files format

[UsualNoise]

 

So you have WAV files already? In that case you should give MESS a try; maybe the recording is good enough (otherwise you can try to apply some filters by an audio editor). Then you can easily save them to a disk image from within TI BASIC.

 

Actually, the only WAV files I had were the ones from a single cassette tape full of my own programs; all of these have been transferred successfully to the PC and work fine in emulators.

 

All the other software I have is on 5-1/4" floppies I got a while back from a fellow 99-er; it is this batch I was trying to transfer, not because there's anything valuable, just to see if I could do it and preserve the disks before they fail (several already have).

[UsualNoise]

UsualNoise, contact Klaus (author of Web99)

 

He can help you get the Bootstrap running. The behavior you are describing sounds like the RS232 card is not receiving any input from your serial connection.

 

That's odd, since I did successfully load (and run) the bootstrap for vdm99 over the same serial connection. I just couldn't get any drives recognized after that point. However, I could only get it loaded at 300 baud. Is there a known issue where some RS232 interface cards only work at 300 baud max? That seems to be the limit for a successful transfer for my system for whatever reason.

[Calab]

On 6/8/2012 at 12:09 PM, matthew180 said:

Thierry put out a no-DB version of VDM and it runs in Win7 64-bit! I was trying the boot strap procedure where you upload the initial files to the console via a serial or parallel transfer using XB or BASIC with E/A. I really want to see this work, it only for the "cool" factor.

 

In BASIC with E/A:

 

CALL INIT

CALL LOAD("RS232.BA=9600.DA=8.EC")

 

Then you use VDM to upload the hook program. As soon as I start the "upload hook", the CALL LOAD terminates immediately with:

 

I/O Error 26

 

Same with XB. I looked up the error in the RS232 manual and 26 is "Some type of hardware error occurred." Heh, real helpful... Does anyone have any ideas? I know the cable is good because I use it with MagicFM just fine. Yes I realize I could just transfer the hook with MagicFM, but I really want to see this boot strap process work with only the XB or E/A cart.

 

Sorry to resurrect such an old thread, but I am having similar issues on my TI-99 trying to download the "hook" from my PC.

With XB, I do the CALL LOAD("RS232.BA=9600.DA=8.PA=N.EC") command, and I get the I/O error 26 as soon as I try to transfer the hook.

With EA, I do the same CALL and get "Illegal tag" when I try to transfer the hook.

I've tried it with two different PC's (WinXP SP3 and Win 10 64bit) and several COM ports. I have no problem sending/receiving using PuTTY on the PC and Terminal Emulator 2 on the TI. This is with v1.9 of VDM99. I can not get VDM99 v2 to start at all.

Any ideas on how to fix this?

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by Calab

[matthew180]

Apologizes for the late reply.  Sorry, that was a really long time ago and I do not remember if I got things working.  Short of doing some low-level debugging, I don't have any suggestions other than maybe trying a lower data rate (if that is even possible; I do not recall if the setup has any requirements).  These days there are a lot more options for file access on the 99/4A, and a TiPi is probably the the correct answer now.

[Geoff Oltmans]

Sorry to necro this post, but I've been trying to get this vdm99 to work for a little bit and I finally found the secret sauce that works for me. In my case I'm using a Windows XP VM in VirtualBox, serial cable USB dongle. I attempted to transfer the rs232 hook to the TI with a big fat nothing but fail using TI Extended Basic. Every combination of speeds wouldn't work. I then switched to Editor/Assembler, and loaded through TI Basic, at 300 baud, the hook program. In vdm99 I switched it back to 9600 baud and did a phony hook upload and then when it asks to poll the TI, I start the hook with CALL LINK("GO") and then hit 'yes'. Voila.

 

[Geoff Oltmans]

I should note that I've had issues with the communication timing out occasionally between VDM99 and the TI... not sure if it doesn't like the VM or XP or both. I have a bona fide Windows 98 machine with hardware serial port that I'm going to try next.

 

[Geoff Oltmans]

With the real Windows 98 machine and real com port hardware, things have fared better. I was able to transfer the hook program at 9600 baud with a couple of attempts. Seems to be pretty reliable once I changed the configuration options to include the handshaking signal config (DTR=DTR, CTS=CTS, DCD=DCD).

 

 

[+FarmerPotato]

If you’re curious about doing the low level debugging. Seeing the disaster in progress: 

 

10 OPEN #1:”RS232.<your options>”,INPUT,DISPLAY,VARIABLE 80

 

20 INPUT #1:A$

30 PRINT A$

40 GOTO 20

CALL LOAD would miss less than BASIC, but if it drops the first character of a line, you get ILLEGAL TAG or UNRECOGNIZED CHARACTER. 

In the old days, term programs had the option to make a delay at end of line.