What a spectacle

mike_cc

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Posts
459
Country
UK
Region
Harrow, Middlesex
Can anyone suggest a spectrum word processor / text editing program that isn't completely barmy?

I've got two printers, a zx and a timex sinclair, and I'm dying to print something on them but had no luck getting any of the programs I've tried to work.

So far I've tried various versions of tasword...
Shifty
Spectralwriter
Mini office

and all I've managed to do it headbutt a couple of things (non-breakable you might be happy to hear) out of shear frustration.

Please help me as my head isn't 'non-breakable' so I might do myself an injury soon!

:Doh:
 
If you only want to test the printers can't you list out a basic program to them?

Dave G :cool:
 
If you only want to test the printers can't you list out a basic program to them?

Dave G :cool:

Yes, that is true, but I also want something that will enable me to dump formatted text to them.

Ok tell you what, help me find a spectrum compiler for the pc so that I can type up the program on a keyboard that doesn't make me want to rip out my own throat, in order to save it as a .wav file on my phone.

That's the best I can offer you, deal? :readit:
 
:LOL: No deal I'm afraid. I assumed you had actually got a real Spectrum :Doh:

Dave G :cool:
 
I do! I do!

I do! I do!

:LOL: No deal I'm afraid. I assumed you had actually got a real Spectrum :Doh:

Dave G :cool:

I've got two!

I've got a 16K ZX and a ZX Spectrum +2

I have also been a busy boy and have downloaded BASin spectrum compiler, written two of the ZX printer programs out (anyone wants them, they're welcome) and turned them both into .wav and put them on my phone. Both programs load and run, seemingly perfectly...

Until I try to print. Neither printer does anything and I have to ask, is it more likely that both printers are knackered or that the Spectrum has something wrong with it's expansion port.

DKTronics Lightwriter works, but that's an input device so it might not use exactly the same circuitry. RAMPrint module fails to load up RAMWrite, but I am not 100% that it is the original anyway.

I'm going to inspect the port and maybe give it a little clean before I explore other possibilities. Dave, if you or anyone else have any ideas about what's going on, I'd be pretty grateful for the input. :bowdown:

Now I'm going to go and see if I can flog this dead horse back to life.

:deadhorse
 
So, you're saying you got two Spectrums (16k and +2) Although i doubt both have an expansion port failure, you never know with retro stuff.. Have you tested both Speccies? A simple/fast action would be to rub an eraser over the expansion ports' contacts first and give it another try.
 
So, you're saying you got two Spectrums (16k and +2) Although i doubt both have an expansion port failure, you never know with retro stuff.. Have you tested both Speccies? A simple/fast action would be to rub an eraser over the expansion ports' contacts first and give it another try.

Ok, nice suggestion, I'll let you know how it goes.:D

---------- Post added at 16:58 ---------- Previous post was at 16:22 ----------

It works, was just a dirty port!

little zx printer doesn't seem to want to play though, no power getting to it. I'll open her up at some point and take a look.

Many thanks!
 
Mike, just use the 'COPY' keyword to dump the screen to the printers mate.

TC ;)
 
Mike, just use the 'COPY' keyword to dump the screen to the printers mate.

TC ;)

I'm quite the zxnewb.

Hey, does that mean also that I've been reading the commands wrong in Tasword and the others? I'm looking for ways of making them print things but I should be looking for a 'copy' command?
 
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