Re: Final question about my PC-Transporter...

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

Paul Dunkel <pdunkel@cc.hut.fi> wrote:

> I don't run any PC-emulations, so do I have any use for my
> PC-Transporter? I mean, now it's only as a ram-card, but doeas any
> program really use it?

The first requirement is that you must have the driver software loaded
into the card.  This is done by patching the PRODOS file on your boot
disk, so that it preloads the driver into the PC Transporter before
continuing with the standard boot sequence.

The PCINSTALL program (supplied with the PC Transporter) is used to
patch the driver into a ProDOS file.

Given this driver, the PC Transporter will act as a RAM disk, named
"/RAMAEPC".  Assuming your card has 768K of RAM, you will have a RAM
disk of about 720K.

Any program which supports an Apple II Memory Expansion Card (or
equivalent, such as the RamFactor) will be able to make use of this
memory.  The main example is AppleWorks (version 1.3 or later).

If you have a IIgs, then AppleWorks uses the IIgs memory expansion slot
in preference to a standard slot RAM card, so the PC Transporter will
just be used as a RAM disk.

If you have a IIe, then the PC Transporter will be used as extra desktop
space by AppleWorks.  However, if you also have an auxiliary slot RAM
card (e.g. RamWorks), then AppleWorks will use one or the other card,
but not both of them (I'm not sure which would be used as desktop
space).  The one that it doesn't use for desktop space could still be
used as a RAM disk.


There are other programs on the IIe which can use a standard slot RAM
card as additional memory, and these programs should behave in the same
way on the IIgs.

One example is the "MouseDesk" or "Apple II Desktop" program on IIgs
System 1.0 through 2.0, which loads itself into a standard slot RAM card
to save time when it is reloaded after quitting another program.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail Mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand