Re: [Ql-Users] Assembly Language eMagazine - new issue!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Try this link 
https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssemblyLanguageMagazine/blob/master/Issue_012/Assembly_Language_012.pdf
 and if that doesn't work, does "wget" fetch it?

Failing that, drop me your email address to norman at Dunbar hyphen it dot Co 
dot UK and I'll email you back the pdf.

Cheers,
Norm.

On 14 April 2024 14:57:23 BST, Jiri Dolezal via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>> I know it's been a while, but Issue 12 of the somewhat irregular Assembly 
>> Language Programming eMagazine is, finally, available.
>> Get it here 
>> https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssemblyLanguageMagazine/releases/tag/Issue_12.
>
>Is direct link to the PDF available?
>TenFourFox is not able to process the GitHub javascript.
>  dex
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[Ql-Users] Assembly Language eMagazine - new issue!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

I know it's been a while, but Issue 12 of the somewhat irregular 
Assembly Language Programming eMagazine is, finally, available.


Get it here 
https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssemblyLanguageMagazine/releases/tag/Issue_12.


I noticed that it has been two whole years since the previous issue was 
released into the wild. I hope it was worth waiting for!


Those of you who signed up to my mailing list, apologies, there's 
currently no mailing list. I cancelled my hosting plan! I still have a 
backup so will hopefully do something with it at some point "soon"!


(For certain values of "soon"!)


Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] George Gwilt's Programs

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 08/04/2024 19:02, Dilwyn Jones via Ql-Users wrote:

Thank you for doing this Norman.


Just to let you know, I did reply to your email yesterday, but Gmail 
doesn't like me, and wouldn't accept your or Darren's email addresses as 
ones I can send to.



Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar.

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Re: [Ql-Users] George Gwilt's Programs

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

I have now completed the upload of a huge number of files --- ok, 33 --- 
which Tobias sent me yesterday. You can find everything at 
https://github.com/SinclairQL/GeorgeGwilt.


I've attempted to document what is in each directory, but I've only got 
George's minimal documentation to go on myself.  ;)



Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar.

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Re: [Ql-Users] George Gwilt's Programs

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Thanks Wolfgang. 

I think I might have a full set now, thanks to Tobias.


Cheers,
Norm.

On 8 April 2024 20:31:57 BST, Wolfgang Lenerz via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>Hi Norman,
>
>I have nothing recent, sorry.
>
>Wolfgang
>
>> This is a copy of a message I posted on the QL Forum, for anyone interested 
>> who doesn't use the forum.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I wanted to check if I had the latest copies of George's assemblers GWASL 
>> and GWASS and discovered that http://gwiltprogs.info is no longer present, 
>> other than a blank landing page.
>> 
>> It would be a huge shame if George's programs vanished from the world, in my 
>> opinion, so I have set them up on the SinclairQL's github at 
>> https://github.com/SinclairQL/GeorgeGwilt.
>> 
>> I have, from my own downloads folder, uploaded the following:
>> 
>>      GWASS Program and source.
>>      GWASL Program and source, various versions.
>>      EASYPEASY Program and source, various versions.
>>      SETW Program and source, various versions.
>>      Also, George's various development libraries needed to compile the 
>> other stuff.
>> 
>> I've put a README.md file in each separate application folder to explain, as 
>> best as I've been able to find out, what each of the files are and which 
>> versions of the application they apply to.
>> 
>> I don't have the sources or binaries for Turbo, so if you have those, can 
>> you either add a new folder and upload them, or let me have them and I'll do 
>> the needful. Thanks. I suspect that they are on Dilwyn's fine web site.
>> 
>> Likewise, George's TurboPE stuff. Which I never got around to using.
>> 
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> Norm.
>
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[Ql-Users] George Gwilt's Programs

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

This is a copy of a message I posted on the QL Forum, for anyone 
interested who doesn't use the forum.




I wanted to check if I had the latest copies of George's assemblers 
GWASL and GWASS and discovered that http://gwiltprogs.info is no longer 
present, other than a blank landing page.


It would be a huge shame if George's programs vanished from the world, 
in my opinion, so I have set them up on the SinclairQL's github at 
https://github.com/SinclairQL/GeorgeGwilt.


I have, from my own downloads folder, uploaded the following:

GWASS Program and source.
GWASL Program and source, various versions.
EASYPEASY Program and source, various versions.
SETW Program and source, various versions.
Also, George's various development libraries needed to compile the 
other stuff.


I've put a README.md file in each separate application folder to 
explain, as best as I've been able to find out, what each of the files 
are and which versions of the application they apply to.


I don't have the sources or binaries for Turbo, so if you have those, 
can you either add a new folder and upload them, or let me have them and 
I'll do the needful. Thanks. I suspect that they are on Dilwyn's fine 
web site.


Likewise, George's TurboPE stuff. Which I never got around to using.


Cheers,
Norm.
--
Norman Dunbar.
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Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQ/E 3.39

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

I'm gutted to hear of George's passing away. I had a lot of dealings with 
George when I was writing Assembler articles for QL Today, there wasn't ever an 
article that George didn't have a comment on, but mostly he had ideas to 
improve things. For which I was grateful.

My deepest sympathies to his family. He will be missed.


Regards,
Norman.
-- 
Author of "Arduino Software Internals" and "Arduino Interrupts".
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Re: [Ql-Users] bug in String handling

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Morning Jan,

That matches with Jan Jones. Arrays index from zero, but simple strings from 1.

Cheers,
Norm.
-- 
Author of "Arduino Software Internals" and "Arduino Interrupts".
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Re: [Ql-Users] bug in String handling

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 08/01/2024 18:46, pjw via Ql-Users wrote:

> 100 a$ = "1234567890"
> 105 b$ = a$(4 to 3): REMark This works
> 110 REMark c$ = a$(4 to 2): REMark This fails with an error.
> 115 c$ = a$( to 0) : REMark  no error returned
> 120 c$ = a$(0):: REMark  no error returned  BUT ERROR IF QLIBERATED
> 125 pause:stop


Line 105: The construct a$(n to n - 1) represents the empty string (even 
when n = 1). Since it is replicated in JS, Minerva and SMSQ/E Im 
assuming it is by design. 


If it's by design, it it actually documented anywhere? I do not recall 
it being in the QL Manual, as supplied with new QLs back in the day, and 
I don't recall Jan Jones mentioning it either.


My QL Manual is packed away ready for a house move---which fell 
through---Just checked with Jan Jones (the QUANTA version), she doesn't 
mention how this works (or doesn't!)



It also makes sense as there would be no other 
way to represent a string slice of null.


I'm wondering though, why you would need to get a "string slice of 
null"? If I want to obtain a an empty string, just assigne on A$="" for 
example.


To get a slice that is null, I need to determine that this is exactly 
what I need, and then make sure that my slicing parameters are specified 
with the end being exactly one less than the start? Too much faffing 
around, just assign an empty string (as above!)



Line 115: I guess a$( to 0) is read as a$(1 to 0) which fits the 
criteria above.


I agree with your observation. Jan Jones states that when slicing a 
string variable, the zeroth elephant cannot be accessed. (Page 28.)



Line 120: a$(0) should be fine also. It represents the string length. 
Assignment to this location is also acceptable:


Jan Jones documents this in her QL SuperBASIC Handbook, page 23.


I still think that returning "" for a specific string slice from (a to 
a-1) is a bug! Bite me!!! ;-)



Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar.

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Re: [Ql-Users] bug in String handling

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 08/01/2024 16:51, Wolfgang Lenerz via Ql-Users wrote:

Line 120 is due to the fast that strings are not 0 based index. So what 
would a$(0) be?
Under SMSQ/E at least, print a$(0) in the above example would give "10" 
- which is the length of the string... Since this seems to be an 
unorthodox behaviour, it's no wonder Qlib balks at it.



If I remember correctly, all the way back to 1984-85, I'm almost certain 
that the supplied QL manual, in the large, heavy, A$ folder, mentioned 
that string lengths are indeed stored in a$(0)---or at least, can be 
accessed from there.


Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar.

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Re: [Ql-Users] One Per Desk: Computer One floppy interface. Need the ROM image.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 14/12/2023 07:59, Rich Mellor via Ql-Users wrote:


...
Unfortunately, having lost all of my emails last year, I cannot even 
recall who it was that had quite an extensive ICL One Per Desk 
collection?  Does anyone else remember?


I wonder if that might have been Dave Walker or C68 fame? He wrote a few 
OPD->QL utilities, if I remember correctly.



Cheers,
Norm.

Norman Dunbar.

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Re: [Ql-Users] CONFIG Manual

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Dilwyn,

Yes, I'll let you know of any differences.


Cheers,
Norm.
-- 
Author of "Arduino Software Internals" and "Arduino Interrupts".
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Re: [Ql-Users] CONFIG Manual

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Good morning everyone.

Many thanks to Dilwyn, Derek and Wolfgang who have all sent me the Config docs. 
I am very much appreciative. 

I think I have enough reading now!

Interestingly, while scanning the BasConfig SuperBASIC source, I noticed that I 
added the ability to use Long data types back in 1994. Well, that didn't make 
me feel old, much!

Cheers,
Norm.

-- 
Author of "Arduino Software Internals" and "Arduino Interrupts".

On 7 December 2023 20:35:23 GMT, Dilwyn Jones via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>Wonder if Norman was thinking of the QPTR guide/ Info on Config in
>there - in the updates "https://dilwyn.qlforum.co.uk/docs/manuals/QPTR
>Updates.pdf"
>
>and (in my printed rather old edition 5 copy) page 151 onward, CONFIG
>has its own section
>https://dilwyn.qlforum.co.uk/docs/manuals/QPTR%20manual.pdf
>
>On Thu, 7 Dec 2023 at 19:43, Jan Bredenbeek via Ql-Users
> wrote:
>>
>> 2023-12-07T17:55:41Z Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users :
>>
>> > Evening all.
>> >
>> > I was reading through the latest version of Wolfgang's SMSQ/E Reference 
>> > Manual, looking for some information on Config blocks and usage. It wasn't 
>> > there!
>> >
>> > I was sure that a previous manual, possibly the old A5 printed one I 
>> > bought from Jochen years ago, but no longer. I searched the PDF for any 
>> > references and eventually found a note that "Config has its own manual" 
>> > and "You should be able to get it from the same place as this one" (or 
>> > words to that effect.)
>> >
>> > I searched Wolfgang's Documentation area, to no avail. I don't see the 
>> > Config manual anywhere. Does anyone know if there is a manual? and if so, 
>> > where I can lay my hands on it please?
>> >
>> > Thanks.
>> >
>> >
>> > Cheers,
>> > Norm.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Norman Dunbar.
>> > ___
>> > QL-Users Mailing List
>> Hi Norman,
>>
>> There is a lot of information about Config blocks at 
>> https://dilwyn.qlforum.co.uk/config/index.html
>>
>> Best regards, Jan.
>> ___
>> QL-Users Mailing List
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Re: [Ql-Users] CONFIG Manual

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Morning Jan.

Thanks for the link. I had checked with the QL Home Page but to no avail. 

I'm trying to write an article for my very late Issue 12 Assembly eMagazine, 
but as I'm supposed to be moving house, alk my manuals are packed away!

Cheers,
Norm  
-- 
Author of "Arduino Software Internals" and "Arduino Interrupts".

On 7 December 2023 19:41:58 GMT, Jan Bredenbeek via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>2023-12-07T17:55:41Z Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users :
>
>> Evening all.
>> 
>> I was reading through the latest version of Wolfgang's SMSQ/E Reference 
>> Manual, looking for some information on Config blocks and usage. It wasn't 
>> there!
>> 
>> I was sure that a previous manual, possibly the old A5 printed one I bought 
>> from Jochen years ago, but no longer. I searched the PDF for any references 
>> and eventually found a note that "Config has its own manual" and "You should 
>> be able to get it from the same place as this one" (or words to that effect.)
>> 
>> I searched Wolfgang's Documentation area, to no avail. I don't see the 
>> Config manual anywhere. Does anyone know if there is a manual? and if so, 
>> where I can lay my hands on it please?
>> 
>> Thanks.
>> 
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> Norm.
>> 
>> -- 
>> Norman Dunbar.
>> ___
>> QL-Users Mailing List
>Hi Norman,
>
>There is a lot of information about Config blocks at 
>https://dilwyn.qlforum.co.uk/config/index.html
>
>Best regards, Jan.
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Re: [Ql-Users] CONFIG Manual

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Dilwyn,

Yes indeed, I meant the QPTR manual, not SMSQ/E. My apologies.

Config used to have a section but it has been removed as, quote, it has nothing 
to do with the Pointer Environment, and now has it's own manual.

Cheers,
Norm.
-- 
Author of "Arduino Software Internals" and "Arduino Interrupts".

On 7 December 2023 20:35:23 GMT, Dilwyn Jones via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>Wonder if Norman was thinking of the QPTR guide/ Info on Config in
>there - in the updates "https://dilwyn.qlforum.co.uk/docs/manuals/QPTR
>Updates.pdf"
>
>and (in my printed rather old edition 5 copy) page 151 onward, CONFIG
>has its own section
>https://dilwyn.qlforum.co.uk/docs/manuals/QPTR%20manual.pdf
>
>On Thu, 7 Dec 2023 at 19:43, Jan Bredenbeek via Ql-Users
> wrote:
>>
>> 2023-12-07T17:55:41Z Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users :
>>
>> > Evening all.
>> >
>> > I was reading through the latest version of Wolfgang's SMSQ/E Reference 
>> > Manual, looking for some information on Config blocks and usage. It wasn't 
>> > there!
>> >
>> > I was sure that a previous manual, possibly the old A5 printed one I 
>> > bought from Jochen years ago, but no longer. I searched the PDF for any 
>> > references and eventually found a note that "Config has its own manual" 
>> > and "You should be able to get it from the same place as this one" (or 
>> > words to that effect.)
>> >
>> > I searched Wolfgang's Documentation area, to no avail. I don't see the 
>> > Config manual anywhere. Does anyone know if there is a manual? and if so, 
>> > where I can lay my hands on it please?
>> >
>> > Thanks.
>> >
>> >
>> > Cheers,
>> > Norm.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Norman Dunbar.
>> > ___
>> > QL-Users Mailing List
>> Hi Norman,
>>
>> There is a lot of information about Config blocks at 
>> https://dilwyn.qlforum.co.uk/config/index.html
>>
>> Best regards, Jan.
>> ___
>> QL-Users Mailing List
>___
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[Ql-Users] CONFIG Manual

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Evening all.

I was reading through the latest version of Wolfgang's SMSQ/E Reference 
Manual, looking for some information on Config blocks and usage. It 
wasn't there!


I was sure that a previous manual, possibly the old A5 printed one I 
bought from Jochen years ago, but no longer. I searched the PDF for any 
references and eventually found a note that "Config has its own manual" 
and "You should be able to get it from the same place as this one" (or 
words to that effect.)


I searched Wolfgang's Documentation area, to no avail. I don't see the 
Config manual anywhere. Does anyone know if there is a manual? and if 
so, where I can lay my hands on it please?


Thanks.


Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar.
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[Ql-Users] Assembly eComic - Issue 11 now available.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Only 4 months from the last issue and we already have another! In this 
issue of the somewhat irregular eMagazine, we have:


Beginners' Corner:

where we discuss simply screen and file handling. Experienced readers 
should skip over the excruciating detail that I go into to help beginners.


Sudoku Solver:

yes indeed, a Sudoku solver for 9 by 9 grids. I say "solver" but it's 
really a brute force algorithm using recursion and backtracking to guess 
which numbers will eventually provide a solution. (Or not!) There's a 
demonstration puzzle and a few examples to load and solve. You can make 
your own puzzles up and load them too -- the code will let you know if a 
puzzle cannot be solved.


Multiplication:

a small but perfectly formed chunk of assembly code to multiply two 32 
bit unsigned values to give a 64 bit product. Did you notice unsigned 
there? Yes, me too. I convinced myself to add in a bit of extra code and 
make it multiply signed numbers as well.


We also have more News and Quickies again in this issue.

As ever, you do not need the source code, that's GitHub's processing of 
a release, just grab the PDF from the asset list at the link below. 
Click the arrow to open the list if it's not already open.


https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssemblyLanguageMagazine/releases/tag/Issue_11


Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] Stuart Honeyball

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

> One
> night in the local pub he redrew the
> entire Spectrum Issue 1 PCB from
> memory on a napkin, while quite drunk.

> I was stupidly impressed by that.

I'd have been seriously impressed by that!

Cheers,
Norm.
-- 
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
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[Ql-Users] Assembly Programming Issue 10 now on release!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

A new year, a new issue. Issue 10 of the somewhat irregular eMagazine on 
Assembly Programming is now available.


https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssemblyLanguageMagazine/releases/latest

Enjoy!

Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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

Company Number: 05132767
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[Ql-Users] Assembly eComic - Issue 9, Now available

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Well, I managed to get two issues into 2021! This is the latest and 
probably the final one for this year. What can we find in Issue 9? Well:



QL2WIN - a utility to convert from QL line ends to Windows line ends 
when transferring text files between systems. This is one I wrote for 
myself, but these days, many Windows editors are happy to load and save 
in Linux format -- similar to what the QL uses.


WIN2QL - a utility to go the other way!

Circular Buffers - a fairly long chapter explaining how circular buffers 
work and some code to enable them to be used on the QL. Are they useful? 
You tell me!


As ever, if you only want to read the issue, grab the PDF and the code 
file if necessary. If you want to checkout the LaTeX and LyX source code 
used to build each issue, then grab the zip or bz2 file. The PDF and 
Code.zip files will be included so you don;t have to download them 
separately.


This is the link to the release: 
https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssemblyLanguageMagazine/releases/tag/Issue_9


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

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

Company Number: 05132767
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[Ql-Users] Free Pascal (Cross) Compiler for the QL

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

In case anyone is not following the thread at QL Forum, you might, 
possibly, maybe, perhaps be interested to know that there is some work 
ongoing to bring the Free Pascal Compiler to the QL.


This was started as a sort of joke project back in QLVember (I hate 
those made up "month" names!) but Marcel, myself and a few others have 
been doing some work with "Chain-Q", the instigator, and we are slowly 
bringing an up to date Pascal compiler to the QL.


Well, it's a cross compiler actually, but the executables it generates 
can indeed be executed on the QL/QPC/etc. Dare I mention, we get Object 
Oriented programming now? (Don't tell Tony Tebby!)


If you wish to follow along, the thread is at 
https://qlforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=3=3057 and I have created a 
document for Linux users in order to show the processes and software 
required to build the cross compiler, and brief notes on how to use it. 
The document is at 
https://github.com/NormanDunbar/FPC-CrossCompiler-QL/releases/latest and 
this link will always take you to the latest version.


The document is written from a Linux point of view as that is what I'm 
using. If anyone wants to pick it up and run with it on Windows, I'd be 
grateful for any nots etc that you may have on the matter so that I can 
bring it up to date for Windows users too.


Anyone using MacOS? That might also be helpful.

The compiler is in an early state at the moment, but we do have simple 
programs working. I'm currently writing/building/testing (and repeat!) 
the SysUtils unit to get that working.



Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] Richard Alexander (CGH Services) and the QL Wiki

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Sorted, thanks Darren -- contact has been made!


Cheers,
norm.
-- 
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
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Re: [Ql-Users] Richard Alexander (CGH Services) and the QL Wiki

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 16/01/2021 15:35, Juraj Lutter via Ql-Users wrote:

Hi Otis,

that's great. Thanks very much.


Cheers,
Norm.


FWIW,

# host -t mx blackchip.plus.com 
blackchip.plus.com  mail is handled by 10 
mx.avasin.plus.net .

the mail is being handled by a valid host, it seems.

Frankly,
otis
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--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] Richard Alexander (CGH Services) and the QL Wiki

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 16/01/2021 15:18, Darren Branagh via Ql-Users wrote:

Hi Darren,

much obliged to you Sir, thanks.

I shall do the admin bit and give Richard write access. The only problem 
is, his email probably won't work as the domain isn't (or doesn't 
appear) registered:


norman@Hubble:~$ whois blackchip.plus.com
No match for "BLACKCHIP.PLUS.COM".
>>> Last update of whois database: 2021-01-16T15:26:25Z <<<

So he won't be getting emails telling him of his passwords etc. Are you 
able to give him a prod please? You can give him my email address (this 
one) as long as it's not put on Facebook, thanks. (I get enough crud as 
it is!)


Thanks again.


Cheers,
Norm.

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[Ql-Users] Richard Alexander (CGH Services) and the QL Wiki

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

I've had a request from someone claiming to be Richard Alexander of CGH 
Services fame, to join the Ql Wiki.


Since I have had a number of spamming users to deal with recently, I 
tend to try and do as much background checking as I can before I assign 
write privileges. However, I've come up against a slight problem, and 
maybe someone here (or on the QL Forum) can help.


The request came from an IP address in Carmarthenshire in Wales on the 
9th January at 00:57 (I'm assuming GMT/UTC here but I might be wrong).


The email address used to register is in the blackchip.plus.com domain 
and this is where my problem begins. I've checked for the domain 
"blackchip.plus.com" and come up with nothing.


Does anyone know Richard? Do you know if he is indeed 
"blackchip.plus.com"? And why is the email address wonky?


I hate the idea that I'm holding up a genuine QL fan, but I also had to 
deal with a few uncircumcised gentlemen (complete pricks) recently, 
signing up and spamming pages with garbage and adverts and scams. 
Someone, me, had to remove those pages and reinstate the unadulterated ones.


Any information gratefully received and if you *are* the real Richard 
Alexander, my apologies!



Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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

Company Number: 05132767
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[Ql-Users] Assembly eMagazine - Issue 8 now available

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Greetings everyone. After a delay of a year and a  bit, Issue 8 of the 
irregular eMagazine on QL Assembly Language is now available for download.


This (exciting?) edition covers:

* Some more UTF8 stuff -- Wolfgang Lenerz has suggested some 
improvements to the code in Issue 7, and this has been implemented.


* Reversing the bits in a register.

* Finding the next power of two.

* Some stuff on randomisation and generating random integers.


The download is at 
https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssemblyLanguageMagazine/releases/tag/Issue_8.



Enjoy.


Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
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Company Number: 05132767
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[Ql-Users] Norm's Assembly Language Book - Updated again

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Afternoon All,

my eBook created from the articles in QL Today over the years has 
recently been converted to a paper copy by "Tinyfpga" (on the Ql Forum).


You can read details on this posting: 
https://qlforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9=3294=40#p35207


This published issue was created with my blessing and "Tinyfpga" is 
responsible for the quality etc of the finished article - I think it's 
very good. if you would like a copy, there are details on how to get 
hold of one. No money will come to me, which is fine, and I don't think 
"Tinyfpga" gets any either.



Another reader of the printed book, "AJB" on QL Forum, has started a 
thread on Ql Forum about errors and problems that he has found in the 
book. That thread is at https://qlforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=12=3375 
if you are interested in following along.


I have now fixed most of the problems encountered by "AJB" and uploaded 
a new PDF. There are a couple of things still to be done, but those 
require additional sections to be added to the source - when time allows.


In the meantime, the August 2020 version can be found at 
https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssemblyLanguageBook/releases/latest 
if you want to update your PDF copy. Only the PDF is required, you can 
ignore the source code stuff - that refers to the book's source code 
(LaTeX files) as opposed to any example programs in the book.



I suspect that there will be more changes coming soon - for certain 
values of "soon"!



Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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

Company Number: 05132767
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[Ql-Users] Assembly Language eComic - Issue 5 Correction.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

BUG FIX!

Morning All,

while investigating bit fields - for a different project altogether - I 
found a bug in Issue 5 of the eComic. On Page 28, section 4.2.1 I 
mention that a two bit wide bit field, in bits 5 and 6 of a register 
would be specified as {26:2}. That was correct if I was looking at a two 
bit wide bit field in bits 5 and 4. I should have specified it as {25:2}.


I've corrected the PDF in the releases area at 
https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssemblyLanguageMagazine/releases/tag/Issue_5 
if you need a corrected version. I'll upload the code at some point shortly.



Cheers,
Norm.

PS. Issue 8 is well under way. For certain values of "well"!

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] Select on

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

I have a vague recollection that Simon N Goodwin did something similar, maybe, 
in the DIY Toolkit.

I think it was passed a variable and a list of strings, and returned the 
position of the variable in the list. Something like that.

Maybe useful?

Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] QL Today Assembly Language Book.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Nothing worse!

On 20 June 2020 13:02:21 BST, Dave Park via Ql-Users  
wrote:
>Norman,
>
>At your age you want to watch it. You might show your MSB, and the
>nurse
>might think it's your LSB.
>
>Dave
>
>On Sat, Jun 20, 2020 at 4:16 AM Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users <
>ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com> wrote:
>
>> :-)
>>
>> I'll have the nurses check!
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Norm.
>> --
>> Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
>>
>> On 20 June 2020 10:05:33 BST, Dilwyn Jones via Ql-Users <
>> ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com> wrote:
>> >> format of data in registers as having the most significant bit at
>the
>> >right end
>> >I do certainly hope your MSB is at the correct end, Norman :-D 
>(ooer
>> >missus...!)
>> >
>> >Dilwyn
>> >___
>> >QL-Users Mailing List
>> ___
>> QL-Users Mailing List
>>
>
>
>-- 
>Dave Park
>d...@sinclairql.com
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Re: [Ql-Users] QL Today Assembly Language Book.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

:-)

I'll have the nurses check!

Cheers,
Norm.
-- 
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

On 20 June 2020 10:05:33 BST, Dilwyn Jones via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>> format of data in registers as having the most significant bit at the
>right end
>I do certainly hope your MSB is at the correct end, Norman :-D  (ooer
>missus...!)
>
>Dilwyn
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[Ql-Users] QL Today Assembly Language Book.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

A bug was recently found in section 1.2.1 where I described the format of data 
in registers as having the most significant bit at the right end. Duh! That has 
been corrected.

If you need a corrected copy, it's the June 2020 release at 
https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssemblyLanguageBook/releases/latest although 
that URL always gets the very latest version.


If anyone needs a printed version, "Tinyfpga" on QL Forum has sorted out a 
print on demand setup, with my blessing, where it is at a cost or around 
£10.00. 



Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] Maximum size of a file

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Regarding the internals of a QXL.WIN disk, I documented that at 
http://qdosmsq.dunbar-it.co.uk/doku.php?id=qdosmsq:fs:qlwa there's a 
table at the end with host file sizes and the resulting internal block size.


On 23/04/2020 14:29, Giorgio Garabello via Ql-Users wrote:

Sorry for my english, i badly explained myself ...
I wanted to understand if there are limits to creating files within a .win
file


The directory entry contains a file_length field, it is a 32 bit 
longword. This allows for files to be up to 2^^32 -1 bytes in size, in 
theory. It all depends if the internals of SMSQ etc deal in signed or 
unsigned numbers.


2^^32 - is big! 4,096 Mb or 4 Gb.


HTH

Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] 16th Italian Sinclair QL meeting (virtual) - Report

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 14/04/2020 00:00, Davide Santachiara via Ql-Users wrote:

16° Meeting Sinclair QL Italiano – 5th of April 2020

The 16° Sinclair QL should have been held in Modena as it has been the case
since 2008. Unfortunately, due to the restriction enforced following the
Covid-spread 19 we had to meet on the virtual teleconferencing platform
Jitsi. Twenty people have attended the teleconference including Marcel
Kilgus, Dilwyn Jones and Urs Keonig as welcome international guests.


Sounds incredible, and I flipping well missed it, work! Pah!


Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQ/E 3.35

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Try the download again, but change the URL to something like:

https://your_file_path.zip?garbage=1

That should get you around the caching. Change the numbers if you have to try 
again.

HTH


Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] E-mail etiquette: New subject, new message

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Marcus,

+1.

I raised this some time ago too. It made no difference sadly, however, your 
point about some web mail browsers using the subject to group messages makes 
sense. I hadn't thoughtbabout that. 

I use Thunderbird and it uses the message id, and the problem you mention 
drives me nuts! But I'm quite easily annoyed ;-)

Hopefully, it will stop. Sadly, I doubt it will. People at work do it too - 
then get upset because they replied to messages our team are deleting with a 
rule. Oops!

Here's hopeing


Cheers,
Norm.
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[Ql-Users] Free circuit analysis software

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Slightly off topic but there are electronics gurus on here who might be 
interested.

Spectrum Soft (no relation) are giving away Micro-Cap 12 software. Free, no 
source, no support, just the previous release CD. And it's all legal. A quick 
check of prices seems to indicate that this used to cost about $4,000 plus, per 
seat.

It looks to be for Windows but I have tested it on Linux under Wine and both 
the 32 and 64 bit versions work fine - at least as much as I have tried.  

https://www.spectrum-soft.com/download/download.shtm

If anyone is interested.


Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] QL-VGA

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Pedantic? Or correct!

I'm a pedant's baddest nightmare. ;-)


Cheers,
Norm.
-- 
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

On 9 January 2020 22:47:27 GMT, John Alexander via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>Indeed, one might say it's more of a mark up decription of what you 
>would like to see the hardware been rather than a S/W program to run on
>the H/W.
>Sounds so pedantic doesn't it ;-)JA
>
>On Thursday, 9 January 2020, 22:11:31 GMT, Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users
> wrote:  
> 
> See! I said I knew nothing! ;-)
>
>On 9 January 2020 16:29:50 GMT, Peter Graf via Ql-Users
> wrote:
>>Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users wrote:
>>> I get that it's a software description of some hardware.
>>
>>Not software. It is simply a hardware description, and the result is
>>pure hardware, i.e. flipflops, gates, wires. You can as well describe
>>he
>>same hardware in a schematic rather than text.
>>
>>It is important to understand that no emulation is involved and there
>>is
>>no difference to other logic chips, except that an FPGA can be
>>re-configured. Like GALs, just more complex.
>>
>>From the same hardware description, is is also possible to manufacture
>>customized chips, called ASICs, which have a fixed logic.
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>  
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Re: [Ql-Users] QL-VGA

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

See! I said I knew nothing! ;-)

On 9 January 2020 16:29:50 GMT, Peter Graf via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users wrote:
>> I get that it's a software description of some hardware.
>
>Not software. It is simply a hardware description, and the result is
>pure hardware, i.e. flipflops, gates, wires. You can as well describe
>he
>same hardware in a schematic rather than text.
>
>It is important to understand that no emulation is involved and there
>is
>no difference to other logic chips, except that an FPGA can be
>re-configured. Like GALs, just more complex.
>
>From the same hardware description, is is also possible to manufacture
>customized chips, called ASICs, which have a fixed logic.
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Re: [Ql-Users] QL-VGA

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Thanks John. I get that it's a software description of some hardware. This is 
the first time I've come across it. I might spend some time looking into it - 
if/when MrsD allows - just to satisfy my own curiosity. Not that I'll be doing 
any hardware design though.

Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] QL-VGA

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Marcel,

On 09/01/2020 10:50, Marcel Kilgus via Ql-Users wrote:

Well, it's a bit like programming, the difference is just that
basically all lines execute at the same time! If you want something to
execute sequentially you have to implement a state machine.

> ...

Thanks. I had a look at the link. Interesting. I don't understand most 
of it, but I recognise some words!


--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
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Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7LG

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] QL-VGA

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

I'm still here Marcel. ;-) 

I'll never have a facebook account. But I do use the Forum.

I've read your article. It looks interesting. I'm not clued up on FPGAs - 
although I know what the initials stand for - so, I would be interested in 
knowing a bit more about how you did the converter. If you have time and 
inclination of course.

Cheers,
Norm.

On 8 January 2020 21:58:23 GMT, Marcel Kilgus via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>In case anybody is still lurking here and has not jumped ship to
>Facebook or the forum, I made a new post about my QL-VGA hardware. You
>can read about it here:
>
>https://www.kilgus.net/2020/01/08/ql-vga-the-second/
>
>All the best, Marcel
>
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Re: [Ql-Users] Assembly language eComic, issue 7, out now!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Dave,

On 03/10/2019 00:58, Dave Park wrote:
I think we have to remember that people didn't communicate as easily or 
freely then as we do today, so specifications were far more localized 
than we'd suspect. If sites had 8 hole punched tape readers, it would be 
a sensible use. When modems came along, and a parity bit was part of the 
modem's protocol, it freed up that 8th bit. Lots of people hacking it to 
their own purposes. Someone with the luxury of a CRT going, "h, I 
can generate extra characters, graphical elements, all sorts!" and 
before you know it, ASCII evolves by who communicates the best ;)


Fun times!


You mean, standards! :o)

I had a look over at Wikipedia yesterday (yes, I know) and you've 
basically summarised the whole tale of ASCII and how it got from a 
fledgling 6 bit to 7 where it lives now, with it's extra bit hanging on 
"just because".


Fun times indeed.

Apparently, I am a pedant's baddest nightmare. :o)



Cheers,
Norm

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
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Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7LG

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] Assembly language eComic, issue 7, out now!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Dave,

strangely enough, I read that the 8th bit allowed parity as, the then, top 
notch paper tapes could cope with an extra (8th) bit and it was put to good use 
for a parity bit. I haven't read the various standards though, so willing to be 
corrected. (Again!)


Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] Assembly language eComic, issue 7, out now!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Marcel,

yes, I agree ASCII is indeed 7 bit. I have to confess that since the 
early eighties - at least where I've been working or at college - it has 
been considered 8 bit with all those extra characters above $7F. But I 
sit corrected. (I like pedantry!)


Do you mind if I use your feedback in the next issue please? Thanks (in 
advance) if so.



Cheers,
Norm.
On 02/10/2019 10:49, Marcel Kilgus via Ql-Users wrote:

Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users wrote:

In this issue there is an article by Tobias on the Q68, plus
exciting stuff about the UTF8 character set encoding and how it can
be used on the QL - or at least, how I can use it! Two world class
(ahem!) utilities are supplied to enable conversion from the QL to
UTF8 and back again. There's even, wait for it, a table of contents! ;)


As a pedantic ass I have to object so sentences like these:

"• The UK Pound symbol is character 96 ($60) on the QL, but in ASCII
it is character 163 ($A3)" (etc.)"

ASCII is, by definition, 7-bit, so it cannot contain a character with
the number 163. The tale of characters 128-255 is one fought in many
battles. Linux tended to be "ISO 8859-1" and later "ISO 8859-15"
before they adopted UTF-8, on Windows you will mostly find the
"Windows-1252" encoding. These are very similar, but differ when it
comes to the Euro sign for example (ISO 8859-1 is too old to have a
Euro sign and the others have adopted it in different places).

But, and that is the important thing, Unicode was made to unify them
all. And UTF-8 is a pretty darn cool invention, unfortunately it came
too late for Windows, which was a very early adopter of Unicode at a
time when everybody thought "65536 characters ought to be enough for
everyone!". So Windows started to used 16-bits for every character
("UCS-2" encoding), which makes coding somewhat weird, and then they
found out that 65536 characters are not enough after all, so now
Windows uses UTF-16, which is UTF-8's big brother, with sometimes 2
bytes per character and sometimes 4. What a mess. But when it comes to
data storage UTF-8 is the way to go these days, always!

For QPC I already implemented these translations 20 years ago when
copying text to/from the clipboard. But well done for bringing UTF-8
to the QL :-)

Cheers, Marcel

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Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
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LS28 7LG

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] Assembly language eComic, issue 7, out now!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Wolf.

Thanks.

I use eComic, eMagazine, ePeriodical etc interchangeably. My wife calls all 
magazines comics, so it sort of stuck.


Cheers,
Norm.
-- 
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On 1 October 2019 06:46:03 BST, Wolf via Ql-Users  
wrote:
>Hi Norman,
>
>as always an enjoyable read.
>
>
>Wolfgang
>Nb Why e"Comic"?
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Re: [Ql-Users] Assembly language eComic, issue 7, out now!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Oh hum. The URL got butchered. Try this one: 
https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssemblyLanguageMagazine/releases/tag/Issue_7 
and hopefully, that will work better.

Sorry.


Cherrs,
Norm.

On 30 September 2019 20:48:41 BST, Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>Hello to all (both?) my faithful readers. The latest edition of the
>somewhat irregular eComic about QL Assembly Language Programming is out
>now. Get it from:
>
>https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssem ... ag/Issue_7
>
>You only need the PDF (to read) and the Code.zip file, to save you
>typing. Enjoy.
>
>In this issue there is an article by Tobias on the Q68, plus exciting
>stuff about the UTF8 character set encoding and how it can be used on
>the QL - or at least, how I can use it! Two world class (ahem!)
>utilities are supplied to enable conversion from the QL to UTF8 and
>back again. There's even, wait for it, a table of contents!  ;) 
>
>Help yourselves and enjoy.
>
>Cheers,
>Norm.
>-- 
>Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
>___
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[Ql-Users] Assembly language eComic, issue 7, out now!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hello to all (both?) my faithful readers. The latest edition of the somewhat 
irregular eComic about QL Assembly Language Programming is out now. Get it from:

https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssem ... ag/Issue_7

You only need the PDF (to read) and the Code.zip file, to save you typing. 
Enjoy.

In this issue there is an article by Tobias on the Q68, plus exciting stuff 
about the UTF8 character set encoding and how it can be used on the QL - or at 
least, how I can use it! Two world class (ahem!) utilities are supplied to 
enable conversion from the QL to UTF8 and back again. There's even, wait for 
it, a table of contents!  ;) 

Help yourselves and enjoy.

Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] The Editor

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Paul,

On 04/07/2019 17:59, paul via Ql-Users wrote:
> ...

Was or is there a PC equivalent? I also recall thinking about this
way back in the past but don't recall ever chasing an answer.



Do you mean, a PC equivalent to the Editor? or, silly question I admit, 
a PC program to read PC Floppies? (I doubt it's this!)


I use for editing Notepad++ for Windows (at work) from 
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/ or, at work and home, VSCodium, which is 
Visual Studio Code without the "ET Phone Home" stuff that Microsoft have 
embedded into the editor. Available from https://vscodium.com/ for Mac, 
Windows and Linux - many flavours thereof.



HTH

Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
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Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7LG

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] QLTools - 2.15.5 available

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Wolf,

On 05/02/2019 14:01, Wolfgang Lenerz via Ql-Users wrote:


int nbrOfSectorsInMap=firstSector.getShort(WinDrive.QWA_SCTM)&0x;
// that many sectors are supposed to be in the fat

int 
temp=nbrOfSectorsInMap/(firstSector.getShort(WinDrive.QWA_SCTG)&0x);
if (nbrOfSectorsInMap % (firstSector.getShort(WinDrive.QWA_SCTG)&0x) 
!=0)

   temp++;   // these are the number of clusters needed to hold the map

if (temp!=this.fatClusterChain.size())  (...)
// if they both agree, all is ok, I have a valid drive map


That's very useful indeed, thanks. With a bit of luck, I might be able 
to get proper qxl.win files created soon. :)



Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
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Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7LG

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] QLTools - 2.15.5 available

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 05/02/2019 10:07, pgraf--- via Ql-Users wrote:
Hi Peter,


Can you give me an example of how to reproduce the problem(s) you are
seeing? I've just created a 20 MB qxl.win with no problems. (So far!)


Unfortunately not right now, and my memory is vague. I think that
all issues were gone with 16 MB and less. My next image size step
was probably 32 MB, not just 20 MB.

It could be, that just recompiling the latest qxltool source with an
up-to-date compiler and library makes the issues disappear.


I've created a couple of qxl.win files (at coffee time - I'm working) 
and checked them with my own QXLWin program. The headers looks strange 
to me:


On the 4 MB I see these dubious fields:

* Sectors per map = 21
* Number  of maps = 100
* Root directory length = 58

On the 20 MB I see these dubious fields:

* Sectors per map = $A1 (161)
* Number  of maps = 100
* Root directory length = 58

I've had a quick look at the definition of a QLWA header in the code and 
it appears slightly broken. Some of the fields I would think essential 
are not being used - sectors per block for example. That changes as the 
files grow bigger and might be related to your problems.


I'll see what I can do - there are still quite a few compilation 
warnings I need to get rid of first.



Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
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Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7LG

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] QLTools - 2.15.5 available

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 04/02/2019 17:25, Peter Graf wrote:


Sounds good. I could compile qxltools, but that was long ago. My concern
are image sizes over 16 MB and some strange characters in the
commandline output.


What problems do you have with 16MB files? I presume you mean that the 
qxl.win file is over 16Mb, and it's not a problem of writing something 
that big into a qxl.win?


I don't see any weirdness on the command line output though. I'm mainly 
on Linux which might be helping.


Can you give me an example of how to reproduce the problem(s) you are 
seeing? I've just created a 20 MB qxl.win with no problems. (So far!)



Cheers,
Norm.

--
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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
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Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7LG

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] QLTools - 2.15.5 available

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Peter.

One of the reasons I did some work was a recent almost total loss of over 300 
floppies going back many years. They had all seized in the cases and refused to 
rotate. I have "ripped" the ones that still work onto my Linux laptop for 
posterity. Qltools comes in handy as I cannot get QPC 4.0.5 to read a floppy 
image. I get not found errors. But I'm running under Wine, which might be 
contributing.

I have qxltools on my laptop but haven't looked at it for ages, I think I had 
problems compiling it - but I can't remember. It might well be in line for some 
tittivation!

Cheers,
Norm.

On 2 February 2019 08:28:53 GMT+00:00, Peter Graf via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users wrote:
>> Revision 2.15.5
>> 
>> [...]
>> 
>> If you enjoy using this half as much as I've enjoyed amending it,
>then 
>> I've had twice as much fun as you! :o)
>
>That's great work! But like many, I went from floppy images to harddisk
>images to be honest. Most native machines now support SD cards as
>removable media.
>
>So what I have to use for the commandline is "qxltool" rather than
>"qltools". Is there any chance that "qxltool" also receives some
>maintainance?
>
>All the best
>Peter
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[Ql-Users] QLTools - 2.15.5 available

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Revision 2.15.5

1) Now compiles under Windows with Gcc. I used CodeBlocks with the built 
in 32bit gcc to do the builds. There's also a makefile for shell usage.


2) Fixed 32bit bug in formatting an ed image file. It would segfault on 
Windows 64bit when compiled as 32bit, but not as a 64 bit build. Turned 
out to be a bug in my 'ed' formatting code.


3) If the image file doesn't exist, it will now be created when 
formatting an image.


4) Files were being corrupted when extracted from an image with the '-n' 
option. This was because the 'DOS_LIKE' define was not being done on 
modern C compilers/operating systems. It is now! The corruption was to 
add a CR in front of every LF in the file.


5) When changing the dataspace of a file with '-x' the dataspace size 
was allowed to be an odd size. I'm sure this causes trouble on a QL, so 
it now gets rounded up if it is odd.


6) The '-M' option to create a level 2 directory wasn't working. This 
was because it was opening the image file in read only mode. I may have 
been responsible for breaking this - but don't quote me. It's fixed now.


7) Dumping an ED cluster with the '-u' option (ASCII dump) was only 
dumping 32 lines of 16 bytes - 512 bytes in total. The number of lines 
was hard coded. It has been changed to calculate the number of lines 
from the sector size. This option now works for ED drives as well.


8) Windows uses the '/' character for command line options, unlike Linux 
which uses '-' and while there was some code that allowed the '/' when 
'DOS_LIKE' was defined, it wasn't in all the places it needed to be. Now 
it is. Windows users have the choice of whichever flag symbol they like. 
(Well, '-' or '/' is all the choice actually!)


9) Slightly weird. If the '-w' option was used to write a file into an 
image, and that that file was already there, it didn't prompt to 
overwrite. I spent ages tracking it down and it turned out that running 
in a Windows command session does prompt, only running in a bash shell, 
on Windows, does it not prompt. As most users won't be in my development 
bash shell, I'm not fixing this.


10) Source Code is available from https://github.com/NormanDunbar/qltools.

11) Compiled binaries for 32/64 bit Windows and Linux are also available 
from https://github.com/NormanDunbar/qltools/releases - along with a new 
user guide.


If you enjoy using this half as much as I've enjoyed amending it, then 
I've had twice as much fun as you! :o)



Cheers,
Norm.

--
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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
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Re: [Ql-Users] SMSQ/E and SBASIC manual v1.06

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Derek,


On 28/01/2019 20:18, Derek via Ql-Users wrote:

Hi  Dilwyn,

I received your Blog update email, can you remove the adverts from the email.

Regards
Derek


I suspect, given that Dilwyn's blog is at wordpress.com, that he is 
using a free blog setup there. In that case, the adverts are beyond 
Dilwyn's control I'm afraid.


You know the old saying, "you get nothing for nothing these days"? Free 
blogs are advert supported.


I agree that ads are seriously irritating, I never watch them on TV as I 
always record programs on the commercial stations, and fast forward, but 
if ads are a requirement of getting something for "nothing" then c'est 
la vie (as they sometimes say in Cardiff and other parts of Wales!)


The Superbasic online manual, at 
https://superbasic-manual.readthedocs.io/en/latest/, has a single advert 
at the bottom of the contents list on the left of the screen - that 
advert pays for us to have the documentation hosted for "free" - it's 
not too intrusive.


HTH

Cheers,
Norm.


--
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Re: [Ql-Users] QXL.WIN corrupted

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 02/01/2019 23:43, Dilwyn Jones via Ql-Users wrote:


The hard disk map can be corrupted by
a variety of software: the main culprits are probably the GST Linker (old
version, not the one supplied by Quanta) and any software which draws arcs
or uses ATAN, ASIN or ACOS (QDOS only, not SMSQ/E!).


Strange. Does anyone know why the above could result in a corrupted MAP 
for a hard disc?


Cheers,
Norm.

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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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Re: [Ql-Users] QXL.WIN corrupted

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Evening Renato.

Are there any errors displayed?

Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] QLFoum is down.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

It appears to be back. Please ignore my previous email.


On 17/12/2018 20:25, Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users wrote:
I'm attempting to get into the QL Forum and I'm getting an error 508 
that states:


Resource Limit Is Reached



Cheers,
Norm.

--
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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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[Ql-Users] QLFoum is down.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

I'm attempting to get into the QL Forum and I'm getting an error 508 
that states:


Resource Limit Is Reached

The website is temporarily unable to service your request as it exceeded 
resource limit. Please try again later.



Hopefully there's a mod listening in here .. because I can't send a 
private message via the Forum.


Same problem for the qlwiki sub-domain - in case anyone is trying that 
as well.



Cheers,
Norm.

--
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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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[Ql-Users] QL Assembly eComic - Issue 6 Out Now.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Issue 6 of the QL Assembly eMagazine is now, finally, available for download. 
Just in time for Christmas too! :-)

Things are a little different now. I'm hosting all the code in the eMagazine, 
as well as the source (LaTeX) for the eMagazine itself on GitHUb. Each issue is 
available as a "release". Don't worry, if you happen to go to the old download 
location, you'll see a message telling you where to go to get the latest issue.

All the releases are here: https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssem ... 
e/releases while the latest edition, Issue 6, is at 
https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssem ... ag/Issue_6. 

You will most likely be wanting the pdf and the "CODE.zip" links, unless you 
want to see how the eMagazine is put together, in which case, feel free to help 
yourself to one or other of the "SourceCode" links.

And as there is only a few more days to go, may I take this opportunity to wish 
you all a very Merry Christmas (or alternative Winter festival as appropriate) 
and a very happy and prosperous 2019.

Cheers,
Norm
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Re: [Ql-Users] Proposal about the file system

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Giorgio,

On 11/10/18 05:49, Giorgio Garabello via Ql-Users wrote:


But  i never keep in my mind to use a "public" fieds to store applicative
dependant info.
Hmm. The backup date is applicable to the file on the hard disc. It 
holds information about the file on disc and not about the application. 
On various other file systems out in the wild, a similar thing exists - 
even on MSDOS there's an "archive" bit to tell some backup program that 
the file needs backing up. (If I remember that correctly!)





There'a big difference between an intentional  write ( i want to use  YOUR
DB,) and a casual overwrite (oh sorry, we are using the same field)  don't
think as  DBA, thinks as a user that install a lot of sw on his system
without know how these works.
True, but that same user could decide to delete the 
database/file/whatever that holds details of the backups. Using the 
file's own backup date keeps the data (meta data) as close as possible 
to the file it applies to. That is the ideal situation. To my mind anyway.


Any backup program is interesting in two pieces of data about a file, 
the last time it was modified and the last time it was backed up. Once 
you have those, you have the ability to determine if the file needs to 
be backed up. Without those data, the only valid backup is to completely 
backup everything on the hard disc.


If any other backup application decides to write it's date to the backup 
date, then no harm done.


I agree that any other application could overwrite my backup date, for 
example, but it could equally overwrite the file type - preventing me 
from EXEC'ing the file, or change the data space value resulting in the 
file failing to EXEC or worse, random stack based failures.


So, any of the fields in the file header can be overwritten by anyone, 
it's the nature of the beast from 1985 I'm afraid.



Of course this is only philosophy :-)

:o)



sorry for my bad english
Never apologise for bad English, your English is perfectly 
understandable. My Italian is limited to please, thank you, have a good 
day/evening, happy birthday/Christmas, "two lemon ice creams please" and 
"two large glasses of white wine please".


And my (late) step father was from San Remo too!


Cheers,
Norm.


--
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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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LS28 7LG

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] Proposal about the file system

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Giorgio,

but the applications can change any part of the header, especially if the user 
has DJToolkit, Turbo Toolkit, TK2 etc. So should we stop using file lengths, 
data space, file types etc?

Not once has my own backup system been compimised by any application writing to 
the header, nor have any of my users, since 1989/1990, ever reported a problem. 
I think it should be safe.

And speaking as a Database Administrator, what makes you think that a separate 
database is any safer - anyone could change it.


Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] QD 2018

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 15/08/18 17:06, Jochen Merz via Ql-Users wrote:

1988 + 20 = ???  ;-)


Many thanks Jochen.

Hope you are well.


Cheers,
Norm.


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Re: [Ql-Users] return values QPC2 <>SMSQMULATOR

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 03/08/18 12:01, François Van Emelen via Ql-Users wrote:

Hi all,
(if there is still someone listening, of course.)


I'm listening, but unfortunately, I don't know the answer. Sorry. :(


Cheers,
Norm.

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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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LS28 7LG

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Re: [Ql-Users] QL-SD progress

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Looking good Marcel.

Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] QL wikis and information

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Qdosmsq is mine, and is nostly software as I am most definitely not a hardware 
guru, nor do I play one on tv.

I helped convert and set up qlwiki.qlforum.co.uk too. We could create a 
hardware namespace, separate from the existing qlwiki namespace for these 
things?

Comments?


Cheers,
Norm.

On 16 April 2018 20:14:37 BST, pjwitte via Ql-Users  
wrote:
>On 16/04/2018 18:14, Dave Park via Ql-Users, Re: Graphic objects and 
>padding, wrote:
>> It's almost like we need some kind of public "infobase" or
>"programmer's
>> wiki" to make these nuggets easily searchable and reference-able.
>>
>> Where might we find something like that?
>>
>> PS: I offer free web hosting to anyone willing to run it.
>>
>> On Mon, Apr 16, 2018 at 9:47 AM, pjwitte via Ql-Users <
>> ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com> wrote:
>At present there is 
>http://qdosmsq.dunbar-it.co.uk/doku.php?id=qdosmsq:start, which is a 
>technical wiki. There is also 
>http://qlwiki.qlforum.co.uk/doku.php?id=qlwiki:sinclair_ql_home_computer,
>
>which is more "historical".  There is of course lots more info out 
>there, but it is widely spread around.
>
>I had rather hoped the relevant people would pipe up here and trumpet 
>their wares! The above request seems like a timely reminder.
>
>A lot of this passes people by (and as we get older, some of us may 
>need regular refreshers ;-) So it would be great if those of you 
>sitting on valuable information could (re)introduce yourselves and 
>briefly (or not) tell us about the essential hardware and software 
>information you have in custody.
>___
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[Ql-Users] Fancy editing the QLWiki? Here's a helpful manual for beginners

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

I've created a manual for beginners at editing the new QL Wiki, and for 
people like me, who occasionally have trouble remembering stuff!


You can read about it on the wiki itself at 
http://qlwiki.qlforum.co.uk/doku.php#editing_manual.



Cheers,
Norm.

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[Ql-Users] Shock! Horror! Assembly Language eComic, Issue 5, Yes 5, Available now!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Well then, here's a surprise.

The newest edition of the somewhat irregular periodical eMagazine is now 
available from 
http://qdosmsq.dunbar-it.co.uk/downloads/AssemblyLanguage/Issue_005/. I 
sent my wife away to Costa Rica, on a sloth hunting expedition, for a 
couple of weeks, so I had time to get this issue done a lot quicker than 
the last one.


Please point your browser there and download the current issue (pdf 
format only) and also, look in the Code folder for this issue's code 
listings. There are two this time around:


Langtons_ant.asm - assembles with GWASL and with a few minor changes, 
with QMAC.


Langtons_ant2.asm - assembles with GWASS. Needs a 68020 to assemble and 
run this version. QPC owners, rejoice!


Enjoy.

The next issue is already underway, but may not appear quite so quickly 
I'm afraid.


Also, the code and LaTeX source for this and all previous issues, except 
issue 1, are now on GitHub at:


https://github.com/NormanDunbar/QLAssemblyLanguageMagazine.

See the latest issue for details.


Cheers,
Norm.

--
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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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Re: [Ql-Users] Source code availability for Minerva v1.92 or v1.89?

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

What Martin says about Qmon!

If/when you come to sell it, I'll have a copy please. I'm using QPC's 68020 and 
Gwass these days for the somrwhat irregular assembly eMagazine and Qmon2, 
standard, doesn't cope well with 68020 instructions. Obviously, that's exactly 
what I'm debugging now!

Cheers,
Norm.

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Re: [Ql-Users] A polite request

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Evening Per,

On 15/02/18 17:42, pjwitte via Ql-Users wrote:

For my part, I believe Ive apologised very handsomely for the error of 
my ways (although any forgiveness still seems to be working its way 
though my accuser's brain) so I have no more to give on this and require 
no further instruction. 


Look back up the thread, you were forgiven. Not that you needed 
forgiving, other people do it too. It's a minor irritation and certainly 
not something to lose sleep over.



Nor will I take kindly to any further reprimand 
on the topic. There is plenty one could moan about on this list if one 
were thus inclined. Nuff said.


Oh, I would tend to disagree there. Respectfully disagree of course. I 
think this is one of the better lists I enjoy reading - even when the 
subject has little or no interest for me - and responding to as and when 
appropriate.


We are a pretty friendly bunch on here, in my opinion.


Cheers,
Norm.

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Re: [Ql-Users] A polite request

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

On 14/02/18 20:22, Dave Park via Ql-Users wrote:

Also, have you guys been following my new hardware releases on the forums
recently?


I see what you did there Dave! ;-)

And, yes, I have been following.


Cheers,
Norm.

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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
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LS28 7LG

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Re: [Ql-Users] A polite request

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Per,

On 14/02/18 20:21, pjwitte via Ql-Users wrote:
If Ive sinned, Norm, please forgive. Are you refering to anything I did? 
I ax cause I havent noticed the problem, so perhaps I missed something?
Anyway, enjoy your wine, although I would have thought a hot toddy would 
bring more cheer after your wet waddle to Waitrose..


Per


on this occasion, you just happened to be the victim, yes. Other 
culprits have done it before, not just to me though. So worry ye not!


I also get this on some Oracle lists that I follow for work, it's a 
right pain, and even when the mods tell people off, they still do it.


I'm currently scoffing a hot, decaf latte, one wine a  night midweek is 
enough, I need to be up early tomorrow and at work by 7AM.



Cheers,
Norm.

--
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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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LS28 7LG

Company Number: 05132767
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[Ql-Users] A polite request

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Good Evening All,

my wife is currently in Central America, chasing sloths, and I've been 
lambasted because she didn't get her Valentine's card. Go figure, it's 
waiting here for he but that's not good enough - I should have hidden in 
in her suitcase!


That's just so you know what kind of night I'm having, plus, is pi55ing 
down and I'm soaked having just (stupidly) decided to walk to the 
supermarket. And back, with the shopping!



Right, the request...

Please, please, please do not "hijack" a thread. Don't reply to a thread 
and change the subject to something completely unrelated. Thanks.


It's a complete pain in the backside (see, I'm being polite!) when I 
miss out on some interesting topics because someone has replied to 
another thread that I'm not following.


It's especially painful when someone replied to my threads - I don't 
tend to read my own stuff after the topic has come to a graceful 
conclusion, so the new topic thread remain hidden within my ramblings. I 
just noticed a new topic thread hidden in my recent "Assembly language 
ePeriodical Issue 4" thread.


I use Thunderbird, I have it configured to list emails in threads, and 
in reverse date order with most recent first. If you start a new thread 
by replying to another, and change the subject, your threaded topic ends 
up hidden within the original topic thread and I miss out on stuff!


Anyway, I just wanted to get that off my chest!

Cheers,
Norm.

PS. Yes, I have had a large glass of crisp white wine tonight! ;-)

--
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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
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Re: [Ql-Users] Assembly Language ePeriodical Issue 4 - Available Now!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Email problem resolved, and emails are working again now.

It seems that my MX records were mysteriously changed to point at a 
non-existing mail server. Hmmm. I shall be having words with 1 and 1 as 
this happened with my 'A' record a wee while back too.



Cheers,
Norm.

--
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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

Registered address:
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LS28 7LG

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] Assembly Language ePeriodical Issue 4 - Available Now!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Oh hum!

It seems that the email address for feedback on the eComic, 
assem...@qdosmsq.dunbar-it.co.uk, is down. It can send emails out, but 
any attempt to reply, or send an email to it gets 'mailbox doesn't 
exist' errors. I need to look into this. Just in case anyone has read 
the ePeriodical and wants to send feedback, try:


assembly (at) dunbar-it (dot) co (dot) uk

and I'll get it.

Cheers,
Norm.

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Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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Re: [Ql-Users] Assembly Language ePeriodical Issue 4 - Available Now!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

It seems that I managed to upload a PDF file with lots of spelling 
errors and a couple of bugs in the listings. Sigh! I've taken the 
liberty of fixing the copyright date as well - thanks Dave.  ;)


I have uploaded a fixed PDF, so the same URL as before applies: 
http://qdosmsq.dunbar-it.co.uk/downloads/AssemblyLanguage/Issue_004/Assembly_Language_004.pdf


I have also uploaded the source code for the ASMReformat utility - which 
might save you a lot of typing. You can get that at: 
http://qdosmsq.dunbar-it.co.uk/downloads/AssemblyLanguage/Issue_004/ASMReformat.asm


Or on github, if you prefer: https://github.com/NormanDunbar/ASMReformat.

If you downloaded that code yesterday, there are two bugs in it that I 
only noticed yesterday - they don't seem to affect the working of the 
code, funnily enough, but I'm almost certain that George would have 
spotted them and give me, rightfully, a hard time!  ;)



Have fun.

Cheers,
Norm.


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[Ql-Users] Assembly Language ePeriodical Issue 4 - Available Now!

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

After promising, sort of, to get this issue out a lot quicker than the 
previous one, I seem to have failed miserably.


This is due to the usual excuses, plus, some family illnesses etc which 
I may have mentioned previously. Anyway, after yet many more months of 
the odd hour grabbed here and there, between work, driving, home life 
and so forth - did I mention Christmas, New Year and a holiday or two to 
boot - the latest somewhat exciting issue of the Assembly Language 
eMagazine is now available for download.


Point your browsers at 
http://qdosmsq.dunbar-it.co.uk/downloads/AssemblyLanguage/Issue_004/Assembly_Language_004.pdf 
(or wget 
http://qdosmsq.dunbar-it.co.uk/downloads/AssemblyLanguage/Issue_004/Assembly_Language_004.pdf) 
and all will be revealed.


There are 49 pages of articles on a wide range of subjects relating to 
Assembly Language on your QL (or derivative) including an article on the 
many new addressing modes available on the MC68020 processor. Oh, and 
the cover and chapter heading pages have been 'tarted up' a little too.


Happy reading and hopefully, the next issue will be out much quicker 
than this one!


Cheers,
Norm.

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Re: [Ql-Users] Ql-Users Digest, Vol 167, Issue 2

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Paolo,

as far as I remember, the code letters for the various QL ROMs have been 
named after:


* Taxi Drivers used by Sinclair staff;
* Engineers at Sinclair;
* Women in the Sinclair offices.

There may bo other "uses", but the letters in JM and JS etc are the 
initials of certain people from the above list. I have not seen a full 
list of the various names actually used though, so I can't tell you who 
JM and JS were. Sorry.



HTH

Cheers,
Norm.

On 04/01/18 18:30, Paolo Del Bene via Ql-Users wrote:

Today's Topics:

1. Re: about JM and JS roms

 (Paolo Del Bene)

 34 years are passed, and I haven't
 anymore a QL Sinclair from 27
 years when my father before bought
 it for me and then he sold without to
 say nothing to me.

 I am here only to ask for what stand
 the name JM and JS in the roms.

 I haven't found any information
about, if you can help me I'll be
 happy

 Happy GNU Year 2018

 Paolo Del Bene iw0fzw






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Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] Merry Christmas with SMSQ/E

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Happy New Year one and all.

I started pcb design a while back too. I use Fritzing and/or Kicad for mine. 
Manually routing a pcb can seriously use up a good few hours of your life! But 
it's [still] fun.

I will probably live to regret this but, let me know how/where to get the DISA 
source and I  will take a look and try to understand it. I must say in advance 
that time, as ever, is probably limited as my wife and I are in the middle of 
dealing with a severe case of dementia affecting my mother in law. This, as you 
can imagine, is a bit of a time killer, and the worst of it is, she'll never 
get better.

I lost my own mother 2 years ago to the same horror, and my dad was recently 
diagnosed with it too. Still, look on the bright side, it's not hereditory!

As mentioned above, all the best for 2018, and thanks for all the help, and fun 
this past year.


Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] EXT_PROC

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Already done by me. Dilwyn has the documents and should be uploading soon.

Cheers,
Norm.

On 10 November 2017 01:27:04 GMT+00:00, Per Witte via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>Thanks Dilwyn. It seems Jon S is already on the case of appending it.
>
>Per
>
>On 9 November 2017 at 20:19, Dilwyn Jones via Ql-Users <
>ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com> wrote:
>
>> I've OCRed Chapter 15 from my copy of the manual and placed it as PDF
>and
>> Word DOC file at http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/qlib/index.html
>>
>> Would be delighted if it could be added to the manual already on that
>page.
>>
>> Note that it was done in a hurry and I've only hurriedly gone through
>the
>> OCRed file so there are probably dozens of misstakkes in it.
>>
>> Dilwyn
>>
>> -Original Message- From: SMSQE
>> Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2017 1:28 PM
>> To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com
>> Cc: 'Dilwyn Jones'
>> Subject: RE: [Ql-Users] EXT_PROC
>>
>>
>> My version of QLIB didn't come with such a supplement for some
>reason, so
>> it
>> won't be in the manual I created. If I can get the supplement, I'll
>update
>> the manual.
>>
>> Jon
>>
>> -Original Message-
>> From: Ql-Users [mailto:ql-users-boun...@lists.q-v-d.com] On Behalf Of
>> Dilwyn
>> Jones via Ql-Users
>> Sent: 09 November 2017 01:01
>> To: ql-us...@q-v-d.com
>> Cc: Dilwyn Jones 
>> Subject: Re: [Ql-Users] EXT_PROC
>>
>> Chapter 15!?
>>>
>> An 8 page supplement entitled "Release 3.3 Enhancements"
>>
>> Headings (to give you an idea what it covers):
>>
>> Introduction
>> Notes For Minerva Users
>> SuperBASIC Changes With Minerva
>> WHEN Handling
>> WHEN ERROR
>> Entering WHEN ERROR
>> Exiting WHEN ERROR
>> Turning Off WHEN ERROR
>> WHEN ERROR and Q_ERR
>> WHEN ERROR in compiled programs
>> WHEN ERROR and Externals
>> WHEN variable
>> Stopping WHEN Processing
>> WHEN variable in compiled programs
>> Trace Options
>> Error Console
>> Free Running Procedures
>> QLIB_SYS
>> New Error Messages
>>
>> If anyone has time to OCR this I'll gladly post it on my QLib page -
>I'm
>> afraid I don't know if the information has been integrated into the
>v3.36
>> manual on my site or not.
>>
>> Dilwyn
>>
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>>
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>>
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Re: [Ql-Users] CPORT

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Hi Michael,


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

Something for me to find out later then I suspect!


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

That would work for me too. I wonder what the difference is?


CPORT does work well in QPC2, provided that memory is limited to 16M.

Hmmm. I use 48M. But I can reduce it if necessary.


There's also some other related files.
I'll dig them out.  How can I get them to you?
There's no need - thank you. One I'm not sure of the legal status, even 
though it is a Chas Dillon program, he didn't put the source code etc 
out there when he "opened" his other stuff, and two, I have the DP 
collection and CPORT_zip is on disc 03. So I have it already.


Thanks again though for your offer.


Cheers,
Norm.

--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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

Company Number: 05132767
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[Ql-Users] CPORT???

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Afternoon All,

I used to have CPORT on my hard drive for QPC2 but for some reason I 
seem to have deleted it, plus, my original disc - floppy - is no more 
having been one of hundreds that no longer worked.


Luckily I have working copies of the DP Collection, so I'm able to get 
it back from there! Phew.


I've checked the web site for the Chas Dillon sources of Turbo etc, but 
CPORT isn't there, sadly, and the QL Wiki lists the source code as 
missing in action, so I'm wondering if anyone out there actually knows 
Chas, or, if you know where Chas hides the source code and if there is 
the slightest chance that it will be made available?


I suspect the odds are slim, but you never know if you don't ask.


Cheers,
Norm


--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd

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

Company Number: 05132767
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Re: [Ql-Users] Possible bug in smsqmulator.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Ok, thanks Wolf.

Cheers,
Norm.

On 12 October 2017 04:41:36 BST, Wolf via Ql-Users <ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com> 
wrote:
>Hi,
>
>thanks for your warning but no bug. The comment mentions what the
>SMSQ/E 
>format routine gets, not the java side.
>
>Cheers
>
>Wolfgang
>
>On 11/10/2017 23:24, Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users wrote:
>> Evening All,
>> 
>> I was nosing around in the latest source for Smsqmulator and I might
>have found a bug in the floppy driver code. Mind you, it's Java, so all
>bets are off!
>> 
>> In formatDrive() it has a comment that d0 is the format type, 0=sd,
>1=dd, 2=hd or 3=ed etc. However the code looks to be getting the format
>type from register d2 and not d0. As in:
>> 
>> Int type = (this.cpu.data_regs[2]&0x)-1;
>> 
>> I might be wrong of course, it does happen, but it looks odd given
>the comments.
>> 
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> Norm.
>> 
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[Ql-Users] Possible bug in smsqmulator.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Evening All,

I was nosing around in the latest source for Smsqmulator and I might have found 
a bug in the floppy driver code. Mind you, it's Java, so all bets are off!

In formatDrive() it has a comment that d0 is the format type, 0=sd, 1=dd, 2=hd 
or 3=ed etc. However the code looks to be getting the format type from register 
d2 and not d0. As in:

Int type = (this.cpu.data_regs[2]&0x)-1;

I might be wrong of course, it does happen, but it looks odd given the comments.


Cheers,
Norm.
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[Ql-Users] QL Wiki - How to subscribe to page change alerts.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

The new wiki allows you to subscribe to a page, or pages, and receive an email 
either every time that the page changes, or, one email, every day that the page 
changes,  with details of all the changes made that day.

So, for example, you want to know when changes happen to the C68 page:

* Open the C68 page.
* Click the "spanner/wrench" button at the top, then select "Manage 
Subscriptions".
* Ensure that the page "qlwiki:C68" is selected, but you can subscribe to every 
change in the "qlwiki" name space by selecting that option instead.
* Choose your email desires - an email for every change, or, a daily email 
digest when the page(s) change. I would suggest the latter.
* Click the "Subscribe" button.

If you are subscribed to some pages already, they will show up at the top of 
the page. You will see your chosen email options for each page subscribed to, 
and an "unsubscribe" link.

Now instead of checking the page every 5 minutes looking for changes, you just 
need to watch your inbox.


Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] EasyPtr and rescalable windows.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

This might be handy too then, it's the official 68000 programmers manual, 
covering all the cpus:

http://www.nxp.com/docs/en/reference-manual/M68000PRM.pdf


Have fun.


Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] EasyPtr and rescalable windows.

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Evening Daniel,

Re assembly language and writing extensions, my eBook has a few chapters on 
that. Help yourself to 
http://qdosmsq.dunbar-it.co.uk/downloads/QLToday/QL_Assembly.pdf.

If you need to return two values, or four, then take a look at the DJTOOLKIT 
sources at https://github.com/SinclairQL/DJToolkit, you will be interested in 
the MAX_CON function which is passed a channel I'd and 4 integers, and returns 
an error code as the result, plus updates the 4 integers with the channel's 
window or console sizes and positions:

**
* error = MAX_CON #channel, x%, y%, xo%, yo% => returns an error and
*updates the 4 (non-channel) parameters to be the
*maximum sizes & positions that a CON channel is.
**

You could write something similar quite easily, I'm sure.

HTH

Cheers,
Norm.

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Re: [Ql-Users] Returning to the QL

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Evening Daniel,

Welcome back to the QL.

I replied to Dilwyn earlier on this. I realise my mistake, as usual, only when 
my post went public. Sigh! No worries!


Cheers,
Norm.

On 28 August 2017 09:32:38 BST, Daniel Baum via Ql-Users 
<ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com> wrote:
>Hi Norman,
>
>I (apparently) wrote this about 20 years ago. This has reminded me that
>the
>idea was to write some kind of debugger for superbasic, but I really
>don't
>remember how it worked.
>
>You're right of course about local variables. Perhaps my experience
>with
>programming since I wrote this will enable me to overcome the problems
>that
>I was obviously having then.
>
>Rgds,
>
>Daniel
>
>
>On Mon, Aug 28, 2017 at 10:34 AM, Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users <
>ql-users@lists.q-v-d.com> wrote:
>
>> Dilwyn asked: "...has huge problems with local variables, which seem
>> to lose their names when out of scope. If anyone knows how to
>reconnect
>> local variables to their names when they are out of scope, please let
>me
>> know. "
>>
>>
>> Could you explain, for the old and infirm (me), how you mean "goes
>out of
>> scope", please?
>>
>> I'm obviously not understanding what you wrote because a variable
>that
>> goes out of scope, in any language, will become undefined, or
>completely
>> missing,  surely? Do any value it had, will be 'lost'.
>>
>> Sorry if I'm being particularly thick this morning!
>>
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Norm.
>> --
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Re: [Ql-Users] Returning to the QL

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Indeed Dilwyn, apologies, I was wondering about you having said it! However, 
the problem is simply my own apparent inability to read properly! 

Cheers,
Norm.

On 28 August 2017 09:40:20 BST, Dilwyn Jones via Ql-Users 
 wrote:
>Err, except it wasn't me wot wrote that, Norman!!!
>
>Dilwyn
>
>
>Dilwyn asked: "...has huge problems with local variables, which seem
>to lose their names when out of scope. If anyone knows how to reconnect
>local variables to their names when they are out of scope, please let
>me
>know. "
>
>
>Could you explain, for the old and infirm (me), how you mean "goes out
>of 
>scope", please?
>
>I'm obviously not understanding what you wrote because a variable that
>goes 
>out of scope, in any language, will become undefined, or completely
>missing, 
>surely? Do any value it had, will be 'lost'.
>
>Sorry if I'm being particularly thick this morning!
>
>
>Cheers,
>Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] Returning to the QL

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Dilwyn asked: "...has huge problems with local variables, which seem 
to lose their names when out of scope. If anyone knows how to reconnect 
local variables to their names when they are out of scope, please let me 
know. "


Could you explain, for the old and infirm (me), how you mean "goes out of 
scope", please?

I'm obviously not understanding what you wrote because a variable that goes out 
of scope, in any language, will become undefined, or completely missing,  
surely? Do any value it had, will be 'lost'.

Sorry if I'm being particularly thick this morning!


Cheers, 
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] PCB Design v7.52

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Thanks Dave.

I have tried the Web based EasyEDA tool and I liked it. Unfortunately it barfs 
for me, regardless of my browser, chrome, Firefox,  opera, so I haven't got 
anything done with it yet. I'll try again as it has been a while. Time 
permitting of course. 

I will give their board manufacturing a try too.


Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] PCB Design v7.52

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Interesting, indeed. My boards were fine, so far, but I'll keep an eye out in 
future. If I ever get time to finish my design! (I can't do it at work in my 
lunch break!)

Who does your boards now?


Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] R: R: R: QxlwinReader

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Dd is a Linux utility that comes with all unix/Linux systems built in.   
RawWrite would be one equivalent for Windows users. On Mac,I think you have dd 
as well.

Hth

Cheers,
Norm.
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Re: [Ql-Users] QxlwinReader

[Norman Dunbar via Ql-Users]

Oh well, that's my next project screwed then!
Never mind, I'll have to do something else instead
;-)

Cheers,
Norm. 

On 10 June 2017 18:56:24 BST, Wolf via Ql-Users  
wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>I've released QxlwinReader, a small java program that allows you to 
>read/write qxl.win type container files directly.
>
>There is also experimental support for Qubide formatted ("BDI") 
>container files.
>
>www.wlenerz.com/QLstuff.
>
>Have fun!
>
>Wolfgang
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