Re: Robo-1000 and IIgs compatibility?

[Hugh Hood <hughhood@earthlink.net>]

Antoine:

I'm at work right now and can't presently provide a more detailed answer,
but I'm a Robo guy too.

I've got both the Robo Systems CAD 1+ and CAD 2 packages, and several years
ago I picked up a Robo 1000 package (I think equivalent to the U.S. CAD 1)
from a guy in Sweden complete with the BitStik you have in your picture.

For reasons I still can't explain, I still use that CAD system to do almost
all the 2-D scale drawings for my manufacturing plant. I've got a Mac and
spent $1000 for VectorWorks, but never took the time to master it. Robo
works fine for what I need.

Back to your question -- The interface stuff, IIRC, is there not only to
support the 3-axis joystick from the gameport, but also to power their
'protection' scheme dongle, which uses the annunciator line, etc. in
conjunction with a software check. I _think_ the power line is just to run
the light, but it may be to power the resister pack in the dongle.

Many years ago I tired of that setup and just patched the code so that it
was no longer required, both for the CAD 1+ package and for the CAD 2
package. If you'd like the details, let me know. It makes these runnable
without that blasted dongle on any computer that would otherwise support it.
For example, I use CAD 1+ on a IIGS (the 'plot' portion of the package - I
have many legacy drawings).

CAD 2 does _require_ a Saturn 128K card, and I've never had the time to
patch around that, unfortunately. I still run it on a IIe with a Transwarp,
and ditched the 3-axis joystick for the built-in Apple Mouse support.

Funny thing is (and I _thought_ nobody cared these days), several months ago
I wrote a patch to the CAD 1+ PLOT disk that would allow it to plot to .pdf
instead of just to a serially connected HP (HP/GL) or Houston Instruments
(DMPL) pen plotter.

Maybe some interest ... ? I know, probably not. <grin>





Hugh Hood



in article 
8cf4b961-0e13-4e44-a84f-91bfb373413c@em1g2000vbb.googlegroups.com, Antoine
Vignau at antoine.vignau@laposte.net wrote on 5/23/12 2:47 PM:

> Dear All,
> I own a Robo-1000 package (https://picasaweb.google.com/
> 104707687928913128396/AppleIIRobo1000), the first 3D device for the
> Apple II.
> 
> I was wondering where to connect one of the connector on an Apple
> IIgs, knowing that the 16-pin interface connects to the I/O port of an
> Apple II. But the controller lead also includes a single wire breakout
> which is to be connected to the +12V connector of the 4-pin auxiliary
> video connector of an Apple II+ or IIe.
> 
> The question is: on an Apple IIgs, where should I connect that extra
> cable?
> 
> Yours ideas are welcome,
> Antoine.thesolderingking.edu