Supplement 3: Importing Apple II Files

MegaDots can read both BEX and TranscriBEX files which have been transferred from the Apple to the PC. For TranscriBEX, MegaDots wants the original inkprint TranscriBEX files, the ones with the double backslash commands in them.

In order to read BEX and TranscriBEX files, you need to move the Apple II data onto a PC. We find that the best way to do this is to place the Apple computer and the PC computer on the same table and cable their serial ports together. You will need a copy of BEX configured at the User or Master level

On the PC, you need a decent PC modem program (such as Procomm), and BEX on the Apple. If the PC has a 9-pin serial port, you need to attach a 9 to 25 pin serial adapter. Then connect the PC serial port to the Apple in one of the following ways:

• For an Apple IIe: use an Apple Super Serial Card and a straight through male-to-female cable (25 pins on each side). Set the Super Serial Card to the "standard settings": set the jumper block to terminal; bank one to: off off off on off on off; and bank two to: off off on on on off off.
• For the Apple IIc: use the RDC 2F cable. This is also the same as a "Apple IIc to an ImageWriter I cable" with a female to female adapter on the end.
• For the Apple IIgs: use the RDC 11F cable. This is also the same as a "Apple IIgs to an ImageWriter I cable" with a female to female adapter on the end. Use the Apple IIgs control panel to set the IIgs port to the RDC standard settings of 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 2 stop bits, and no parity. Also set that slot for "built-in port".

One all of these Apple computers, you can verify that you have the RDC standard settings with the "What is in Your Computer" option in the BEX Starting Menu.

Once connected properly, here are the steps:

• 1. On the PC, start the modem and set the communications parameters. In Procomm, the Alt-P command sets up the communications parameters. Set the appropriate serial port (COM1 or COM2) that you have cabled to the Apple. Set the PC to 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, and no parity. The communications parameters are deliberately mismatched: 8-1-no on the PC, and 7-1-space on the Apple. Without these exact settings, the transfer will not work.
• 2. Get the PC modem program ready to accept data. For example, in Procomm type Alt-F1 to create a log file and give a file name. All the data coming from the Apple will be saved in this file.
• 3. On the Apple, make sure that you use a BEX configuration that sets up printing through the desired Super Serial Card or serial port. It really does not matter what carriage width or form length you use for the printer set-up, because the method you will use for printing ignores these settings.
• 4. Create a BEX chapter on your program disk that consists of the following characters: <Control-I> 1 D <CR> <Control-I> 7 P <CR> $$z. The Control-I commands set the PC port to 7 data bits, 1 stop bit, and space parity, and the dollar dollar z command suppresses BEX formatting activity during printing. If you are using an Apple IIc, Apple IIc Plus, or Apple IIgs port set in modem mode, substitute Control-A in place of the Control-I's in the above sequence.
• 5. Still on the Apple, print the set-up chapter immediately followed by your real data in the same printing operation. You can print a whole Apple data disk to the PC in one operation if you want to. But the drawback of that is getting all the data in one big file on the PC.
• 6. The data should appear on the screen as it comes into the PC. If no data appears, then the problem is a bad cable or the wrong slot or port specified on one or both computers. Recheck the cable, and verify the slot number and the port number. If you get garbled data, then recheck the baud rate and other communication parameter settings.
• 7. At the end of the file transfer, close the file on the PC. For example, in Procomm, type Alt-F1 to close the log file. If you want to start a new transfer, press Alt-F1 again to open a new log file.