RISC OS Open: Forum: Making things easier for new users

Nov 22, 2010 10:25am

Having already polluted a few other threads and not finding a specific thread regarding ‘new user’ I thought I’d start one.

New users, please note – this isn’t the best place to post your questions… although people will probably try to be helpful if you do so. Please search the forums and documentation first.

If you’re a new user just setting up with RISC OS and have identified ways to improve the clarity of documentation, then you’re more than welcome to amend the wiki guidance accordingly. If you have an idea for making things easier but are unsure how to implement/document it, then try suggesting it here!

Nov 22, 2010 10:28am

Trevor Johnson (329) 1645 posts

. . . freely tweak and improve the script…
Yes please – there must be an improvement on my *FX138 solution, which was borrowed from ‘80s Micro User listings…

In fact, having decided BASIC was an easy way to create the instructions, I then became blinkered and stayed in BASIC for the extraction process/*pinning of SCSIForm/opening things! Those commands should all work just as well when simply listed as commands at the end of the script, for which I’ll make the changes some time. (Jeffrey – I suppose you retained the approach to humour me/as it works, didn’t waste time changing that bit!)

Nov 22, 2010 12:27pm

Jeffrey Lee (213) 6048 posts

(Jeffrey – I suppose you retained the approach to humour me/as it works, didn’t waste time changing that bit!)

The main reason for retaining it was because it worked.

If I were you I wouldn’t worry too much about making the script embody good coding practices. I’m more interested in changes that would make it more robust/reliable – because in the end that’s what people are going to care about when they try using it.

Nov 22, 2010 12:40pm

Trevor Johnson (329) 1645 posts

...I’m more interested in changes that would make it more robust/reliable…

Yes, but if I can attempt to do things “properly” along the way, that’s got to be good from a personal POV.

I’m investigating:

Error trapping for the existence of filenames (trying multiple names or ideally even reading the catalog)
Bypassing the error generated by opening a directory viewer on the extracted contents, consequentially Filer_Booting the main !Boot sequence
Self-generating line breaks/numbering for the instructions – this will simplify the inclusion of instructions in alternative languages¹

¹ Note to self – use OS_PrettyPrint

Nov 25, 2010 9:35pm

Trevor Johnson (329) 1645 posts

Might it also be worth including a generic MDF in the Beagle ROM download ?

Nov 26, 2010 10:12am

Bryan Hogan (339) 593 posts

Or why not put a basic MDF in the ROM image (in ResourceFS)? The timings for common resolutions (800×600, 1024×768) must be standard enough by now!

Then at least when starting up without a boot sequence you would still have resolutions other than 640×480 to choose from.

Nov 26, 2010 11:28am

Jess Hampshire (158) 865 posts

It would be nice to have HDTV modes available too. (These must be standardized)

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Nov 22, 2010 10:25am Trevor Johnson (329) 1645 posts	Having already polluted a few other threads and not finding a specific thread regarding ‘new user’ I thought I’d start one. New users, please note – this isn’t the best place to post your questions… although people will probably try to be helpful if you do so. Please search the forums and documentation first. If you’re a new user just setting up with RISC OS and have identified ways to improve the clarity of documentation, then you’re more than welcome to amend the wiki guidance accordingly. If you have an idea for making things easier but are unsure how to implement/document it, then try suggesting it here!

Nov 22, 2010 10:28am Trevor Johnson (329) 1645 posts	. . . freely tweak and improve the script… Yes please – there must be an improvement on my FX138 solution, which was borrowed from ‘80s Micro User listings… In fact, having decided BASIC was an easy way to create the instructions, I then became blinkered and stayed in BASIC for the extraction process/pinning of SCSIForm/opening things! Those commands should all work just as well when simply listed as commands at the end of the script, for which I’ll make the changes some time. (Jeffrey – I suppose you retained the approach to humour me/as it works, didn’t waste time changing that bit!)

Nov 22, 2010 12:27pm Jeffrey Lee (213) 6048 posts	(Jeffrey – I suppose you retained the approach to humour me/as it works, didn’t waste time changing that bit!) The main reason for retaining it was because it worked. If I were you I wouldn’t worry too much about making the script embody good coding practices. I’m more interested in changes that would make it more robust/reliable – because in the end that’s what people are going to care about when they try using it.

Nov 22, 2010 12:40pm Trevor Johnson (329) 1645 posts	...I’m more interested in changes that would make it more robust/reliable… Yes, but if I can attempt to do things “properly” along the way, that’s got to be good from a personal POV. I’m investigating: Error trapping for the existence of filenames (trying multiple names or ideally even reading the catalog) Bypassing the error generated by opening a directory viewer on the extracted contents, consequentially `Filer_Boot`ing the main !Boot sequence Self-generating line breaks/numbering for the instructions – this will simplify the inclusion of instructions in alternative languages¹ ¹ Note to self – use OS_PrettyPrint

Nov 25, 2010 9:35pm Trevor Johnson (329) 1645 posts	Might it also be worth including a generic MDF in the Beagle ROM download ?

Nov 26, 2010 10:12am Bryan Hogan (339) 593 posts	Or why not put a basic MDF in the ROM image (in ResourceFS)? The timings for common resolutions (800×600, 1024×768) must be standard enough by now! Then at least when starting up without a boot sequence you would still have resolutions other than 640×480 to choose from.

Nov 26, 2010 11:28am Jess Hampshire (158) 865 posts	It would be nice to have HDTV modes available too. (These must be standardized)