Write Hand Man with uIDE

[GeoffB17]

I thought it was time I looked at the WHM system again.


This is a package that installs, and allows a pop-up menu with a set of utilities (notepad, calendar, calculator, phone book, etc).   Accessible from within whatever software you're running at the time.


It worked when I tried it back in the 80s, but to be effective, you had to load all the utility overlays onto M:, and proceed from there.   This took a little while on start-up, and I just got fed up with it.   Also, if you updated any of the data files, then you had to save the file back to disk on shutting down.


While thinking about the Flipper thing the other day, I wondered about WHM, and thought that as I've now got JonB's uIDE drives, the WHM could be a LOT more effective.


So I've tried it again, and it really IS!!


With the uIDE drives active, I've copied all the files onto J0: (a user 0 section seems initially safer, I think other user areas may be just the same).   Then I changed my PROFILE.SUB to run the main .COM file for WHM, setting its default drive to J:, and that's it.   No need to copy anything to/from M: any more.


The system works fine with any of the uIDE drives, the pop-ups are just as fast as if from M:, and data saved there can sit quite safe and happy, so that's the two niggles solved in one blow.


Thanks again, JonB!!


The system can be extended, instructions are provided to build your own modules, and the .ASM code for the existing modules is included for copying/hints.


Geoff

[JonB]

I think you should post a YouTube video showing WHM in action, Geoff!

[GeoffB17]

Well, thanks JonB.


Maybe you might spell out EXACTLY how I might do that, aimed at someone who has NEVER done anything like that before!


I could manage the odd still pic or two?   And a fair bundle of well chosen words, being reasonably literate.


Geoff

[GeoffB17]

Doing some further playing with WHM.


Found one problem.   WHM loads up at the top of RAM, and has its data areas there too.   I don't think I have any control over where it loads.


I have a BASIC prog that does big print on the PCW screen, and I do use a variant of that as a screen saver from time to time.   That uses some machine code to implement the big print, and this code also loads at the top of RAM.   If WHM is loaded, and I then run the big print process, then WHM is totally messed up, and will have to be reloaded.   Something to watch out for.


On a more positive note, I was looking at the files comprising WHM, and there are a few .DAT files where data is stored/referred to.   The WHM system notes that in its present form, the size of the overlay/modules is limited to about 1.5k (this CAN be changed, but this needs a change to the main prog and this may not be easy to do now).   The more space is allowed, then the less RAM remains.


However, there is in effect NO LIMIT to the size that the data files could be.   Running the WHM system from floppy was slow, copying components to M: took time on start-up, and the .DAT files would need copying too, and copying back again on close-down to preserve any changes, so this would limit how large the files could PRACTICALLY be.


BUT - with the system set to run off a uIDE drive, then this all changes, and now the files could be MUCH bigger, even a few Mb in total.   Existing modules could be altered to take advantage of this.   New modules could be possible to do the same.   Little prog, but with BIG data!


I must think some more about this.


By the way, the CPCRULEZ site (some French) has the CPC version of WHM for download.   Not seen the PCW version yet?


Geoff

[JonB]

Well, thanks JonB.


Maybe you might spell out EXACTLY how I might do that, aimed at someone who has NEVER done anything like that before!


I could manage the odd still pic or two?   And a fair bundle of well chosen words, being reasonably literate.


Geoff

It's pretty straightforward.

   
• Use a smartphone or tablet to record the demo.
• Transfer the video file to a PC.
• Get a Google login and create a YouTube account.
• Upload the video file to YouTube.
• Wait until YouTube processes the upload.
• Post a link to the video.

Cheers
JonB