Q68 New users and general usage thread

[Peter]

Hopper, is playable with SLUG 175

Thank you for this and the other photos. Due to all the system development work, I never found time to set up a nice software installation myself. So it is always good to get some feedback and impressions from others! I forget who is behind 'afx' so if you like, drop me a PN and remind me who you are.

By the way, SLUG 175 seems mighty slow. Are you sure you are not cheating, compared to original speed? I've been discussing this with Detlef, who always has faster settings than me, and blames my higher SLUG values on my age. It would be cool to have some exaxt numbers that result in 128K QL speed for a list of games. I think this can only be achived by actually looking at the gameplay on the original machine.

While the Q68 hardware 'SLUG' works better for me than the (Super)GoldCard software 'SLUG' slug, it still requires individual settings. This is because instruction usage and memory access access vary from game to game.

Peter

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

I made an attempt to show what the Q68 could do, by having a sort of profile system on a boot loader screen. The boot loader is an adapted version of the QL Games Cartridge menu.

I define 2 profiles load QL/E and Q-DOCK, I would of had Black Phoenix as well, but I have a little work to do to get it running.

Personally I like Q-DOCK, but this can be disabled or your own boot programme used.

On the SD Card, I partitioned 2 FAT partitions, one to hold the SMSQ/E startup file and WIN file containers and the other FAT partition to hold and files like documentation in PDF format:

Q68 Hardware Manual
Q68 SMSQ/E Manual
SMSQ/E backup copy of operating system
SMSQ/E Reference Manual
QL/E Documentation
SDFormating software

In the partition holding the SMSQ/E WIN containers, there are these files:

QLE317.BIN = QLE v3.17
QLWA.WIN = Q-DOCK
QLWA2.WIN = doc
QLWA3.WIN = emu
QLWA4.WIN = qos
QLWA5.WIN = tks
QLWA6.WIN = gms
QLWA7.WIN = zxl
QLWA8.WIN = ipc

QLWA2.WIN TO QLWA8.WIN are the QL/E WIN files from the "THE DISTRIBUTION", they are not mounted in the boot programme, but can be easily mounted into the SMSQ/E system using the WIN_DRIVE command which assigns a container file on a card to become a drive.

Syntax: WIN_DRIVE drive, card, file_name$

For example, WIN_DRIVE 1,1,"QLE317.WIN" will load QL/E to WIN1

The FAT partition can be accessed from SMSQ/E by defined a FAT drive using the the FAT_DRIVE command, which I have enabled in the SMSQ/E configuration setup.

Syntax: FAT_DRIVE drive, card, partition

For example, FAT_DRIVE 1,1,2 will load the FAT parition to FAT1.

See Q68 SMSQ/E manual for more details of these commands.

Please note, this is an example setup, I would expect this setup to be changed or even deleted for your own personal boot file and partition setup.

[Peter]

The FAT partition can be accessed from SMSQ/E by defined a FAT drive using the the FAT_DRIVE command, which I have enabled in the SMSQ/E configuration setup.

Please note this is an old-fashioned FAT16 system only, with 8.3 filename limitation, and not suitable to transfer executable files. I recommend using QLWA.WIN containers with Qxlwinreader or an Emulator instead. In case of QL-SD format cards, the QUB driver.

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

I had assumed that everyone knows how to transfer QL executable files correctly

I would mainly use the FAT partition for transferring Zip compressed files.

I would never transfer uncompressed QL files from a non-QL system.

[Dave]

Hi,

I had assumed that everyone knows how to transfer QL executable files correctly

I know how to, but I have never successfully done it. The results have never matched the expectations set by the instructions.

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

I had assumed that everyone knows how to transfer QL executable files correctly

I know how to, but I have never successfully done it. The results have never matched the expectations set by the instructions.

Hi Dave,

I also assumed that everyone can write boot files and read manuals...

I know this is stretching my expectations. But do you think I wrong in these assumptions.

[daniel_baum]

Mine just says "collected" but seems to have not moved an inch.

Mine now says "Item Processed" and is apparently in the hands of the Post Office.

I have bought a (hopefully) suitable power supply, and I even managed to find someone on line who still sells PS/2 mice. I have an old keyboard lying around.

We're ready to go....

D.

[Dave]

I also assumed that everyone can write boot files and read manuals...

I know this is stretching my expectations. But do you think I wrong in these assumptions.

With the QL, it is hard to know what we don't know. EG: I know how to write a boot file, but I have not explored all the possibilities. For example, I have never got SMSQ to start reliably from the same boot file in Q-emuLator. Sometimes it works great, other times I end up with Minerva or JS ROM and I don't know what I do differently to make that happen. That is because the QL emulator is part of a wider Mac system and how I launch the app seems to make a difference. Sadly, it's just infrequently enough that I only ever rediscover the problem, never solve it

[schombi]

I would guess that a good amount of the new Q68 users has only basic QDOS knowledge (that includes me) and therefore they struggle a bit with the complexity of this superb machine. A simply how-to in the manual, explaning the steps on how to create a new SD card with content would be a great help.

[vanpeebles]

I would guess that a good amount of the new Q68 users has only basic QDOS knowledge (that includes me) and therefore they struggle a bit with the complexity of this superb machine. A simply how-to in the manual, explaning the steps on how to create a new SD card with content would be a great help.

Yes, I am the same. Hopefully this thread will provide some good information and help I guess at this stage there still only a small amount of machines out in the wild.