Looking For Sprites and Reviewing them

A belated Happy New Year to all QLers from QL Heaven.

When there are a lot of sprites, here at QL Heaven, there are over 2500 it can be difficult to remember what each can be used for. Rather than using one of the existing sprite viewer programs which can be downloaded from here as sprites might be separated in to different sub directories to help manage sprites from different sources or having different modes or sizes, while the existing sprite viewers typically show a single directory's worth.

So here is a QuickView sprite viewer. It can be launched via FI2 using the QPAC2 files thing. The selected sprite is displayed with its size and mode in a window that adjusts fro the size of the sprite up to the maximum resolution of the screen in use.

The file name of the sprite is stored in an smsq/e History device so that if multiple sprites are viewed from differing directories they may later be reviewed together as shown below. While the folder icon on QuickView launches a QMenu file requester thing all sprites to be reviewed do not need to be seen during the one session with QuickView. The History device holds the complete file names of all files viewed while the Q68 is switched on so it is possible to view a sprite or 2, close down QuickView, do something else and then restart QuickView and review all sprites viewed by QuickView since the system was switched on.

It is still a work in progress as tools to select sprites and write to a saved file list to use in a sprite library generator program which can be found here have yet to be added, and also a wild card search of a device for all sprite files to find forgotten sprites. Although this can be mainly done with WildSearch
 

SerNet and DEV an excellent combination to connect a floppy drive to a Q68

The Q68 uses SDHC cards both as its hard disk like storage and as it's removable media.

There are (currently) no other physical storage devices for the Q68.

However it does have a serial port. So with another QL type system ( with a decent baud rate) connected via a null modem cable and using Sernet and the dev device the following SBASIC command :

DEV_USE 1,S2_FLP1_

a SBASIC or using the files thing  can now access flp1_ on the second QL second identified as S2 by sernet.

A powerful combination of  existing software enhancing the functionality of new hardware.

Qcascade Menu Editor a work in progress for the Q68

There are now a plethora of free front ends for QL systems, many formerly commercial programs are now freeware. Several such as Launchpad, QDock and Go are from Dilwyn Jones. Then there is QTOP from CWO and Cueshell and QDT. There are also the more complex to customise ProWess and Proforma. Some require a bit of customisation but those from Dilwyn Jones are usually set up through the familiar config block and menu config and the point and click with the program. Where does this leave an old program like Qcascade, a drop down menu system from the 1990s written in C and using environment variables and a configuration script. The configuration script can be quite a tortuous process to set up especially if all the potential complexity of the software is used. As a result once configured it is not one that encourages change and adaption.

Acquisition of a Q68 has resulted in a new look at the use of Qcascade in the set up of this system. The Q68 system with 8 QXL.win files on SDHC card as "hard drives" has the potential to have access to up to 2-4 GB of files depending on the size of the QXL.win containers. The Q68 comes with a boot file for QDT and QDock as alternative desk top front ends. Speed on the Q68 system is dependent on screen size and colours used. Here there is a Q60 so for compatibility the 512x384 16 bit colour resolution works best with a speed that is similar to a SGcard/Aurora set up.

Given that Qdock had been chosen for the main front end it seemed that the best role for Qcascade would be to provide a menu of little apps that might be used to help with other tasks. As there was plenty of disk space programs were copied in to a directory on Win1_, neatly called APPS_.

A SBASIC program called "Make_QCSCDE_rc_bas" was created. When run this program scans the APPS_ directory and creates a new _rc file for Qcascade. To add programs to the menu, copy the program to the APPS_ directory and run "Make_QCSCDE_rc_bas"., place the mouse over the Qcascade button and press ESC and next time the menu is used the new app is on the menu. To remove - delete the program from the APPS_ folder and rebuild the menu as before. To make it really easy copy "Make_QCSCDE_rc_bas" to the APPS_ folder and run it from the menu. Simple.

Anyway here are 2 screen dumps.  One of the menu, and one of the next part of the project a pointer driven menu editor.Both programs have been written using QPTR 0.14 and show the use of 16 bit WMAN colours.

Q68 in QLHeaven

A Q68 is here at last. It is a lovely QL replacement/development. Loads of memory, a 68000 compatible processor emulation making loads of old software run well, 16 bit colour and a range of screen modes that all display well on flat screen monitors. It comes supplied with a 4 GB SDHC card containing 8 QXL.WIN type hard drive files absolutely loaded with freeware software. The super QDock front end comes as part of the package.

The preferred display here is 16 bit mode 33 512x384 giving high colour compatible with modern software, a slighly larger display than the original QL and a speed that is the same a superGoldCard QL or slightly faster. All in all a super QL system. More later.

Q68 QL replacement due October 2017

The QL Forum and users list has been busy with the exciting announcement of the imminent launch of the latest hardware project from Peter Graf  along with the help of many QL enthusiasts: the Q68.

In his own words : -

"I hope to be able to write more about the Q68 at a later time, right now let me say thanks to...

... Laurence Reeves and Tony Firshman for releasing Minerva as free QL operating system, motivating me to develop the Q68 at all
... Richard Zidlicky for bringing Minerva plus PS/2 driver to the Q68 and his great help debugging CPU cores
... Mark Swift for QDOS Classic, structured so nicely that even I could port it to the Q68 in a single day
... Tobias Gubener for the CPU core the Q68 finally uses
... Adrian Ives for the QL-SD driver, initially used for Q68 mass storage
... Tony Tebby for relasing SMSQ/E as free software after all
... Wolfgang Lenerz for his outstanding achievement of porting SMSQ/E to the Q68
... Wolfgang Lenerz again for very helpful tools, extra drivers and docs
... Derek Stewart for his courage and lots of work manufacturing the Q68 hardware and making it available for the public"

The specification or this wondrous new bit of hardware is :

 
- Operating System: SMSQ/E
- CPU: 68000 compatible
- Speed: 40Mhz
- RAM: 32 MB
- SDHC: Two fullsize slots, hot plugging
- QXL.WIN style storage container format
- Keyboard and mouse: Combined PS/2 Connection, scrollwheel support
- VGA: 1024x768 VESA for flatscreen, CRT or HDMI converter
- Graphic modes:
- 256x256 QL Mode 8
- 512x256 QL Mode 4
- 512x256 Q60 65536 colour
- 1024x512 Q60 65536 colour
- 1024x768 QL Mode 4
- 512x384 Q60 65536 colour
- Serial port
- Stereo sampled sound, 3.5 mm output socket
- Buffered real time clock
- I2C interface
- Ethernet, no software support yet
- QL style LED colours
- PCB Size: 8x10 cm
- Recommended power supply: 5V @ 1A
- Silent operation, no fans or heat
- Case: Optional

And here are some pictures :

 
 

 

The price is apparently still to be decided. The launch is pencilled in for October this year. while this is a great new venture that should expand the base of QL users with up to date hardware one nagging concern QL Heaven has for this system is the graphics VGA signal as only the mode 4 1024x768 resolution will work with a flat screen monitor, the other resolutions will require an CRT monitor unless there is something that QL Heaven does not know. Why not include a "PC standard" resolution with high colour as well as the older QL compatible resolutions? None the less QL Heaven will need to get one.