The Sinclair QL Forum

Hi everyone

I'm trying to transfer files to the SD-Card to use in my BBQL and need some advice on what's currently possible.

I have the QL files I want spread across both DOS folders and inside a QXL.win file that I usually access from QPC.

The BDI driver that comes with the SD-Card software looked promising, so I installed Q-Emulator (nice alternative to QPC - I can see value in having both!) and started the BDI Driver from the virtual MDV1 slot - following the instructions that came with the SD-Card.

I can access the virtual BDI device as SDC1_ from within Q-Em, but am at a loss to understand where this SDC/BDI image is actually stored and then how (or whether) its possible to move the SDC image to a real SDC card, ready to insert in to the BBQL.

I suspect I'm misunderstanding the capability of the BDI Driver and welcome being corrected!

If this is not the way forward, what alternatives are currently available for building an SDC/BDI image file that I can then transfer to the BBQL?

Thanks in advance!

I copied the QL_BDI.bin from the SD card to PC, did what I want to it with Q emulator(with the driver) then copied it back again to the SD card

Thanks for that!

So, next question is... how do you mount the QL_BDI.bin in Q-Em with the BDI driver?

I haven't found any instructions beyond how to start the driver...

What am I missing?

I'll see if I can find where I read about it. You have to copy a file to the qemulator folder etc.

Here we go:

"1. Install Qemulator
2. Unpack Extension.zip to the qemulator folder - it should then look like this:
Program Files
Qemulator
Extension
QL_BDI.BIN
SD_Card.dll
3. BDI_RAM_Driver: unpack where you want
4. Start Qemulator an then stop it - increase the RAM in the settings to 384KB
5. Start Qemulator
6. Mount one of the slots with the directory where you have unpacked the BDI_RAM_Driver
7. Load the driver (for example: if the directory containing the BDI_RAM_Driver is connected to slot 4):
lrespr mdv4_BDI_bin
checking with:
dir sdc1_"

That is from the QL SD Starter Pack, which is here http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/qlsd/index.html

Hi again VP

Yes, that part I had been following successfully

What I hadn't realised, but just now deduced, is that the driver automatically mounts the provided 'QL_BDI.bin' file in the 'Extensions' directory!

I've since tested that by replacing the provided .BIN with one of my own and see the files in sdc1_ once I restart Q-Em and reload the driver!

Nice! I'm good to go now.

Thanks for humoring me!

On to my next step - to create a suitably small enough image file such that I can minimise the memory footprint on a 128k BBQL once I mount the SD-card!

Maybe then I can run my BBQL, SD-card _and_ initialise the Lightning ROM and _still_ have enough memory to run my Turbo'd Scalextric 'LapCounter' application (at 36k + 8K Datapsace).

My little boy Alessandro will be pleased! (actually, he won't care much, but I will be!)

Can we see some pics of the lap counter in action? And do you have the track with the tyre smoke?

Steady-on! Its only just running successfully (on the BBQL) after 6months of development in QPC.

But absolutely, I fully intend to post a pic/video clip of it running (so you can all laugh at my efforts - its been a labour of love!)

But alas, no 'smoking tyre' track - I did look it online after you mentioned it in one of our online chats, but never got around to acquiring the kit!

Stand-by!

Can't wait! Don't forget to put your name down for a qubide clone they come with 512k ram

Ah - the memory expansion...

I've actually got all the parts to build my own and although it's probably worked out more expensive (taking in to account the time it took me to research and design the thing as well), I'm (foolishly) reluctant to buy anything else right now - my wife wouldn't be too impressed either!

On with finalising the Lap Counter software - just got the 'race results' routines to complete. Maybe by the end of this weekend (Alessandro has heard that a few times, I can tell you!).