Re: Making an Apple IIe and an IBM talk

[rubywand@swbell.net]

Jemather <Jemather@concentric.net>  writes ...

<<
Hello, and i'm doing a sci project where i have to take AppleSoft 
BASIC
program and convert it to QbASIC or Vis BASIC Also i have a Hayes
Micromodem IIe and if anyone out there know anyway to make it work 
like
a null-modem ...
>>

     We did something like this some years ago. As I recall, 
transferring Applesoft programs to Q-BASIC or GW-BASIC was mainly a 
matter of moving a text copy of the program to the PC. On the PC, you 
bring in the program-- I'm pretty sure-- by inputting the text under 
BASIC. (Creating a text copy of an Applesoft BASIC program is easy. 
You just list the program to a Text file.)

     BASICs available on a PC are not 100% compatible with Applesoft. 
Once you can list the Applesoft program on the PC under GW-BASIC (or 
whatever), you will need to edit the program.

    It will be necessary to replace some Applesoft commands with 
their PC BASIC equivalents. Some commands are very similar but differ 
slightly in syntax; and you are likely to find that some conventions, 
such as the numerical value of "True" from boolean tests, are 
different.

     The more an Applesoft program is "pure BASIC", the easier it 
will be to get it working on a PC. Programs which employ lots of 
PEEKs and POKEs, do monitor CALLs, and access other features specific 
to the Apple II will be more troublesome.   


     The mechanics of doing an Apple-to-PC file transfer are pretty 
simple. In our case, the PC was in a research lab several miles away; 
so, we sent the programs via modem. If the PC is in the same room, 
using a NULL modem is best.

     A "NULL modem" is not some kind of hairy electronic device with 
IC's, transistors, etc.. It is just a back-to-back connector which 
crosses Receive, Transmit, etc. lines.

     To use a NULL modem, a modem cable from one computer connects to 
one side and a modem cable from another computer connects to the 
other side. You start a telecom program on each computer-- such as 
Telemate on the PC and Modem MGR on the Apple II. If the baud rate 
settings are the same, you can transfer files back and forth.

     There would seem to be no good reason to transform a modem into 
a NULL modem. NULL modems are inexpensive. You can get one at Radio 
Shack for a few dollars.