Library Guide

Quanta has a large library of software for the QL, currently just over 200 disks of software, more than 900 programs, written mostly by members. The Library itself is only available to members - it is one of the benefits of membership.

While the library itself is only available to members, anyone can can have a look at the Library Guide disk. The Library Guide disk contains a database holding a list of the entire content of the library. Members can order a copy of the Library Guide on disk (disk LG01) from the Librarian, at the address on the inside of the front cover of Quanta Magazine. Ordering instructions can be found in Section C of the Members Guide booklet.

Alternatively, you can download a copy of the Library Guide from this page, by clicking on the link below.

The Library Guide is a program which uses the DBAS database system. The Library Guide disk includes all files needed to run the database, but if you wish to find out more about DBAS, members can obtain the system on disk number SP07 in the library. The Library Guide has to be used with a minimum expanded memory of 192K - it will not run successfully on an unexpanded 128K QL system.

Instructions For Downloading And Starting The Library Guide

Please note: the Library Guide is a QL program. It can only be run on the QL operating systems, QDOS, SMSQ, or SMSQ/E. It cannot be run on other operating systems such as Windows.

• Download the Library Guide using the link further down the page. This will download a file called LG01.zip
• Transfer it to your QL system and rename the zip file to LG01_zip (IMPORTANT: Do not try to unzip the file in Windows, Linux, Mac OS or any other platform other than QDOS or SMSQ - QL programs lose their file headers in a non-QL operating system and will fail to work properly).
• To unzip it, you need a copy of the QDOS version of Unzip. If you haven't got a copy of this, you can get it from Jonathan Hudson's QL website at http://www.daria.co.uk/qdos/ - when you get to the page, click on the link to "InfoZIP for SMS/QDOS", then follow the site's instructions for downloading and decompressing the archive.
• Unzip the Library Guide with the Unzip program as follows:
• EX FLP1_UNZIP;"-d FLP1_ FLP1_LG01_zip"
• Note: 1 space between "-d" and "FLP1_" and one space between the first and second "FLP1_"
• The above assumes that all files are on disk drive FLP1_, otherwise amend each FLP1_ as appropriate, the one after "-d" is the drive where the zipped file will be unzipped to.
• Once unzipped, the Library Guide should consist of the following files. All of the files with names ending in _doc are Quill document files which can be read with the QL Quill wordprocessor, or the Xchange version if you wish.

• Load the BOOT program into SuperBASIC (or SBASIC if you are using the SMSQ/E operating system). As supplied, it's designed to run from disk drive FLP1_. To run from anywhere else, edit line 1080 to change the name of the drive assigned to the string variable "device$". Save this edited version for future use if required.
• Run the BOOT program. It should install the extensions in the file called DATA_BIN and then start the main program, called LIBGUIDE_exe.
• Follow instructions given by the program, including entering the details it asks for as it starts.
• Now you can go ahead and browse the Library Guide at your leisure. Enjoy!