
Ernest writes ...
> 
> My never ending quest to achieve what seems to be the impossible (for me,)
> which is sending a shrinkit file from my PC to my Apple has finally tipped
> my mind over that "edge" that everyone talks about.
 ....

     Know what you mean-- messing with this stuff is a great way to expand your
curses vocabulary. Some experimentation with Agate and Zlink led to a few
discoveries which may help.

     Some or all of your problems may be with Hyperterm. At least with the
version I've been using, Hyperterm does not like for users to change some setup
parms 'on the fly'. For example, if you change the baud rate of the current
setup, you should save the changed setup under a new name, exit Hyperterm,
restart it, and Open the new setup. If you want to change to a different setup,
then, again, you should exit Hyperterm, restart it, and Open the setup.

     My posted Hyperterm setups usually suggest setting "Emulation" at "TTY".
This works fine for transfers with all of the A2 telecom programs I've tried
except ZLink. For ZLink, "Emulation" should be set to "Auto Detect". (This may
turn out to be the best general-purpose setting for "Emulation".)

     Doing multiple file Zmodem sends via Hyperterm requires that, in the Send
File box, you first pick (Open) some file in the group to send. Then, you edit
the Filename shown to include wildcard chars. For example, to send NARF1.dsk
and NARF2.dsk, you could select NARF1.dsk. Editing the filename to be NARF*.*
will send both (as long as you have the protocol set to Zmodem for Hyperterm
and your IIgs telecom program). If you changed Filename to *.* all of the files
in the folder will be sent.


IIgs setup

     It is best to use the built-in modem port. If you have a modem card
plugged into Slot 2, it may be a good idea to remove it (with power turned
OFF).

     For using either Agate or ZLink with the standard modem port, Slot 2 must
be set to Modem Port. (Changing this setting seems to require turning OFF the
IIgs after the new setting is entered. When the computer is next turned ON, the
new setting will be in effect.)

     Neither Agate nor ZLink requires you to go to the Control Panel to set
baudrate for the IIgs modem port. When using either program (and many others),
a good setup for the modem port seems to be the default-- i.e. everything
checked.


Agate

     This is not a user-friendly program and the program docs are very sparse.
Evidently, at least with no special emulation selected, this program supports
Receive only. (If it supports Sends, the required keypresses remain a mystery.)

     The highest Agate speed is 14400 baud. The highest speed which is also
available on my version of Hyperterm is 9600. Agate does support Zmodem.

     To use Agate's command keys, ShiftLock must be ON. The chief 'magic keys'
are OpenApple-? (OA-?)-- actually the ? key is not shifted so it's really
OA-/-- and Esacpe. OA-? displays the command key menu. Most commands need to be
entered while you are looking at the nearly blank I/O screen. Escape usually
takes you back to the I/O screen.

     When you start Agate, you can press Escape and select IIgs modem port.
Press OA-S and go through the setup selections mentioned in the docs using OA-S
to save each. (9600 baud, No keys translation, No emulation, and 1 LF seems to
work fine.)  If you have a good connection with Hyperterm (also using a 9600
baud setup), you will be able to type characters and see them on the PC as well
as type characters on the PC and see them on your IIgs.

     To receive a file, you should first set the Destination directory on your
IIgs. This may be just a disk volume name or it may be a folder on some volume.
From the I/O screen press OA-S to get to the screen for setting Destination
volume and folder.

Note: Using this screen can be confusing unless you know that you are required
first to pick the Source volume and folder (if any) and then, press TAB to pick
the Destination. Basically, it looks like you should ignore the Source setting.
That is navigate to whatever volume and folder you want and press TAB to select
it as the Destination. Then press OA-Escape to get out of the screen.

     Once you have picked the Destination, you can receive files there by doing
a Zmodem transfer. It does not seem to matter whether you start the Send or
Receive side first. Starting the Hyperterm Send first avoids some weird stuff
on the Agate I/O screen. So, you start the Send on the PC and press OA-Z to
start the receive on the IIgs. The files (or file) will be transferred and the
finish will be indicated by a "bye.." message on Agate's screen.


ZLink

     ZLink is easier to figure out because it has better docs and better menus.
For example, OA-W lets you set baudrate, format (8-N-1), and Slot (should be
2). OA-N lets you set default Source and Destination pathnames. (Note: you must
specify an actual file name for the Capture file even if Capture is OFF.)

     ZLink can run at 19,200 baud, a solid plus; but, it does not support
Zmodem. In fact, ZLink seems to support only one protocol which Hyperterm
recognizes-- i.e. Xmodem (choice 1 in ZLink's protocol options). On Hyperterm,
select "Xmodem". (Also, remember, the setup you use for Hyperterm should have
"Emulation" set for "Auto Detect".)

     As with Agate, if you have a good connection, you will be able to type
characters back and forth between the computers and see them displayed.

     One possible source of difficulty when using ZLink is that, whether
sending or receiving, it should be started first when doing a transfer. For
example, you would start the Receive on ZLink and, then, start the Send on
Hyperterm. There will usually be a delay of a few seconds before the IIgs and
PC displays show that the transfer is taking place.


Modem MGR

     Modem MGR is available on Ground and Trenco. It is as easy to use as
ZLink, can run at 19,200 baud, and it supports Zmodem. All of the ProDOS
version files will fit on a single 3.5" diskette. It's probably a good idea to
make Modem MGR one of your first .shk transfers.




Rubywand


