The Sinclair QL Forum

Hi,

I paid for the full version of QDT when it was released via Qbranch. A copy on CDROM and a printed manual was supplied.

But in an email from Jum, the QDT versions are:

QDT 1.02r is the full package and should just install over what you had previously.

QDT 1.02u is the update package which would have required the previous version.

Only QDT v1.01d and v1.02r are downloadable.

I guess that the binary version of QDT is avavilable, not sure about the status of the v1.02u

Looks like another piece of software I have purchased now free...

I think you will find that Jim allowed Urs to make QDT freely available as part of the Distribution DVD launched for the QL's 30th Anniversary.

Urs - can you clarify??

RWAP wrote:Urs - can you clarify??

Yes, I can.

I followed the development of QDT very closely, from early alphas until release. Met Jim a few times in the US and Canada at and around QL shows (1995, 2002, 2004, 2006). See Shows folder in the Sinclair QL Picture Gallery (SQPG) either online or on THE DISTRIBUTION (folder THE_DISTRIBUTION\pic\Shows\...). BTW: One of my 1st videos on my YouTube channel is about QDT.
QDT (Apple Mac OS X Aqua cousin) demo at 2002 US QL show
https://youtu.be/pa439xg0i6g

Last commercial version of QDT was 1.02, released in 2006 (months before the Niagara Fall QL show). There is a notation of letters to identify the type of release (r=full, u=update, d=demo). Demo versions did not have the full functionality and were distributed through various channels (version 0.62d on the QL Today Cover Disk 14, Volume 9 Issue 4 , Nov/Dec 2004; version 1.00d online in January 2005).

I approached Jim by email in December 2013 during my preparations for the “QL IS 30” activities (THE DISTRIBUTION, QL/E re-release, etc.) and asked him to release QDT as freeware or even public domain. On January 2nd 2014, after some back and forth where we also had Jochen in the loop, Jim agreed to declare QDT freeware and more importantly started to prepare an updated version 1.10r (Full release) based on version 1.02r. It started a back and forth development and test period where I’ve spent hours if not days testing QDT and reviewing the documentation until on February 7th 2014 the full package was ready for release, inclusion in THE DISTRIBUTION, re-distribution, and integration into QL/E. The full package of the latest QDT version 1.10r can be found on THE DISTRIBUTION (folder THE_DISTRIBUTION\xcl\qdt\). Or you can enjoy QDT installed and pre-configured on QL/E and Black Phoenix.

I’m still in contact with Jim (yes, he replies to me), who is a very talented and dedicated engineer working at AMD. There might come something related to QDT in the (near) future. Please be patient and do not push. It is not helping to put pressure on him.

To sum up: Yes, QDT is freeware now (since 2014) and yes, it’s the most recent and full version which became freeware.

QL forever!
Urs

Hi Urs,

Jim emailed me an update to QDT v1.02r, which was QDT v1.02u. This supposed to be an update to v1.02r.

Looks like the version you have updates mine latest version.

Derek,

I tried to e-mail Jim but the address I had failed. Can you PM me his address? I want to query him on releasing the source code. When Jim was in the Bay Area we used to meet fairly often.

Tim Swenson
swenson_t@sbcglobal.net

Hi Tim,

The email address I have is the web page contact address.

But I have sent you a PM with the other email address.

We really do need the source code for QDT

I have just found a bug, in trying to get Q-Route to run from a QDT folder.

Q-Route is installed to win1_PRG_QROUTE_

If I set the parameter to win1_MAPS_BIG_BRITAIN.MAP, then press ESC and then click on the icon, the program automatically loads the Big Britain Map correctly from win1_MAPS.

I then save the desktop.

However, if I now reset QPC2, clicking on the Q-Route icon fails to find the Big Britain Map. Right click on the icon - the parameter is correct. Left click, Q-Route launches but cannot find the map.

Exit Q-Route, edit the parameter and delete a character - type it back in, press ESC and then launch Q-Route - it works fine (again). Note that editing the parameter without deleting anything and retyping it does not fix the issue - you do have to make QDT think you have changed the parameter in some form.

Editing the _QDT config file does not solve the issue either...

Any ideas?

RWAP wrote:We really do need the source code for QDT

I have just found a bug, in trying to get Q-Route to run from a QDT folder.

Q-Route is installed to win1_PRG_QROUTE_

If I set the parameter to win1_MAPS_BIG_BRITAIN.MAP, then press ESC and then click on the icon, the program automatically loads the Big Britain Map correctly from win1_MAPS.

I then save the desktop.

However, if I now reset QPC2, clicking on the Q-Route icon fails to find the Big Britain Map. Right click on the icon - the parameter is correct. Left click, Q-Route launches but cannot find the map.

Exit Q-Route, edit the parameter and delete a character - type it back in, press ESC and then launch Q-Route - it works fine (again). Note that editing the parameter without deleting anything and retyping it does not fix the issue - you do have to make QDT think you have changed the parameter in some form.

Editing the _QDT config file does not solve the issue either...

Any ideas?

Hi Rich,

Is it worth asking Jim whether he will release the source code to QDT or maybe ask if he can perform some more work?

Derek_Stewart wrote: Is it worth asking Jim whether he will release the source code to QDT or maybe ask if he can perform some more work?

I asked a year or so ago - he was loathe to release the source code because it was 'in a bit of a mess'. I am no longer involved in contacting software authors / copyright holders because of all the flak I got over it.

However, if others want to ask Jim, then please feel free

Did anyone else approach Jim about the sources to QDT now that it is freeware?

Whilst it is a good program, it could do with quite a bit of updating. Maybe we should compile a list - some of which might be able to be done without the sources:

a) More icons are needed for the most common pointer environment programs and ProWesS programs
b) It would be good to create a standard method of adding new programs to the desktop folders to make it easier to add things such as ProWesS programs and (say) JustWords programs without everyone having to re-invent the wheel
c) A means of copying existing icons to create a new one is missing
d) Does the file associations work ? I could not seem to get them to work
e) ConfigBlkProp, IndFileProp and GlobalVar tabs in the 'properties' menus are not implemented - does anyone know what these were planned to do?
f) Add new icon does not work under QMenu 8