Launchpad Downloads

Last updated: 21/03/2024

A desktop GUI for QDOS/SMSQ systems

More about Launchpad. | Accessory programs

From this page, as of 19th August 2017, you can download the full version of Launchpad as freeware, and fully working versions of all the Accessory programs plus the complete Launchpad documentation. There are two versions of Launchpad, the original version 1 for older systems, and the newer version 2 for systems with Window Manager version 2.

Launchpad Program And Help Files

Click on the link below to download the Launchpad disks, which include the manuals as plain text files (they double up as the Help system files). Note that you will need to unzip the files and move them to a directory of your choice (pre-configured to run from WIN1_LAUNCHPAD_ or FLP1_ but you can change that, in fact you MUST configure it to the drive/directory where you installed it or it won't run at all!). Please see the README_TXT files for a quick-start set of instructions if you wish to get going quickly without reading the full set of manuals - it will show you how to install, configure and run Launchpad. If you just copy the files to floppy disk and try to run them from there you'll probably get nowhere without reading the instructions.

As of 19th August 2017, Launchpad version 1 and version 2 are now freeware. You can download and use this software free of charge, although I retain copyright on them.

Choose which version you want to download. Both versions come in two flavours, depending on whether you use DSDD 720K floppy disks, or HD disks. If you use HD disks, hard disks, or other high capacity media, choose the HD disk version. Make sure you unzip these with a copy of Unzip (or Archivers Control Panel, Zip Manager, or such) on a QDOS or SMSQ system. Unzipping them in Windows, for example, is doomed to failure. Non QDOS/SMSQ operating system versions of Unzip don't understand QDOS executable file headers and the program won't work after unzipping if you try.

The procedure you should follow to uncompress the full versions is:

download the full version zip files. Version 1 has two zip files LP1DISK1.ZIP and LP1DISK2.ZIP, which correspond to disk 1 and disk 2 of version 1. Version 2 also has two zipped files called LP2DISK1.ZIP and LP2DISK2.ZIP , also corresponding to disk 1 and disk 2. Note that you will need HD or ED disks, the files are too big for a DD disk. If you use DSDD disks, download the DD version which consist of disk1a, disk1b, and disk2.
Use a QL unzipping program to unzip all the files in the zip archive.
If you intend to use Launchpad from hard disk (it runs better from hard disk than floppy disk) I suggest you unzip it to a directory called win1_launchpad_, although you can configure it to run from any directory name of your choice. You MUST read the readme_txt or readme_doc file for installation instructions - these readme files are "Quick-Start" instructions just enough to get you going if you do not wish to read the main instructions immediately.

Note that if you have downloaded files from here before Augst 2017 you will have found that these files were password protected. Since then, the programs have become freeware and the password protection removed.

Version 1 (v0.96) for DSHD disk or Hard Disk systems:
Launchpad version 1 disk 1 lp1disk1.zip (578 KB)
Launchpad version 1 disk 2 lp1disk2.zip (214 KB)

Version 1 (v0.96) for DSDD disk systems:
Launchpad version 1 disk1a lp1disk1a.zip (241K)
Launchpad version 1 disk1b lp1disk1b.zip (337K)
Launchpad version 1 disk 2 lp1disk2.zip (214 KB)

Version 2 (v2.13) for DSHD disk or Hard Disk systems
Launchpad version 2 disk 1 lp2disk1.zip (607 KB)
Launchpad version 2 disk 2 lp2disk2.zip (243 KB)

Version 2 (v2.13) for DSDD systems
Launchpad version 2 disk 1a lp2disk1a.zip (387 KB)
Launchpad version 2 disk 1b lp2disk1b.zip (370 KB)
Launchpad version 2 disk 2 lp2disk2.zip (243 KB)

Version 2.13 Update
Only a few files changed in Launchpad v2.13 compared to the previous versions (launchpad_obj, history_txt and history_doc and the manual DOC and TXT files). To avoid having to download everything again if you are only updating it from a recent version number, download this file and overwrite the files in this zip file - this should preserve all your icons and programs setups. You may still have to configure launchpad_obj using the CONFIG program. If you prefer to play safe, you could rename the old versions of these three files first, so that you can return to them later if by any chance the update happens not to work on your system (please let me know if this happens!). The HISTORY_TXT/DOC files detail the changes right at the end of the file.
launchpad213updt.zip (221K)

Version 2.14 Update
Only a few files changed again in Launchpad v2.14 (launchpad_obj, history_txt and history_doc). To avoid having to download everything again if you are only updating it from a recent version number, download this file and overwrite the files in this zip file - this should preserve all your icons and programs setups. You may still have to configure launchpad_obj using the CONFIG program. If you prefer to play safe, you could rename the old versions of these three files first, so that you can return to them later if by any chance the update happens not to work on your system (please let me know if this happens!). The HISTORY_TXT/DOC files detail the changes right at the end of the file. The only real change in this version is that the Jobs menu now works on QDOS ROMs with pointer environment, thanks to a little fix in the QJ command of QLiberator.
lp214updt.zip (156K)

The Accessory programs (small programs supplied as part of the Launchpad suite) are available separately and may be used without Launchpad if required. Click on the link for the program required below. These packages include Quill DOC file versions of their manuals, rather than the plain text versions supplied with the main Launchpad program above.

Launchpad v1 Manuals As Doc Files

If you prefer Quill DOC file manuals for Launchpad version 1, click on the link below to download these.
Download Launchpad v1 Manuals as Quill Doc Files lpdocs.zip for Version 1 (40KB)

Launchpad v2 Manuals As Doc Files

If you prefer Quill DOC file manuals for Launchpad version 2, click on the link below to download these.
Download Launchpad v2 Manuals as Quill Doc Files lp2docs.zip for Version 2.13 (108 KB)

Launchpad Accessories

All of these programs may be used independently, or installed in the Launchpad system directory for use from the Launchpad Accessories menu. Note that the Launchpad demo disk above includes these programs and plain text file versions of the manuals, you need only download these if you require DOC file manuals or wish to only download these programs for use without the demo disk above. Version 1 programs may be used on virtually all QDOS or SMSQE systems but do not use new window manager facilities, whereas the version 2 programs need Window Manager v2 and use the new colours.

Calculator

A simple pointer driven calculator.
Download Calculator v1 calc.zip - version 1 (26KB)
Download Calculator v2 calc_v2.zip - version 2 (27KB)

Calendar

A pointer driven Calendar program, with a basic diary function.
Download Calendar v1 calendar.zip - version 1 (34KB)
Download Calendar v2 calendar_v2.zip - version 2(37KB)

Character Pick

Select accented characters etc from an on-screen menu and transfer them to your programs via the Hotkey system Stuffer Buffer.
Download Character Pick v1 charpick.zip - version 1 (20KB)
Download Character Pick v2 charpick_v2.zip - version 2 (22KB)

Decimal Invaders

A simple mouse-operated game, where rows of advancing digits have to be zapped by matching them. Simple, but infuriatingly addictive.
Download Decimal Invaders v1 decivadr.zip - version 1 (27KB)
Download Decimal Inavders v2decivadr_v2.zip - version 2 (26KB)

Hexpawn

A simple pointer driven game, based on chess pawns.
Download Hexpawn v1hexpawn.zip -version 1 (25KB)
Download Hexpawn v2 hexpawn_v2.zip - version 2 (27KB)

LPSaver

The Launchpad screen saver system, which may be used independently of Launchpad. A selection of built in screen saver routines plus the ability to create your own screen saver modules - even written in SBASIC on a SMSQ/E system! This is a mouse aware screen saver program, once the screen saver has cut in, moving the mouse or pressing a key on the keyboard will stop the screen saver.
Download LPSaver v1 lpsaver.zip -version 1 (31KB)
Download LPSaver v2 lpsaver_v2.zip -version 2 (31KB)

PicView

Pointer driven graphics viewer program, able to view QL screens or PIC files, including 8-bit 256 colour files and 16-bit colour ones from both Q40-style and QPC/QXL-style 16-bit displays, not forgetting good old QL mode 4 and 8 graphics.
Download PicView v1 picview.zip - version 1 (42KB)
Download PicView v2 picview_v2.zip - version 2 (43KB)

PtrView

Pointer driven text file viewer program, also used as the help text display program in Launchpad.
Download PtrView v1 ptrview.zip - version 1 (39KB)
Download PtrView v2 ptrview_v2.zip - version 2.02 (30.11.08) (43KB)

Q-Trans

Pointer driven dual window file handler - copy, delete, view, format etc, all the usual file handler routines.
Download Q-Trans v1 qtrans.zip - version 1 (78KB)
Download Q-Trans v2 qtrans_v2.zip - version 2.09 (80KB)

Screen Snatcher 4

Pointer driven version of my old Screen Snatcher program. This is a screen grabber - copy the screen display to a graphics file, or (new in this version) to the Jochen Merz Scrap Thing for pasting into pointer driven QL software which knows how to handle the Scrap Thing.
Download Screen Snatcher 4 v1 snatch4.zip - version 1 (35KB)
Download Screen Snatcher 4 v2 snatch4_v2.zip - version 2 (37KB)

System Status Utility

Provides an on-screen continuous display of system settings.
Download System Status Utility v1 status.zip - version 1 (27KB)
Download System Status Utility v2 status_v2.zip - version 2 (27KB)

Launchpad Sprites

For anyone who'd like to write software compatible with the appearance of Launchpad on screen, or who would simply like to use the Launchpad sprites in their own programs, they are available for download here. Most are 32x16, 32x24 or 16x16 mode 4 pixel sprites.
Download Launchpad Sprites lpsprites.zip (88K)

A package of the sprites I used to make Launchpad v2 is also available. The mode 4 sprites are the same as in the above package, but there's some extra 256-colour sprites.
Download Launchpad v2 Sprites lp2sprites.zip (93K)

Ian Burkinshaw has converted the set of GD2 sprites supplied with Q-Dock into a size and format suitable for use with Launchpad. Download them free from the Q-Dock page.

Have you created your own 32x24 sprites which you think may be useful to other Launchpad 2 users? If they can be freely distributed, send them to me as a zipped file attached to an email and I can make them available here.

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