The Sinclair QL Forum

Derek_Stewart wrote: Mon Jul 31, 2023 3:21 pm 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.

Indeed, even on the GoldCard version flash doesn't work.

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

Well, it has actually always been part of Minerva which still uses its native screen driver, even on 1024x768. It just shows that the QL screen emulation of the Q68 is very accurate.

tofro wrote: Mon Jul 31, 2023 11:44 am 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....

The last time I used it was probably in a Videotex (Prestel) terminal emulator, some 30+ years ago. The QL could emulate this very well in MODE 8 but it was a pain in the *ss to implement it correctly. I ended up rewriting most of the display driver since the block graphics required a full 6x10 matrix, which the QL's own driver couldn't handle.

Derek_Stewart wrote: Mon Jul 31, 2023 10:14 am Hi Martin,

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

None. I was looking through the Q68 Keywords document I am doing, and noticed the FLASH command.

I did not remember seeing anything in the normal Q68 documentation that said that FLASH in mode 8 was, or was not implemented. So I thought I should try it.

Hi all, So here's my Q68 Keywords and Concepts documents.

They are meant to be replacements for the original QL manual's Keywords and Concepts sections. And are written in a similar style.

I have supplied them in Libre office .odt, PDF's and Rich text files. Let me know if you see any errors, or omissions.

Hi Martin,

The two manuals look great, very well layed out.

This probably been wanting to be done for a long time.

I will update my Qhelp files with the keyword definitions, so QD can give help on the keywords

Derek_Stewart wrote: Mon Jul 31, 2023 10:14 am Which document refers to Q68 Flash working, as I can not find anything that refers to this.

The Q68 implements the Flash bit in hardware. For me, a correct implementation has to include the Flash bit, so I didn't mention it explicitely.

Hi Peter,

I always assumed that SMSQ/E does not support the FLASH attribute.

Qemulator with QDOS/Minerva supports the Flash command in Mode 8.

Other than I can not find any other working implementation of Flash other than Jan's Minerva4Q68.

Maybe an extenston to Q68 SMSQ/E could be written to implement the Flash bit in DISP_MOD 0/Mode 8, giving the Q68 the correct FLASH command.

I will put this on the things to do list.

Hi Derek,

Derek_Stewart wrote: Wed Aug 02, 2023 8:11 pm Qemulator with QDOS/Minerva supports the Flash command in Mode 8.
Other than I can not find any other working implementation of Flash other than Jan's Minerva4Q68.

Also QDOS Classic - and software which writes directly to the screen.

Derek_Stewart wrote: Wed Aug 02, 2023 8:11 pm Maybe an extenston to Q68 SMSQ/E could be written to implement the Flash bit in DISP_MOD 0/Mode 8, giving the Q68 the correct FLASH command.

Main target for the implementation would be BASIC programs in 256x256 resolution, as the Q68 offers no highres MODE 8.
(Remark: Technically, highres MODE 8 would have been quite simple - I just didn't want to bloat the number of Q68 resolutions beyond 8.)

Maybe SMSQ/E support for Flash is not so important, because old games usually write directly to the screen. In that case, Flash will work, even if the software is started under SMSQ/E.

tofro wrote: Mon Jul 31, 2023 11:44 am 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.

For me that was not so obvious, as Qemulator supports it. I thought QPC also emulated the QL screen hardware. But I never tried.

I remember this thread from before:

viewtopic.php?p=19479&hilit=smsq%2Fe+mo ... ash#p19479

So I think the Q68 hardware obviously supports it - and SMSQ/E doesn't - probably confirmable in the source code / maybe documented in the manual?