Re: Reading Apple" disks

[obsbedia2@aol.com (Obsbedia2)]

Hi,

	Just last week I did a similar transfer for a fire department that needed to
retrieve some of their old files.  It was simple and didn't need any special
software or hardware, even though the disks were DOS3.3.  What helped was
having an Apple II with a 3.5" drive and a Macintosh running Mac OS version
8.x.

	If your friend used a program that didn't save the files as text files, such
as AppleWorks, then they need to run the original program to convert, or, at
best, you'll lose your page setups.  AppleWorks, like most programs that saved
in their own file formats, can also save files as text files.  The simplist way
to do so in AppleWorks is to put the file on the AppleWorks' desktop, enter the
file, and then press OPEN APPLE-P to Print.  You then can select printing to an
ASCII Text File.

	There are other ways to convert files and I'm certain that others
are better qualified than I; still, here's how I did it without anything fancy:

I.  Run Copy][+ (I used v8.4).
	
  A. Format a 3.5" floppy in ProDOS

  B. Choose Copy, then Files, to copy files from
     the 5.25" DOS 3.3 disk to the 3.5" ProDOS disk.

     (Copy][+ will automatically convert the files
     from DOS to ProDOS. Pretty neat, huh?)
  
II. Take the ProDOS 3.5" disk with the files to a
	  a Macintosh.  It will recognize a ProDOS disk
	  and even give it an Apple II logo on its icon.

  A. Transfer the files to Macintosh.  

  B. Insert a new disk (or the one you just used)
	  and go to the menubar, click on Special, and
	  select Erase Disk.  You will get three choices:
	  Mac, IBM or ProDOS.  Pick the one that you 
	  want and just transfer the files.

		You're done!


Jay Edwards
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<<anybody know of any software which will run a standard
PC 5.25" floppy drive in such a way that I can read Apple2
Disks? Either directly or to make a *.DSK image to run on an
emulator.

I have a friend with a great novel written on an Apple2 and
they can't get at it as their machine has died.

I have heard of the catweasle board but I would then
presumably need to get an apple drive and dig inside my PC
as well, something I am reluctant to do.
 >>