Forum - Project ZX Config.

(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. 


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