GratedTopping

http://www.shlock.co.uk/Utils/OmniFlop.zip On my WindowsXP machine, I just used the "wizard" executable that came with the download of v2.2d; there's a beta release available to download as well. I never tried any command line statements; I guess there's a different version for those who want to use it that way.

I'm a happy "nerd". I've been trying to find the easiest ways to move TI files to the PC. Recently, I was using a terminal emulator on the TI and on an old PC laptop and transferring through the serial cable. It was recommended here that I could use Barry Boone's archive-program to compress a disk to a file and then I'd just have to transfer one file...but I couldn't get that to work. I couldn't get the laptop to send the archiver to the TI. I have a 3.5 floppy on the TI. On my PC, I was hoping that "TI99-PC" would read such disks, but a problem apparently with that is that the floppy disk controller on many old PC's can't read single density. All was not lost: "OmniFlop" CAN make the PC read single density. It had a driver that replaces the floppy disk filing system, allowing you to access so many types of disks from old machines! It still allows normal formatting of regular disks on Windows. Details say that you don't need to install/replace the floppy disk controller [FDC] unless you're using a TI with quad format (something like that; I forget, but it's not something that I think anybody has). Replace the floppy driver with the one with the product and you've got access to read and write so many classic formats. Using TI disks was added to the most recent edition and it works great! I can now read and write to all TI 3.5 disks. Apparently, it would work on an ancient machine that would have the 5 1/4 disk drive, too, but it is not recommended. On the TI, I backup a 5 1/4 disk to the 3.5 using "Disk Manager II". Then, use "OmniFlop". It saves all files on a disk as a V9T9 [Win994a] disk file for use with the emulator and it's really exciting! It's just as easy to take a "Win994a" .TIdisk file and have its contents written to the 3.5 disk for use on my TI. I don't recall ever hearing of this product here; it's awesome! I can't be the only one who discovered it. (-: I'm definitely going to donate to the author. http://www.shlock.co.uk/Utils/OmniFlop/OmniFlop.htm#top

Right now, I'm transferring files from the TI through serial cable to an old PC laptop. On the TI end, I'm using "Telco" and an old Windows 95 program on the PC. Transferring is easy, but I need to catalog each TI disk...note each file...and then type the file names on both machines. That's not as easy/enjoyable. Is there just some program that, for example, could be run on the TI that would: - read the catalog of files on the disk and merely... - copy each file directly through the cable to the PC's disk Is this possible? I'm tired of writing filenames and typing them in so much; I have hundreds of disks. Can it be done faster? Immediate, multi-file, TI-to-PC transfer without entering filenames?

So, I just bought one of these devices. I guess I didn't look/read enough/understand enough about it. Apparently, once it's in place, you can't use the PEB?!? How does one get files off of their disks, then???? I thought a main purpose for the thing, and what I wanted, was to copy my TI files easily to the device and then just take that memory card to the PC for easy-usage with a TI emulator. Maybe I'm just missing something. I guess, if needed, I could try and locate an external 5 1/4 drive that would work on the TI without the PEB...hope I don't have to. Anyway, if I can't get this to do what I want and I goofed up, I guess that I'll be parting with it someday. Are there any videos of folks using the device? Where's the best information or a review?

I apologize if I annoyed you a bit; glad that you haven't given up. - Brian

Back again over a month later....looks like that the guy's gone away and "Raising Atlantis" is forever sunk. )-: No responses to private messages and it's too bad.

It's Beryl-y worthwhile to add another one of these, but it gives me a Beryl of laughs.

Well, I'm 'raising' this again 'cause I still wanna know if we might get a chance to try...or has it been given up. )-:

...but it'll probably be tougher than shooting fish in a Beryl...

I had it done easy with a serial cable from the TI's port (in my Peripheral Expansion Box) to the old laptop. Correct terminal emulator programs running on both ends and saving to the laptop's 3.5; then from the 3.5 on my old PC to the folder on the hard drive the the "Classic99" emulator was using. It was easy and very cool to "back up" some 1980's games that would have been lost forever.

All I know about: BurgerTime don't know what, if any, difference it makes; it only says "Code Modifications By John Phillips" ***** Chisholm Trail If you press the buttons "*#*" when the game prompts you for the starting level, it will take you to a cheat mode where you can choose the specific "Day" (there are 7 days per level) and number of ships you want. There is a catch however, when you are playing the game in this cheat mode the word "TEST" is displayed on the top left of the screen. Therefore, you would be hard pressed to convince somebody that you are really good at "Chisholm Trail" without them knowing you cheated. ***** TI Invaders Note...this doesn't work with all cartridges and is tough to find one that does. Mine does not have this, but I do have a file for one of emulators ("Win994a" or "Classic99") that does. It allows you to pick what screen you want to start on + change the speed of the enemies ***** Hopper you can only pick the round ***** Munch-man you can pick the round, screen number, and number of men you want to have; note that you must do this before the monsters on the title screen start moving ***** Moon Mine I forget what this does ***** Star Trek gives a random but high level of torpedoes, phaser power, and warp drive energy ***** Alpiner you can select how many alpiners you want and which mountain to climb; note that you can just push 838 without shift to reach this cheat menu ************* Geez, I'd love to get ahold of a real TI Invaders cartridge that had the cheat. But using it in the emulator is still very cool.

TI-99/4a game from "ALA Software". Had something to do with being on a farm or with pigs. Can't recall! Just remember the packaging a tiny bit.

Specifically for the TI-99/4a, I was wondering who has titles that I haven't heard of from either of these companies. For me, I have: JetStorm (ALA Software) Monsoon (ALA Software) Slinky (COSMI) Aztec Challenge (COSMI) Spider Invasion (COSMI) I know that there's a "Beehive" from ALA. Also, way in the past, I remember going to the mall as a kid and seeing something from ALA that had to do with farming/pigs/chickens. Something like that. Any info about other titles would be appreciated.

Workbench 3.9, the final version for the classic Amiga computers, is from 2000. Not as retro as some other OS's but is a total classic.

My top TI games: "Microsurgeon" "Q-bert" "Tennis" (a 'lost' game released on disk and, I think, cartridge far-after the TI stopped production) "Computer War", based on "WarGames" movie (another 'lost' game; from Thorn EMI; released on disk and a late-released cartridge)

Whoops. The show ended in '93. Anyway, it was mentioned in the April '94 MICROpendium. It says I mentioned the filename was "QL" and was uploaded to the then "Cactus Patch" and "Club99" bulletin boards. Well, I have so many TI disks I just HAVE to have it out there somewhere. I hope.

Ah yes, I got 'em. New TI fun in 2010: excellent.

Okay, so in 1993 -- couple years after the TV show ended -- I was 19 and my brother and I created a TI program that played the tv theme. We used the MUSIC MAKER cartridge to make the music and it sounded great. Using that, we made the 'Call Sound' statements for the Extended BASIC program; the music all flowed together using the "-" in the statements. I designed the graphics, too, and it all was great. It was uploaded to a couple BBS's. This was mentioned in 1993 "MicroPendium". Well, I imagine I still have this, but I can't find it. SOOOO...does anybody out there in TI land have this file or remember even trying it back then? Just curious if anybody ever listened to it.

Any further work on this? (-:

So, in the SSGC archive I downloaded, there's a "Skydiver" game that isn't mentioned at the site. And one that is mentioned there..."TI Hurdles"...is not in the archive. Anybody have that HURDLES game?

Any updates?