So, I was reading through the March/April NITE-TIMES NEWS and there was a comment that John Donaldson had brought a beta-version of the new QLAMBer program to the March meeting; but, it had received an “unfavorable review” from John according to Larry Sauter “because of a bug caused by incorrect operating system compatibility.” HMMMmmm. Just when you think it’s safe to go into the water — GLUG (or, should I say “GULAG”?!?).
I thought, “Okay. It was an early version (I don’t remember what version of the program he received, though I’m pretty sure I had indicated that it was a “beta-version” of the program) … in fact, it might have been the prototype that did not yet access ‘page 2’.” I know some early, beta-versions did not recognize HD disks, and one even had trouble with microdrives.
But, just what was the “system incompatibility” that was described by Larry Sauter?
Having developed/compiled (TURBO 2.00) QLAMBer with a GOLD CARD and MINERVA 1.82, I figured it should be compatible with just about everything out there since MINERVA seems to get stricter and stricter as the version number gets higher.
I had even tested version 2u001 it on a 512K QL with MINERVA 1.97. No problem.
[Figure: QLAMBer SELECT_DEVICE menu screen]
Then, I tested version 2u001 with a plain-Jane (JSU) QL with only 128K and a TK2_dongle on the back. Again, no problem.
Then I ran the GOLD CARD with MINERVA 1.97 and C-R-A-S-H.
So much for compatibility with everything! Well, back to the salt-mines!
Now, I’m thinking, “As far as I know, this setup doesn’t exist within CATUG; but, what happened with the GOLD CARD?”
Well, six hours later, I finally concluded that the only resolution was to re-compile the program using a greater amount of OBJECT DATA that the program uses (grabs). The result is QLAMBer_min(erva), though some might think of it as QLAMBer_MAX(imus)!
QLAMBer_min allocates a whopping 64K of OBJECT DATASPACE to the program and is only necessary if you experience a program crash immediately after the program displays the files on the medium.
If you are compiling with TURBO and are having difficulties with MINERVA 1.97 (or, higher?), then try re-compiling with a greater DATASPACE allocation. It seemed to work in this one instance, it may help you.
QLAMBer
Out-of-town readers of the NITE-TIMES NEWS may be wondering what the QLAMBer program is that John Donaldson “demo(-nstrat/-lish)ed” at the March 19, 1993 CATUG meeting.
QLAMBer is intended to be the successor program to QLUSTer, though new features such as sub-DIRectory access and removal have now been implemented in QLUSTer.
QLAMBer — QL(utilities)_A_M(oving)_B(ox)/e(nhanced)r(elease) — operates much the same as QLUSTer except that a_moving_box now selects the file instead of a single_key.
As with QLUSTer, six SuperTOOLKIT2 keywords are accessed [WCOPY, WDELete, SPooL, RENAME/WREName, WSTATus]. TK2_EXTensions (on most disk interfaces) are the only extra code needed to run the program.
Because QLAMBer succeeds QLUSTer, the screen is similar. A screen page is “shifted” (if applicable) by simply pressing a [shift] + [cursor] key combination. If you have more than 76 files in a single directory, then simply press the down arrow /[cursor_down] key in tandem with a [shift] key.
[Figure: QLAMBer file selection screen showing flp1_ directory]
If you want to “page” to flp2_ from flp1_ then simply press the right arrow key in tandem with a [shift] key.
To “page” back to flp1_ from flp2_ then simply press the left arrow key in tandem with a [shift] key.
Using the [ConTRoL] key with either the left or right arrow key will access a different type of device of like numerical value (that is, from flp2_ to ram2_; mdv2_ to flp2_; mdv1_ to flp1_; ram1_ to flp1_; win1_ to flp1_; and, so on).
Sub-DIRectories are accessed when the [ filename ] selected is appended with the ‘ ->’ suffix.
SELECT_DEVICE is used to RETurn to the main directory.
Filenames longer than 32 characters are NOT recognized by the program.
QLAMBer requires SuperTOOLKIT coding installed via ROM (or, RAM) prior to LOADing.
QLAMBer easily multi-TASKs using either the QRAM environment or within TASKMASTER.
QLAMBer is available as an “Issue Disk” from UPDATE!
HAPPY TRAILS,
AND COMPUTING, TO YOU …