Transferring files from the PCW to the PC

I am always being asked how files can be transferred from the PCW to the PC and until recently I had no need to do it. I am still not an authority on the subject but will put down here what I know. Any file can be transferred, but only text files will work on the PC, so there's little point in transferring .COM files etc. unless you have a specific need such as running a CP/M simulator on a PC, Mac etc. I have a CDRom full of CP/M files stored in a Dos environment. I presume that I'll be able to transfer them to my PCW as the need arises, Somebody must have transferred them from their CP/M environment and wrapped them cosily in DOS library files. Mainly, however, your need will be to transfer your masterpieces of prose from the PCW to a PC. I did it when I needed files written in PCW Locoscript for my website.
There are basically two ways of transferring files from the PCW to the PC; by connecting the two machines with a data cable, or by software.

Transfer by cable There are two proprietary cables, "Locolink" and "Locolink for Windows" which were supplied by Locoscript Software. Locoscript Software, however, have recently been taken over by SD Microsystems, but I believe that SD will continue to supply all Locoscript products. I have used Locolink, which retails for about £35 and found it very good. One end of the cable plugs into the expansion port of the PCW and the other into a parallel port of the PC. It is primarily intended to transfer Locoscript files from the PCW into one of the Locoscript programs on the PC, but it will transfer ASCII files as well. A manual and software for the PCW end is provided, but software for the PC end is included with Locoscript PC software. If you don't have Locoscript for your PC ask for the relevant file from the supplier.
"Locolink for Windows" is about twice the price, but allows you to convert the Locoscript files on your PCW to a different word processor such as Word, Wordperfect, etc. I would think that it wouldn't be much more work to use the cheaper cable, transfer the files in ASCII, then import them into your word processor,
The third way, using cables, is by using a modem on the serial ports of PCW and PC. Of course, you would need a serial port interface for your PCW. I can't tell you anything more about this method, but just thought I'd mention it.

Transfer using 3.5" disk and software

If you have a 3.5" 720K floppy drive fitted to your PCW it is easy to transfer your files using various utilities. There are commercial programs such as Moonstone 2in1 and DDriver PCW which can do it and are available from Locoscript/SD Microsystems at around £40 each. But I use some utilities which are in the public domain and are therefore FREE apart from a nominal distribution charge. The first of these, the one that I use most is MSDISC.COM

MSDISC.COM
To use MSDISC.COM you need a machine with a 180K A: drive and a 3.5" 720K B: drive, say an upgraded PCW8256 or a modified PCW8512. Files that need to be transferred must be on user group 0 of a 180K CP/M "flippy" disc. Locoscript files should be converted into ASCII "Simple text files". Initially I converted my Locoscript files into ASCII using the "Page image file" option but the results were disappointing by comparison. If your files are too large to go on the 180K disc either split them down or use a different utility.
Load CP/M and then MSDISC and you'll get a menu on screen. Place a 3.5" DSDD disk in drive B: and format it in Dos using the M option (It's amazing, just watch it happen). Put the CP/M disc with files to be transferred in drive A: and select W to W(rite) PCW to Dos. Thereupon you are asked to select a drive a/m (yes, you can use the m: drive if you like). On selecting a drive another menu appears with several options, and the first file on the A: drive is shown. The options allow copying all the files, or cycling through the files, selecting which files to copy. Space remaining on the target disc is clearly shown. The disc can be filled by replacing the A: drive disc as necessary and pressing D for D(isc change). When all the files have been transferred, just put the Dos disc in your PC and open the files into your chosen word processor. You will need to do some editing because some features, such as underlining and italics will be lost, but I think that you will be pleasantly surprised with the results generally, certainly in Word 97 which I use. £ comes out as # but this is easily remedied using the search and replace function of most WPs.

MSDISCA.COM
This utility is similar to MSDISC.COM but is for use with a machine with a 3.5" 720K A: drive. I tried to use it with a PCW9512 with a single 3.5" 720K A: drive, using the M: drive, but couldn't get it to work. Maybe it needs two drives as does MSDISC.

MSODBALL.COM and MSODBALA.COM
MSODBALL is a format-conversion utilityfor use on an Amstrad PCW8256 with a 3.5" 720K B: drive. It can convert a standard PCW format disc to a non-standard MSDos format which can be read on a PC. It can also convert this non-standard Dos format back to PCW format.
MSODBALA is similar but is used with a 3.5" 720K A: drive. I have used it successfully on a PCW9512 with a 3.5" drive fitted in place of the 3" drive and see no reason why it shouldn't work on a standard PcW9512+, PcW9256 or PcW10.
These two utilities are fine for transferring ASCII files, but the non-standard format does not work for some other files. A case in point is "MSDISC", but unless you're running a PCW emulator on your PC you wouldn't need this type of program.

Since I wrote the above, John Elliott has produced his PCW emulator JOYCE1.9.4 which, in effect, turns your PC into a PCW and as well as running the PCW versions of Locoscript can use many CP/M utilities. If your PCW uses 3.5" floppy disks then you're home and dry but if your machine uses 3" discs they would need to be copied to 3.5" discs to fit your PC's floppy drive.

JOYCE can work directly from the PC's floppy drive using original 3.5" PCW discs but this is very slow. Instead, the discs can be transferred to the PC's hard drive and will load from there in about the same time as a PCW would load. JOYCE emulates a PCW with up to 2MB of memory and has an M: drive etc. I am still checking it out but believe it is as near to the look and feel of a PCW as is possible. The keyboard is that of a PC, of course, but a drop-down panel shows equivalent keys.

More information about JOYCE can be found in the Emulators section.

 

Ron King....Andover

Email....... ron@king27.freeserve.co.uk

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