today on v 3.07 and saw no fragmentation on my sysmon. SNIP My other piece of redundant hardware is my MinisQL since that is really pretty slow in comparison to the other stuff but I thought I would drag it out and install QDT on it as a test. It installed perfectly and adapted itself to the smaller screen with no problems (thought you would like to know that Jim). Well I wouldn't call my Aurora setup redundant (or slow) for that matter myself but that's strictly a personal opinion. (However if it is redundant I'll be glad to relieve you of it ;-) -for free of course- :-P ) Would this be to go with the Aurora and SGC that you asked me to hold onto for you which you then did not reply to my email about asking if you wanted it? It is only redundant in the sense of not being used in everyday situations. Marcel found it very useful in the development of the colour Aurora Drivers and I find it useful for odd tasks like disk copying and testing software (and SMSQ/E) Mind you, if anyone wants a full MinisQL I can oblige. The Aurora SMSQ/e (current version 3.03 with colour drivers) actually has no problems and the colour drivers are to say the least excellent! And to me at least they are quite fast :-) And for you infidels out there proof of that is only 1 purchase away ;-) (buy QWord for the Aurora and you will see that it is quite fast). BTW: Auroras with Minerva MKII installed as per Simon's (Goodwin) confirmation CAN play Digital Audio at 10KHz mono (which is quite good actually)... so all Aurora users out there better start buying stuff from TF Services (Tony may I remind you that you will need to add a couple of zeroes to that cheque ;-) hehehe) OF course once you have the colour drivers installed to play QWord you cannot use the Minerva can you? BTW the Aurora Colour driver is just a module grafted onto exactly the same core of SMSQ/E as is used in all the other versions (so Marcel recently informed me when we were discussing how to detect the different versions for the SGC - Hi and Lo Colour.). So, if the O/S is at fault so it should fragment on all systems. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 17:43:42 +, Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: cut I don't think it is anything to do with your software. After looking at it again today the problem for me is that my version of the 'Wman' is v1.53, which has been superceded for the High Color screens. Hang on Malcolm - what system are you running this on...?? Smsq/e has wman and ptr_gen incorporated - you should not be loading them separately. QDT only runs under smsq/e if I am correct - therefore you should not be worrying about the version of wman as much as the version of smsq/e As your software is quite rightly exploiting the latest graphic abilities, this is where I have been caught out. It took me some time to realise it ! . as I wasn't looking for that as the cause, and there were no error messages being shown. Your Installer is well implemented. I am just saying make it as foolproof as possible ... especially as it can be quite a lengthy process. I am sure he would appreciate comments on how to make it more foolproof - I am waiting to see this program with baited breath now... -- 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] QDT Demo
Fri, 31 Dec 2004 19:26:57 +,() Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes SNIP If you do not use PE applications at all (speaking of my experience) the system is just fine. Problems start once you use some PE applications which don't fare too well with either extensions or the memory scheme (I would assume as I haven't been able to point my finger on it yet) I replied to some of this in the other mail but what do you mean about 'extensions' which extensions do you refer to. Yes but I just finished running an exhaustive memory test and no memory errors were found. So memory problems are out of the question. Regardless of that I removed ALL extensions that I am running and only left QMenu and QPAC2. Sysmon continues reporting fragmentation snip I seem to recall that the Q40 had limit to the size of the partitions available for SMSQ but that may have been fixed. As David McCann pointed out the limit was 256mb but I suspect this has now been addressed. Yes Nonetheless you are, of course, running this on an ISA slot controller which possibly has firmware which is not designed to handle large drives. Doubt this would fragment memory though. That is silly. You cannot use PC (x86 code) firmware on a Q40! Nonetheless all but one of my ISA controllers are dual channel ones and are supported by SMSQ/e as well as QDOS Classic and Q40 Linux. Many people use them (among others Fabrizio which bought it on his own) The last version of SMSQ/E which was 'approved' for the Q40 / Q60 by its builders was, I believe, patched to remove problems with the caches. Again, I am out of the loop with this now and the Q40 is rarely switched on so I am not sure but I ran it all day today on v 3.07 and saw no fragmentation on my sysmon. Maybe my Sysmon or QPAC2 version is what's causing the problems. I don't know if it has changed since last year. SNIP My other piece of redundant hardware is my MinisQL since that is really pretty slow in comparison to the other stuff but I thought I would drag it out and install QDT on it as a test. It installed perfectly and adapted itself to the smaller screen with no problems (thought you would like to know that Jim). Well I wouldn't call my Aurora setup redundant (or slow) for that matter myself but that's strictly a personal opinion. (However if it is redundant I'll be glad to relieve you of it ;-) -for free of course- :-P ) Would this be to go with the Aurora and SGC that you asked me to hold onto for you which you then did not reply to my email about asking if you wanted it? But I did reply to your email! Twice actually! However the above reference was a joke (unless you want indeed to give it for free :-P It is only redundant in the sense of not being used in everyday situations. Marcel found it very useful in the development of the colour Aurora Drivers and I find it useful for odd tasks like disk copying and testing software (and SMSQ/E) Mind you, if anyone wants a full MinisQL I can oblige. OF course once you have the colour drivers installed to play QWord you cannot use the Minerva can you? Once you have SMSQ/e you cannot use Minerva (except for the I2C part) but that doesn't stop you from NOT loading SMSQ/e (where QWord plays quite nicely and floppy speed is faster than with SMSQ/e) BTW the Aurora Colour driver is just a module grafted onto exactly the same core of SMSQ/E as is used in all the other versions (so Marcel recently informed me when we were discussing how to detect the different versions for the SGC - Hi and Lo Colour.). So, if the O/S is at fault so it should fragment on all systems. Not exactly. Not all SMSQ/e's are the same and AFAIK they don't all have EXACTLY the same code. What would happen then if you tried to use Cache modes commands on QPC or Gold Card? Phoebus ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes SNIP Yes but I just finished running an exhaustive memory test and no memory errors were found. So memory problems are out of the question. No I meant the problem was with the way the memory was used on the system not with the system itself. Regardless of that I removed ALL extensions that I am running and only left QMenu and QPAC2. Sysmon continues reporting fragmentation As Rich Mellor so rightly asks, What version of Sysmon is it. This has been updated. That is silly. You cannot use PC (x86 code) firmware on a Q40! Wrong. The firmware is what is on the chip that does the controlling. That firmware is, these days, often flash memory so it can be updated to support new media (as happens often in CD Writers etc.) The hardware and O/S has to interface with the onboard firmware in order to control the device. I thought you went to college to learn this stuff!! (He he) Nonetheless all but one of my ISA controllers are dual channel ones and are supported by SMSQ/e as well as QDOS Classic and Q40 Linux. Many people use them (among others Fabrizio which bought it on his own) Probably not the likely cause of the memory problem as I said. SNIP Well I wouldn't call my Aurora setup redundant (or slow) for that matter myself but that's strictly a personal opinion. (However if it is redundant I'll be glad to relieve you of it ;-) -for free of course- :-P ) Would this be to go with the Aurora and SGC that you asked me to hold onto for you which you then did not reply to my email about asking if you wanted it? But I did reply to your email! Twice actually! However the above reference was a joke (unless you want indeed to give it for free :-P So was mine but the only reply I got from you was to say you were going to reply. Once you have SMSQ/e you cannot use Minerva (except for the I2C part) but that doesn't stop you from NOT loading SMSQ/e (where QWord plays quite nicely and floppy speed is faster than with SMSQ/e) See my reply to Rich Mellor Not exactly. Not all SMSQ/e's are the same and AFAIK they don't all have EXACTLY the same code. What would happen then if you tried to use Cache modes commands on QPC or Gold Card? They do have different modules added in to support the various hardware differences but the core code is, I have been informed, always the same. I do not think anyone has changed the Cache modes which were written by TT at Peter's behest. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Rich Mellor [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes The problem is not helped by the fact that Peter Graf has turned his back on current versions of smsq/e. As the hardware designer, he is best placed to comment and spot where the problems lie. One of the problems I had with him was that, when I reported problems he told me they weren't problems and did nothing about them. Alas, there is no prospect of getting him to work under the smsq/e licence, therefore the smsq/e developers have to struggle on alone. Well that should be no problem since Wolfgang has and uses a Q60 That said - if people do not report problems so that they can be collated together, how is anyone supposed to fix the problems?? 100% agree with that. cut The Aurora SMSQ/e (current version 3.03 with colour drivers) actually has no problems and the colour drivers are to say the least excellent! And to me at least they are quite fast :-) And for you infidels out there proof of that is only 1 purchase away ;-) (buy QWord for the Aurora and you will see that it is quite fast). BTW: Auroras with Minerva MKII installed as per Simon's (Goodwin) confirmation CAN play Digital Audio at 10KHz mono (which is quite good actually)... so all Aurora users out there better start buying stuff from TF Services (Tony may I remind you that you will need to add a couple of zeroes to that cheque ;-) hehehe) OF course once you have the colour drivers installed to play QWord you cannot use the Minerva can you? Yes, but Roy, you can play QWord under Minerva - you do not need smsq/e at all :-) That is why we are so proud of it. I can see your pride but Phoebus was just extolling the virtues of SMSQ/E colour Aurora drivers. In any case, surely the Minerva MKII extensions would still work from within smsq/e - or do they actually use some of the Minerva operating system? I don't think they work although some bits were adapted to run under SMSQ/E. The thing is that SMSQ/E replaces whatever is underneath and Minerva is just and operating system on a ROM so as far as SMSQ/E is concerned it is not there. BTW the Aurora Colour driver is just a module grafted onto exactly the same core of SMSQ/E as is used in all the other versions (so Marcel recently informed me when we were discussing how to detect the different versions for the SGC - Hi and Lo Colour.). So, if the O/S is at fault so it should fragment on all systems. I agree... However, I think the problem is with some of the actual software in use on the Q40 - from what I recall, there were various patches released including ones for Qliberated programs ?? Sysmon may need updating to cope - Phoebus is at fault here - making a sweeping statement that smsq/e is not reliable on Q40/Q60 is liable to put people off using that operating system, when it actually appears related more to the software he is using. Phoebus, if you don't report details of the actual problems, then please don't make sweeping statements (we get much too many of those on the list). Yes I was going to ask him what version of Sysmon he had - I forgot. I don't recall actual patches for QLiberated programs but the O/S certainly got patched. On my Q40 things would not run which ran perfectly well on a DD systems one. We tested this at the Hove show they came to. I tried all the patches but ProWesS and some QLib programs just would not work correctly. I have already had comments like QWord installer does not work on smsq/w v2.98 but QWord does (this is on the Q40) - without knowing exactly what the user sees on screen (ie. what happens), how am I supposed to know whether it is smsq/e or my installer (I have no Q40/Q60 let alone smsq/e v2.98) I get this sort of thing all the time. One user tied me up for hours asking about creating a QXL.WIN file on his ZIP drive from QPC2 I talked him through it and it kept failing. Of course the one question I had forgotten to ask (didn't think I would need to) was if he had a disk in the drive. He didn't. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Fri, 31 Dec 2004 20:46:26 +,() Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes SNIP Yes but I just finished running an exhaustive memory test and no memory errors were found. So memory problems are out of the question. No I meant the problem was with the way the memory was used on the system not with the system itself. Regardless of that I removed ALL extensions that I am running and only left QMenu and QPAC2. Sysmon continues reporting fragmentation As Rich Mellor so rightly asks, What version of Sysmon is it. This has been updated. That is silly. You cannot use PC (x86 code) firmware on a Q40! Wrong. The firmware is what is on the chip that does the controlling. That firmware is, these days, often flash memory so it can be updated to support new media (as happens often in CD Writers etc.) The hardware and O/S has to interface with the onboard firmware in order to control the device. I thought you went to college to learn this stuff!! (He he) I am sorry but you are wrong. By Firmware we mean software (specific to a CPU unless someone has created JAVA bytecode firmware that I don't know about) that is put on a hardware add on for ANY number of reasons. There are kinds of firmware of course and some are completely foreign to the platform (good example is the old Turtle beach firmware that was in two parts. One was the PC code that was used as a loader for the 68000 that was on board that had a different firmware altogether (that was being downloaded) and which happened to be 68K code. What is on the CHIP COULD be firmware if the Chip was an SCC (Single Chip Computer... like the superHermes or the 8049) however that is not the case with the controller chips unless they are caching controllers which do not function on the Q40 anyway. What you probably mean is either Logic Code (as in hardware coding such as the Mach chips on the Aurora or Lattice Chips on the Qx0s) or Microcode (which isn't the case here anyway) By and large though firmware is specific to the hardware platform for which the add on is destined to. That is why modern PCI cards for example do not have anything like that but softload it onto the card so that cards can function in different systems (ie Macs and PCs) Nonetheless all but one of my ISA controllers are dual channel ones and are supported by SMSQ/e as well as QDOS Classic and Q40 Linux. Many people use them (among others Fabrizio which bought it on his own) Probably not the likely cause of the memory problem as I said. SNIP Once you have SMSQ/e you cannot use Minerva (except for the I2C part) but that doesn't stop you from NOT loading SMSQ/e (where QWord plays quite nicely and floppy speed is faster than with SMSQ/e) See my reply to Rich Mellor Actually I2C works fine (I have it here and use it as well..) the MKii part works great. They do have different modules added in to support the various hardware differences but the core code is, I have been informed, always the same. I do not think anyone has changed the Cache modes which were written by TT at Peter's behest. I think they were changed right after SMSQ/e's license was changed but I am not sure. -- Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Rich Mellor [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 17:43:42 +, Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: cut I don't think it is anything to do with your software. After looking at it again today the problem for me is that my version of the 'Wman' is v1.53, which has been superceded for the High Color screens. Hang on Malcolm - what system are you running this on...?? Smsq/e has wman and ptr_gen incorporated - you should not be loading them separately. You know that is a thought, Rich. I still use a boot file with QPC2 that I took over from my Gold Card QL system. In that I do implicitly load the QPAC2 files. Today I did try making a boot file just for QDT as a separate item, using the information that Jim's Installer provides - it writes a text file with comments on what additions are required to an existing boot file ( this when you use the Advanced option ( manual ), rather than the automatic version which writes to the existing boot file for you. QDT only runs under smsq/e if I am correct - therefore you should not be worrying about the version of wman as much as the version of smsq/e Umm ... that is why it didn't really occur to me to consider the Wman. How do you check the SMSQ/E version number ? As your software is quite rightly exploiting the latest graphic abilities, this is where I have been caught out. It took me some time to realise it ! . as I wasn't looking for that as the cause, and there were no error messages being shown. Your Installer is well implemented. I am just saying make it as foolproof as possible ... especially as it can be quite a lengthy process. I am sure he would appreciate comments on how to make it more foolproof - I am waiting to see this program with baited breath now... Well, now that I have looked at what the Installer produces, it is a smart piece of work. Which makes it more disappointing that I haven't got a working Demo :-( -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Thanks for the verification, Malcolm. I have added a couple of notes in the QDT web site FAQs section as to the problems you ran into which should help anyone else who hits them. No problem. That is what Demo's are for. On Dec 31, 2004, at 9:43 AM, Malcolm Cadman wrote: Thanks, Jim. I don't think it is anything to do with your software. After looking at it again today the problem for me is that my version of the 'Wman' is v1.53, which has been superceded for the High Color screens. As your software is quite rightly exploiting the latest graphic abilities, this is where I have been caught out. It took me some time to realise it ! . as I wasn't looking for that as the cause, and there were no error messages being shown. Your Installer is well implemented. I am just saying make it as foolproof as possible ... especially as it can be quite a lengthy process. Maybe put in some 'dummy values' into the boxes that are blank - for example 'Empty'. With regard to the InfoZip copy I obtained it through one of the London QL Quanta group members. Presumably it was downloaded off the web. -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Maybe Jim's installer does not report Program does not start in the resolution / screen mode . I had debated trying to detect this, but as you probably saw in a recent thread, it isn't all that simple. So instead I went the route trying to make it clear in the system specs and the articles that hi color (256 or more) capabilities are required to run anything to do with QDT. Not a perfect solution but I have enough other things that I need to work out in our systems to make it all happen. QDT and its installer will set the colors properly and automatically as long as the system being used supports 256 or more colors. Thus I made a directory on the win drive called 'QDT' and copied the files from the floppy to there. The problem was that my 'unzip' was running the version that I have on the win drive, which is 5.32. This threw up some errors in the 'ICONS' of QDT. Hmm - what I do not understand is how, if you copied all the files across to win1_QDT_ and ran the installer from there, why did it use YOUR unzip, rather than the one supplied?? Just looked at the basic install program and I don't actually use the location that you type in to start unzip. Instead I do use DATA_USE and PROG_USE and then do a direct EX unzip call. This I believe should work. I do restore the DATA_USE and PROG_USE to the original settings when done. I will do another install and let you know the results. Could just be my ignorance :-) ... yet you need to know that too, as other users can make similar errors. I have now looked at all the reports in a text editor that QDT does when it installs and you have done a very neat job. Using the 'unzip' provided solved that, and software installed with no difficulty. I note, too, from your other email that 'unzip' is now at version v.5.40. I believe that all of these things are important and worth commenting on. As those of us who have some expertise should make it as easy as possible for users to install software ... especially when it is something which is highly complex. Yes, all this is useful information and I do take notes. I won't always make changes (can't implement everything for everyone or else it would never get done) do often do. And I will continue to update the FAQs page on the web to help other users as appropriate. By the way, Phoebus and I have talked about the QWord install and some of the plans for it. For most programs, it will make an excellent installer and I hope that you guys can make it available for everyone to use. The QDT installer, while someone scripted, turned into something a lot more complex than most people would need, due to what it was installing. So I am very glad you guys are doing your separate efforts for a 'universal' install program. I would agree with that. A universal installer would be a nice feature to have. Recent QL software is also getting very sophisticated. I remember that it took me a while to understand how set up QPAC2 and the Pointer Environment to my liking. Yet once achieved there was no going back. More recently I set up Launchpad, and I now find that indispensable ... like how did I ever manage without it :-) -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Rich Mellor [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 18:11:29 +, Malcolm Cadman [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Rich Mellor [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 13:39:08 -0800, James Hunkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Malcolm, clip For the installation, you should run the basic program that came with the install. It should run everything for you, including the unzipping and starting the official installer. The intent is that the three files are self contained. Just by running the basic program, you don't need to know much else. This is one of the problems with the QL being over 20 years old before it has software with automated installers. The first thing people do is try to copy the software across to their desired device themselves and configure it - not thinking that they should read the instructions and actually try to LRUN the boot file on the disk. I actually did try it from the Demo floppy as it has LRUN flp1_QDINST_BAS printed on it. Although it didn't seem to want to start from there. You need to explain more on this please Malcolm - what errors did you see here? Jim cannot fix something that does not want to start from there. Guess you were running it on QPC2 ? Which version and what screen resolution and screen colour mode did you have - please remember that we software developers get told off for actually switching the resolution and colour depth at will. I will need to go through the procedure again to identify those difficulties. Maybe Jim's installer does not report Program does not start in the resolution / screen mode . Yes, that would be a useful report to have. Demo's are all about finding the reactions from real users. Thus I made a directory on the win drive called 'QDT' and copied the files from the floppy to there. The problem was that my 'unzip' was running the version that I have on the win drive, which is 5.32. This threw up some errors in the 'ICONS' of QDT. Hmm - what I do not understand is how, if you copied all the files across to win1_QDT_ and ran the installer from there, why did it use YOUR unzip, rather than the one supplied?? Just my practice to use the unzip version that I have. It has turned out that Jim had used an earlier version. So inadvertently it has highlighted something that we wouldn't have thought of. Using the 'unzip' provided solved that, and software installed with no difficulty. I note, too, from your other email that 'unzip' is now at version v.5.40. I believe that all of these things are important and worth commenting on. As those of us who have some expertise should make it as easy as possible for users to install software ... especially when it is something which is highly complex. If I wore a hat I would take it off to you for the QWord installation process, which is the neatest I have come across. Thankyou Malcolm - we hpoe to make it a little wider ranging so we can adapt it fairly easily to other programs. That is what I figured :-) -- Malcolm Cadman ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Wrong. The firmware is what is on the chip that does the controlling. That firmware is, these days, often flash memory so it can be updated to support new media (as happens often in CD Writers etc.) The hardware and O/S has to interface with the onboard firmware in order to control the device. I thought you went to college to learn this stuff!! (He he) I am sorry but you are wrong. By Firmware we mean software (specific to a CPU unless someone has created JAVA bytecode firmware that I don't know about) that is put on a hardware add on for ANY number of reasons. There are kinds of firmware of course and some are completely foreign to the platform (good example is the old Turtle beach firmware that was in two parts. One was the PC code that was used as a loader for the 68000 that was on board that had a different firmware altogether (that was being downloaded) and which happened to be 68K code. What are you talking about ? Firmware is what is on the board itself. Each Chip has a set of instructions built into it and you have to interface with the controller to talk to the hardware. How else could you do it. Really this is silly. Every device has to be able to talk to the controlling software. On the SGC there was a standard device to talk to the floppy drives and the 'glue' chip on the SGC talked to that. Both of these were firmware in a s much as they were written to the chip itself . In the case of the ISA controller there is only one kind of firmware and that is the code on teh chips which talks to the hardware. They do have different modules added in to support the various hardware differences but the core code is, I have been informed, always the same. I do not think anyone has changed the Cache modes which were written by TT at Peter's behest. I think they were changed right after SMSQ/e's license was changed but I am not sure. Not as far as I know. -- Roy Wood Q Branch. 20 Locks Hill, Portslade, Sussex.BN41 2LB Tel: +44 (0) 1273 386030fax: +44 (0) 1273 430501 web : www.qbranch.demon.co.uk ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Sat, 1 Jan 2005 01:40:00 +,() Roy wood [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], Phoebus Dokos [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes SNIP For the most part minus some problems with older very early Qx0 machines, Qx0s are quite unproblematic and their hardware is quite well documented. So if the hardware is working properly (as it is) why should a hardware designer fix a problem that it is in software? For example it wasn't the hardware's problem that the Q60's couldn't work with SMSQ/e... it was the software that had the MOVEP instructions built in. Wrong again I am afraid. There were many problems with the hardware itself some of which were, I believe, corrected in 'stealth mode'.. Hence the 'Q40 is no longer' supported tag. Tony Firshman identified a number of problems which Peter would not acknowledge and the serial ports were a source of several problems for TT. Software was just a fraction of it. Well I do not think that this is the reason why Q40 is not longer produced. It has firstly been superceded by the Q40i which is a lot better (and this is available as a special order actually IIRC), but because it makes no sense for both to be produced where the speed vs. price difference is negligible. In other words why sell it now when you can buy a Q60 at a very similar price? Yes, but Roy, you can play QWord under Minerva - you do not need smsq/e at all :-) Why bother to use Minerva these days ? Minerva has rather nice features and the best part it works even without any expansion. Moreover it has very good documentation and it is GPLd :-) But lets not get into the same argument again :-) Let's just say I like it and I assume many others (plus it works great with uQLx and Q-emuLator and you can play all Damon Chaplin games on it -to boot ;-) which is invaluable from which everway you look at it :-P In that case get the writing right and don't just lump it all in one sentence. I am sorry but probably my English failed me again :-( I tend to write many times the way I think... and I think in Greek :-) I2C is not a part of Minerva but the Minerva board (the MKII one) to use I2C you need to load the extensions which are nice enough to work as a module under SMSQ/e too. And you need I2C for? Hmm let me see :-) Let my daughter play with Legos, do some crazy DIY stuff that I like, control plant watering systems turn lights on and off when I am gone and read the crazy Pennsylvania temperatures... (some of the things you can do... it's a hobby after all... other people drink!) Hmmm how to you actually see the version of Sysmon? Is it in the configuration options? yep I will look although mine is in German last time I looked... what is the most current version anyway? Ffibys ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Hi Malcolm, Could you forward me separately to the email address below copies of: - install_log file (should be either in your win1_QDTINST_ folder or more likely in your win1_QDT_ folder (assuming that is where you installed it)? - qdt.log (should be in your win1_QDT_ folder, same assumption) - your boot file(s) Also, any additional notes about your install process would be appreciated. For the installation, you should run the basic program that came with the install. It should run everything for you, including the unzipping and starting the official installer. The intent is that the three files are self contained. Just by running the basic program, you don't need to know much else. You might want to go to the QDT website to download the PDF QDT Installer User Manual. It has complete screen shots and lots more detail. It also has a few more user manuals plus errata, FAQs, etc. http://www.jdh-stech.com There is a link near the top of this page that takes you directly to QDT contact at jdh-stech dot com For email of any issues or need for support If anyone else has any problems with this install, please contact me directly as quickly as possible as I am racing to get the final full production release ready. By the way, the EXIT button only happens at the end of the install itself. The bottom right button is always the next step button, whether it be NEXT, START, or EXIT. I am really curious why you do not have anything visible on your screen to start with, especially since you are running it on QPC. Perhaps it has to do with the way you started things versus using the automated install from the basic program. Malcolm, one last thing, where did you get the more recent InfoZip copy? Last comment for now, it should be Jim, not Tim :) Have fun, jim On Dec 30, 2004, at 12:59 PM, Malcolm Cadman wrote: Hi, Just received the November/December 2004 QL Today issue. Which contains a nice present of the Demo version of QDT - QL Desk Top - by Tim Hunkins, on a floppy disk. I haven't got it working yet, after a couple of hours, which is probably my fault and I will investigate further tomorrow. A few comments on the installation. The version of InfoZIP as supplied is 5.21b (jh) which is older than the version that I have which is 5.32. The latter threw up some errors with some of the Icon files. After I had got past that problem, by using the supplied InfoZIP, the QDT Desktop Installer finally appeared. Initially I found it confusing, as all the text boxes were blank ( black ), and none of the four boxes across the lower part of the window had any contents either. The screen shot on the top of page 41 of QL Today showing the Installer has the bottom right hand box as being 'Exit'. It took a while to realise that this is actually the box that you click on to progress with the automated setup. The word 'Exit' suggests that it will end the session rather than continue. After realising that the 'Exit' box is actually the one to click on, it proceeds smoothly, although it takes some time to scan the win_drive(s), inevitably. May I suggest that Installer shows a 'Continue' or 'Next' prompt in the bottom right box ? Then the user knows it is safe to proceed. Also a message saying 'Please wait to complete ... scanning activity shown by the spinner may take some time'. I used the 'Advanced' option for the boot file, as I have more that one boot file. After the installation had successfully completed, I added the recommended alterations to the boot file contained in the 'Change' file that QDT saves during its installation. Although, at present, the boot file runs OK. QDT itself is not running for some reason. I have installed it with QPC2 v3.23 to a Zip Drive disk which is Drive D: in DOS/Windows and win2_ in QPC. -- Malcolm Cadman ___ 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] QDT Demo
Confirmed, please be sure to use the included files (basic program and the included unzip) to install. Using a newer version of infounzip will not work. Thanks, Jim Hunkins JDH Software Technologies ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 at 22:21:00, Rich Mellor wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) snip The other problem I have come across is that once past this hurdle, people trying to install on a system with a SuperHermes system think that they can put the boot disk in FLP1_ and forget that they need to load the keyboard drivers first... (then complain the installer will not respond to any keys). Tony - if people upgraded to a full SuperHermes instead of SuperHermes lite, is it possible to load the keyboard drivers automatically, or is the only way of doing this by adding them as a module to smsq/e (which people also forget to do when they upgrade to the latest smsq/e). Surely this could be loaded via the boot program after smsq/e is loaded. Is there any reason why the smsq/e for Gold Card / SGC could not include the SuperHermes module by default. The current config option (about the ABC keyboard) could be amended to say Type of keyboard attached : ABC / SuperHermes / Unknown and then if the user configures Superhermes, run the IPCEXTs initialisation code for the smsq/e configured country (knew that post configuration routine pointer would come in handy some day). I have no problem with superHermes drivers being included as standard with such auto-installers or smsq/e. After all the hardware has not been cloned (as far as I know). If anyone does clone the hardware, then good luck to them (8-)# . I would be -very- interested to see how large it might be. I load the English sH drivers in RomDisq boot program for that very reason. I am pretty sure the drivers will load OK on -any- system without problem. No-one has complained with RomDisq. In fact I found one purchaser without sH who added this to his own boot program. I thought it was needed. Drivers are http://firshman.co.uk/fsh.htm One problem though is, of course, that there are different language drivers. 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] QDT Demo
Fri, 31 Dec 2004 00:51:32 +,() Tony Firshman [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 at 22:21:00, Rich Mellor wrote: (ref: [EMAIL PROTECTED]) snip The other problem I have come across is that once past this hurdle, people trying to install on a system with a SuperHermes system think that they can put the boot disk in FLP1_ and forget that they need to load the keyboard drivers first... (then complain the installer will not respond to any keys). Tony - if people upgraded to a full SuperHermes instead of SuperHermes lite, is it possible to load the keyboard drivers automatically, or is the only way of doing this by adding them as a module to smsq/e (which people also forget to do when they upgrade to the latest smsq/e). Surely this could be loaded via the boot program after smsq/e is loaded. Well Rich is right... even the most experienced tend at times to forget that they have a superHermes (it works THAT well :-) Is there any reason why the smsq/e for Gold Card / SGC could not include the SuperHermes module by default. The current config option (about the ABC keyboard) could be amended to say Type of keyboard attached : ABC / SuperHermes / Unknown and then if the user configures Superhermes, run the IPCEXTs initialisation code for the smsq/e configured country (knew that post configuration routine pointer would come in handy some day). I have no problem with superHermes drivers being included as standard with such auto-installers or smsq/e. After all the hardware has not been cloned (as far as I know). If anyone does clone the hardware, then good luck to them (8-)# . I would be -very- interested to see how large it might be. As a Keyboard 90 maybe? :-D I tend to load the sH drivers everywhere as I never know when I am going to need them. Luckily they are a great piece of software and as such they never interfere with anything! I load the English sH drivers in RomDisq boot program for that very reason. I personally use the ROM1 approach although I recommend to people to download that little basic program from your website that can make a module out of them (and of every rommable code they have) and Stick it (sic) at my SMSQ/e. That grows the executable but makes for an incredibly efficient boot file (ie 10 IPCMOUSE) :-) I am pretty sure the drivers will load OK on -any- system without problem. No problems.. even on Qx0's they don't crash! No-one has complained with RomDisq. In fact I found one purchaser without sH who added this to his own boot program. I thought it was needed. Drivers are http://firshman.co.uk/fsh.htm One problem though is, of course, that there are different language drivers. You call THAT a problem? I wish SMSQ/e had half the keyboard drivers the sH solution has... btw have I sent you my greek sH driver? Phoebus ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Fri, 31 Dec 2004 01:43:17 -,() Rich Mellor [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: snip Trouble is that when you tell people to run an installer from the boot on the supplied disk, they put the disk into the disk drive and reset the system !! They forget about the need for a SuperHermes driver - we could supply it with the installer disk, but the problem is that what happens if the user uses a different keyboard interface?? Well AFAIK except the ABC all other keyboards in wide use with Auroras have no drivers so just loading the sH driver (a mere 5 K or so) wouldn't be a problem Maybe it should be added to smsq/e as of normal - not sure how we can put it with an auto-installer in case the user jas another keyboard interface - or is there a simple test we could put in the boot program to check if superhermes is present, in which case, load the ipcexts. No idea if it would be a problem if they use ABC Keyboard or Keyboard 90 and we just installed the ipcexts anyway... I tend to load the sH drivers everywhere as I never know when I am going to need them. Luckily they are a great piece of software and as such they never interfere with anything! See above? I've never tried it with Keyboard 90 (I've only seen one in my lifetime) and I have only seen the ABC one in ads... however if it doesn't crash with QPC, QXL, QemuLator (which is very quirky re: the keyboard), uQLx, Q40, Q60 or a standard (non sH equipped that is) QL why would it crash with a Keyboard 90 or ABC (then of course you never know) snip Yes, ok for those with a romdisq, but not every user has one... Exactly the reason why they should buy one :-) (Tony I want the cheque mailed tomorrow ;-) hehe) Would not be a problem if the necessary module was linked into the main smsq/e initialisation code at configuration time. The keyboard driver of sH doesn't interfere with the keyboard translation of SMSQ/e as I have seen More of a problem if we had to include ipcexts in the boot file for the installer and also on non smssq/e systems of course Not really as it really doesn't interfere with anything at least to my (so far) knowledge as I said. As a matter of fact all TF products that I have are the only hardware products for standard QLs that work no matter what. The sH works (although Tony said it wouldn't) minus a couple of legs (GND ones too!), the software never misses a beat (or a keystroke), the romdisq has performed flawlessly even having connected it upside down two or three times (okay more than that) which is a BIG NO NO and consider this... all my TF stuff have travelled the atlantic and have been in several places transported in not that ideal of conditions... let me put it another way. If Tony had seen what I have done to them, he would refuse to sell anything to me ever again ;-) Phoebus -- Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
Re: [ql-users] QDT Demo
Fri, 31 Dec 2004 01:43:17 -,() Rich Mellor [EMAIL PROTECTED] /wrote: snip Trouble is that when you tell people to run an installer from the boot on the supplied disk, they put the disk into the disk drive and reset the system !! They forget about the need for a SuperHermes driver - we could supply it with the installer disk, but the problem is that what happens if the user uses a different keyboard interface?? Well AFAIK except the ABC all other keyboards in wide use with Auroras have no drivers so just loading the sH driver (a mere 5 K or so) wouldn't be a problem Maybe it should be added to smsq/e as of normal - not sure how we can put it with an auto-installer in case the user jas another keyboard interface - or is there a simple test we could put in the boot program to check if superhermes is present, in which case, load the ipcexts. No idea if it would be a problem if they use ABC Keyboard or Keyboard 90 and we just installed the ipcexts anyway... I tend to load the sH drivers everywhere as I never know when I am going to need them. Luckily they are a great piece of software and as such they never interfere with anything! See above? I've never tried it with Keyboard 90 (I've only seen one in my lifetime) and I have only seen the ABC one in ads... however if it doesn't crash with QPC, QXL, QemuLator (which is very quirky re: the keyboard), uQLx, Q40, Q60 or a standard (non sH equipped that is) QL why would it crash with a Keyboard 90 or ABC (then of course you never know) snip Yes, ok for those with a romdisq, but not every user has one... Exactly the reason why they should buy one :-) (Tony I want the cheque mailed tomorrow ;-) hehe) Would not be a problem if the necessary module was linked into the main smsq/e initialisation code at configuration time. The keyboard driver of sH doesn't interfere with the keyboard translation of SMSQ/e as I have seen More of a problem if we had to include ipcexts in the boot file for the installer and also on non smssq/e systems of course Not really as it really doesn't interfere with anything at least to my (so far) knowledge as I said. As a matter of fact all TF products that I have are the only hardware products for standard QLs that work no matter what. The sH works (although Tony said it wouldn't) minus a couple of legs (GND ones too!), the software never misses a beat (or a keystroke), the romdisq has performed flawlessly even having connected it upside down two or three times (okay more than that) which is a BIG NO NO and consider this... all my TF stuff have travelled the atlantic and have been in several places transported in not that ideal of conditions... let me put it another way. If Tony had seen what I have done to them, he would refuse to sell anything to me ever again ;-) Phoebus -- Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/ ___ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
