The Sinclair QL Forum

Hi Chr$,

I would suggest writing your own boot system and not rely on pre formatted systems that may work but could have only 10% of what you really need.

The software included with Q68 includes QL/E,Black Phoenix and some sample boot files I have tried to show how easy it is to write a QL Boot file.

This adds to one's personal education on how a QL system runs.

Chr$ wrote:

tofro wrote:What's the version of SMSQ/E you're using on the QXL? It might well be it's time to upgrade if Easyptr chokes.

Tobias

Pretty sure it's the latest... the one that came with Urs QL/E called SMSQEQXL.EXE

I've replaced:

ptr_gen
wman
QPTR
hot_rext

...with newer versions. I get the same error at the LRESPR of easyext_res (saying not implemented).

It does however no longer fail with 'Wman zu alt' when I force it to carry on so at least that's something.

I'll have a play with other versions of easyext_res.

When you're running a relatively new version of SMSQ/E, you don't need to load ptr_gen, wman, the like - That's all in the OS already.

Very probably the test for a proper PE in easyext_res is a done a bit sloppy, and your PE is actually newer that the author could imagine 20 years (rather 30) ago.....

NB: I had a look at what EASYEXT actually does (loading and un-loading S*BASIC extension in the common heap) and have no idea why this should be needed in a Q-Liberated program.

Tobias

Derek_Stewart wrote:Hi Chr$,

I would suggest writing your own boot system and not rely on pre formatted systems that may work but could have only 10% of what you really need.

The software included with Q68 includes QL/E,Black Phoenix and some sample boot files I have tried to show how easy it is to write a QL Boot file.

This adds to one's personal education on how a QL system runs.

Thank you Derek. I haven't done anything with the Q68 yet, still grappling with the QXLII (as practice for the Q68 ). I was just trying for now to successfully start a program that would have been made in the early/mid 90s on a Gold Card QL. Thought it would be easy as it comes on a disk with its own boot and it's own PE files. I suspect it's along the lines of what Tobias says, in that my own pre-loaded PE with SMSQ/E is newer than was ever expected and that trips it up.

I do actually know the creator of this software, so I'll ask him if I can share it and if you want, you can both have a proper look.

Hi Chr$,

I have got all combinations of QL hardware, even a QXLII 8mb, 25mhz,which, I use MSDOS, the PC is only a K6 500mhz with 768 ram, only Windows 98SSE would run smoothely. But DOS works okay and networks to my Raid server.

If you need any help getting anything running, send me zip file or FLP image and I will have look.

Thnak-you Derek,

For this particular program (EasyCircuit v2.01) I have just got permission from the author to make it freeware so will start another topic in the Software section and share it openly in due course. It's a German language circuit design program, formerly commercial, I think probably something CAD-like but am really not sure yet as it won't go. I'll also try it on my BBQL and then zip it up for everyone to have a go. Perhaps if someone gets it going I'll then know what to do, as I have quite a few old QL floppies to look through and there may be more rarely seen progs on them. Nothing that is likely to change the world, but I also think it's important to preserve as much as possible.

My QXLII is the same as yours and the host also has Win98 on it, and DOS 6.22 separately. And USB support, so that makes moving files to it easier. I have an XP PC too, just because it's internet capable and also has a floppy drive (but no ISA)!

Chr$ wrote:Thnak-you Derek,

For this particular program (EasyCircuit v2.01) I have just got permission from the author to make it freeware so will start another topic in the Software section and share it openly in due course. It's a German language circuit design program, formerly commercial, I think probably something CAD-like but am really not sure yet as it won't go. I'll also try it on my BBQL and then zip it up for everyone to have a go. Perhaps if someone gets it going I'll then know what to do, as I have quite a few old QL floppies to look through and there may be more rarely seen progs on them. Nothing that is likely to change the world, but I also think it's important to preserve as much as possible.

My QXLII is the same as yours and the host also has Win98 on it, and DOS 6.22 separately. And USB support, so that makes moving files to it easier. I have an XP PC too, just because it's internet capable and also has a floppy drive (but no ISA)!

Hi,

Do you have the source codd to Easycircuit

Derek_Stewart wrote:
Do you have the source codd to Easycircuit

Possibly. I have a whole load of related stuff with it. I will properly investigate.

tofro wrote:

Chr$ wrote:

tofro wrote:What's the version of SMSQ/E you're using on the QXL? It might well be it's time to upgrade if Easyptr chokes.

Tobias

Pretty sure it's the latest... the one that came with Urs QL/E called SMSQEQXL.EXE

I've replaced:

ptr_gen
wman
QPTR
hot_rext

...with newer versions. I get the same error at the LRESPR of easyext_res (saying not implemented).

It does however no longer fail with 'Wman zu alt' when I force it to carry on so at least that's something.

I'll have a play with other versions of easyext_res.

When you're running a relatively new version of SMSQ/E, you don't need to load ptr_gen, wman, the like - That's all in the OS already.

Very probably the test for a proper PE in easyext_res is a done a bit sloppy, and your PE is actually newer that the author could imagine 20 years (rather 30) ago.....

NB: I had a look at what EASYEXT actually does (loading and un-loading S*BASIC extension in the common heap) and have no idea why this should be needed in a Q-Liberated program.

Tobias

In case it helps, here's the instructions for Easyext. It explains what the Xch command in the earlier screendump does, for example.

Thank you Dilwyn.

I have shared it elsewhere (in the software section) but for continuity, here it is in here. EasyCircuit v2.01 by Andreas von Döllen. It works fine in Qemulator but for me it goes wrong using the QXLII as described previously.... if anyone wants to try it out in that or other SMSQ(/E) environments.

Chr$ wrote:

dex wrote: Why not simply use the SMSQ/E as it comes pre-confugured., i.e. mouse in COM2 and printer in COM1 (SER1_)?.

Mainly because my COM2 is female and so it my mouse!

Time for a sex change then. Adapter done for that..... mouse doesn't work in COM2. It's been ages since I even did anything like this.

I got the mouse working in COM2 (in DOS and therefore also in QXLII)!!! The adapter I made first was just a straight through, I'd assumed stupidly that the female port had its pins the same way round as male COM1 just because they were next to each other. I didn't realise that the pins also had to be reversed, idiot! Anyway, it suddenly came to me and after some multimeter playing around I made a new "crossover" gender adapter for COM2 and now COM1 (i.e. SER1) is free to be attached to my original QL printer..... once I've sorted an adapter for that, which is also a bit of a mission for my tiny brain.

Actually, the mouse seems a lot better behaved in COM2 for some reason - a bit faster and doesn't hang any more, in fact it's very useable now.