Q68 New users and general usage thread

[pjw]

You gotta love someone who suggests you are somehow weird or off the mark for making a choice different to yours...

My credentials are that Ive used and/or tested almost all the various emulators, as well as many (if not most) of the diverse hardware platforms. As a result I presented (some of) my reasons and I concluded with my opinion why having either of the two best-featured (fact) emulators in one's toolkit is a good idea.

So far the only reason you have given for Qemulator (over all others) is your preference, which I have no problem with: Preferences are based on knowledge, circumstance and taste. However, as you point out, Qemulator does not solve the problem in question.

Apropos nothing: I hope no one thinks me weird for thinking it (a bit) weird that if, all things otherwise being equal, you have the choice between a free Mustang or an expensive Cortina, you choose the latter

[Pr0f]

You gotta love someone who suggests you are somehow weird or off the mark for making a choice different to yours...

My credentials are that Ive used and/or tested almost all the various emulators, as well as many (if not most) of the diverse hardware platforms. As a result I presented (some of) my reasons and I concluded with my opinion why having either of the two best-featured (fact) emulators in one's toolkit is a good idea.

So far the only reason you have given for Qemulator (over all others) is your preference, which I have no problem with: Preferences are based on knowledge, circumstance and taste. However, as you point out, Qemulator does not solve the problem in question.

Apropos nothing: I hope no one thinks me weird for thinking it (a bit) weird that if, all things otherwise being equal, you have the choice between a free Mustang or an expensive Cortina, you choose the latter

I think it's your choice of verbiage - such as 'for what unfathamoble reason'' that might wrankle folk

My comment about Qemulator was that it was not able to help in this instance, as it cannot create those files, it was the emulator I had installed, and I chose because it met my needs at the time I evaluated it - and indeed it is still useful.

And coming back to the original question - which was about creating QLWA file systems on an SD card - it shouldn't be necessary to install an emulator - free or otherwise to achieve that. There does need to be a simple command line tool for the job, and given that the SD card is first formatted with a Windows utility, it would make sense to do this either in that environment, or on the Q68, and not assume folk have access to all these different platforms. Remember it's more than possible that people coming back to the QL might do so via the Q68, so the availability of platforms to those individuals will be Windows, possibly Linux/Android and the Q68 hardware itself. I've got more than enough info to test a few different methods with. My goal would be to arrive at some simple supportable method to achieve it.

[tofro]

And coming back to the original question - which was about creating QLWA file systems on an SD card - it shouldn't be necessary to install an emulator - free or otherwise to achieve that.

It isn't. You were given some hints above you can do everything from Q68 directly, without having to refer to a PC or other computer/software other than the DOS-level formatting.

Tobias

[Pr0f]

And coming back to the original question - which was about creating QLWA file systems on an SD card - it shouldn't be necessary to install an emulator - free or otherwise to achieve that.

It isn't. You were given some hints above you can do everything from Q68 directly, without having to refer to a PC or other computer/software other than the DOS-level formatting.

Tobias

I did elude to that in my response to PJW - saying I had plenty of info to work with - thankyou.

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

The Q68 can create QWA files on the Sd Card in the 1st partition in FAT32 format, see page 20 of SMSQ/E manual.

The Q68 can not make the FAT32 partition, this is setup in Windows, Linux or MAC.

Q68 SMSQ/E can not copy files from the FAT32 partition.

But a FAT16 partition can be made aftrer the primary FAT32 partition, where the FAT device can access the files saved in 8+3 format.

The FAT partition is defined with the FAT_DRIVE command.

Code: Select all

FAT_DRIVE 1,1,2

FAT device 1, on Card 1, 2nd Partition

Do:

Code: Select all

DIR FAT1_

Will display contents of FAT1_

Which should be documentation in PDF format

On the SD Card sent with the Q68, I created the FAT32 partition, then a 200Mb FAT16 partition.

I copy thsese files in order:

QLWA.WIN
Q68_SMSQ.WIN
QLE317.WIN

For the Q68 to access files in the FAT32 partition, the files must be saved in the first 16 entries in the FAT32 Partition table.

This can be seen with the SMSQ/E command:

Code: Select all

PRINT CARD_DIR$(1)

Since I am generating many SD Cards, I make a master SD Card and make a image of the SD Card with WIN32IMAGER on Windows.

[schombi]

Would it be possible to make those images available for download (at least for the buyers)?

[Derek_Stewart]

Would it be possible to make those images available for download (at least for the buyers)?

Hi,

Not a problem, not sure where to load it to. QL Homepage? Or maybe I write a web site.

The only file not available is: QLWA.WIN which 512mb QWA container.

This my interpretation of QL boot files and some current applications. As an example on how to setup QL system.

[schombi]

Thanks. I would think Dilwyn could be asked to host a selection of such Q68 files on his page, as he´s known to be a great QL supporter.

[dilwyn]

Very happy to do so. My only problem at the moment seems to be lack of time all the time. It helps if submissions are sent exactly as they are to appear on the website complete with a short description (haven't got a Q68 yet so it minimises the chances of me doing something wrong!).

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

I have realised that I had not configured the Turbo Compiler correctly on the Q68 SD Card.

The Turbo Compiler software path can be configured by using the either the Toolkit II PROG_USE or the the Turbo Toolkit DEFAULT_DEVICE.

I prefer to leave the Toolkit II PROG_USE alone and define the Turbo Compiler path with the DEFAULT_DEVICE command.

The path to the Turbo Compiler is "WIN1_TURBO_"

The compiler path canbe defined as: DEFAULT_DEVICE "WN1_TURBO_"

This allows the CHARGE command to find the TURBO compiler PARSER_TASK and CODEGEN_TASK files.

Read the Turbo Toolkit and Turbo Compiler Manuals for more information.