Re: "SmartWatch" for No-Slot-Clock?

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) writes...
>
>In article <31JUL199622595506@vax2.concordia.ca>, spec@vax2.concordia.ca
>(Mitchell Spector) wrote:
> 
>>   I now have both of the above programs, however something odd is up.
>>Both programs claim they _cannot_ detect a No-Slot-Clock when the chip 
>>is installed in my Apple IIc Plus. Plugging it into one of my Apple IIc's
>>(a ROM 255) detects it and lets me set the time/date. I've transplanted
>>the NCS back into the IIc Plus, and it's retained the correct time and
>>date thankfully, but why is this happening?
> 
>Have you disabled the accelerator?  The No Slot Clock operates by
>appearing to modify the state of one bit of a ROM location (it provides a
>64-bit serial data stream through this one bit).  The ZIP (or equivalent,
>such as the IIc+) caches the ROM location, so the software never sees the
>changing bit.

   No, but I have now and of course _now_ it works. I feel so silly having
overlooked such an obvious source of the problem, rather like someone who 
finds out the machine is unplugged after going through a dozen other steps! :)

>To access a No Slot Clock requires turning off the ZIP first.  The driver
>may be doing this, but the time setting programs may not.

   I wasn't aware of this, although disabling the "Zip" didn't cross my 
mind since I'm so used to all my 8-bit Apple II's running at 1 MHz. It
keeps slipping my mind that the IIc Plus has built-in acceleration. :)

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca