Removing ZeroPain module

If I remove the ZeroPain module from !Boot.Choices.Boot.PreDesk will anything terrible happen? The ROM version is 5.23 of 15/07/15. I know I could just try and see what happens, but I don’t want to risk messing up my main SD card.

The reason for doing so, is to run Eureka under Aemulor.

You need to ascertain (if you don’t already know) whether you’re running high- or low-vector (if the former, Aemulor will not work). You can run this BASIC programme to find out:

>10REM >HiVector
>20hv%=1
>30ON ERROR hv%=0:IF ERR=& 1E6 THEN PRINT “pre RISC OS 3.70”
>40IF hv% THEN SYS “OS_PlatformFeatures”,0 TO hv%
>50IF hv% AND (1<<20) THEN PRINT “High vectors” ELSE PRINT “Low vectors”
>RUN

The reason for doing so, is to run Eureka under Aemulor.

I think you will find that it isn’t the ZeroPain module that’s causing the Aemulor problem. It is there to stop the crashes and record the program causing the error.
Aemulor is reliant on the low vector RO build behaviour and your ROM version is just post low-high vector change in the build.

Last low vector = 2015-07-02
First high vector = 2015-07-05

I don’t know whether Adrian has modified Aemulor to work in high vector builds.

PS. Some people have built low vector ROMS based on the most recent source so you may get an offer of a recent build that works for you.

OK, thanks George and Steve, you have confirmed my thoughts about it after posting. I have run the BASIC program above and the result is “High vectors”.

As far as I know, there is no high vectors version of Aemulor. Imagine someone new to RISC OS with a Raspberry-Pi and they can’t run the best spreadsheet software we have, which looks and works most like the Excel or Linux version that they are used to, without trying to find a low-vectors build. I haven’t seen a low-vectors build on this website, unless it is hidden away somewhere.

@David R Lane,

What software is that and where would a new user get it from?

Andrew of R-Comp fame may be along in a minute with details of an alternative which is being actively supported for modern ARM machines.

Regards.

Imagine someone new to RISC OS with a Raspberry-Pi and they can’t run the best spreadsheet software we have, which looks and works most like the Excel or Linux version that they are used to, without trying to find a low-vectors build.

I can’t imagine anyone new to RISC OS wanting to run something as ancient as Eureka on their modern machine. Apart from the fact that they have to buy it first – CJE ask for no less than 110 UKP for a licence…

On the other hand, I could imagine someone new to RISC OS to try out Fireworkz, which is free and runs just fine on current RISC OS builds.

I am all for keeping the old software running, but I guess for something as old as Eureka even ArchiEmu would be good enough.

Imagine someone new to RISC OS with a Raspberry-Pi and they can’t run the best spreadsheet software we have, which looks and works most like the Excel or Linux version that they are used to, without trying to find a low-vectors build.

To be fair, all “stable” and “RC” versions of the OS, including the latest full Pi image, have low vectors. Only the auto-built nightlies are high vectors, and new users probably aren’t going to be using those (Pi 3 excepted, although Chris Hall’s “update4” is also low vector).

@Steffen
I am the last person to keep using old software, but many folk regard Eureka as still the best spreadsheet package we have. May be one day Fireworkz will be as good as Eureka if development continues. And how new is Fireworkz anyway? It seems to go back 22 years! Eureka seems to have been around for about the same time from release notes.
Added: Fireworkz is not free. R_comp charge GBP39 which is probably proportionate to the cost of Eureka for what you are (not) getting. :-))

Fireworkz is not free.

Fireworkz is free. Fireworkz Pro is not.

I am the last person to keep using old software, but many folk regard Eureka as still the best spreadsheet package we have.

I don’t know, I generally hate spreadsheets since being forced to use Multiplan on CP/M. I have no idea if Schema 2 is the best, or Eureka, or Fireworkz, or Pipedream. Someone have a link to a good comparison?

However, I am sure that nothing beats Fireworkz and Pipedream wrt price and compatibility with the latest hardware.

@David R Lane,

As you haven’t been aware of the continued development of both Fireworkz and PipeDream I suggest you go over to;

http:croftnuisk.co.uk/coltsoft/

and have a look.

Regards Ron.