Web99 connects your TI-99 [Project Thread]

[kl99]

Hi!

I wanted to share some notes and get your thoughts and ideas on this...

I started to write a PC Tool called Web99. It allows the PC to communicate with the Real TI-99 over the serial port (or an USB adapter).

The target audience is any real TI-99 User, any real Geneve User, and most Emulator Users.

In the end I want to go away from Windows to somewhere else but that direction is still a little secret.

For now I successfully made it do a simple chat (share Text Messages).
on the TI-99 is running a simple program like it would chat with another TI-99.
On the PC Side you have a chat-like window and a Textbox to enter Text.

Further Web99 already let's you transfer any TI Basic / TI Extended basic program from the PC to the TI-99.
On the TI-99 you simply enter OLD RS232.BA=9600
On the PC you can select the ti-file (=pc file) which shall be transfered.

Now I want to extend it. I want the TI-99 User to see the content of a "directory" like a catalog for Disks. Later I want the TI-99 be able to select the file to be transfered, switch Directory and stuff like that.
However the RS232 DSR doesn't allow or more precisely ignores FILENAMES after the DEVICENAME. I took the basic program for cataloging a Disk from the Disk controller Manual and changed the Open statement to use RS232, sequential records.
Since the TI-99 only waits for data but does not send any data that it is in wait state, I made a button on my PC to trigger sending the Catalog data manually . It works, but its absolute not what i like.

One option would be to extend the catalog program to first send over some command like "GETDIR" as Text or a control character like in Terminal Emulator.

Another option would be to adapt the DSR, but this would limit the number of users quite a bit. So far I learned a lot already, but now I am unsure about the direction.

In the end i want to write a WebLoader in Assembler that runs on the TI-99 side. But it would be nice to have the possiblity to do basic stuff in XBasic as well.

Is it true that in order to get 38400 baud I have to bypass the standard RS232 DSR anyhow and communicate directly via CRU to the TMS9902? Is it stable like that?

Thanks for your input...

Edited November 19, 2014 by kl99

[Gary from OPA]

It is better to communicate directly via CRU to 9902 to get better speeds and normally makes for more stable code.

 

But if this program going to be useful to bigger group, it would be best to use also DSR ways have an option so the program would work with the NanoPEB's out there that don't use the 9902 and normal CRU setup.

 

That is fault of alot of current Telco type programs on the TI99, they only work with stock RS232 cards in the bulky PEB setup, that 90% of TI99'ers don't have.

 

Sure great to see a new project coming along, good luck and can't wait to see it in action and slowly expanded on. -- Have fun!

[Tursi]

With the TI RS232 card I've never had much luck sending data to the TI faster than 9600 bps (using direct access to the 9902, no DSR). However, that's with no flow control. That said, even though you can sustain a higher bitrate using flow control, you might not get much of a faster transfer. 38400 might be asking for a lot.

 

Gary is right, though, you will want to check the common devices and do your best to work with them all. Sadly I don't think the DSR is an option for a project like this (you could maybe use it to detect the type of card ).

[Omega-TI]

 

That is fault of alot of current Telco type programs on the TI99, they only work with stock RS232 cards in the bulky PEB setup, that 90% of TI99'ers don't have.

 

 

Actually, the demographics of the average TI user has changed over the years. People who actually have one, seem to prefer the FULL PACKAGE. Of the TI user's on Atari Age, who answered the POLL, the results of those with a P-Box is larger than anticipated. Since this poll was taken, I think those numbers have increased, just recently even.

 

On January 1st of next year, I plan on doing this poll over again (with a few changes), this way those who are interested can see where we are going as a community.