Re: GS shrinkit file transfer--PC to Apple II GS

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Franko writes ...
> 
> Okay, I'll try to be as specific as I can.  I have a II GS with no
> hard drive, System 5.0, 3.5" start up disks. Dos 3.3, Prodos 5.25" disks.
> Null Modem.
> 
> On the PC side, I'm using Hyperterminal in Win 98SE..On the GS, I
> typed in IN#2.  (This command during the null-modem transfer worked on
> the ADTgs dump file).
> 
> I downloaded a .dsk file that contains Binscii and Shrinkit(the Apple
> IIe+ version) for Apple II on 5.25" disk.  I used ADTgs for converting
> it.  No problem there.
> 
> Using a Dos 3.3 boot formatted disk, I'm transferring the IIGS
> Shrinkit file, gshk11.bsc.txt (as a text file) from the PC (using
> Hyperterminal) to the II GS via null modem. I used the IN#2 command.
> (assuming this will work as did the ADT dump file transfer).  I see
> FILESTARTfilestart, etc on the Apple II side so I know it isn't
> garbage. The GS usually beeps at the last few characters of each line
> (is that normal?).
> 
> After about an hour, the file has been transferred but after I press
> Return, to save the file, I get a SYNTAX ERROR.   What SAVE command do
> I type after I get all the text? Or do I need to use a comm program
> for the Apple II instead of the simple IN#2 command? Or do I need to
> use the ProDos boot disk? I have Z-Link but no instructions on how to
> operate it.
> 
> I've been reading the FAQ's about transferring text files and all that
....

     Some of that stuff could probably stand a rewrite. As has been mentioned,
the difference between the ADT and DOS 3.3 Text transfer files and a file like
gshk11.bsc (or gshk11.bsc.txt) is what the file is supposed to do.

     The DOS 3.3 Text file contains stuff to be typed in. It's like a recording
of key presses of someone typing in DOS 3.3 on an Apple II. When you do an IN#2
and send the DOS 3.3 Text file from your PC, the ASCII codes sent put your
Apple II into Monitor mode and start typing in the machine code for DOS 3.3.

     The DOS 3.3 transfer code begins by entering a CALL-151 to go to the
monitor. Then, it types in an address and starts typing in machine code. It
also types in a CR every so often to enter the code (otherwise the input buffer
would overflow and most of the code would be ignored). Finally, it enters
values at various locations to set up DOS 3.3 and ends with a monitor Go
command to a DOS startup location.

     So, the Text in the DOS 3.3 transfer file is a lot more than just the
binary code for DOS 3.3 in Text form. Actually, it's a program for entering DOS
3.3.

     A file like gshk11.bsc is also Text; but, it is only a 'Text copy' of the
original binary file-- i.e. something to load, not something that types in
anything. The reason for still having such files is to allow posting software
to newsgroups like comp.binaries.apple2. Users can copy and save the posted
message in a Text file. Programs like BINSCII, GScii, and BISCIT can convert
the Text back to binary so that you have a usable file.

     As far as Applesoft (or, the monitor if you got switched there) is
concerned, the .bsc file content coming in via IN#2 was gibberish. The beeps
you were getting came from your IIgs complaining about assorted errors. Getting
GS-ShrinkIt by sending gshk11.bsc to IN#2 was a neat try; but, it won't work.


     It's great that you have ADT going! There really should have been a 5.25"
.dsk disk image with GS-ShrinkIt on it a long time ago. Anyway, now there is.

     The file is GSHK_dsk.zip. It has GS-ShrinkIt. Plus, since there was enough
extra space, it also has a handy block editing utility named "Block Warden".

     You can download GSHK_dsk.zip from the GS WorldView archive at
http://www.apple2.org.za/gswv/a2zine/Utils/ . (It's also been uploaded to
Ground.)  

     Use WinZIP or a similar utility to unzip the file to get GSHK.dsk. It
should transfer fine via ADT.



Rubywand