Text87plus4 and QPC2

[NormanDunbar]

I was having some problems with Text87plus4 while running QPC2 on Linux under WINE. This may be relevant.

The program originally executed, then just hung - nothing on screen but I could see a new no-name job in the jobs list, and so I killed it. That problem was caused by my executable, text87plus4, being completely full of CHR$(0) - Hmmm.

After restoring from my backup floppy (almost all my floppies are now dead) which is one of the ten or so that I still have left (and ripped to an image on my backups disc!) and setting the correct data space (file is 116,850 bytes, data space is 26,624) the program now simply vanishes on execution - n hangs, no jobs in the job list either.

The plus4setup program does the same - that's 40,530 bytes and the same 26,624 data space.

Having a hunt around, it seems that there's a patch required to run this application on QPC2? Does anyone know if the patch is available? Required? The best link I have is http://qlwiki.theqlforum.com/doku.php?id ... lus4_patch which indicates that it is required to run in various 16 bit colour modes, which I'm not using.

The dates of my files on the floppy are 1997 and I don't think I've used it much since then to be honest, but of course, now that I need to use it, I can't. Can someone please check if the file sizes I've given above match a working copy - thanks, I'm wondering of my floppy is corrupted somehow. I could delve in with QMON2, but life is too short sometimes!

Many thanks.

Cheers,
Norm.

[tofro]

Norman,

File sizes seem OK. My Text87_exe has 116850 bytes, Plus4Setup 40530

High-color-patched t87 is several ks bigger.

I cannot seem to get to run plus4Setup on QPC (on Windows) either. Simply does nothing, even in 512x256. I do remember I could only use recon to configure plus4. I somehow seem to recall plus4setup wants to see a floppy drive and will silently exit when it doesn't find one. And I also seem to recall text87 itself wasn't any different here. And I also seem to recall I had to patch one of the programs to have it stop looking for mdv1_ - Not sure which one, though. Too long ago.

So: "Give it a floppy".

Tobias

[NormanDunbar]

Hi Tobias,

thanks very much for that. I "gave it a floppy" and suddenly, plus4setup will execute! Hooray!
Sadly though, I get black ink on black paper so I have no idea what I'm supposed to be looking at now.
If it's not one thing, it's another!

However, it seems that I was using 16 bit colours, contrary to popular belief, so I reran it in QL Colour mode, and I can now see green text on black paper. Progress.

And after all that, it's working fine in QL mode. Mind you, I'd forgotten just how bl00dy awful the program looked!!! Still, mustn't grumble, I'm able to read my documents again.

Many thanks.


Cheers,
Norm.

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

To use Text87 on SMSQ/E with high resolution, Marcel did a patch available from:

https://www.kilgus.net/qpcprint/downloads/

The optionally available ESC/P2 printer driver for the Text87 word processor has problems aligning text because it places texts with a resolution of only 180dpi, character spacings however are 360dpi. This patch can update the driver to use 360dpi all the way. You need the original driver for this to work (file size 44512).

[NormanDunbar]

Thanks Derek. I'm not using an ESC/P2 printer driver, so I shouldn't be needing that particular patch. Actually, I don't have the optional ESC/P2 driver installed!

Cheers,
Norm.

[dilwyn]

Hi Norman,
The Plus4 Patch program is still advertised on Bruce Nicholls's website http://www.ql-qvd.com/products.html - scroll down to utilities section.

Means it's probably still available and you might also be able to get it from Jochen or Marcel if you ask them very nicely (a fistful of Euros usually does the trick).

[Derek_Stewart]

Thanks Derek. I'm not using an ESC/P2 printer driver, so I shouldn't be needing that particular patch. Actually, I don't have the optional ESC/P2 driver installed!

Cheers,
Norm.

Sorry wrong patch...

[NormanDunbar]

Derek, no worries, thanks.

Dilwyn, thanks. I've looked a Bruce's page and it seems to be quite out of date, I somehow doubt he is still trading (or at least, in QL stuff.)

I can probably manage at the moment in QL mode as I'm after the content of my documents as oposed to the colours, but thanks again anyway.


Cheers,
Norm.

[tofro]

I can probably manage at the moment in QL mode as I'm after the content of my documents as oposed to the colours, but thanks again anyway.

It doesn't get [any|a lot] nicer with more colours. And is just as awkward to operate.

I bought text87 when I started to envy my brother who had Signum 2 for the Atari and thought it were something similar for the QL - And was heavily disappointed.

Tobias

[NormanDunbar]

I bought text87 when I started to envy my brother who had Signum 2 for the Atari and thought it were something similar for the QL - And was heavily disappointed.

It's not just me then! I've had it for years and hardly ever used it. I really don't like the screen format/layout/whatever. It's seriously weird. Words in paragraphs have huge gaps between them for justification - which I can cope with as the printed output, as far as I remember, was much better and we don't have proportional fonts on our screens, but it does make it a chore to work with.

Still, I don't have too many documents to recover so I'll cope!

Cheers,
Norm.