Compo returns... :-)

[Jim Lesurf]

Just in case anyone has missed it:

!Composition is available again. Now on "!Store".

Andrew Rawnsley announced this at the Wakefield Show.

At present it is an old version which works OK for many simple tasks of
composition on a modern machine. But may need an emulator of an older
generation for other tasks which call scripts. However the intention is
that this can now be tackled and new versions will have less need for
emulation, etc.

I've been re-exploring old versions and files and been surprised by finding
just what it can do via its 'composcript' functions which let the user
program it to do all sorts of tasks. From automating animations to acting
as a dynamic 'presentation' program with on-screen action buttons, etc!

Jim

[Jim Lesurf]

I've been using !Compo to generate some graphics to draw out the near-field
patterns of antenna arrays. This uses the ability for CompoScript to call
and run manipulation of items on the Compo canvas. In my case the script
calls a process I wrote in 'C' which examples how you can enable a program
written in the computer language of your choice to carry out graphic
processes.

FWIW I did this because I was trying to explain some of the properties of
antennas, In particular, that 'high gain' arrays need clear space around
them to work as advertised. But the result is quite pretty, and potentially
the program could be used to create an *animated* version automatically as
well! Not got that far yet, but you can get some idea from this:

Loading Image...

The accompanying words on a future webpage which uses this illusration will
explain more about what it shows. Main purpose of posting about it here is
to example the power/flexibilty Compo can provide for specialised graphics.

FWIW my pre-existing 'Compo Clues' pages remain at

http://jcgl.orpheusweb.co.uk/Compo/clues.html

and I'll ad a webpage explaining the above in more detail when I can finish
writing it. :-)

Jim

[Chris Newman]

Post by Jim Lesurf
I've been using !Compo to generate some graphics to draw out the
near-field patterns of antenna arrays. This uses the ability for
CompoScript to call and run manipulation of items on the Compo canvas.
In my case the script calls a process I wrote in 'C' which examples how
you can enable a program written in the computer language of your
choice to carry out graphic processes.

I now have a copy of !Compo but on trying to run it got an error message.

Reporter output....


15:25:46.69 LOAD <Compo$Resources>.32bit_code.distort_r3 ADD14
15:25:46.69 LOAD <Compo$Resources>.res_code C5DC0
15:25:46.69 LOAD <Compo$Resources>.res_code2 CB4E4
15:25:46.70 ** BASICError ** ERR=20 Number too big ERL=56
15:26:25.71

Anybody got any idea what I am doing wrong? Couldn't find any help in the
ReadMe files.

[Jim Lesurf]

Post by Chris Newman
I now have a copy of !Compo but on trying to run it got an error message.
Reporter output....
15:25:46.69 LOAD <Compo$Resources>.32bit_code.distort_r3 ADD14
15:25:46.69 LOAD <Compo$Resources>.res_code C5DC0 15:25:46.69 LOAD
<Compo$Resources>.res_code2 CB4E4 15:25:46.70 ** BASICError ** ERR=20
Number too big ERL=56 15:26:25.71
Anybody got any idea what I am doing wrong? Couldn't find any help in
the ReadMe files.

I can't give a specific answer from what you say above. But answering some
questions may throw light on it...

What version of !Compo are you using? I'm using 1.23c

What are you trying to run it *on*? - machine type / OS / emulator?

e.g. on modern hardware you may need to alter the !Run file to change one
line to

Set Compo$MemoryManager Dynamic

But using Aemulor you don't need to do that. Nor with RPCemu.

You also need the machine to have 'seen' various helper apps that it may
call. e.g. !PCARes. It also uses !Spr2Png and !Intergif when needed. So
may also want these !Booted in advance.

Jim

[Chris Newman]

Post by Jim Lesurf

Post by Chris Newman
I now have a copy of !Compo but on trying to run it got an error message.
Reporter output....
15:25:46.69 LOAD <Compo$Resources>.32bit_code.distort_r3 ADD14
15:25:46.69 LOAD <Compo$Resources>.res_code C5DC0 15:25:46.69 LOAD
<Compo$Resources>.res_code2 CB4E4 15:25:46.70 ** BASICError ** ERR=20
Number too big ERL=56 15:26:25.71
Anybody got any idea what I am doing wrong? Couldn't find any help in
the ReadMe files.

I can't give a specific answer from what you say above. But answering
some questions may throw light on it...
What version of !Compo are you using? I'm using 1.23c

I've tried 1.22 & 1.23 (not 1.23c according to the !Run file). Got it
from the !Store as zip file Compo2024. What's the relevance of the "c"?

Post by Jim Lesurf
What are you trying to run it *on*? - machine type / OS / emulator?

FAST Pi Compute Module 4 RISC OS 5.29

Post by Jim Lesurf
e.g. on modern hardware you may need to alter the !Run file to change
one line to
Set Compo$MemoryManager Dynamic
But using Aemulor you don't need to do that. Nor with RPCemu.

Tried both with Aemulor - no joy.

Post by Jim Lesurf
You also need the machine to have 'seen' various helper apps that it
may call. e.g. !PCARes. It also uses !Spr2Png and !Intergif when
needed. So may also want these !Booted in advance.

Seen those.

[Jean-Michel]

Post by Chris Newman

Post by Jim Lesurf

Post by Chris Newman
I now have a copy of !Compo but on trying to run it got an error message.
Reporter output....
15:25:46.69 LOAD <Compo$Resources>.32bit_code.distort_r3 ADD14
15:25:46.69 LOAD <Compo$Resources>.res_code C5DC0 15:25:46.69 LOAD
<Compo$Resources>.res_code2 CB4E4 15:25:46.70 ** BASICError ** ERR=20
Number too big ERL=56 15:26:25.71
Anybody got any idea what I am doing wrong? Couldn't find any help in
the ReadMe files.

I can't give a specific answer from what you say above. But answering
some questions may throw light on it...
What version of !Compo are you using? I'm using 1.23c

I've tried 1.22 & 1.23 (not 1.23c according to the !Run file). Got it
from the !Store as zip file Compo2024. What's the relevance of the "c"?

Post by Jim Lesurf
What are you trying to run it *on*? - machine type / OS / emulator?

FAST Pi Compute Module 4 RISC OS 5.29

Post by Jim Lesurf
e.g. on modern hardware you may need to alter the !Run file to change
one line to
Set Compo$MemoryManager Dynamic
But using Aemulor you don't need to do that. Nor with RPCemu.

Tried both with Aemulor - no joy.

Post by Jim Lesurf
You also need the machine to have 'seen' various helper apps that it
may call. e.g. !PCARes. It also uses !Spr2Png and !Intergif when
needed. So may also want these !Booted in advance.

Seen those.

!Compo also searches for changeFSi


| The directories which will be searched for changefsi (same syntax as
Run$Path)
Set Compo$FSISearch
<Boot$Dir>.^.Utilities.,ADFS::4.$.Utilities.,ADFS::4.$.Utils.

In principle it is installed in $.utilities which is equivalent to
<Boot$Dir>.^.Utilities.

[Jim Lesurf]

Post by Chris Newman

Post by Jim Lesurf
What version of !Compo are you using? I'm using 1.23c

I've tried 1.22 & 1.23 (not 1.23c according to the !Run file). Got it
from the !Store as zip file Compo2024. What's the relevance of the "c"?

Not sure now! Bear in mind these versions were actually created about 2
decades ago! They have only appeared now because Rob gave me copies of his
files a while before !Compo ceased being available. Did that just in case
he lost his copies ... which he now *has* lost. I found my copies on an old
backup DVD and they then got released.

Post by Chris Newman

Post by Jim Lesurf
What are you trying to run it *on*? - machine type / OS / emulator?

FAST Pi Compute Module 4 RISC OS 5.29

OK. Someone here may be able to 'spot the difference' that is causing your
copy to fail to run. Beyond that I can suggest the ROOL Forum as others
that have spotted other problems and their solutions. Beyond that I can
only say ot works fine on my ArMX6 without Aemulor. As have previous
versions. I'm also using RO 5.29.

Jim

[Jim Lesurf]

I've just put up a new page to celebrate the reappearance of !Compo and to
give an example of the flexibility it can offer. The page can be found via

https://jcgl.orpheusweb.co.uk/CompoRevival/CompoRevived.html

or from a link on

https://jcgl.orpheusweb.co.uk/Compo/clues.html

Hope to add more at a later time when the round tuits permit. :-)

Been wanting to generate graphics like this for a while, so the
reappearance was a nice nudge to actually do it.

Jim

[Jim Lesurf]

There is now a new page with a demo of what !Compo can do via its ability
to be controlled by programs written by the user.

https://jcgl.orpheusweb.co.uk/CompoRevival/CompoRevived.html

In this case I wrote a program in Acorn 'C' and had Compo call this to plot
field patterns around some antennas. This kind of output can also be
animated.

However the main point is that users can devise their own ways to add
graphic capabities of quite complex kinds.

Version 1.23c now runs on my ARMX6 without needing emulation of an older
system. The key to being able to do this is to alter one of the lines in
its !Run file to:

Set Compo$MemoryManager Dynamic

Jim