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Re: Apple 2 floppies to PC?
wslboyer@umich.edu writes ...
>>
I've a friend who just got a PC who has been writing stories on an
Apple 2 (e, I think) for a long time. Is there any way for the PC to
read in text files he has saved on the apple?
<<
Yes. There are several ways.
A product named "CrossWorks" is supposed to be pretty good for such
transfers. It is from Sequential Systems ...
Sequential Systems
800-759-4549 or 303-666-4549
http://www.sequential.com
email: inquiries@sequential.com)
A description of CrossWorks features lifted from Sequential's web
site follows:
Includes 8 foot direct-connect cable - connects IIe, IIc, IIc Plus,
or IIGS to IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2 or compatible!
Fast - 19,200 baud! No modem needed.
Optional 50 foot extension cable available.
Long distance phone transfers by modem, too.
Includes both 5.25" and 3.5" disks for both Apple & IBM - not copy
protected!
List price: $89.95
If you have a relatively small number of text files (or files which
can be converted to text on the IIe), a fairly popular approach is to
send them as ASCII to your PC using a NULL modem connection.
Another option is to place text files in a ShrinkIt archive file,
NULL modem to your PC, and use Nulib to extract the files in PC text
form.
Below is an excerpt from our FAQs describing NULL modem transfers:
>>
From: Rubywand
004- How do I transfer files between computers using NULL modem?
You will need a NULL modem connector and each computer needs a
modem cable and telecom program. A IIe or II+ will also need a serial
card.
____________ ____________
| PC or Mac | | Apple II |
| running a | | running a |
| telecom | <--modem--> [NULL modem] <--modem--> | telecom |
| program | cable [connector ] cable | program |
|____________| |____________|
"NULL modem" means "no modem". A NULL modem connector is just a pair
of connectors wired 'back to back' with a few lines switched so that
each computer views the other pretty much as though it were a modem.
NULL modem connectors can be found at Radio Shack for a few dollars or
you can make your own.
On the Apple II side, you can choose from several good telecom
programs. Since you would like to be able to do z-modem transfers, good
choices include Intrec's ProTerm-A2 3.1 (Enhanced IIe -- IIgs), MGR
Software's Modem MGR (II+ -- IIgs), AnsiTerm (IIgs), and Spectrum
(IIgs). You can also choose from many freeware and shareware programs.
Generally, these support x-modem but do not support z-modem.
If you're running under a current version of Windows, HyperTerm
works very nicely on the PC side. (For sending Text files from PC to
Apple under HT, be sure to uncheck "send line enders" in the ASCII
settings.) If there is a choice of terminal emulations, it seems best
to stick with something simple, such as "TTY". A good NULL modemming
program for running under DOS is Telemate, commonly available as
shareware. Many other telecom programs are available and work fine under
current Windows, old Windows, and DOS. Similarly, there is a good
selection of Mac telecom wares.
To do transfers, you just connect the modem cable from each machine
to the NULL modem connector. If your PC or Mac has a spare COM port, the
connection can remain in place without disrupting normal net connections
through the other COM port. For a GS, the modem cable should be a "high
speed" type which allows hardware handshaking and this option should be
set in the GS telecom software. The same is true for other Apple II's
running at 9600 baud or above.
Set the same format (8-N-1) and baud rate on each telecom program.
(The format will, almost always, already be set to 8 bits-No parity-1
Stop bit.) A good first-try speed setting is 9600 baud. If errors
indicate this is too fast for either machine, you can move down to 2400
baud. An accelerated GS running Spectrum can connect with modern PC's
running HyperTerm at 56k baud or better.
Note: Spectrum (and most other newer Apple II telecom programs) do not
require that you modify Control Panel settings for speed and
handshaking. Since Spectrum directly accesses the GS serial port, speed,
etc. settings are done in the program. (By the way, this frees-up Slot 2
-- the GS modem firmware Slot-- for any peripheral card which needs to
have its Slot set to "Your Card" in the Control Panel.)
Place each program in terminal mode-- often, this is the default
mode. Or, the particular telecom program may have menu items or buttons
you select for specific kinds of transfers.
Next, you will usually select the function (send or receive) on
each machine and the protocol. The protocol should be the same on both
machines. Z-modem is the best choice for most single or multiple file
transfers. Text files can be an exception (see the next question). A
plain ASCII transfer will circumvent most problems but is slower; and,
you may need to send and receive/capture files one-by-one instead of in
batches.
Finally, you will select the file or files to send or "Open".
Usually, it is best to start Receive on the target machine before
starting Send on the source machine. If you find that one telecom
program or the other does not give you enough time to start Send-- i.e.
it keeps "timing out"-- change the program's "Time Out", "Inactivity
Delay", etc. setting.
Note: Some telecom programs may expect an end-of-send signal which the
sending program does not supply. Pressing CTRL-X or RETURN on the Apple
II or ESC on the PC often seems to work okay for terminating the Send.
----------------------------
From: Jeff Blakeney
You don't need to manually tell Spectrum or other modern telecom
programs to receive a file each time you do a Z-modem transfer. Just
make sure that you have Auto Receives turned ON. In Spectrum the setting
is in the Settings/File Transfer/Receive Options... dialog.
<<
For more details or follow-up info, you can download/view the files
F003T1TCOM.TXT and F003T2TCOM.TXT at ...
ftp://ground.isca.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/Faqs
or just post a question here.
Rubywand