Sinclair QL User manual

QL
User Guide
Introduction
Beginner’s Guide
Reference Guide
Keywords
Concepts
Applications Software
QL Quill
AL Abacus
QL Archive
QL Easel
Information

Sinclair Research has a policy of constant development and improvement of their
products Therefore the right is reserved to change manuals, hardware, software and
firmware at any time and without notice.
QL User Guide Second Edition
Published by Sinclair Research Limited 1984
25 Willis Road, Cambridge
Edited by Stephen Berry (Sinclair Research Limited)
©Sinclair Research Limited
©Psion Limited
Printed and bound in Great Britain by
William Clowes Limited, Beccles and London
Designed and typeset by
Keywords, Manchester
No part of this User Guide may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the
written permission of Sinclair Research Limited
QL, QLUB, QL Net, Qdos and QL Microdrive are trade marks of
Sinclair Research Limited.
Quill, Archive, Easel and Abacus are trade marks of Psion Limited

A Guided Tour
Escape
File Names
Function Keys
Help
If You Have A Problem
Introduction To The QL
Introduction To The QL Programs
Listing Files
Loading
Microdrive Cartridges
Microdrive Use
Microdrives
Other Devices
Screen Layout
Setting Up
Starting Work
The Display
The Line Editor
The Power Supply
The Screen
Tuning In
Unpacking
Using The QL

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE UNPACKING THESE PAGES
Your QL User Guide is supplied unbound, to avoid damage in transit and to make rapid
updating easy. In addition to this packet containing the pages of the Guide itself, you
should also find a ring binder and then divider cards packed with your QL.
Insert the dividers into the binder first. The recommended order is as follows:
Position
Tab Label
Front
Introduction
Beginners Guide
Keywords
Concepts
QL Quill
QL Abacus
QL Archive
QL Easel
Back
Information
This will put the divider tabs in a logical order. If you wish, you may put the sections in a
different order, perhaps to put often used sections near the front, or even miss out sections
you do not expect to use.
Now look through the pages to identify the various sections, each begins with a title page
with the Sinclair logo at the top. The pages within each section will be packed in the correct
order, so be careful not to mix them up, the individual sections, however may be in a
different order to that shown above if a section or sections have recently been reprinted.
Once each section is placed in the binder as you like it, this sheet may be discarded, it
does not form part of the Guide.

INTRODUCTION TO THE QL
When you unpack your QL computer you will find:
The QL computer
The QL User Guide

A power supply
QL Abacus, QL Archive, QL Easel and QL Quill
Three plastic feet
these can be fitted under the QL to tilt the keyboard for more comfortable typing. The pips
in the top of the legs should be fitted into the holes in the rubber feet, twisting them to
make them fit securely

An aerial lead
about two metres long with different connectors at either end It is used for connecting your
QL to your televisions aerial socket.
A network lead
also about two metres long with identical connectors at either end It is used to connect
your QL to other QLs so that data and messages can be sent between them.
A GUIDED TOUR
On the back and sides of the computer there are a series of connectors.
There are two slots on the right hand side of the computer the two QL Microdrives. The
cartridges for these Microdrives are used for storing programs and data on the QL. Next to
each slot there is a small light. When the light is on the Microdrive is in use and the
cartridge should not be removed. The yellow light on the front left hand side indicates
whether the QL is switched on.
On the right-hand end of the QL there is a slot covered by a plastic strip. This slot is for
attaching up to six more QL Microdrives. ZX Microdrives are not suitable for use with the
QL but blank Microdrive cartridges can be used on either machine.

The connectors at the back of the computer are for attaching the following:
NET
- connector for the QL Network
NET
- connector for the QL Network
POWER
- power supply for the computer
RGB
- connection to a monochrome or colour monitor
UHF
- connection to the aerial socket of a television set
SER1
- RS-232 C serial port
SER2
- RS-232-C serial port
CTL1
- control port for joystick
CTL2
- control port for joystick
ROM
- QL ROM cartridge software (use reversed one to 10)
ZX ROM cartridges are not compatible with QL ROM cartridges and cannot be used in the
QL.
The slot on the left hand side of the QL is used for adding peripherals (equipment to
expand the computer's capabilities} to the QL. One peripheral can be plugged directly into
the expansion slot.
The reset button is on the right hand end of the computer near the Microdrive expansion
slot. It is used to reset' the QL to its original 'switch on' state Any programs in the machine
will be lost if reset is pressed and sometimes data already recorded on Microdrive
cartridges can be corrupted. Use reset with caution and always remove Microdrive
cartridges before doing so.
To make the computer operate, various connections have to be made:
Your QL power supply has two leads. One is fitted with a small rectangular connector with
three holes in it. The other is the mains lead and is supplied with bare ends to which a
suitable mains plug must be fitted.

Please do not connect the power supply lead to the computer until all other leads
and peripherals have been connected. Always connect the power supply lead to the
computer last of all.
SETTING UP
THE POWER SUPPLY
To make the computer operate, various connections have to be made:
Your QL power supply has two leads. One is fitted with a small rectangular connector with
three holes in it. The other is the mains lead and is supplied with bare ends to which a
suitable mains plug must be fitted.
Please do not connect the power supply lead to the computer until all other leads
and peripherals have been connected. Always connect the power supply lead to the
computer last of all.
Connect the mains plug as follows:
The blue wire goes to the terminal marked N or neutral, or coloured blue or black.
The brown wire goes to the terminal marked L or live and coloured brown or red.
The power supply is double insulated and does not need an earth connection.
If you are using a fused plug it must be fitted with a three amp fuse.
Make sure all connections are sound.
If necessary, get someone with electrical experience to help you.
THE DISPLAY
Although the QL will work once the power supply is connected, you will not be able to see
what it is doing until you add a television set or a monitor.
A monitor has a screen like a television, but it cannot receive television signals. It usually
has better resolution than a television set and so can display more text and is therefore
more expensive.
A colour television or monitor will of course be required to make use of the QL colour
display but the computer will work perfectly well in black and white representing colours as
shades of grey.
Most television sets in current use will be suitable for the QL provided they are able to
receive 625 line UHF transmissions, i.e. BBC2 and Channel 4.
Locate the aerial socket at the back of your TV and remove the aerial cable that may be
plugged into it. If your set has more than one socket, use the one labelled UHF or 625.
Plug in the QLs aerial lead. Use the end that looks similar to the original aerial plug, and
plug the other end into the socket marked UHF on the back of the computer.

Plug the power supply into a mains socket and switch on. Remove any cartridges from the
Microdrive slots and push the small power supply connector into the three pin plug marked
POWER on the back of the QL.
The yellow power light below the F5 key should now be glowing and your set up should
look like this:
When the computer has been on for a while, the case above the Microdrives will feel
warm, this is quite normal. The QL has no on/off switch but can be turned off by
unplugging the power supply connector. Remember that any program or data in the
machine will be lost when it is turned off and should first be saved on a Microdrive
cartridge (for details of how to do this see the Beginner's Guide and Concepts sections). If
the QL is not going to be used for a while you should also switch the power supply off at
the mains.
TUNING IN
The display signal to the television set is near channel 36. If your set has continuous
tuning, tune to channel 36. If your television has push buttons, choose an unused button
and tune this to the computer' s signal. You may need to consult your dealer or the TV
instruction manual to find out how to do this.
Once you are correctly tuned in you should see the copyright screen.