Re: Transfers from Prodos to PC fail... Help me please

[jpendarv@patriot.net (jim pendarvis)]

In article <Xns926BB96DB77C4CHRISK@213.228.0.138>, Capitaine Caverne
<no@mail.com> wrote:

>Hello, I want to backup some old datas from my Apple IIGS.
>
>I have to handle two kind of datas :
>- some text files (source code)
>- images archives from 3.5 or 5.25 floppies
>
>Here is what I do :
>
>1) Copy of text files to a Prodos Partition
>2) Made 2MG or DSK images of floppies using either DSK2FILE and ASIMOV and 
>copied them on the Prodos Partition
>3) Formatted an HFS volume under GSOS 5.04 using HFS FST from GSOS 6.01 (in 
>fact using a special boot 5.04 based that I found on ftp.apple.asimov.net)
>4) Copied the whole content of my backup directory from Prodos to HFS 
>volume on a SCSI external drive
>5) Plugged the SCSI drive on my linux PC
>6) Copied the files from the SCSI drive to a linux partition before copying 
>them over the network to my w2k workstation (for burning a CD)
>
>Now the comes the problems... The files seems to be damaged. I mean :
>- some text files (merlin .S files) only contents garbage (and some others,  
>APW source code for example are fine)
>- all the .dsk files are damaged : under Kegs or XGS32 I can mount them, 
>view the directory structure but do nothing with the content of the 
>"drives" : errors on accessing any file on them
>
>On point 6) I've used the hfs module of linux to mount and copy files from 
>HFS volume. Then, I made a second try using HFSUTILS and ... same result.
>
>I really wonder what is the problem. Why some files seems damaged and not 
>the others.
>
>Any idea ? Thanks 

Merlin .S files are a mix of high and low ASCII. Most of which are high
ascii. Low ascii is used for spaces in strings. High ascii spaces are more
or less like tabs would be in most programs. So yes, Merlin files are text
files, but not every text reader can read them properly.

I would expect most PC programs just take the data as it is so if your
transfer method leaves the high-bit set, it would look strange. You might
try stripping the high-bit before reading it on the PC.

jim