Q-emulator + SuperForth from Digital Precision = error

[78squirel78]

Hi,

I am running Q-emulator on Win8 and mounting the folder containing the Digital Precision Superforth ends up with "at line 160 not found".
I stop/started the emulator wich found correctly the SuperForth Software, if I rely on the full screen message:

"QL SUPERFORTH
Full 83 standard
with
super Reversi

When loaded, CTRL C to enter Forth"
at line 160 not found


I suspect the Zip file is probably corrupted. I tried to find another download site, but this is a dead end. If some knows if it is a bug, or has a known as "good" zip file, that will help me a lot.

With all my thanks,

*Guy

[RWAP]

This is probably the age-old problem that most of the zip files on the Sinclair QL Homepage are QL zip files - you have to attach the zip directly to q-emulator (or run unzip within the emulator), NOT unzip it using Windows / Unix / MacOS - otherwise, the QL headers are stripped from the files...

[dilwyn]

Line 160 in the boot program tries to execute a program file called flp1_forth83_job and the message you saw is written out by the boot program (a BASIC program) before it reaches that line. If you are running it from drive 8 you might need to edit line 160 of the boot program and change it to read 160 EXEC flp8_forth83_job.

Q-emulator doesn't differentiate between FLP (floppy disk device), WIN (hard disk device) and MDV (Microdrive device), so as long as there is a file called "forth83_job" where that boot program looks for it, it ought to run whether configured for running from a Microdrive cartridge or floppy disk. It does, however, differentiate between drive numbers - try the above suggestion first if you haven't already done so. If you are unsure about editing BASIC programs, come back on this question and we'll try to give step by step instructions.

If the above isn't the issue. then most likely, as Rich said, forth83_job has somehow lost its executable file header, the part of the file header that tells a QL whether it's a program you can start with EXEC or EXEC_W commands (also called a JOB file) or another type of data file such as a BASIC program or text file.

This can happen if you unzip a QL file in a non-QDOS environment such as an Apple Mac or Windows PC. There are two solutions, the simplest being, as Rich explained, to attach the zip file to one of the QemuLator drive slots, running the program direct from the zip file, a clever feature of modern versions of the registered QemuLator. This works in 99% of cases, but might fail if the program tries to write back to the zip file (never having used SuperForth in anger, I don't know).

The harder solution is to follow articles on my website about how to get, install and use Zip and Unzip for QDOS, and unzip it using QDOS Unzip on QemuLator.

[tofro]

Dilwyn, Rich,

if the problem would be related to zip file or header issues, the error message seen would be "invalid parameter" instead of the "not found". I really think the problem is the drive number.

Tobias

[QLObi]

Hi Tobias,
i mounted Superforth to my q-emu and get no error messages. It was already unpacked with q-emu to a Windows7 folder. I also tried Windows XP -> no problems. I hadn't tried the ZIP file direct.
The Q-emu is on JS-rom with TKII and had 640K ram.

Detlef

[78squirel78]

Hi All,

Thank you for your help, I didn't expect so many answers !
So here is the point:

- I can't attach the SuperForth ZIP file through the "Dir/Zip/...." attachment tool. So I can't unzip from inside Q-emulator

- I have modified the BOOT file in the SuperForth Win Directory, and ..... it ends with "at line 160 not found". Making a List of the current file shows the correctly modified line.

The Q-emu is registered, so I should normally attach the ZIP file. "Q-emu register" in the menu line is dimmed. "Unregister" only is accessible.

I still have to investigate this last option.

I'll be back soon,

and thank you again !

Guy

[RWAP]

Perhaps you could send some screenshots of q-emulator, so we can see how it is set up, and then the boot program and the results of DIR flp1_

[tcat]

Hi,

I have inspected FORTH83.job file in the archive, and it appears to have an executable header.
There is also one extra date-time field.

Code: Select all

$ zipinfo -v superforth FORTH83.job

Archive:  superforth.zip
There is no zipfile comment.

End-of-central-directory record:
-------------------------------

  Zip archive file size:                     34895 (0000884Fh)
  Actual end-cent-dir record offset:         34873 (00008839h)
  Expected end-cent-dir record offset:       34873 (00008839h)
  (based on the length of the central directory and its expected offset)

  This zipfile constitutes the sole disk of a single-part archive; its
  central directory contains 19 entries.
  The central directory is 1401 (00000579h) bytes long,
  and its (expected) offset in bytes from the beginning of the zipfile
  is 33472 (000082C0h).


Central directory entry #16:
---------------------------

  FORTH83.job

  offset of local header from start of archive:   9308 (0000245Ch) bytes
  file system or operating system of origin:      SMS/QDOS
  version of encoding software:                   2.2
  minimum file system compatibility required:     MS-DOS, OS/2 or NT FAT
  minimum software version required to extract:   2.0
  compression method:                             deflated
  compression sub-type (deflation):               normal
  file security status:                           not encrypted
  extended local header:                          no
  file last modified on (DOS date/time):          2011 Jun 13 12:29:14
  file last modified on (UT extra field modtime): 2011 Jun 13 14:29:13 local
  file last modified on (UT extra field modtime): 2011 Jun 13 12:29:13 UTC
  32-bit CRC value (hex):                         09b54a91
  compressed size:                                9290 bytes
  uncompressed size:                              15712 bytes
  length of filename:                             11 characters
  length of extra field:                          85 bytes
  length of file comment:                         0 characters
  disk number on which file begins:               disk 1
  apparent file type:                             binary
  Unix file attributes (100777 octal):            -rwxrwxrwx
  MS-DOS file attributes (00 hex):                none

  The central-directory extra field contains:
  - A subfield with ID 0xfb4a (SMS/QDOS) and 72 data bytes.
    The QDOS extra field subtype is `QDOS'
    00 00 3d 60 00 01 00 00
    d4 a0 00 00 00 00 00 0b
    46 4f 52 54 48 38 33 5f
    6a 6f 62 00 00 00 00 00
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
    00 00 00 00 5e e3 75 19
    00 01 00 11 00 00 00 00.
  - A subfield with ID 0x5455 (universal time) and 5 data bytes.
    The local extra field has UTC/GMT modification time
    99 02 f6 4d.

  There is no file comment.

[78squirel78]

Hi,

Here is the link with 2 sceenshots. If more infos needed, please let me instructions to catch them.
Thank you for helping !

Guy

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/he4o25k7n6gq ... FIaNa?dl=0

[RWAP]

That looks fine - what does DIR flp1_ show?