Subject: Need docs for Microsoft Premium Softcard //e

From: Vintage Computer Festival <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon Apr 7 12:40:37 2003

Sigh.

I am hoping someone has the docs to the Microsoft Premium Softcard //e.
This is a nice Z80 card for the Apple //e that allows one to run CP/M.

Specifically, I need to know how MS assigned the serial card.  I am trying
to use PIP to copy a file out to the serial port.  Barring that, I need to
know if the utility program called APDOS that comes on the master system
disk can copy files *from* CP/M *to* Apple DOS.  As far as I can tell, it
seems you can only copy from Apple DOS to CP/M.

Lastly, if anyone with knowledge of utilities that allowed one to transfer
CP/M files to Apple DOS can inform me of such, I would really appreciate
it.

I have no idea where my manual for this went :(

-- 

Sellam Ismail                                        Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger                http://www.vintage.org

 * Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *

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From: "Eric Smith" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon Apr 7 12:41:03 2003

Sellam wrote
> Barring that,
> I need to know if the utility program called APDOS that comes on the
> master system disk can copy files *from* CP/M *to* Apple DOS.  As far as
> I can tell, it seems you can only copy from Apple DOS to CP/M.

I don't think they supplied a utility to do that.  If I recall correctly,
the documentation gave instructions for loading a file into a region
of RAM that would be unaffected by booting Apple DOS, then BSAVEing
the file from DOS.  Pretty clunky.

I've got the docs for the original Softcard.  I think it's the same
as the Premium Softcard //e, but I'm not completely certain.

Eric

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From: Vintage Computer Festival <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon Apr 7 12:41:15 2003

> I don't think they supplied a utility to do that.  If I recall correctly,

Well, the utility called APDOS that I have on my CP/M master is written by
Mycroft Labs.  I don't know if it was originally there but it is on my
original Premium Softcard //e master diskette.

> the file from DOS.  Pretty clunky.

Totally cheesy.  I have a huge file I need to transfer and it would take
multiple reboots.  But if this is the only way then what the hey.

> as the Premium Softcard //e, but I'm not completely certain.

It's the documentation for MS' implementation of PIP and STAT that I'm
after.

--

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From: "Fred Cisin (XenoSoft)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon Apr 7 12:42:39 2003

> > I don't think they supplied a utility to do that. [(CP/M -> 
Apple DOS)] If I recall correctly,

While not bundled with, I'm pretty sure that there were a few such
utilities available.

But last time that I did it, I used a 5150 with an Apple-Turnover card.
No, I do not have a working one of those cards on hand.

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From: "Steven N. Hirsch" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon Apr 7 17:27:10 2003

On Fri, 4 Apr 2003, Vintage Computer Festival wrote:

> to use PIP to copy a file out to the serial port.  

There was a problem with the original OS release for the Premium Softcard.  
This is going back almost 20 years, but IIRC either the PUN: and RDR:  
devices are bass-ackwards or numbered incorrectly (was there any notion of 
more than one PUN:?).  

> Barring that, I need to

The reason I know about punch and reader is that I was trying to setup to 
do exactly that.  Ended up using modem7 or equivalent to transfer things 
over from our H89.  There is definitely an xmodem or mex overlay floating 
around for it.

> I have no idea where my manual for this went :(

I have one here... somewhere.  If you are still having problems