The Sinclair QL Forum

Derek_Stewart wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2023 5:00 pm Hi Martin,

What documentation are you referring to?

The Mode 33 image files from the Q60, display okay on the the Q68.

In the SD Card sent with all Q68, in the directory PICART, there are zipped up PIC files I converted on the Q60.

I'm using this https://dilwyn.theqlforum.com/graphics/convert.zip and also some Aurora documents, for information on the Aurora and 16 bit modes.

I'm trying to document the bit patterns for the Q68 colour modes. Specifically for the COLOUR_NATIVE command.

When I saw that the high and low bytes of MODE 33 seemed to be the wrong way round in the documentation I downloaded, I wondered if the Q68 was different to the Q40/60, and if the intensity bit was implemented.

Peter wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2023 8:48 pm

Martin_Head wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2023 11:32 am But my main question is the 'I' intensity bit. It does not seem to make any difference to me. But it might just be my eyesight.

It should make a difference. Probably easiest to see if you write 64 different grey levels.

Thanks for that, I will have another play. At least I now know that the intensity bit should work.

Hi, I've got another question.

Is the FLASH command supposed to be supported in DISP_MODE 0/MODE 8 in the Q68?

If I enter, FLASH 1 : PRINT "flashing" it does not flash. But if I POKE the display file, I can get flashing lines on the screen.

Hi Martin,

I can not find the reference to FLASH bit working in DISP_MODE 0 or 512x256 Mode 8

There is an error in the Q68 Board Manual dated 10/2020

Page 2:

Video Modes
0. Standard QL MODE 8 256x256 pixel (8 colours)

this should read:

Video Modes
0. Standard QL MODE 8 512x256 pixel (8 colours)

This is corrected in the SMSQ/E manual dated 11-2017

I will correct this, which means editing the PDF file.

Derek_Stewart wrote: Sun Jul 30, 2023 10:28 am Hi Martin,

I can not find the reference to FLASH bit working in DISP_MODE 0 or 512x256 Mode 8

There is an error in the Q68 Board Manual dated 10/2020

Page 2:

Video Modes
0. Standard QL MODE 8 256x256 pixel (8 colours)

this should read:

Video Modes
0. Standard QL MODE 8 512x256 pixel (8 colours)

This is corrected in the SMSQ/E manual dated 11-2017

I will correct this, which means editing the PDF file.

Derek,

QL MODE 8 is indeed 256 horizontal physical pixels, even if SBASIC uses logical coordinates to stay aligned with MODE 4 and allows you to set a BLOCK at 511,255. SBasic simply divides the x coordinates by 2 before setting the pixel in MODE 8. SCR_XLIM will return "512", because it uses logical coordinates as well.

Martin_Head wrote: Sun Jul 30, 2023 9:13 am Is the FLASH command supposed to be supported in DISP_MODE 0/MODE 8 in the Q68?

If I enter, FLASH 1 : PRINT "flashing" it does not flash. But if I POKE the display file, I can get flashing lines on the screen.

Under Minerva, flash does work

janbredenbeek wrote: Sun Jul 30, 2023 9:03 pm

Martin_Head wrote: Sun Jul 30, 2023 9:13 am Is the FLASH command supposed to be supported in DISP_MODE 0/MODE 8 in the Q68?

If I enter, FLASH 1 : PRINT "flashing" it does not flash. But if I POKE the display file, I can get flashing lines on the screen.

Under Minerva, flash does work

After making the post. I tried Minerva, and it worked OK in that.

I have also tried renaming my BOOT program, so I can get a clean system boot. And FLASH still does not work in SMSQ/E.

So it looks like a bug in SMSQ/E.

Hi Martin,

Which document refers to Q68 Flash working, as I can not find anything that refers to this.

Am I sending out the wrong SMSQ/E or Q68 documentation?

Martin_Head wrote: Mon Jul 31, 2023 9:54 am

janbredenbeek wrote: Sun Jul 30, 2023 9:03 pm

Martin_Head wrote: Sun Jul 30, 2023 9:13 am Is the FLASH command supposed to be supported in DISP_MODE 0/MODE 8 in the Q68?

If I enter, FLASH 1 : PRINT "flashing" it does not flash. But if I POKE the display file, I can get flashing lines on the screen.

Under Minerva, flash does work

After making the post. I tried Minerva, and it worked OK in that.

I have also tried renaming my BOOT program, so I can get a clean system boot. And FLASH still does not work in SMSQ/E.

So it looks like a bug in SMSQ/E.

I'd rather call it a "deliberate non-implement". Most of the graphics drivers seem to be derived from the QPC one, that (obviously) doesn't have hardware support for FLASH.

And, on a personal note, I've never missed it....

Hi,

I asked Wolfgang Lenerz, who maintains Q68 SMSQ/E, who thinks FLASH is not implemented, which is consistant with the current SMSQ/E and Q68 hardware documentation.

So no SMSQ/E bug, just not implemented.

The only implementatation of FLASH on the Q68 is in Minerva, which Jan has very kindly implemented.