Short: QL clone (QDOS, alternative multitasking OS) Type: misc/emu Uploader: msw@mail.blackpool.ac.uk Author: Rainer Kowallik & Mark J Swift Version: 3.23 Replaces: misc/emu/QDOS4amiga ____ _ _ _ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ / __ \ / \/ \ | | / ___| / __ \ / __ \ | _ \ / __ \ / ___| | |__| || || || | _ | |__| | __ | | | || | \ \| | | | \_ \ | __ || |\/| || || |__| || __ | |__| | |_/ \| |_/ /| |__| | __\ \ |_| |_||_| |_||_| \____/ |_| |_| \___/\/|____/ \____/ |____/ S O F T W A R E Q D O S E M U L A T O R F O R T H E A M I G A VERSION 3.23 ARCHIVE CONTENTS 'QDOS4amiga1.dms' A DiskMasher disk-image of 'QLboot:', an Amiga-DOS bootable disk that contains the Amiga-QDOS binaries, and documentation. 'QDOS4amiga2.dms' A DiskMasher disk-image of the source disk 'QLsource:'. 'QDOS4amiga3.lha' The LHARCed contents of the QDOS disk 'QLutils:'. Note the QDOS filesystem must be loaded in order to recreate a QDOS formatted disk from this archive. AMIGA-QDOS FEATURES * FASTER than the original QL * LOADS/SAVES to QL floppy disks * SOUND supported (all possible convolutions of BEEP) * SCREEN modes 4 and 8 BOTH supported * 2ND-SCREEN fully usable (like MINERVA ROM) * KEYBOARD history from combination * ALL known machines supported A500, A500+, A600, A1200, A4000 etc * QDOS utilties disk included with release * FILESYSTEM for reading and writing QDOS disks from AmigaDOS * SOURCE included WHAT'S NEW IN VERSION 3.23 This is a major reworking of Rainer Kowallik's QL emulator for the Amiga. Most of the new features have been added by Mark J Swift (e-mail: msw@mail.blackpool.ac.uk) - Rainer is no-longer involved in the project. The release includes full assembler source and a QDOS utilities disk. Also included is a filesystem by Francis N Swift for handling QDOS disks from the Amiga side. Here is a short list of changes since the last release. For a more comprehensive list read the file 'Amiga-QDOS.ver' * Now runs on more recent Amigas (A4000, A1200 etc). * For 68020+ compatibility, emulates MOVE SR, in user mode (the instruction is priviledged on 020+). * For 68060 compatibility, emulates MOVEP instruction (the instruction is not implemented on the 68060). * Allows data and instruction caches to be switched on & off * QDOS System variables now movable. * QDOS system space can locate to FAST RAM * Supports a Minerva-like second screen. * MODE 8 supported in full. * Sound supported in full. * Standard keyboard-history facility built-in. * JS ROM compatible with many JS ROM bug fixes. * Very stable. THE SINCLAIR QL... ,--------------------------------------------/|/|/|/|/|/|/|/|/|/|/| / /_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_/ / /| / /_//__//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_/ / / / / / /_//____//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//_//____/ / / / / /_//__//_//_//_________________//_//_//__/ /_____________________/ / /_'__________________________________________/|__.====== .====== __|/ |_____________________________________________:======================/ |________________________________________________________________|/ The Sinclair QL is a black slab-like computer based around Motorola's 68008 micro-processor. The QL was launched as the follow-up to the ZX Spectrum, aimed at the business market rather than the games market and was supplied with wordprocessor, spreadsheet, database and charting programs. It features a fully multi-tasking operating system (QDOS) and a very good built-in BASIC. The QL failed to achieve the mass-market appeal of its predecessor, but nevertheless attracted a large dedicated user base... which is still going strong. QUICK START If you have been provided with 3 floppy disks (QLboot, QLsource and QLutils), REBOOT your Amiga with the QLboot disk in DF0: and follow from step 5. Otherwise you should have 3 files (QDOS4amiga1.dms, QDOS4amiga2.dms and QDOS4amiga3.lha) and you should follow from step 1 1. Use DiskMasher to unpack the volumes QLboot: (QDOS4amiga1.dms) and QLsource: (QDOS4amiga2.dms). 2. REBOOT your Amiga with the QLboot: disk in the drive. 3. Copy QDOS4amiga3.lha to RAM: (Use Zshell from the 'ZSH' icon) 4. Double-click on the 'QDOS4amiga3.unLHA' icon and insert a blank disk into DF0: at the appropriate moment... then wait. A QDOS (QL) disk will be created called QLutils: 5. With QLboot: in a drive, double-click on the 'Start_QDOS_UK' icon. 6. At the F1/F2 prompt, insert QLutils: into DF0: and press F1. A QUICK TOUR OF THE QL When you first switch on a QL (or when you run the emulator) you are presented with a screen requiring you to press F1 or F2. On an actual QL, pressing F2 initialises the 3 standard windows (BASICs #0, #1 and #2) such that they do not lie off the side of the screen when viewed on a PAL TV. Since the video on the Amiga is very much compressed relative to the QL, it is always best to choose the monitor setting - F1, on the emulator. Upon pressing F1 or F2, the system will attempt to load and run a file called 'BOOT' from the disk inserted in the internal drive (FLP1_). With the QDOS QLutils: disk inserted, a BASIC BOOT program will run that loads a number of toolkits and installs a small RAM disk. In any case, you will eventually be presented with a flashing cursor. This is your bog-standard home-computer flashing-cursor, waiting for a NEW program to be typed-in and RUN, or LOADed from floppy disk. For example, if you type in the following: NEW 10 PRINT "Hello World!" RUN ...the words 'Hello World!' are printed on screen. If you add the following: 20 GOTO 10 RUN ...then the same words will be repeatedly printed until you BREAK the program with the keys . You can save the program to the disk in the internal drive with the command: SAVE FLP1_HELLOWORLD_bas or, if there is no room on disk, you can FORMAT a new disk with the command: FORMAT FLP1_WORKDISK ...which formats the disk in the internal drive and gives it the name 'WORKDISK'. Remember there is no going back once a disk is formatted. To list the contents of the internal floppy drive type: DIR FLP1_ Loading a BASIC program from floppy disk is a simple matter: LOAD FLP1_PLAY_MUSIC_bas You can then type: LIST ...to see the BASIC listing, or: RUN ...to execute the BASIC program. To execute a machine code task, use the EXEC_W keyword. For example: EXEC_W FLP1_XCHANGE ...will load and execute the stated program from the disk in the internal drive. At the same time it will suspend BASIC ( _W = wait ). To multi-task, use EXEC and press CTRL-C to task switch.