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F/Z881
This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.
Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.
| Tape/disk: | Home » Personal collection » Acorn ADFS disks » Electron_User_Group » EUG_26.ADF |
| Filename: | F/Z881 |
| Read OK: | ✔ |
| File size: | 15A1 bytes |
| Load address: | D0D310D |
| Exec address: | 44410D30 |
File contents
�CECONNECTING A CAMBRDGE Z88 AND AN ACORN ELECTRON Some time ago I bought a Cambridge Z88 with the vague idea that I should be able to connect it to my Electron. It took a while to get everything going and I am still learning about it. Any feedback from someone more successful than I will be most welcome. I was aware when I bought the Z88 that it connected readily to a BBC or a PC but there was no mention of the Elk. It also connects readily to a printer with a parallel or serial port. The first requirement for the computer to computer link was an RS423 port on the Elelctron. I have the RS423 Communication Cartridge from Pace Micro Technology which I use with a modem utilizing the Commstar software provide in the cartridge. The comm cartridge has a five-pin domino plug fitted on the end of a cable. This is what plugs directly into the modem. My first job was to make a lead connecting from the Z88 to the domino plug. Domino plugs are designed to fit either of two ways. I don't know why. One must be careful to connect it the right way round. On making the lead I found theat the kitset nine-pin D plug had a "nose" that held the end plate in place. This prevented the plug from inserting fully into the socket because the socket on the Z88 fits flush. Bought an IBM monitor extension lead which has a male nine-pin D at one end and a female nine-pin D at the other with straight through connections. My made-up lead then connected fully. Hey presto! nothing happened. The computers weren't talking to each other. I read what there was in the Z88 handbook. It gave the pinouts for its RS232C port and the connections at the other end for a serial printer using a 25-pin D plug. The Commstar handbook gave the pinouts for its domino plug. I pondered these for some time. I thought I knew a little about computers but there was a lot still to be learnt. So, at this stage, things that were obvious later on were not so obvious. One developed a little familiarity with terms like RX (receive from distant station), TX (transmit to distant station), CTS (clear to send) and RTS (ready to send). Well it wasn't and it didn't. I was told that RX from one machine had to be connected to TX on the other, (Modems do this for you.) and similarly with CTS and RTS. Ground, of course, had to stay with ground. Then there is the baud rate which is the rate at which data is transmitted over a serial link. The sender and receiver must be set to the same baud rate. Then there are protocols such as Xon/Xoff and parity to be set. At this stage I was using the Commstar software at the Elk end and I was trying to send files each way. My wish was to be able to use the Z88 on business trips and be able to transfer files to the Elk for storage and printing out. I could print directly from the Z88 but couldn't store files reliably. The Z88 I purchased had 128 K of memory in slot 3 and this slot uses more power than the other two. I kept running out of battery which, on a Z88, means losing any suspended files and in extreme cases losi ng all data. So I prefered being able to transfer files. I'll skip a little trivia which involved much gnashing of teeth and racking of brains. Eventually I got to the stage of being able to tupe characters on the Z88 keyboard and have them appear on the Electron's screen, using Commstar's chat mode. And vice versa. This is partly related to something called echo. Commstar allows echo to be switched on or off but the Z88 has no facility for this. When a character is sent to another computer, either directly as in my case, or via a modem, the receiving computer sends an echo back and this is what appears on the screen of the sender's computer. When this echo is not available echo can be switched on so that the sender also writes to its own screen. I still couldn't send files although I could see that the Z88 was trying by giving a block count but all Commstar said was "multiple errors, retry?" which still didn't work. Later I came across a note deep in the handbook that said CTS and RTS must be connected together when connecting directly with another computer. This helped. I then got together with a friend who has a Z88 and a BBC and we checked a few things such as how the Z88/BBC link was connected. More mpodifications and more progress. However the real breakthrough came from ignoring the Commstar software and using the RS423 cartridge simply as an RS423 port and using other software. I was given several communication programmes and these seem to work as well in the Electron as in the BBC. Z88ix works as does PC link II from Micro User. I transferred my first file! It wasn't quite the same as the original but it felt like the home run. About this time I dismantled the Pace cartridge. I found that RTS had never been connected to the board! I assumed it should be as the Commstar handbook quotes an RTS pinout at the domino plug. I have since connected it and can now send files both ways. This is about as far as I have gone. I believe I have to produce an ASCII Pipedream file for transfer without problems and probably the same the other way. As I said at the beginning, if someone reading this has already been down this path I'd love to hear from them as I need to spend more time on it to have it running the way I would like. It's been a great learning experience and makes my system more useful to me. I omitted to say that I have the PC Link cartridge in my Z88 which is necessary for running the PC link II programme. Alan Richardson 7 June 1996
00000000 80 43 45 43 4f 4e 4e 45 43 54 49 4e 47 20 41 20 |.CECONNECTING A | 00000010 43 41 4d 42 52 44 47 45 20 5a 38 38 20 41 4e 44 |CAMBRDGE Z88 AND| 00000020 20 41 4e 20 41 43 4f 52 4e 20 45 4c 45 43 54 52 | AN ACORN ELECTR| 00000030 4f 4e 0d 0d 53 6f 6d 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 61 67 |ON..Some time ag| 00000040 6f 20 49 20 62 6f 75 67 68 74 20 61 20 43 61 6d |o I bought a Cam| 00000050 62 72 69 64 67 65 20 5a 38 38 20 77 69 74 68 20 |bridge Z88 with | 00000060 74 68 65 20 76 61 67 75 65 20 69 64 65 61 20 74 |the vague idea t| 00000070 68 61 74 20 49 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 0d 62 65 20 |hat I should.be | 00000080 61 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 20 |able to connect | 00000090 69 74 20 74 6f 20 6d 79 20 45 6c 65 63 74 72 6f |it to my Electro| 000000a0 6e 2e 20 49 74 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 61 20 77 68 69 |n. It took a whi| 000000b0 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 67 65 74 20 65 76 65 72 79 74 |le to get everyt| 000000c0 68 69 6e 67 0d 67 6f 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 64 20 49 |hing.going and I| 000000d0 20 61 6d 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 6c 65 61 72 6e 69 | am still learni| 000000e0 6e 67 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 69 74 2e 20 41 6e 79 |ng about it. Any| 000000f0 20 66 65 65 64 62 61 63 6b 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 73 | feedback from s| 00000100 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 0d 73 75 63 63 |omeone more.succ| 00000110 65 73 73 66 75 6c 20 74 68 61 6e 20 49 20 77 69 |essful than I wi| 00000120 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 77 65 6c 63 6f |ll be most welco| 00000130 6d 65 2e 0d 0d 49 20 77 61 73 20 61 77 61 72 65 |me...I was aware| 00000140 20 77 68 65 6e 20 49 20 62 6f 75 67 68 74 20 74 | when I bought t| 00000150 68 65 20 5a 38 38 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 20 63 |he Z88 that it c| 00000160 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 65 64 20 72 65 61 64 69 6c 79 |onnected readily| 00000170 20 74 6f 20 61 20 42 42 43 20 6f 72 20 61 0d 50 | to a BBC or a.P| 00000180 43 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 77 61 73 20 |C but there was | 00000190 6e 6f 20 6d 65 6e 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68 |no mention of th| 000001a0 65 20 45 6c 6b 2e 20 49 74 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 63 |e Elk. It also c| 000001b0 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 73 20 72 65 61 64 69 6c 79 20 |onnects readily | 000001c0 74 6f 20 61 0d 70 72 69 6e 74 65 72 20 77 69 74 |to a.printer wit| 000001d0 68 20 61 20 70 61 72 61 6c 6c 65 6c 20 6f 72 20 |h a parallel or | 000001e0 73 65 72 69 61 6c 20 70 6f 72 74 2e 0d 0d 54 68 |serial port...Th| 000001f0 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 72 65 71 75 69 72 65 6d |e first requirem| 00000200 65 6e 74 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 |ent for the comp| 00000210 75 74 65 72 20 74 6f 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 |uter to computer| 00000220 20 6c 69 6e 6b 20 77 61 73 20 61 6e 20 52 53 34 | link was an RS4| 00000230 32 33 20 70 6f 72 74 0d 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 45 |23 port.on the E| 00000240 6c 65 6c 63 74 72 6f 6e 2e 20 49 20 68 61 76 65 |lelctron. I have| 00000250 20 74 68 65 20 52 53 34 32 33 20 43 6f 6d 6d 75 | the RS423 Commu| 00000260 6e 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 43 61 72 74 72 69 64 |nication Cartrid| 00000270 67 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 50 61 63 65 20 4d 69 63 |ge from Pace Mic| 00000280 72 6f 0d 54 65 63 68 6e 6f 6c 6f 67 79 20 77 68 |ro.Technology wh| 00000290 69 63 68 20 49 20 75 73 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 |ich I use with a| 000002a0 20 6d 6f 64 65 6d 20 75 74 69 6c 69 7a 69 6e 67 | modem utilizing| 000002b0 20 74 68 65 20 43 6f 6d 6d 73 74 61 72 20 73 6f | the Commstar so| 000002c0 66 74 77 61 72 65 0d 70 72 6f 76 69 64 65 20 69 |ftware.provide i| 000002d0 6e 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 72 74 72 69 64 67 65 2e |n the cartridge.| 000002e0 20 54 68 65 20 63 6f 6d 6d 20 63 61 72 74 72 69 | The comm cartri| 000002f0 64 67 65 20 68 61 73 20 61 20 66 69 76 65 2d 70 |dge has a five-p| 00000300 69 6e 20 64 6f 6d 69 6e 6f 20 70 6c 75 67 0d 66 |in domino plug.f| 00000310 69 74 74 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 65 6e 64 |itted on the end| 00000320 20 6f 66 20 61 20 63 61 62 6c 65 2e 20 54 68 69 | of a cable. Thi| 00000330 73 20 69 73 20 77 68 61 74 20 70 6c 75 67 73 20 |s is what plugs | 00000340 64 69 72 65 63 74 6c 79 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 |directly into th| 00000350 65 20 6d 6f 64 65 6d 2e 0d 0d 4d 79 20 66 69 72 |e modem...My fir| 00000360 73 74 20 6a 6f 62 20 77 61 73 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 |st job was to ma| 00000370 6b 65 20 61 20 6c 65 61 64 20 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 |ke a lead connec| 00000380 74 69 6e 67 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 5a 38 |ting from the Z8| 00000390 38 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 64 6f 6d 69 6e 6f 0d |8 to the domino.| 000003a0 70 6c 75 67 2e 20 44 6f 6d 69 6e 6f 20 70 6c 75 |plug. Domino plu| 000003b0 67 73 20 61 72 65 20 64 65 73 69 67 6e 65 64 20 |gs are designed | 000003c0 74 6f 20 66 69 74 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 20 6f 66 |to fit either of| 000003d0 20 74 77 6f 20 77 61 79 73 2e 20 49 20 64 6f 6e | two ways. I don| 000003e0 27 74 20 6b 6e 6f 77 0d 77 68 79 2e 20 4f 6e 65 |'t know.why. One| 000003f0 20 6d 75 73 74 20 62 65 20 63 61 72 65 66 75 6c | must be careful| 00000400 20 74 6f 20 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 20 69 74 20 74 | to connect it t| 00000410 68 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 77 61 79 20 72 6f 75 |he right way rou| 00000420 6e 64 2e 20 4f 6e 20 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 74 68 |nd. On making th| 00000430 65 0d 6c 65 61 64 20 49 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 74 |e.lead I found t| 00000440 68 65 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 6b 69 74 73 65 74 20 |heat the kitset | 00000450 6e 69 6e 65 2d 70 69 6e 20 44 20 70 6c 75 67 20 |nine-pin D plug | 00000460 68 61 64 20 61 20 22 6e 6f 73 65 22 20 74 68 61 |had a "nose" tha| 00000470 74 20 68 65 6c 64 20 74 68 65 0d 65 6e 64 20 70 |t held the.end p| 00000480 6c 61 74 65 20 69 6e 20 70 6c 61 63 65 2e 20 54 |late in place. T| 00000490 68 69 73 20 70 72 65 76 65 6e 74 65 64 20 74 68 |his prevented th| 000004a0 65 20 70 6c 75 67 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 69 6e 73 65 |e plug from inse| 000004b0 72 74 69 6e 67 20 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 69 6e 74 6f |rting fully into| 000004c0 20 74 68 65 0d 73 6f 63 6b 65 74 20 62 65 63 61 | the.socket beca| 000004d0 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 6f 63 6b 65 74 20 6f |use the socket o| 000004e0 6e 20 74 68 65 20 5a 38 38 20 66 69 74 73 20 66 |n the Z88 fits f| 000004f0 6c 75 73 68 2e 20 42 6f 75 67 68 74 20 61 6e 20 |lush. Bought an | 00000500 49 42 4d 20 6d 6f 6e 69 74 6f 72 0d 65 78 74 65 |IBM monitor.exte| 00000510 6e 73 69 6f 6e 20 6c 65 61 64 20 77 68 69 63 68 |nsion lead which| 00000520 20 68 61 73 20 61 20 6d 61 6c 65 20 6e 69 6e 65 | has a male nine| 00000530 2d 70 69 6e 20 44 20 61 74 20 6f 6e 65 20 65 6e |-pin D at one en| 00000540 64 20 61 6e 64 20 61 20 66 65 6d 61 6c 65 0d 6e |d and a female.n| 00000550 69 6e 65 2d 70 69 6e 20 44 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 |ine-pin D at the| 00000560 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 77 69 74 68 20 73 74 72 61 | other with stra| 00000570 69 67 68 74 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 63 6f 6e |ight through con| 00000580 6e 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 2e 20 4d 79 20 6d 61 64 |nections. My mad| 00000590 65 2d 75 70 20 6c 65 61 64 0d 74 68 65 6e 20 63 |e-up lead.then c| 000005a0 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 65 64 20 66 75 6c 6c 79 2e 0d |onnected fully..| 000005b0 0d 48 65 79 20 70 72 65 73 74 6f 21 20 6e 6f 74 |.Hey presto! not| 000005c0 68 69 6e 67 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 65 64 2e 20 54 |hing happened. T| 000005d0 68 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 73 20 77 65 72 |he computers wer| 000005e0 65 6e 27 74 20 74 61 6c 6b 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 |en't talking to | 000005f0 65 61 63 68 20 6f 74 68 65 72 2e 0d 49 20 72 65 |each other..I re| 00000600 61 64 20 77 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 77 61 |ad what there wa| 00000610 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 5a 38 38 20 68 61 6e |s in the Z88 han| 00000620 64 62 6f 6f 6b 2e 20 49 74 20 67 61 76 65 20 74 |dbook. It gave t| 00000630 68 65 20 70 69 6e 6f 75 74 73 20 66 6f 72 20 69 |he pinouts for i| 00000640 74 73 0d 52 53 32 33 32 43 20 70 6f 72 74 20 61 |ts.RS232C port a| 00000650 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 69 6f |nd the connectio| 00000660 6e 73 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 |ns at the other | 00000670 65 6e 64 20 66 6f 72 20 61 20 73 65 72 69 61 6c |end for a serial| 00000680 20 70 72 69 6e 74 65 72 0d 75 73 69 6e 67 20 61 | printer.using a| 00000690 20 32 35 2d 70 69 6e 20 44 20 70 6c 75 67 2e 20 | 25-pin D plug. | 000006a0 54 68 65 20 43 6f 6d 6d 73 74 61 72 20 68 61 6e |The Commstar han| 000006b0 64 62 6f 6f 6b 20 67 61 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 70 |dbook gave the p| 000006c0 69 6e 6f 75 74 73 20 66 6f 72 20 69 74 73 0d 64 |inouts for its.d| 000006d0 6f 6d 69 6e 6f 20 70 6c 75 67 2e 20 49 20 70 6f |omino plug. I po| 000006e0 6e 64 65 72 65 64 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 66 6f 72 |ndered these for| 000006f0 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 74 69 6d 65 2e 20 49 20 74 68 | some time. I th| 00000700 6f 75 67 68 74 20 49 20 6b 6e 65 77 20 61 20 6c |ought I knew a l| 00000710 69 74 74 6c 65 0d 61 62 6f 75 74 20 63 6f 6d 70 |ittle.about comp| 00000720 75 74 65 72 73 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 |uters but there | 00000730 77 61 73 20 61 20 6c 6f 74 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 |was a lot still | 00000740 74 6f 20 62 65 20 6c 65 61 72 6e 74 2e 20 53 6f |to be learnt. So| 00000750 2c 20 61 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 73 74 61 67 65 2c |, at this stage,| 00000760 0d 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 65 72 |.things that wer| 00000770 65 20 6f 62 76 69 6f 75 73 20 6c 61 74 65 72 20 |e obvious later | 00000780 6f 6e 20 77 65 72 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 73 6f 20 6f |on were not so o| 00000790 62 76 69 6f 75 73 2e 0d 0d 4f 6e 65 20 64 65 76 |bvious...One dev| 000007a0 65 6c 6f 70 65 64 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 |eloped a little | 000007b0 66 61 6d 69 6c 69 61 72 69 74 79 20 77 69 74 68 |familiarity with| 000007c0 20 74 65 72 6d 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 52 58 20 28 | terms like RX (| 000007d0 72 65 63 65 69 76 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 0d 64 69 73 |receive from.dis| 000007e0 74 61 6e 74 20 73 74 61 74 69 6f 6e 29 2c 20 54 |tant station), T| 000007f0 58 20 28 74 72 61 6e 73 6d 69 74 20 74 6f 20 64 |X (transmit to d| 00000800 69 73 74 61 6e 74 20 73 74 61 74 69 6f 6e 29 2c |istant station),| 00000810 20 43 54 53 20 28 63 6c 65 61 72 20 74 6f 20 73 | CTS (clear to s| 00000820 65 6e 64 29 0d 61 6e 64 20 52 54 53 20 28 72 65 |end).and RTS (re| 00000830 61 64 79 20 74 6f 20 73 65 6e 64 29 2e 20 57 65 |ady to send). We| 00000840 6c 6c 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 20 61 6e 64 |ll it wasn't and| 00000850 20 69 74 20 64 69 64 6e 27 74 2e 20 49 20 77 61 | it didn't. I wa| 00000860 73 20 74 6f 6c 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 52 58 0d 66 |s told that RX.f| 00000870 72 6f 6d 20 6f 6e 65 20 6d 61 63 68 69 6e 65 20 |rom one machine | 00000880 68 61 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 |had to be connec| 00000890 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 54 58 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 |ted to TX on the| 000008a0 20 6f 74 68 65 72 2c 20 28 4d 6f 64 65 6d 73 20 | other, (Modems | 000008b0 64 6f 20 74 68 69 73 0d 66 6f 72 20 79 6f 75 2e |do this.for you.| 000008c0 29 20 61 6e 64 20 73 69 6d 69 6c 61 72 6c 79 20 |) and similarly | 000008d0 77 69 74 68 20 43 54 53 20 61 6e 64 20 52 54 53 |with CTS and RTS| 000008e0 2e 20 47 72 6f 75 6e 64 2c 20 6f 66 20 63 6f 75 |. Ground, of cou| 000008f0 72 73 65 2c 20 68 61 64 20 74 6f 20 73 74 61 79 |rse, had to stay| 00000900 0d 77 69 74 68 20 67 72 6f 75 6e 64 2e 20 54 68 |.with ground. Th| 00000910 65 6e 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 |en there is the | 00000920 62 61 75 64 20 72 61 74 65 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 |baud rate which | 00000930 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 72 61 74 65 20 61 74 20 77 |is the rate at w| 00000940 68 69 63 68 20 64 61 74 61 0d 69 73 20 74 72 61 |hich data.is tra| 00000950 6e 73 6d 69 74 74 65 64 20 6f 76 65 72 20 61 20 |nsmitted over a | 00000960 73 65 72 69 61 6c 20 6c 69 6e 6b 2e 20 54 68 65 |serial link. The| 00000970 20 73 65 6e 64 65 72 20 61 6e 64 20 72 65 63 65 | sender and rece| 00000980 69 76 65 72 20 6d 75 73 74 20 62 65 20 73 65 74 |iver must be set| 00000990 20 74 6f 0d 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 62 61 75 | to.the same bau| 000009a0 64 20 72 61 74 65 2e 20 54 68 65 6e 20 74 68 65 |d rate. Then the| 000009b0 72 65 20 61 72 65 20 70 72 6f 74 6f 63 6f 6c 73 |re are protocols| 000009c0 20 73 75 63 68 20 61 73 20 58 6f 6e 2f 58 6f 66 | such as Xon/Xof| 000009d0 66 20 61 6e 64 20 70 61 72 69 74 79 0d 74 6f 20 |f and parity.to | 000009e0 62 65 20 73 65 74 2e 0d 0d 41 74 20 74 68 69 73 |be set...At this| 000009f0 20 73 74 61 67 65 20 49 20 77 61 73 20 75 73 69 | stage I was usi| 00000a00 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 43 6f 6d 6d 73 74 61 72 20 |ng the Commstar | 00000a10 73 6f 66 74 77 61 72 65 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 |software at the | 00000a20 45 6c 6b 20 65 6e 64 20 61 6e 64 20 49 20 77 61 |Elk end and I wa| 00000a30 73 0d 74 72 79 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 73 65 6e 64 |s.trying to send| 00000a40 20 66 69 6c 65 73 20 65 61 63 68 20 77 61 79 2e | files each way.| 00000a50 20 4d 79 20 77 69 73 68 20 77 61 73 20 74 6f 20 | My wish was to | 00000a60 62 65 20 61 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 75 73 65 20 74 |be able to use t| 00000a70 68 65 20 5a 38 38 20 6f 6e 0d 62 75 73 69 6e 65 |he Z88 on.busine| 00000a80 73 73 20 74 72 69 70 73 20 61 6e 64 20 62 65 20 |ss trips and be | 00000a90 61 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 74 72 61 6e 73 66 65 72 |able to transfer| 00000aa0 20 66 69 6c 65 73 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 45 6c | files to the El| 00000ab0 6b 20 66 6f 72 20 73 74 6f 72 61 67 65 20 61 6e |k for storage an| 00000ac0 64 0d 70 72 69 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 6f 75 74 2e 20 |d.printing out. | 00000ad0 49 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 70 72 69 6e 74 20 64 69 |I could print di| 00000ae0 72 65 63 74 6c 79 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 |rectly from the | 00000af0 5a 38 38 20 62 75 74 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 |Z88 but couldn't| 00000b00 20 73 74 6f 72 65 20 66 69 6c 65 73 0d 72 65 6c | store files.rel| 00000b10 69 61 62 6c 79 2e 20 54 68 65 20 5a 38 38 20 49 |iably. The Z88 I| 00000b20 20 70 75 72 63 68 61 73 65 64 20 68 61 64 20 31 | purchased had 1| 00000b30 32 38 20 4b 20 6f 66 20 6d 65 6d 6f 72 79 20 69 |28 K of memory i| 00000b40 6e 20 73 6c 6f 74 20 33 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 69 |n slot 3 and thi| 00000b50 73 20 73 6c 6f 74 0d 75 73 65 73 20 6d 6f 72 65 |s slot.uses more| 00000b60 20 70 6f 77 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 74 68 65 20 | power than the | 00000b70 6f 74 68 65 72 20 74 77 6f 2e 20 49 20 6b 65 70 |other two. I kep| 00000b80 74 20 72 75 6e 6e 69 6e 67 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 |t running out of| 00000b90 20 62 61 74 74 65 72 79 20 77 68 69 63 68 2c 0d | battery which,.| 00000ba0 6f 6e 20 61 20 5a 38 38 2c 20 6d 65 61 6e 73 20 |on a Z88, means | 00000bb0 6c 6f 73 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 79 20 73 75 73 70 65 |losing any suspe| 00000bc0 6e 64 65 64 20 66 69 6c 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 69 |nded files and i| 00000bd0 6e 20 65 78 74 72 65 6d 65 20 63 61 73 65 73 20 |n extreme cases | 00000be0 6c 6f 73 69 20 6e 67 0d 61 6c 6c 20 64 61 74 61 |losi ng.all data| 00000bf0 2e 20 53 6f 20 49 20 70 72 65 66 65 72 65 64 20 |. So I prefered | 00000c00 62 65 69 6e 67 20 61 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 74 72 |being able to tr| 00000c10 61 6e 73 66 65 72 20 66 69 6c 65 73 2e 0d 0d 49 |ansfer files...I| 00000c20 27 6c 6c 20 73 6b 69 70 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c |'ll skip a littl| 00000c30 65 20 74 72 69 76 69 61 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 69 |e trivia which i| 00000c40 6e 76 6f 6c 76 65 64 20 6d 75 63 68 20 67 6e 61 |nvolved much gna| 00000c50 73 68 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 74 65 65 74 68 20 61 |shing of teeth a| 00000c60 6e 64 0d 72 61 63 6b 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 62 72 |nd.racking of br| 00000c70 61 69 6e 73 2e 20 45 76 65 6e 74 75 61 6c 6c 79 |ains. Eventually| 00000c80 20 49 20 67 6f 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 | I got to the st| 00000c90 61 67 65 20 6f 66 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 61 62 6c |age of being abl| 00000ca0 65 20 74 6f 20 74 75 70 65 0d 63 68 61 72 61 63 |e to tupe.charac| 00000cb0 74 65 72 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 5a 38 38 20 |ters on the Z88 | 00000cc0 6b 65 79 62 6f 61 72 64 20 61 6e 64 20 68 61 76 |keyboard and hav| 00000cd0 65 20 74 68 65 6d 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 20 6f 6e |e them appear on| 00000ce0 20 74 68 65 20 45 6c 65 63 74 72 6f 6e 27 73 0d | the Electron's.| 00000cf0 73 63 72 65 65 6e 2c 20 75 73 69 6e 67 20 43 6f |screen, using Co| 00000d00 6d 6d 73 74 61 72 27 73 20 63 68 61 74 20 6d 6f |mmstar's chat mo| 00000d10 64 65 2e 20 41 6e 64 20 76 69 63 65 20 76 65 72 |de. And vice ver| 00000d20 73 61 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 70 61 72 74 |sa. This is part| 00000d30 6c 79 20 72 65 6c 61 74 65 64 0d 74 6f 20 73 6f |ly related.to so| 00000d40 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 20 63 61 6c 6c 65 64 20 65 |mething called e| 00000d50 63 68 6f 2e 20 43 6f 6d 6d 73 74 61 72 20 61 6c |cho. Commstar al| 00000d60 6c 6f 77 73 20 65 63 68 6f 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 |lows echo to be | 00000d70 73 77 69 74 63 68 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 6f 72 20 6f |switched on or o| 00000d80 66 66 0d 62 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 5a 38 38 20 68 |ff.but the Z88 h| 00000d90 61 73 20 6e 6f 20 66 61 63 69 6c 69 74 79 20 66 |as no facility f| 00000da0 6f 72 20 74 68 69 73 2e 20 57 68 65 6e 20 61 20 |or this. When a | 00000db0 63 68 61 72 61 63 74 65 72 20 69 73 20 73 65 6e |character is sen| 00000dc0 74 20 74 6f 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 0d 63 6f 6d |t to another.com| 00000dd0 70 75 74 65 72 2c 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 20 64 69 |puter, either di| 00000de0 72 65 63 74 6c 79 20 61 73 20 69 6e 20 6d 79 20 |rectly as in my | 00000df0 63 61 73 65 2c 20 6f 72 20 76 69 61 20 61 20 6d |case, or via a m| 00000e00 6f 64 65 6d 2c 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 63 65 69 76 |odem, the receiv| 00000e10 69 6e 67 0d 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 20 73 65 6e |ing.computer sen| 00000e20 64 73 20 61 6e 20 65 63 68 6f 20 62 61 63 6b 20 |ds an echo back | 00000e30 61 6e 64 20 74 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 77 68 61 74 |and this is what| 00000e40 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 | appears on the | 00000e50 73 63 72 65 65 6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 0d 73 65 |screen of the.se| 00000e60 6e 64 65 72 27 73 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 2e |nder's computer.| 00000e70 20 57 68 65 6e 20 74 68 69 73 20 65 63 68 6f 20 | When this echo | 00000e80 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 76 61 69 6c 61 62 6c 65 |is not available| 00000e90 20 65 63 68 6f 20 63 61 6e 20 62 65 20 73 77 69 | echo can be swi| 00000ea0 74 63 68 65 64 20 6f 6e 0d 73 6f 20 74 68 61 74 |tched on.so that| 00000eb0 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 6e 64 65 72 20 61 6c 73 6f | the sender also| 00000ec0 20 77 72 69 74 65 73 20 74 6f 20 69 74 73 20 6f | writes to its o| 00000ed0 77 6e 20 73 63 72 65 65 6e 2e 0d 0d 49 20 73 74 |wn screen...I st| 00000ee0 69 6c 6c 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 20 73 65 6e |ill couldn't sen| 00000ef0 64 20 66 69 6c 65 73 20 61 6c 74 68 6f 75 67 68 |d files although| 00000f00 20 49 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 73 65 65 20 74 68 61 | I could see tha| 00000f10 74 20 74 68 65 20 5a 38 38 20 77 61 73 20 74 72 |t the Z88 was tr| 00000f20 79 69 6e 67 0d 62 79 20 67 69 76 69 6e 67 20 61 |ying.by giving a| 00000f30 20 62 6c 6f 63 6b 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 20 62 75 74 | block count but| 00000f40 20 61 6c 6c 20 43 6f 6d 6d 73 74 61 72 20 73 61 | all Commstar sa| 00000f50 69 64 20 77 61 73 20 22 6d 75 6c 74 69 70 6c 65 |id was "multiple| 00000f60 20 65 72 72 6f 72 73 2c 0d 72 65 74 72 79 3f 22 | errors,.retry?"| 00000f70 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 64 69 64 | which still did| 00000f80 6e 27 74 20 77 6f 72 6b 2e 20 4c 61 74 65 72 20 |n't work. Later | 00000f90 49 20 63 61 6d 65 20 61 63 72 6f 73 73 20 61 20 |I came across a | 00000fa0 6e 6f 74 65 20 64 65 65 70 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 |note deep in the| 00000fb0 0d 68 61 6e 64 62 6f 6f 6b 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 |.handbook that s| 00000fc0 61 69 64 20 43 54 53 20 61 6e 64 20 52 54 53 20 |aid CTS and RTS | 00000fd0 6d 75 73 74 20 62 65 20 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 65 |must be connecte| 00000fe0 64 20 74 6f 67 65 74 68 65 72 20 77 68 65 6e 20 |d together when | 00000ff0 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 69 6e 67 0d 64 69 72 65 63 |connecting.direc| 00001000 74 6c 79 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 |tly with another| 00001010 20 63 6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 | computer. This | 00001020 68 65 6c 70 65 64 2e 0d 0d 49 20 74 68 65 6e 20 |helped...I then | 00001030 67 6f 74 20 74 6f 67 65 74 68 65 72 20 77 69 74 |got together wit| 00001040 68 20 61 20 66 72 69 65 6e 64 20 77 68 6f 20 68 |h a friend who h| 00001050 61 73 20 61 20 5a 38 38 20 61 6e 64 20 61 20 42 |as a Z88 and a B| 00001060 42 43 20 61 6e 64 20 77 65 20 63 68 65 63 6b 65 |BC and we checke| 00001070 64 20 61 0d 66 65 77 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 73 |d a.few things s| 00001080 75 63 68 20 61 73 20 68 6f 77 20 74 68 65 20 5a |uch as how the Z| 00001090 38 38 2f 42 42 43 20 6c 69 6e 6b 20 77 61 73 20 |88/BBC link was | 000010a0 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 65 64 2e 20 4d 6f 72 65 20 |connected. More | 000010b0 6d 70 6f 64 69 66 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 0d 61 |mpodifications.a| 000010c0 6e 64 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 70 72 6f 67 72 65 73 73 |nd more progress| 000010d0 2e 20 48 6f 77 65 76 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 72 65 |. However the re| 000010e0 61 6c 20 62 72 65 61 6b 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 |al breakthrough | 000010f0 63 61 6d 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 69 67 6e 6f 72 69 |came from ignori| 00001100 6e 67 20 74 68 65 0d 43 6f 6d 6d 73 74 61 72 20 |ng the.Commstar | 00001110 73 6f 66 74 77 61 72 65 20 61 6e 64 20 75 73 69 |software and usi| 00001120 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 52 53 34 32 33 20 63 61 72 |ng the RS423 car| 00001130 74 72 69 64 67 65 20 73 69 6d 70 6c 79 20 61 73 |tridge simply as| 00001140 20 61 6e 20 52 53 34 32 33 20 70 6f 72 74 0d 61 | an RS423 port.a| 00001150 6e 64 20 75 73 69 6e 67 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 73 |nd using other s| 00001160 6f 66 74 77 61 72 65 2e 20 49 20 77 61 73 20 67 |oftware. I was g| 00001170 69 76 65 6e 20 73 65 76 65 72 61 6c 20 63 6f 6d |iven several com| 00001180 6d 75 6e 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 70 72 6f 67 72 |munication progr| 00001190 61 6d 6d 65 73 20 61 6e 64 0d 74 68 65 73 65 20 |ammes and.these | 000011a0 73 65 65 6d 20 74 6f 20 77 6f 72 6b 20 61 73 20 |seem to work as | 000011b0 77 65 6c 6c 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 45 6c 65 63 |well in the Elec| 000011c0 74 72 6f 6e 20 61 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 42 |tron as in the B| 000011d0 42 43 2e 20 5a 38 38 69 78 20 77 6f 72 6b 73 20 |BC. Z88ix works | 000011e0 61 73 0d 64 6f 65 73 20 50 43 20 6c 69 6e 6b 20 |as.does PC link | 000011f0 49 49 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 4d 69 63 72 6f 20 55 73 |II from Micro Us| 00001200 65 72 2e 20 49 20 74 72 61 6e 73 66 65 72 72 65 |er. I transferre| 00001210 64 20 6d 79 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 66 69 6c 65 21 |d my first file!| 00001220 20 49 74 20 77 61 73 6e 27 74 0d 71 75 69 74 65 | It wasn't.quite| 00001230 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 | the same as the| 00001240 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e 61 6c 20 62 75 74 20 69 74 | original but it| 00001250 20 66 65 6c 74 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 65 20 68 | felt like the h| 00001260 6f 6d 65 20 72 75 6e 2e 0d 0d 41 62 6f 75 74 20 |ome run...About | 00001270 74 68 69 73 20 74 69 6d 65 20 49 20 64 69 73 6d |this time I dism| 00001280 61 6e 74 6c 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 50 61 63 65 20 |antled the Pace | 00001290 63 61 72 74 72 69 64 67 65 2e 20 49 20 66 6f 75 |cartridge. I fou| 000012a0 6e 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 52 54 53 20 68 61 64 0d |nd that RTS had.| 000012b0 6e 65 76 65 72 20 62 65 65 6e 20 63 6f 6e 6e 65 |never been conne| 000012c0 63 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 61 72 |cted to the boar| 000012d0 64 21 20 49 20 61 73 73 75 6d 65 64 20 69 74 20 |d! I assumed it | 000012e0 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 |should be as the| 000012f0 20 43 6f 6d 6d 73 74 61 72 0d 68 61 6e 64 62 6f | Commstar.handbo| 00001300 6f 6b 20 71 75 6f 74 65 73 20 61 6e 20 52 54 53 |ok quotes an RTS| 00001310 20 70 69 6e 6f 75 74 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 64 | pinout at the d| 00001320 6f 6d 69 6e 6f 20 70 6c 75 67 2e 20 49 20 68 61 |omino plug. I ha| 00001330 76 65 20 73 69 6e 63 65 20 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 |ve since connect| 00001340 65 64 0d 69 74 20 61 6e 64 20 63 61 6e 20 6e 6f |ed.it and can no| 00001350 77 20 73 65 6e 64 20 66 69 6c 65 73 20 62 6f 74 |w send files bot| 00001360 68 20 77 61 79 73 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 |h ways. This is | 00001370 61 62 6f 75 74 20 61 73 20 66 61 72 20 61 73 20 |about as far as | 00001380 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 67 6f 6e 65 2e 0d 49 20 62 |I have gone..I b| 00001390 65 6c 69 65 76 65 20 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 6f |elieve I have to| 000013a0 20 70 72 6f 64 75 63 65 20 61 6e 20 41 53 43 49 | produce an ASCI| 000013b0 49 20 50 69 70 65 64 72 65 61 6d 20 66 69 6c 65 |I Pipedream file| 000013c0 20 66 6f 72 20 74 72 61 6e 73 66 65 72 20 77 69 | for transfer wi| 000013d0 74 68 6f 75 74 0d 70 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d 73 20 61 |thout.problems a| 000013e0 6e 64 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c 79 20 74 68 65 20 |nd probably the | 000013f0 73 61 6d 65 20 74 68 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 77 |same the other w| 00001400 61 79 2e 0d 0d 41 73 20 49 20 73 61 69 64 20 61 |ay...As I said a| 00001410 74 20 74 68 65 20 62 65 67 69 6e 6e 69 6e 67 2c |t the beginning,| 00001420 20 69 66 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 72 65 61 64 | if someone read| 00001430 69 6e 67 20 74 68 69 73 20 68 61 73 20 61 6c 72 |ing this has alr| 00001440 65 61 64 79 20 62 65 65 6e 20 64 6f 77 6e 0d 74 |eady been down.t| 00001450 68 69 73 20 70 61 74 68 20 49 27 64 20 6c 6f 76 |his path I'd lov| 00001460 65 20 74 6f 20 68 65 61 72 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 |e to hear from t| 00001470 68 65 6d 20 61 73 20 49 20 6e 65 65 64 20 74 6f |hem as I need to| 00001480 20 73 70 65 6e 64 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 69 6d 65 | spend more time| 00001490 20 6f 6e 20 69 74 20 74 6f 0d 68 61 76 65 20 69 | on it to.have i| 000014a0 74 20 72 75 6e 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 77 61 |t running the wa| 000014b0 79 20 49 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 6c 69 6b 65 2e 20 |y I would like. | 000014c0 49 74 27 73 20 62 65 65 6e 20 61 20 67 72 65 61 |It's been a grea| 000014d0 74 20 6c 65 61 72 6e 69 6e 67 0d 65 78 70 65 72 |t learning.exper| 000014e0 69 65 6e 63 65 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 61 6b 65 73 20 |ience and makes | 000014f0 6d 79 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 75 |my system more u| 00001500 73 65 66 75 6c 20 74 6f 20 6d 65 2e 20 49 20 6f |seful to me. I o| 00001510 6d 69 74 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 73 61 79 20 74 68 |mitted to say th| 00001520 61 74 20 49 0d 68 61 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 50 43 |at I.have the PC| 00001530 20 4c 69 6e 6b 20 63 61 72 74 72 69 64 67 65 20 | Link cartridge | 00001540 69 6e 20 6d 79 20 5a 38 38 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 |in my Z88 which | 00001550 69 73 20 6e 65 63 65 73 73 61 72 79 20 66 6f 72 |is necessary for| 00001560 20 72 75 6e 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 50 43 0d | running the PC.| 00001570 6c 69 6e 6b 20 49 49 20 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 6d |link II programm| 00001580 65 2e 0d 0d 41 6c 61 6e 20 52 69 63 68 61 72 64 |e...Alan Richard| 00001590 73 6f 6e 20 20 37 20 4a 75 6e 65 20 31 39 39 36 |son 7 June 1996| 000015a0 0d |.| 000015a1
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