(C) AV Kuznetsov, g.Sosnovoborsk
I decided to write you about my
ideas about compatibility. K
This prompted me as your numerous publications on
this topic, and programs distributed by you. For example, in my
Pentagon-128 Laser Squad Editor and Virus-2 driven cursor into
a corner, because My computer does not Kempstondzhoystika. We
had to climb inside program and remove commands like IN A,
(31). But this can be corrected only the consequence, and I
also set out to rectify the cause.
But since I do not understand
in hardware, no circuit
solutions can not offer. I therefore propose the following:
Everyone who wants him to have
work correctly, any program should be placed on each disk file
ZXCONFIG (his format in Table 1). It will store information
about a user's computer. Using this information, the program
will work correctly. Information in this file can store the
user, and a program that produces ZXCONFIG, can be written in
BASIC and consist of the N-th number of commands PRINT and
INPUT, and perhaps someone and write a wrapper.
Table 1. The format and content ZXCONFIG-a
N designation, the possible values.
00 Bytes settings. Indicates whether the place setting on
This type of computer. 0 - no, 1 - yes.
01 Computer Model: 01 - Leningrad-1
02 - Leningrad-2
03 - Pentagon
2004 - Scorpion
05 - ATM
2006 - PROFI
2007 - ZX-NEXT
I think zhtot list could go after the discussion at
pages ZX-Revue.
02 Number Memory: 01 - 48 kbps
02 - 128 kb
03 - 256 kb
04 - more than 512
03 The mechanism of switching memory pages: 01 - Mechanism 1
02 - mechanism 2
...............
In this matter I am not strong enough, I leave it to the
court audience. 04 The presence of the disk interface. 0 - no,
1 - to eat. 05 The number of disk drives (1 - 4).
2006 Version Number TR-DOS: 01 - X. XX
.........
Here, I also do not yet have full information, but I
I think the meaning is clear, and there just need to
enumerate all
possible versions of the TR-DOS.
07 The presence of the printer. 0 - no, 1 - to eat.
08 printer type (01 - 0n - all possible types of printers).
09 Use an external driver. 0 - No 1 - is.
10 Availability of musical co-processor (00 - not 01 - is).
11 Availability COVOX-a. 0 - no, 1 - to eat.
12 Existence of Kempston-a. 0 - no, 1 - to eat.
13 The presence of the mouse. 0 - no, 1 - to eat.
14 Type the mouse. 2001 - 0n - all possible types of mice.
15 Keyboard Layout: 01 - YAVERTY
02 - QWERTY
03 - Layout Users
I think there are necessary explanations about the code
03.
The program, adjusts ZXCONFIG-y, to meet this
code, trying to find a file USERKEYS, which must be kept
table layouts national font. Maybe someone
will undertake the development of standards for file
USERKEYS. 1916 Preferred Management: 00 - Set the keys
01 - arrow keys
02 - Sinclair and Sinclair-1-2
2003 - Kempston
04 - mouse
05 - Q, A, O, P, Space
17 In these cells stored preferred key codes
18 Asked by default, if the 12th cell zapispno 0.
19
20
21
1922 Version ROM-48: 01 - 1982
2002 - 1990
............
All possible versions of the ROM.
23-128 firmware version. All possible versions.
24 Availability turbo mode. 0 - no, 1 - to eat.
25 The presence of the hard drive. 0 - no, 1 - to eat.
26 The presence of a modem. 0 - no, 1 - to eat.
27 Availability mikrodrayva. 0 - no, 1 - to eat.
As you can see in Table 1 are very much still to be
determined. That's what I suggest: this project (call it
ZXCONFIG) tabled (Supplement), say, to the end
this year. Next you (Editorial)
takes the final form
this standard and puts (!!!)
to all software developers who
want to distribute software
through you, the following condition:
Any program must (!) before
its starting to look for a file ZXCONFIG and configured on it.
I think this may solve the
most of the problems of incompatibility.
Ca. Ed.: Well, the idea ZXCONGIG-a,
Actually, not bad, except that there are a few comments. File
size can still reduced. For example, a mouse requires two
bytes. One - for the presence of the second - for the
interface. They can unify. For instance, if where 0, then the
mouse is not at all, and if something another, it is a sign of
type mice. Further, totally inappropriate to mention here
mikrodrayve and computer without a floppy drive.
For interface-1 lacking in Russia, and the
machine with the tape is simply not applicable -
How much time will be spent on search in the box
cassettes ZXCONFIGom! And where did you see
so developed a computer without floppy disk?
A forgotten, but things like the serial port, additional video
modes ... Yes, and there are several hard drive interface. Also
there is mention of an interesting protocol, which called on
the Amiga Autoconfig and Plug And Play in the IBM PC. It is a
system automatic recognition of connected devices. We believe
that much more interesting would be to work in this direction.
Such procedures are already in the Speccy there, but they are
only designed for one device. For example, additional memory or
mouse. We must gather them all together, and Then, on that
basis, you can create a whole avtokonfiguriruyuschuyusya OS. It
would be nice if readers in the pages of our magazine to share
with the rest of the world such routines.
*
