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Re: (newbie) AppleIIc-->Mac
- Subject: Re: (newbie) AppleIIc-->Mac
- From: douglas@blarg.net (Douglas Frederick)
- Date: 1997/03/17
- Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
- Organization: Blarg! Online Services - 206/441-9109
- References: <5gcig2$i14@eve.enteract.com>
Hi Michael,
I too own an old //c and a PowerComputing clone (mine's a Tower166) and I
too just spent months learning how to do file transfers of Appleworks
files. I know some good ways to do this and some things to avoid.
What you will need no matter what is a modem program on the //c. I
recommend ProTerm as it is easy to use. On the Mac, you can use the
Clarisworks communications document form of uploading which is fairly easy.
You could also use a telecomm application like ZTerm, but since you've got
Clarisworks, you might as well use that. It eliminates one step for you as
well. I can help you set up either of these ends if you get that far and
need some help.
You will need a null modem serial cable or a modem with each computer and
two phone lines in your house. But, depending on which //c you have, there
might be limitation in using a serial cable. Read the following info and
then check to see which version of the //c you have.
IIc info
========
Four models of Apple IIc were made from mid-1984 through 1989. Some
models can be identified by the color of the external plastic casing
but mainly they are distinguished by special features.
ORIGINAL IIC: (1984-85) White casing; does NOT operate an external
Unidisk drive; has NO internal self-test. Most numerous
type made. Has 16K of internal ROM. ROM code: 255 This
model has a defective timing crystal, which limits modem
use to the slower baud speeds (300 baud, or, if lucky,
1200 baud). This does NOT affect all original (ROM 255)
Apple IIc models. Only those produced between April 1984
and up until around December 1984. If your IIc reports it
has the original ROM revision, you should not automatically
assume it has the faulty serial ports. If you open the case
and look at location C-7 on the motherboard, it'll either
have a 74LS161 (black) DIP chip or a silver colored oscillator
with MHz rating. If you find the latter your motherboard has
the "good" serial ports part.
The free motherboard upgrade is
no longer available. The keyboard was made by Atlanta
Photocircuits Co.; its keys are prone to "stickiness"
which slows typing speed. An improved keyboard was
introduced for the Unidisk 3.5 IIc.
UNIDISK 3.5 IIC: (March to Sept 1986) White casing; externally
identical to ORIGINAL IIc. Can operate 800K Unidisk 3.5
from drive port; can also operate faster modem speeds
(2400 baud; possibly faster). Has built-in SELF-TEST:
Hold down both Apple keys firmly, then turn on power
switch; checkerboard display pattern fluctuates for two
minutes, then displays SYSTEM OK in center of screen.
(Any defective ICs will be identified by a displayed
code.)
Has 32K of ROM. ROM code: 0 If PR#7 <return> is typed
on this model, then the screen message, "APPLETALK
OFFLINE"
will be generated in response.
MEMORY EXPANSION IIC: (1986-87) Platinum grey plastic casing; has all
features of the Unidisk IIc, plus special feature that
there is a motherboard RAM-connector socket so that a
one megabyte RAM memory board can easily be installed
(Pre-owned Electronics (MA) offers these Apple ram board
for $39. Two subversions of the Memory Expansion IIc were
made: ROM 03 and ROM 04. There are no important
differences in performance between ROM 03 and ROM 04; the
shift to ROM 04 was done to repair an arcane bug in the
ROM firmware of ROM 03. Most users will not notice the
difference between ROM 03 and ROM 04. NOTE: RAM memory
boards can be installed in the Original IIc or in the
Unidisk 3.5 IIc, but installation is complicated. Fitting
extra RAM in either of the two earlier IIc models requires
removal and reinstallation of two large 40-pin IC chips:
the 65C02 microprocessor and the MMU memory management
unit. The socket-connector inside the Memory Expansion
platinum IIc is much more convenient (Statt, 1987).
APPLE IIC+: (1987-89) This was the last version of the IIc family. It
is easily identified externally: platinum grey plastic
casing; power supply is fully internalized in the computer
(i.e., no "brick on a rope" power supply as in all earlier
models); internal 3.5" 800K disk drive (5.25" external
drive can be connected as an option); built-in 4 MHz
accelerator (all earlier IIc computers operate at the
standard Apple ][ speed of 1 MHz). Speaker volume control
moved to top panel, above the keyboard. Back panel serial
port connectors were changed from the 5-pin DIN sockets
used on previous IIc models to the mini-8 connector used
on the IIgs or the Imagerwriter II printer.
========================================================================
Most IIc models can be identified by external appearance: The external
plastic casings of the Original IIc or the Unidisk 3.5 IIc are white,
while the casings of the Memory Expansion IIc or the IIc+ are platinum
grey. The IIc+ is the ONLY IIc model with the 3.5" disk drive built
into the casing.
The only two models that are externally IDENTICAL in appearance are the
Original IIc and the Unidisk 3.5 IIc. The quickest way to identify
which model you have is to activate the "self-test": Hold down the two
Apple keys, then turn on the power. If you get wavy lines scrolling
downward, then you have the Original IIc (too bad!); but if the checker-
board pattern of the "self-test" appears, then you have the Unidisk IIc!
IDENTIFYING THE IIC MODELS VIA ROM TESTS:
These are two simple keyboard tests by which the motherboard type is
identified conclusively by checking its "identification byte" at ROM
location 64447, known also as location $FBBF in hexidecimal notation.
You type in the following coded messages, then note the computer's
response. The response tells you the model of IIc you have. Either
test is sufficient; both tests will give identification results that
match. (ROM identifier tests are unnecessary with the IIc+ because the
IIc+ differs noticeably in external appearance from all IIc models.)
(1) First, get the "Basic Prompt" symbol, ], by holding down and
releasing these two keys: <CONTROL> <RESET>. At the Basic Prompt ],
type PRINT PEEK (64447) followed by <return>. How does the computer
respond? If it responds with "255", then you have the Original IIc; if
it responds with "0", then you have the Unidisk 3.5 model; if it
responds with "3" or "4", then you have the memory expansion IIc.
(2) The second ROM identifier test is similar to the first. Again, get
the Basic prompt by holding down and then releasing the <CONTROL> and
<RESET> keys. Then type CALL -151 followed by <RETURN>. The computer
will respond with an asterisk *, indicating that you are in the "system
monitor." Then type FBBF followed by <RETURN>. If the computer
responds with FBBF- FF then you have the Original IIc; if it responds
with FBBF- 00 then you have the Unidisk 3.5 version, and if it responds
with FBBF-03 or FBBF-04, then you have the memory expansion version.
Apple no longer offers the free upgrade for the original IIc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Back to the letter) In my case, I have the old "255" ROM, and I couldn't
get the serial cable to work at all at any speed, so I resorted to using my
1200 baud modem from the //c to my GlobalVillage Teleport Platinum modem
using the two phone lines in my house. This doesn't mean you wouldn't be
able to get a serial cable to work on your //c even if it's the "255" ROM
version. It should work somewhere from 300-1200 baud and this is the best
thing for you to try first. The cable should cost $10-$15.
Next, I had trouble with transferred files having certain characters come
out wrong, even using the ClarisWorks translator and it was explained to me
that there is nothing you can do directly to remedy this. Not to despair
though, there is a simple solution. Try the following:
1. Transfer the AppleWorks file to the Mac using XModem.
When doing the file transfer, make
sure you have any options to do with "text translation" turned off. The
file must be transferred in binary mode, without affecting the contents
(this is what most programs do for a standard XModem transfer). If the
Apple II communications program supports any special file transfer
options such as "Binary II", make sure they are disabled.
2. Use a utility program on the Mac to change the received file's
creator to 'pdos' and the file type according to the following table:
AppleWorks Database (ADB): '19 '
AppleWorks Word Processor (AWP): '1A '
AppleWorks Spreadsheet (ASP): '1B '
Each of these file types are a two-digit number in base 16 (hexadecimal)
followed by two spaces.
The creator and file type are case-sensitive, so make sure they are
entered exactly as describe here (without the quote marks).
There are many programs which can set the file type and creator.
ResEdit is one example, though it is overkill. I recommend using Snitch, a
very simple and useful little shareware utility that uses the GetInfo
window to allow you to change file types and creators. It is readily
available on Mac software download sites on the internet.
3. Open the files with Clarisworks and they will translate with the
Appleworks XTND into Claris format. I found that they are translated
perfectly this way.
I just transferred about 25 disks full of files of all three Appleworks
file types with this setup. Please let me know if you'd like some more
help. Various persons were very helpful to me in figuring this all out and
I have quoted some of their info here, but it took months to get this all
figured out and completed. I'd gladly spare you that ordeal.
Good luck!
Douglas Frederick
douglas@blarg.net
Seattle, Washington