Using uQLx on Windows 10
Posted: Thu May 18, 2017 12:09 am
First you must install WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) also called "Bash on Ubuntu on Windows".
Then you can open a command line in Windows and enter "bash", afterwards you have a fully functional "bash" on Windows, without the need to install e.g. CygWin or similar. Unfortunately this isn't enough to run X11 applications as e.g. uQLx. You must install a X11 server application on Windows. I have used Xming, which is really easy to install (as far as I can remember I have just used the defaults). Before starting uQLx you must start the Xming server. Then (on my machine) I can start uQLx (resolution 1024x768) with:
Of course you need (as in a normal UNIX/Linux) a directory "romdir" below the uqlx directory, where the ROM images must be stored.
Here is my .uqlxrc-file with a lot of comments, so that you should be able to set up uQLx on Windows 10 (the TK2-archive tk231_respr.zip may be found on Marcels [QPC2] homepage [AFAIK in his BLOG], sorry too lazy to look for the link:):
Last but not least a warning: Minerva 1.98 is buggy, better use Minerva 1.97 (thank you Jan), which may be found on "The Distribution". See: http://qlforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1952.
p.s.: Have a look to my signature, it has been corrected! The third program is an improved version of EDLINE$ (not GETLINE$) from the DIY-Toolkit with 2 additional support functions.
Then you can open a command line in Windows and enter "bash", afterwards you have a fully functional "bash" on Windows, without the need to install e.g. CygWin or similar. Unfortunately this isn't enough to run X11 applications as e.g. uQLx. You must install a X11 server application on Windows. I have used Xming, which is really easy to install (as far as I can remember I have just used the defaults). Before starting uQLx you must start the Xming server. Then (on my machine) I can start uQLx (resolution 1024x768) with:
Code: Select all
username@qclub:/mnt/d/uqlx$ ./qm -b "LRUN'WIN1_boot'" -z 1 -g1024X768
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^-bash-prompt
Here is my .uqlxrc-file with a lot of comments, so that you should be able to set up uQLx on Windows 10 (the TK2-archive tk231_respr.zip may be found on Marcels [QPC2] homepage [AFAIK in his BLOG], sorry too lazy to look for the link:):
Code: Select all
# .uqlxrc file for Sinclair QL emulator uQLx on Windows with WSL.
# First: It runs (you must install an X-Server, e.g. Xming of course),
# but there are some quirks, see below.
#
# A S E R I O U S W A R N I N G :
# NEVER EVER use Windows programs (File Explorer, command line, editors, ...)
# to touch the directories where WSL holds its files! THIS DOES NOT WORK,
# and not just because of the different line ending. WSL DOES NOT RECOGNIZE
# files which have ben touched with Windows tools. Especially don't edit
# .uqlxrc (this file) with a Windows Editor(!). WSL comes with the wonderfully
# vi/vim preinstalled, you need no other editor (OK I was kidding). I use joe,
# which has WordStar compatible key bindings. Type joe in bash and you get a
# hint what to enter to install joe (it's really easy).
#
#ROMDIR = /home/<user>/uqlx/romdir/
#SYSROM = js_rom
SYSROM = min198.rom
# Don't install this TK2-ROM, instead load inside uQLx the newer
# tk231_respr.zip with the usual:
# a=RESPR(16574):LBYTES"WIN1_subdirectory_TK231_bin":CALL a
# This newer version from Marcel Kilgus (author of QPC2 and currently
# the maintainer of SMS/SMSQ) has a lot of functions of newer Toolkit 2
# functions which were delivered on newer devices (like SuperGold Card)
# in ROM. Especially it has the MAKE_DIR command (but see below for
# QXL.WIN files) :-)
# ROMIM = TKII220.rom,0xc000
RAMTOP = 8192
# Printing not tested:
PRINT = lpr
CPU_HOG = 0
#XKEY_ALT = Mode_switch # use this to have AltGr as QDOS altkey
# Currently drives/directories from Host cannot be accessed with
# uQLx on WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) - at least I didn't succeed:
# But luckily we are on Windows we can create Subdirs with the QPC2 emulator
# DEVICE = WIN1,/home/<user>/uqlx/uqlx.win,qdos-fs
# But uQLx supports QXL.WIN files. Not working on QLX.WIN-Files:
# - Creating directories. Existing directories may be read, also write is
# working, but I have had already a loss. But as you cannot currently access
# the host file system, you have no alternative than using a QXL.WIN-file.
# - IO.RENAME
# - overwrite mode from IO.OPEN - most programs come around this, as original
# QLs (without TK2) also didn't support overwrite on Microdrives and delete
# the file first and OPEN it afterwards new for writing.
DEVICE = WIN1,/mnt/d/uqlx/uqlxhps1.win,qdos-fs
DEVICE = WIN4,/mnt/d/uqlx/uqlxhps1BAK.win,qdos-fs
DEVICE = WIN5,/mnt/d/uqlx/uqlxtopc.win,qdos-fs
DEVICE = WIN6,/mnt/d/uqlx/qpctouqlx.win,qdos-fs
#
# WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) currently does only support inbuild NTFS
# formatted volumes (see also above for access to windows file systems).
# So you cannot access USB devices, ...:
#DEVICE = MDV1,/home/<user>,qdos-like
#DEVICE = FLP1,/dev/sdb,qdos-fs
#DEVICE = RAM1,/tmp/.ram1-%x,clean,qdos-like
#DEVICE = RAM2,/tmp/.ram2-%x,clean,qdos-like
#DEVICE = RAM8,/tmp/.ram8-%x,clean,qdos-like
p.s.: Have a look to my signature, it has been corrected! The third program is an improved version of EDLINE$ (not GETLINE$) from the DIY-Toolkit with 2 additional support functions.