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Re: Memotext & word processing in general

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 5:51 pm
by Paul
The tape version for zxpand is now being tested.

Re: Memotext & word processing in general

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 7:11 pm
by XavSnap
[private message]

Re: Memotext & word processing in general

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 11:42 pm
by mrtinb
Hi :)

Have you dumped the EPROMs with Centronics I/F or RS232 I/F attached?

The binary file needs EPROM from Centronics I/F to be in RAM, so both RAM and the EPROM will be at same addresses, but since they are equal, they won’t collapse.

So for RS232 I/F to work we need a version where the dump is with Memotext and RS232 I/F.

First version either will do.

Re: Memotext & word processing in general

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 11:37 am
by Moggy
Hi Martin .

I did as Paul requested and just did the Memotext dump. I then did some small testing with it loaded into the ZXpand and all seemed well to me and I think Paul will be releasing it to the forum after he has done some testing but I will leave that to him seeing as he has done the hard work.

I like the idea of the centronics/serial dump and if anyone comes up with a way to do it I will happily comply using my own centronics module for reference.

A small off topic issue.

The Memotext module when switched in allows full speed typing plus key repeat with suitable external keyboard but alas when switched out this disappears. I used to think this was a hardware feature of the module but it works when used with the Xpand which means it lies within the EPROM software.

Now anyone who has used for example Toddy Forth or the ZXpand commander rename file function using an external keyboard will know that the custom keyboard routines they use are fairly useless for external keyboards,suffering from multi letter output for a single normal speed keypress. For example typing the command VLIST in Toddy Forth usually ends up as VVLLLIISSTT when typed at normal speed.

My question is this.

Would it be possible to extract this keyboard routine from the Memotext EPROM code and have it for use in other software?
I ask this only because I am not smart enough to understand if this difficult or just impossible.

Re: Memotext & word processing in general

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 12:22 pm
by mrtinb
Yes the keyboard routine can be copied.

I have worked with the keyboard routine on the Memopac Z80 Assembler, as you know. The Memopac Z80 Assembler keyboard routine does not support key repeat, but it is great in that it insists on no key pressed between each key. This ensured no double keys.

Re: Memotext & word processing in general

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 12:58 pm
by Paul
I have the Centronics interface myself, so I will extract this and merge it with the help of zxpand.
Does anyone have the rs232 module?

Re: Memotext & word processing in general

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 4:19 pm
by 1024MAK
👍 8-)

Mark

Re: Memotext & word processing in general

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 9:05 pm
by XavSnap
[private message]

Re: Memotext & word processing in general

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 9:31 pm
by Paul
Sorry, I didn't understand part of the question. I'll retry when I'm less tired tomorrow.
I will release a program soon that installs Memotext in RAM starting at 8192.
After that it asks for RS232 or CENTRONICS and copies the corresponding memotech interface ROM to the 14k-16k area.
This should be the starting point for debugging memory usage and add load/saving and printing to real hardware and emulators as well.
Kind regards Paul

Re: Memotext & word processing in general

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2019 12:08 am
by XavSnap
[private message]