Can't get the tzxtap Python file working!
Alectronics opened this issue · 3 comments
I installed Python 3.8.8rct1 on my Windows 7 32bit computer and am able to run Python in the CMD screen as also in the IDLE 3.8.8. Python window. But none of the ZX Spectrum tools seem to work like the command lines tell!
Typing tzxtap -i Acehole.tzx -o Acehole.tap won't work giving an error.
And tzxtap.py -i Acehole.tzx -o Acehole.tap seems to work but gives no visible resulting file at all!
So I guess this doesn't work as the instruction guide presented. Because also >>>pip install txtools never works! and neither any of the other shown examples! To make sure the conversion TZX file was not the reason for failing i took an existing working file to try converting it to TAP format.
All invain!
So please explain why these tools never worked on my computer?!
pip install txtools is the only way to install these tools, as pip will take care of creating the commands that invoke the Python scripts. Unfortunately you only say that pip "never works", but you don't give any more hints about what is actually happening if you invoke pip. It might be possible that you need to invoke pip3 install tzxtools if your system still has a mixed Python2/Python3 setup.
I invested a lot of my private time in developing these tools, but still publish them for free. I don't think I owe you an explanation. And to be honest, it is not very motivating if you berate me, instead of appreciating the fact that you got this tool for free, and find a constructive and respectful way to solve your problem.
I understand that you no doubt have put a lot of work in these free tool(s). No argue about that, and no disrespect was intended! But it really never worked on my Python 3.3.8rc1 Windows7-32bit version. Not after many hours of testing, not as PIP, not as PIP3 or as any other example that was given. So that is why I replied with the problem that it simply failed and never worked in the as administrator opened CMD, and neither in the IDLE Python 3.8.8.rc1 window either. Maybe it works in Windows 10 with a newer version. But sadly never on my Windows7 Python installed quad-core computer. And most of the time the given command line examples only resulted in syntax errors or nothing at all. Which is strange when it is supposed to be so easy as just typing in a simple line of code according to the online instructions. The only thing that I managed to get running in Python was the Build option that made a new backup of all already extracted txtool files in the lib and tool directories. But that was rather useless I guess.
And I noticed that there are apparently two versions of Python on my computer. Also a 3.8.9 version in my CMD window. Although looking in the programs database there only is a version 3.8.8rc1 and a smaller python launcher program, both with the same date. Respectively versions 3.8.8121.0 and a launcher version 3.8. 7352.0. And also that version results in a pip install txtools File (stdin ,with enclosure signs between accolades which this editor doesn't support apparently why I mention this here), line 1 SyntaxError: Invalid syntax with a pointer arrow underneath the i of install. Also when other options like pip3 are tried! Which looks like there maybe even are 3 different Python version numbers on my computer while there are only 2 listed? No Idea how that happened but I hope you now have a clue what is causing the problem here and how to solve it?
PS: also tried to run the pip install txtools command line on my newer Windows10 computer with python version 3.9.6 which also had a second launcher file with other Python version like on my Windows 7-32bit computer. But this time the command started running and downloading some file or files from the internet? But it broke off after a message was given saying that Microsoft's Visual studio 14 was required to continue. And since my Windows 7 computer has no online internet connection and I do not want to be obligated to install MS Visual studio on it, I guess running these TXTOOLS never will gonna work?
So I now better give another similar tool from another programmer I just found a try: https://github.com/chris-y/tzx2tap
Looks a lot easier. Anyway thanks for your hard work!
Finally after testing the TZX to TAP converter v0.13b from T.Kac which only occupies 39,9KB and doesn't need Python or Visual Studio this program worked immediately and upto 64kB large files. Only recording from tape to the right quality wave files still may need a bit of tuning.
Fine for me.