How to get files to an amiga

[badalias]

I have  been looking around and found this but the description is kinda confusing. Seems like exactly what I'm looking for - if I could follow their description better.

Then comes modifying the mountlist. I'm a  newbie, and have books that could be useful, but cannot be found (they're  lost amongst the stuff still packed since my latest move)

BadAlias


I have gone and rested my brain and come back at it from a new angle.

I think the page linked above means that:

For unit 0 (Is this for drives configured as unit 0 or to make DF0?)

Wire number: 02 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 34
- Re-wired to: 34 14 13 16 15 12 11 10 02

For unit 1
Wire number: 02 10 11 12 13 14 34
- Re-wired to: 34 12 13 14 11 10 02

Does this make sense to anybody? I tried the wiring for unit0 and hooked up the resulting cable to the PCB in my 1010 and did not even get a working drive when I used a PC 3.5" 1.44Mb floppy drive.

[badalias]

If anybody else wanted to know I contacted the author of this, here's the whole chain of Q&A via e-mail

--- Damir Kuticic wrote:
> not like that. unit0 and unit1 is connectors on the
> cable. If you prepared first, twisted connector you
> should use the unit0 changes otherwise use the unit1.
>
> --- BadAlias wrote:
> > Damir:
> >
> >    Do you mean you cut off the connector for A: and
> > re-wired the B: connector, resulting in a cable that
> > gave you DF1? If not, could you give step-by-step for
> > idiots?
> >
> > Matt K.
> >
> > --- Damir Kuticic wrote:
> > > Hi!
> > > unit 0 is first device on cable (twisted), unit 1 is
> > > second device. I took standard pc cable for two
> > > units, then removed first connector and on the second
> > > I made adaption by unit1.
> > >
> > > Good luck!
> > >
> > > To:
> > > Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 5:38 AM
> > > Subject: PC FDD (1.44) to Amiga FDD (880)
> > >
> > >
> > > --- BadAlias wrote:
> > > > Damir:
> > > >
> > > >    I'm trying to use your cable adaptation, is this
> > > > interpretation right?
> > > >
> > > > For unit 0
> > > > Wire number: 02 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 34
> > > > Re-wired to: 34 14 13 16 15 12 11 10 02
> > > >
> > > > For unit 1
> > > > Wire number: 02 10 11 12 13 14 34
> > > > Re-wired to: 34 12 13 14 11 10 02
> > > >
> > > >    Where it says "For Unit 0" is this for drives
> > > > configured as unit 0 or to make the Amiga drive
> > > > DF0? Does it matter which end of the cable I
> > > > re-wire?
> > > >
> > > >    Which connector on the cable should the drive be
> > > > on if I use this on a (PC) dual drive cable?
> > > >
> > > > Matt K.

[badalias]

Noster wrote:
Hi,

BadAlias wrote:
Hows about the crazy idea of transfering files between an Amiga and a Comodore (Pet, C=64 or C=128)?

A good (and expensive) solution would be the CatWeasel controller. With this controller in your PC you can access disks in nearly any available format.

I wish I had the money for a catweasel. I wish I had the money for an A600HD. I wish I had money for a new PC. There's a lot of stuff that I wish I had money for

[badalias]

McTrinsic wrote:

[...]
I don't have Amiga basic, some idiot deleted it from the floppies I have before I got them...

The cable is a no-sweat proposition, I'd have built it by now, but I can't use it...

As I said, you only need that cable and a Workbench disk. Unless something extremely weird has happened, you have the "type" command there.

Go to
http://homepage.uibk.ac.at/homepage/c725/c72578/amiga/
and read it thoroughly.

Especially make sure you read
http://homepage.uibk.ac.at/homepage/c725/c72578/amiga/adfsenderterminal/methods.html

From that point on, everything should work o.k.


Have fun,
McTrinsic

Supposedly it *can* be done...

I'll check this one out in the next week...

[badalias]

Somebody else wanna try this? I got energetic, and tried, the Amiga doesn't seem to react quite the way it seems that it's supposed to, according to the FAQ. It seems to get the file (if I open a second shell I can see the file using dir), but, says "object in use" if I  try to copy it anywhere.

[badalias]

Thanks McTrinsic. :-)

I'm still having trouble...

I checked my cable's pinout (25 pin to 25 pin, homebuilt, with Cat3 cable for the wire, about 4' long...) it seemed to be right  according to what Noster said and what the transdisk website says in part 3.

I'm following the steps in the FAQ and when I get to the step where I + on the Amiga, things  seem to not work from there on...

This is what I have in my shell window on the Amiga  when I finish the step by step...

________________________________________________________________________________________
1.SYS:> type ser: to ram:transdisk
copy ram:transdisk to df0:c

________________________________________________________________________________________

[badalias]

McTrinsic wrote:
Hhhhmmmm....

ok, at that point you need to press Ctrl-C.

You DID initiate another transfer from the PC side as stated in the manual?

You should then get a prompt.

If not, make sure you use very slow and compatible transfer rates. Be patient with this beginning.

Have fun,
McTrinsic

I meant it when I said I followed the directions. Yes I pressed + (nothing happened) and then sent a second file to the Amiga...

I should get a prompt on which computer? There is a prompt on the PC that asks if I want to send another file, is  that what you mean?

How's 9600? The files seem to zip right accross...

[badalias]

Noster wrote:
Hi,

> Yes I pressed + (nothing happened).

You have to press +C at the Amiga (while the Cli is the active window)!

The time you initiate the second transfer, the text "***Break" should appear in the Cli of the Amiga and then a prompt should appear in the line below that immediately, waiting for new commands to be entered.

Noster

I did so on the Amiga in the "Shell" window. (Is there a difference between a "Shell" window and a "CLI" window?)Nothing happened on the Amiga after I initiated the second transfer from the PC.

BadAlias
P.S.: I finally found my Amiga books...

I have:
COMPUTE!'s First Book of Amiga (COMPUTE!, ISBN 0-87455-090-4)
COMPUTE!'s Amiga DOS Reference Guide (COMPUTE!, ISBN 0-87455-047-5)
Inside Amiga Graphics (COMPUTE!, ISBN 0-87455-040-8)

[badalias]

Noster wrote:
Hi,

> Is there a difference between a "Shell" window and a "CLI" window?

A shell is a newer better CLI, so it supports a history and other features.

Open a second shell, transfer the first file, then enter the command "List RAM:" in the second shell. Which size has the transfered file ? If it is still 0 bytes large, I think your serial connection doesn't work at all. Check the settings ones more and test your cable again (if possible between two other computers -- e.g. serial connection between two Windows PC's).
In worst case your Amiga's serial port is dead :-(

Noster

Below is my emulation of the "New CLI" window after following the directions in the FAQ and then the suggestion above... (" . . . ." is  just empty spaces to make  things line  up...)


New CLI=====================================================
2> list ram:
transdisk . . . . . . . . .empty ----rwed Today . . 01:06:53
clipboards . . . . . . . . . Dir ----rwed Today . . 01:05:46
env . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dir ----rwed Today . . 01:05:46
t . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dir ----rwed Today . . 01:05:45
1 file - 3 directories - 5 blocks used
2>info

Mounted disks:
Unit . . .Size . .Used . .Free Full Errs . Status . Name
DF1: . . .880K . . . 7 . .1751 . 0% . 0 .Read/Write Empty
RAM: . . . .2K . . . 5 . . . 0 100% . 0 .Read/Write RAM DISK
DF1: . . .880K . .1712 . . .46 .97% . 0 .Read/Write DOS

[badalias]

Noster:

The serial port settings matched, including the speed (a very reasonable 9600 baud) I checked the serial cable 3 times, and then, while I was out yesterday, I stopped at Princess Auto where I found a Interex Null Modem Adaptor for $0.21, and a JetEye InfraRed module for $9.99. The Null Modem adaptor was cheap enough, so I bought it. Lo & behold, when I tried it the transfer worked. I now have an ADF file transfering to an Amiga disk as I type! :-D

I must have had the wiring  mirrored to the way it was supposed to have been.

My next hurdle is getting individual files (Eg. LHA files from aminet) onto the A1000.

BadAlias

P.S.: Is it possible to ennlarge my RAM: drive? How about transfering my Workbench files to it to reduce disk swapping? (I  know the RAM: drive is exactly that, and it would have to be re-loaded each time the machine is booted.)

P.P.S.: Is anybody else having trouble getting this thread to display in threaded mode?

Noster wrote:
Check your serial settings ones more, check your cable once more, try to use a lower baud rate...

[badalias]

Noster wrote:

BadAlias wrote:
My next hurdle is getting individual files (Eg. LHA files from aminet) onto the A1000.

You should search for a terminal program for this purpose or better: If you own an older PC (486 or Pentium I) you should try to get TwinExpress, it is much faster than any terminal program (upto 115200 baud with an A1000, the PC is slowing down, the A1000 could go upto 190000 baud).

By older PC would you mean an IBM PC-XT? :lol:
I have a bunch of "older" computers, if I  were more organized, I might be able to start another computer musem... :lol:

Seriously... I think 19200 baud is fast enough for now... I have TwinExpress, and will be trying it out later...

Noster wrote:

BadAlias wrote:
Is it possible to ennlarge my RAM: drive?

Yes, buy more ram :-D
The RAM-disk itself is dynamic, i.e. it allocates the amount of system-memory, that is required to store the files you put into. If you delete files from the ram-disk, it shrinks and releases the unused memory.

BadAlias wrote:
How about transfering my Workbench files to it to reduce disk swapping?

I don't know the size of your Amigas memory, but if you own a 2MB memory expansion as I do for my A1000, you could easily copy your Workbench disk to RAM: make the required assigns and you don't have to swap the disks again (and the Workbench is very fast).

I have the 256K front panel expansion, and a 4Mb expansion  on the side slot... It has 30 pin SIPP RAM inside, I'm thinking of de-soldering the SIPP modules and putting in some 30 pin SIMM slots with bigger modules in it...

Noster wrote:

BadAlias wrote:
I know the RAM: drive is exactly that, and it would have to be re-loaded each time the machine is booted.

There is a better solution available for this: If you own Kickstart and Workbench 1.3 you could create a reset-resistant ram-disk! So you have to copy the files of the Workbench after the first system start (simular to the Kickstart) and than the system could be bootet from that ram-disk in high-speed :-), until you power-off the system or a very bad written program runs amok in your ram.
I search for my own disks, I've made this 15 years ago for my A1000. I'll post a how-to-do as soon as possible.

I'll be waiting for that one... :-)

BadAlias

P.S.: I found the Ancient Toys Amiga Abandonware Game Site during a recent perusal of the internet... Lots of great games...