REL APL-11

[John H. Reinhardt]

On 3/30/2020 6:29 PM, Marc Howard wrote:
> Stupid question time.  I last used APL in a class in 1975.  Back then you needed a magic terminal and/or a magic Selectric typeball.  How does one input or print a program on a PDP-11 with mere mortal equipment?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Marc Howard
>
> On Mon, Mar 30, 2020 at 4:07 PM John H. Reinhardt via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org <mailto:cctalk at classiccmp.org>> wrote:
>
>     On 3/30/2020 1:37 PM, Mark Matlock via cctalk wrote:
>     >
>     > Bill,
>     >      I have the APL-11 V2.1 source files on a RL02 disk image. I will make it available at http://www.rsx11m.com/apl11.zip <http://www.rsx11m.com/apl11.zip>
>     >
>     >      Once you mount the disk image with Simh, the are two ready to run task images that will run under RSX11M or M+
>     > In [201,200]APL6OK.TSK and APL7OK.TSK that are the REAL*4 and REAL*8 versions of APL-11. On the disk are the
>     > Original .MAC sources as well as files from a RSX SIG tape that modified APL-11 for I/D under RSX11M+ that increased
>     > The workspace (.BXWA from ~30000 to ~60000 bytes). It also contains a character set for Vt220 for the APL character set.
>     >
>     >     When you install the APL task experiment with the /INC to maximize the available workspace, On my system, I can
>     > INS APL6.TSK/INC=37000 to max the workspace for the single precision version.
>     >
>     >     Also, the scanned APL-11 reference manual can be downloaded at http://www.rsx11m.com/APL-11-Ref-Man.pdf <http://www.rsx11m.com/APL-11-Ref-Man.pdf>
>     >   and the APL11 installation guide at http://www.rsx11m.com/APL11ins.pdf <http://www.rsx11m.com/APL11ins.pdf>
>     >
>     >     The RSX SIG files that have the info to change APL-11 to an I/D RSX11M+ task are at [370,360] on the RL02 disk. I remember having this work back in the mid-1980s butI have not been able to get it to work today. If I link it with ODT it seems to blow up when the first overlay is loaded. If anyone could help with that I’d really appreciate it!
>     >
>     > Best,
>     > Mark
>
>     Thanks Mark!
>
>
>     I remember we had APL at Rose-Hulman when I was in college there from 1978-1983.  At first I thought it was on the VAX-11/780 that showed up over the summer of 1980, but now I realize it had to have been on our PDP-11/70 running RSTS/E. Probably APL-11 V1.X since it was there in the Fall of 1978 when I started.  We had a couple of DEC LA36's with the APL character set and keyboards.
>
>     -- 
>     John H. Reinhardt
>
Marc,

   On page 1-5 of the APL-11 Reference Manual that Mark posted there is a table showing the ACII equivalents for the special APL character set.  There are also instructions there on how to do it.  It's a combination of characters and backspaces.  Kinda tough on a video terminal but workable on a printer.

-- 
John H. Reinhardt