How to uQLx on RPi

Discussion and advice about emulating the QL on other machines.
User avatar
NormanDunbar
Forum Moderator
Posts: 2251
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2010 9:04 am
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
Contact:

Re: How to uQLx on RPi

Post by NormanDunbar »

I'd forgotten how slow a Pi Zero is!

I did a quick:

Code: Select all

wget www.dilwyn.me.uk/emu/uqlx2017.zip
unzip uqlx2017.zip
cd uqlx
cp .uqlxrc ../
vi ../uqlxrc
On line 3, ROMDIR, change "<user>" to "pi". (No quotes) Pi is the user I'm logged in as. Save and exit.

Code: Select all

./qm_armv6
It works.

The qm_armv8 file is 64 bit. The Zero is 32 bit.

The qm_armv7 executes and gives illegal instruction.

Qm_armv6 works. You need to use this version.


HTH

Cheers,
Norm.


Why do they put lightning conductors on churches?
Author of Arduino Software Internals
Author of Arduino Interrupts

No longer on Twitter, find me on https://mastodon.scot/@NormanDunbar.
User avatar
Ruptor
Gold Card
Posts: 418
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2019 2:23 pm
Location: London

Re: How to uQLx on RPi

Post by Ruptor »

Thanks for testing. It seems like I am on another planet so can't make sense of your post. :? My line is
ROMDIR = /usr/local/uqlx/lib/uqlx/romdir
and I checked it exists. I understand the arm is a V6 but where does qm_armv6 come from it isn't in the list given in the text file instructions or on the SD image anywhere?


User avatar
Ruptor
Gold Card
Posts: 418
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2019 2:23 pm
Location: London

Re: How to uQLx on RPi

Post by Ruptor »

Additionally the RPiOS is 32 bit and runs on any version of Pi so what is V7 or V6 why should the uQLx care?
Just to make the point it is not the Pi that is slow it is the software. My old 50 MHz 486 is far quicker running Windows for work groups and even the 8 MHz QL boots 100 times quicker, some progress. :roll:

I just tried the link you used and the unzipped stuff is completely different. How stupid of me I used this link that says it is for the ARM and is a complete installation for the RPi
http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/emu/uqlxarm.zip
:? :? :?


User avatar
NormanDunbar
Forum Moderator
Posts: 2251
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2010 9:04 am
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
Contact:

Re: How to uQLx on RPi

Post by NormanDunbar »

I recognise the paths in your description. That's an older version created, I think, by Tobias. It's dated 2012 and I have used it on a Pi 1b with 256 RAMs.

Use the one I've Mentioned above. It's from 2017. http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/emu/uqlx2017.zip


Have fun.

PS. The Pi is slow. It takes too long to even open a terminal. I gave up on using the web browser!

Cheers,
Norm.


Why do they put lightning conductors on churches?
Author of Arduino Software Internals
Author of Arduino Interrupts

No longer on Twitter, find me on https://mastodon.scot/@NormanDunbar.
Derek_Stewart
Font of All Knowledge
Posts: 3929
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:40 am
Location: Sunny Runcorn, Cheshire, UK

Re: How to uQLx on RPi

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi,

I down downloaded a recent copy for RPI-OS and restored it with Linux Image Writer (Disks), this gave a bootable RPI SD Card.

Inserted the 8Gb SD Card into the RPI +3B and booted up OK, used raspi-config to use all the SD Card space.

I updated the Linux operating system and download the file UQLX2017.zip from the QL Homepage.

The file UQLX2017.zip was extracted to /home/pi/uqlx

I copied the file .uqlxrc to /home/pi/ or ~/

edited the ~/uqlxrc file to reflect the location of the QL romdir and opened a new terminal in ~/uqlx and entered the command: ./qm_armv7

See attached screen shot, with minimal uqlx configuration.
UQLX running on RPI +3B
UQLX running on RPI +3B
Next step is to read the manual again and compile a new copy from sources and maybe install a QWA file with more up to date QL software.

I was hoping to use sQLux, but that requires SDL2, which I am not sure is available on the RPI.


Regards,

Derek
Derek_Stewart
Font of All Knowledge
Posts: 3929
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:40 am
Location: Sunny Runcorn, Cheshire, UK

Re: How to uQLx on RPi

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi,

After a little searching, it seems SDL2 is available on the RPI,

So installed the SDL2 development libraries and downloaded sQLux from GitHub.

sQLux compiled first time, with some warning, but generated an executable.

Running the emulator worked and loaded the demo not file.

It looks like RPI can run QL emulation through this emulators: UQLX, sQLux

Also SMSQmulator runs with Java 11, a little slower...


Regards,

Derek
User avatar
janbredenbeek
Super Gold Card
Posts: 629
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2015 4:54 pm
Location: Hilversum, The Netherlands

Re: How to uQLx on RPi

Post by janbredenbeek »

I've been running uqlx on a Raspberry Pi 3B for over a year now. The 2017 armv7 release from Dilwyn's site will run on the Pi but there is no compiled armv7 binary of the 2018 release. I've managed to compile and run it on the Pi after installing some libraries (notably the SDL2 development).
When running a benchmark I got a speed index of about 103 (compared to unexpanded BBQL).

Jan


Derek_Stewart
Font of All Knowledge
Posts: 3929
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:40 am
Location: Sunny Runcorn, Cheshire, UK

Re: How to uQLx on RPi

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi Jan,

Is it possible to programme the GPIO pins on the Raspberry PI from Superbasic?


Regards,

Derek
User avatar
tofro
Font of All Knowledge
Posts: 2685
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2011 10:53 pm
Location: SW Germany

Re: How to uQLx on RPi

Post by tofro »

Well, sortof:

You can run native Linux programs from within uqlx using the pty interface (see the uqlx manuals for details). There should be some Python scripts in Raspbian that allow you to fiddle with the GPIOs - But don't expect wonders with regards to the speed: You will not be able to crate a 50Hz square wave on a GPIO that way.

Tobias


ʎɐqǝ ɯoɹɟ ǝq oʇ ƃuᴉoƃ ʇou sᴉ pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ʇxǝu ʎɯ 'ɹɐǝp ɥO
User avatar
Ruptor
Gold Card
Posts: 418
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2019 2:23 pm
Location: London

Re: How to uQLx on RPi

Post by Ruptor »

Derek_Stewart wrote:It looks like RPI can run QL emulation through this emulators: UQLX, sQLux
Only for you guys. I followed your instructions maybe but I get illegal instruction when running ./qm_armv7 so I tried armv8 and that has real trouble and armv6 run pulled up the windows you show plus the file manager and then promptly reset the Rpi. :( The RpiOS is crap taking minutes to turn on and after 40 years I am still using command lines to work a computer or not in this case on hardware that should be doing everything for me, some progress.
I don't understand this tilda directory structure and the home directory that both seem to have the uqlx directory. What am I looking at? I don't even have a guess for the problem other than me and I haven't done something right. :roll:


Post Reply