SMSQ/2 on Atari

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guibrush
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SMSQ/2 on Atari

Post by guibrush »

Hi, I wanted to give a try to SMSQ/2 on Atari. I managed to lauch "SMSQ/E.prg" that I found in the package "smsqe337_binaries" found here :
https://www.wlenerz.com/smsqe/

With a monochrom monitor, I get the well know basic prompt, but of course nothing else appear, no desktop or whatever. I'm wondering if there is somewher a ready to go image of SMSQ/E for the Atari ST, of if there is a way to mount the .win container of the QLE distro on the ST? What's the best way to have a woking system?

Thanks a lot :-)


Derek_Stewart
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Re: SMSQ/2 on Atari

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi
guibrush wrote:Hi, I wanted to give a try to SMSQ/2 on Atari. I managed to lauch "SMSQ/E.prg" that I found in the package "smsqe337_binaries" found here :
https://www.wlenerz.com/smsqe/

With a monochrom monitor, I get the well know basic prompt, but of course nothing else appear, no desktop or whatever. I'm wondering if there is somewher a ready to go image of SMSQ/E for the Atari ST, of if there is a way to mount the .win container of the QLE distro on the ST? What's the best way to have a woking system?

Thanks a lot :-)
Can you upload a picture of the screen?

Atari SMSQ/E without any additional hardware; Emulator boards. Will default to the Atari Monochrome High Resolution mode (800x600), on startup, the standard 3 QL windows should be displayed in black and white.

The emulator software will not work in Atari Medium or Low Resolutions, extra hardware is required.

I have Extended 4 and Mode 8 Emulator boards waiting to be fitted to Atari ST computers,I have.

Sort of make the Atari useful,


Regards,

Derek
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guibrush
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Re: SMSQ/2 on Atari

Post by guibrush »

Thanks for your reply.

I have this on the screen, on a monochrom monitor:
https://imgur.com/yA6py90

I assume that this is expected, the .prg launch only the basic of the OS, I certainly need to hook a .win image. But I don't know how, or even if this is the way to go. I basicaly need now some OS installation with pointer environement and softwares i think....


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dilwyn
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Re: SMSQ/2 on Atari

Post by dilwyn »

Not having used SMSQ/E for Atari (and BTW did you mean SMSQ/E or the older SMS2 for Atari? They are very different. AFAIK there is no SMSQ2), I can't be 100% sure. In general, the QXL.WIN filing systems are assigned using WIN_DRIVE commands.

This is from the SMSQ/E SBASIC manual at http://www.dilwyn.me.uk/docs/ebooks/index.html
SMSQ/E for the ATARI

To start SMSQ/E on the ATARI, insert the floppy disk and reset your system. You can also copy the file SMSQ.PRG into an AUTO-folder on your harddisk (your ATARI harddisk driver manual will explain how to do this).

The original SMSQ/E ATARI floppy disk has a special root sector which will make sure that, when the floppy disk is inserted, it boots with the highest priority. This section describes all of the extra features that are available on the ATARI-version.
...
Atari ST and TT Hard Disks
ACSI and SCSI Drives

Hard disks for the Atari ST and TT series computers come in two varieties: ACSI and SCSI. Although most drives attached to the ACSI bus will be full standard SCSI devices, the SMSQ/E drivers assume that any drive connected to the ACSI bus does not necessarily conform to the SCSI CCS specifications so, normally, no attempt is made to do anything other than read or write sectors or read the error status on these devices. This means that, for example, the drivers cannot detect whether an ACSI disk drive has a removable cartridge.

On the other hand, the SMSQ/E drivers assume that all drives connected to the SCSI bus (TT only) conform to the minimum CCS specifications for hard disk operations. Any disk drive which responds "OK" to a request to lock the door is considered to have a removable cartridge.

If a file is open on a removable cartridge, the door is locked. It will be unlocked automatically later.
WIN Drive Numbers and Name

ACSI and SCSI drives are identified by a whole series of numbers: the "target" number, the "unit" number and the "partition" number. The target number is the identification number of the disk drive controller. For internal drives, this is 0. For external drives, this is the number (0 to 7) that you set on the little switches on the back of the box. The unit number selects one of a number of drives controlled by a single controller. It is possible, but rare in the Atari world, for a controller to have up to 8 units. In general, there is only one unit per controller, and 99% of Atari hard disk utility software assumes that you can only have one unit per controller, so the unit number is usually 0. Finally, the partition number defines a section of the disk reserved for a particular purpose (e.g. GEM partitions, QDOS partitions etc.).

GEMDOS numbers its target, unit and partitions from 2 (=C) as it finds them. This is a superficially attractive scheme which collapses completely if you have removable media with different numbers of partitions or if the medium is not in the disk drive when you boot the computer.

SMSQ/E adopts a more cumbersome approach which is, however, much more precise. Unless you configure SMSQ/E to boot from a target and partition other than 0,0, the initialisation code will attempt to find a file called "BOOT" on any partition on target 0. (For the TT, SMSQ/E will try SCSI 0 first and then try ACSI 0). WIN1 will be set to this partition. Thereafter, you must define your own WIN drives for any other target, unit and partition you wish to access.
WIN_DRIVE

WIN_DRIVE (drive, target, unit, partition) is used to select a particular target, unit and partition combination to be accessed using a particular WIN drive.

If an SCSI drive is to be accessed, 8 should be added to the target number. The unit number may be omitted or both the unit and partition numbers may be omitted.

WIN_DRIVE 2,1,0,2 WIN2 is ACSI target 1, unit 0, partition 2
WIN_DRIVE 3,9 WIN3 is SCSI target 1, unit 0, partition 0
WIN_DRIVE 4,3,1 WIN4 is ACSI target 3, unit 0, partition 1

Issuing a WIN_DRIVE command for a particular drive will cause the drive map to be re-read the next time the disk is accessed. It can, therefore, be used to force the drivers to recognise a disk change.
WIN_DRIVE$

WIN_DRIVE$ is a function which returns a string giving the target, unit and partition used by a particular WIN drive.

WIN_DRIVE 2,1,0,2 WIN2 is ACSI target 1, unit 0, partition 2
WIN_DRIVE 3,9 WIN3 is SCSI target 1, unit 0, partition 0
PRINT WIN_DRIVE$(2) Prints 1,0,2
PRINT WIN_DRIVE$(3) Prints 9,0,0
PRINT WIN_DRIVE$(4) Prints nothing if WIN4 has not been set
WIN_USE

WIN_USE may be used to set the name of the WIN device. The name should be 3 characters long and in upper or lower case.

WIN_USE MDV The WIN device is renamed MDV
WIN_USE win The WIN device is restored to WIN
WIN_USE The WIN device is restored to WIN
Handling ACSI Adapter Timing Faults

Certain ACSI adapters exhibit a timing fault. If commands are issued too quickly one after the other, the adapter fails. The SMSQ/E ACSI driver can be slugged to bring its interval between commands down to GEMDOS levels.
WIN_SLUG

The WIN_SLUG (value) command sets the mimumum time that must elapse between operations on the ACSI bus (in units of 80 µs). ICD recommend 1 ms for their adapters. As an interval of 2.5 ms between operations has proved adequate for most adapters, this is the default. As the typical access times for ACSI hard disks are of the order of 20 ms to 30 ms, this does not represent a large overhead.

WIN_SLUG 12 Wait at least 12*80 µs between ACSI operations
WIN_SLUG 30 Wait at least 30*80 µs between ACSI operations (default)
Format WIN

As SMSQ/E is "hosted" on the Atari ST and TT computers, it only takes control of and formats partitions on the hard disk which you have previously marked as being reserved for QDOS compatible disk drivers. We know that you would not destroy all your GEM desktop publishing files by formatting a QDOS disk on top of them, but someone else might do it.

Before formatting a QDOS compatible partition, therefore, you will need to use your favourite GEM utility to make a suitable partition available, marking it as "QWA" (GEMDOS partitions are identified by the letters "GEM" or "BGM").

Before formatting a WIN drive with SMSQ/E, it is necessary to define the ACSI or SCSI target number (and the unit number if it is not 0) and partition.
WIN_FORMAT

The next step is to allow the drive to be formatted. SMSQ/E has a two-level protection scheme, to make sure you (or somebody else) cannot format your harddisk accidentally. All drives are protected by default, so you have to declare them to be formattable before you issue the FORMAT command.

WIN_DRIVE 2,1 Set WIN2 to ACSI target 1, unit 0, partition 0
WIN_FORMAT 2 allow WIN2_ it to be formatted
FORMAT win2_Fred and FORMAT it
... you have to echo the two characters displayed ...
WIN_FORMAT 2,1 protect WIN2_ again

WIN_DRIVE 1,8,2 Set WIN1 to internal TT drive, partition 2
WIN_FORMAT 1 allow WIN1_ it to be formatted
FORMAT win1_BOOT and FORMAT it
... you have to echo the two characters displayed ...
WIN_FORMAT 1,1 protect WIN1_ again
WIN Control Commands

The rest of the commands specific to the Atari ST and TT WIN device control or set the characteristics of a specific WIN drive.
WIN_WP

WIN_WP (drive, 0 or 1) is used to software write protect a WIN drive.

WIN_WP 1,1 Set the "write protect" flag for the drive accessed by WIN1
WIN_WP 1,0 Clear the "write protect" flag for the drive accessed by WIN1
WIN_START WIN_STOP

The WIN_START (drive) and WIN_STOP (drive) commands may be used to start and stop a drive. If you issue one of these commands for an ACSI drive, the drivers may assume that the drive will accept other SCSI control commands.

WIN_STOP 2 Stop the drive accessed by WIN2
WIN_START 2 Start the drive accessed by WIN2
WIN_REMV

WIN_REMV (drive, 0 or V) is used to notify that the target accessed by the WIN drive has a removable medium. It is usually detected automatically, unless you turned the auto-detection off (see configuration). Drives connected to the SCSI ports are detected automatically, so it is only required on the ACSI port, provided, auto-detection is off. No parameter is required to mark the drive as being a standard removable device. A "V" marks the drive as a VORTEX naughty drive. A "0" cancels the removable medium flag.

WIN_REMV 2 Set the "removable" flag for the drive accessed by WIN2
WIN_REMV 2,0 Clear the "removable" flag for the drive accessed by WIN2
WIN_REMV 3,V Set the VORTEX flag for the drive accessed by WIN3
Last edited by dilwyn on Mon Feb 01, 2021 5:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Correct 2 typos


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guibrush
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Re: SMSQ/2 on Atari

Post by guibrush »

Ho, yes, sorry, I mean SMSQ/E, not 2.
I muss admit that i saw this manual, but honnestly, I don't really understant what this mean. Where do i have to put the .win file ? How can I recognise the partition where the .win file sits with SMSQ/E ?


Derek_Stewart
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Re: SMSQ/2 on Atari

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi,

As far as I know, the Atari SMSQ/E uses a hard disk partition, rather than a QXL.WIN container file.

I would have to get my Ataris out of storage to confirm this.

But the Hatari emulator can run the Atari SMSQ/E. So this might be a simple way of setting a hard disk system.

You could load all the required files from floppy disc.


Regards,

Derek
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dilwyn
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Re: SMSQ/2 on Atari

Post by dilwyn »

Ah yes, I shouldn't have said the "In general..." remark as it was misleading, it was only meant to be a generalisation. Reading the text carefully, it does seem to use a native partition rather than any qxl.win system.


Derek_Stewart
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Re: SMSQ/2 on Atari

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi,

I could get the 3 Atari STFM computers out of storage and fit a QL emulator board.

Not sure if anyone is interested in Atari hardware these days.


Regards,

Derek
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vanpeebles
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Re: SMSQ/2 on Atari

Post by vanpeebles »

Does the emulator board fit the all in one machines, or just the separate case ones? I have an all in one STe.


Derek_Stewart
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Re: SMSQ/2 on Atari

Post by Derek_Stewart »

vanpeebles wrote:Does the emulator board fit the all in one machines, or just the separate case ones? I have an all in one STe.
The Mode 8 emulator, Extended 4 emulator fit into Atari STF(M), Mega ST, not the STE variant.

The emulstor board required soldering wires to the Atari motherboard.


Regards,

Derek
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