globeron Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 How can we print from a TI emulator via RS232 to text or PDF ? Has someone done this before? 1. To print from an emulator (like Classic99, v9T9, JS99er or MESS) via the RS232 interface (emulated) and print to a text or PDF format (e.g. using CutePDF). 2. Is a Com port emulator required in between (and how to do the mapping from the emulator) or can we redirect to a tool like TI Print ? PS - I am familiar with Fred Kaal's TI Print (using a normal TI, print via RS232 to the TI-print server running on a PC and from there print to anywhere). http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/ti99print/ti99print.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globeron Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 Maybe using this type of software ? * http://www.aggsoft.com/tcp-com/download.htm * http://www.aggsoft.com/com-port-emulator.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mizapf Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 You can mount a file to the parallel output in MESS (-peb:slot5 tirs232 -parl outfile.txt). [However, I just noticed that for some reason, the print operation seems to hang (have to press FCTN-4). I need to check that, possibly a regression. Essentially, this should work.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kl99 Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I have some "mapper" tool called com0com http://sourceforge.net/projects/com0com/ It creates two or more virtual serial ports for you. So you can connect Ti994w or Pc99 to one of the virtual ports and receive the send data on the other virtual port in another tool, staying on the same machine. Best is to use TI-99 print i guess. These virtual ports work with Web99 as well, it would shows the incoming chars in the communication window, however it's not styled nor does it support graphics, and without a Save option. For listing basic program its sufficient, but for anything else not. In a future release I want to support it all, inlcluding creating a pdf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shift838 Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I believe Fred Kaals TI-99/W emulator will map Pc comm ports to be used with the emulator. I have never printed via that option but I was able to access a UDS Serial device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mizapf Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 OK, just checked in MESS ... evidence shows that this once worked (still have an output file in my folder), but I was not able to find out yet. The output to a file does not work at least since 0.148 (Jan 2013), so this means that this feature was lost when I rewrote the serial interface (using the serial bridge and so). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 If you want to create a text file from Classic99, just save to FIAD folder with the Windows tag. For instance, if DSK1 is your save folder: DSK1.?W.FILENAME.TXT Output result will be a normal text file readable in Windows. Should work from anything that saves TI-style (DV80 or DF80) text files. Classic99 otherwise has no print capability today. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 DSK1.?W.FILENAME.TXT Output result will be a normal text file readable in Windows. Should work from anything that saves TI-style (DV80 or DF80) text files. Interesting. I'll have to check this out when I have time. In the past when I've tried to convert something to PC format, like when using the the Text Formatter, I've gotten so many dots (periods) in the document that it still required extensive editing. This might be what I've been looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globeron Posted June 20, 2015 Author Share Posted June 20, 2015 Thanks for the replies, I will try it out later this week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globeron Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 If you want to create a text file from Classic99, just save to FIAD folder with the Windows tag. For instance, if DSK1 is your save folder: DSK1.?W.FILENAME.TXT Output result will be a normal text file readable in Windows. Should work from anything that saves TI-style (DV80 or DF80) text files. Classic99 otherwise has no print capability today. Hi, I have tried in Extended basic to load a program which lists okay or even tried a simple program 100 REM Test 120 REM test again SAVE DSK2.?W.TEST.TXT or SAVE DSK2.TEST.TXT but both methods give a "garbage" type of output Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globeron Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 I have some "mapper" tool called com0com http://sourceforge.net/projects/com0com/ It creates two or more virtual serial ports for you. So you can connect Ti994w or Pc99 to one of the virtual ports and receive the send data on the other virtual port in another tool, staying on the same machine. Best is to use TI-99 print i guess. These virtual ports work with Web99 as well, it would shows the incoming chars in the communication window, however it's not styled nor does it support graphics, and without a Save option. For listing basic program its sufficient, but for anything else not. In a future release I want to support it all, inlcluding creating a pdf. 0. I could not get com0com0 to work in Windows7 (driver signature issue, but also it did not list com ports) 1. Used this virtual modem I was able to http://www.virtual-null-modem.com/download/vnullmod20.exe (the trial version has limitation to 65K) It will generate 2x com ports (use "without handshaking") 2. With Fred Kaal TI994w map "RS232/1" to one of the com ports http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/ti994w/ti994w.html 3. and Fred's TI-Print tool map to the other com port http://www.ti99-geek.nl/Projects/ti99print/ti99print.html and map also the printer (basically any Windows printer installed) 4. to print to PDF use http://www.cutepdf.com/ (to be selected in TI-Print) 5. Then it is straightfoward, e.g. in Extended Basic 100 REM TEST LIST "RS232.BA=9600.DA=8.PA=N" prints from TI-994/W to TI-PRINT (you see the listing in TIPRINT) then print from TI-PRINT to CUTEPDF. I believe Fred Kaals TI-99/W emulator will map Pc comm ports to be used with the emulator. I have never printed via that option but I was able to access a UDS Serial device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 Hi, I have tried in Extended basic to load a program which lists okay or even tried a simple program 100 REM Test 120 REM test again SAVE DSK2.?W.TEST.TXT or SAVE DSK2.TEST.TXT but both methods give a "garbage" type of output That is because BASIC and XB programs are not text files, they are tokenized program images. If you want a text file listing, use list: LIST "DSK2.?W.TEST.TXT" There is no way in the emulator to import a text file back into a BASIC program (except pasting it), but there are other tools that can do it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globeron Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 You can mount a file to the parallel output in MESS (-peb:slot5 tirs232 -parl outfile.txt). [However, I just noticed that for some reason, the print operation seems to hang (have to press FCTN-4). I need to check that, possibly a regression. Essentially, this should work.] OK, just checked in MESS ... evidence shows that this once worked (still have an output file in my folder), but I was not able to find out yet. The output to a file does not work at least since 0.148 (Jan 2013), so this means that this feature was lost when I rewrote the serial interface (using the serial bridge and so). (Conclusion: in MESS I am not able to get it to work either) I just tried it also for the Serial interface option (but I used the Graphical GUI / QMC2), it adds a "-serial1 "D:\test.txt" at the end of the command line. I had to create a filename first, otherwise it could not be configured in QMC2 both LIST "RS232.BA=9600.DA=8.PA=N" (for -serial xxx.txt or LIST "PIO" (for the -parl xxxx.txt) are in a hang status like you mentioned. FCTN-4 (BREAK) will get out and back to Extended Basic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globeron Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 That is because BASIC and XB programs are not text files, they are tokenized program images. If you want a text file listing, use list: LIST "DSK2.?W.TEST.TXT" There is no way in the emulator to import a text file back into a BASIC program (except pasting it), but there are other tools that can do it. Hi Tursi, sorry I need new glasses.. I did not realise that " " (quotes) had to be used. All working okay now and able to output the listing to text format! (and PS. thanks for the remark to use FIAD directories, as now I can save files as well :-)! (I am used to use only DOAD .DSK format so far). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mizapf Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 On MESS, RS232 with file output is not possibly (anymore), for the sake of having a true serial connection with a real interface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globeron Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 Does it mean that the virtual com ports sopution still will work? As it looks to the windows os as a real port and the software does not know?In device manager it shows COMx. But it is also possible to interface with a real.Com to virtual port. If so then printing to TI print is possible and then print to PDF. But what also would be good is to have Telco term program to work with RS232 interface. And probably Cfhdxs1 and hdx as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mizapf Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 Hmm ... yes, could work. You need to set up the system like this: - Install the RXTX library for Java - Run TIImageTool, select "Serial bridge", select the COM port (may be a virtual com port also) and a port number (like 10000). - Run MESS, use the rs232 expansion card, add a switch "-serl1 socket.localhost:10000". If all works well, the COM port is now linked (via TIImageTool's bridge) to the emulated RS232 port. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globeron Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 Okay I will try that one out (next weekend) btw I get an error from the download pages to get TIIMAGE 2.0 -- http://www.mizapf.de/ti99/tiimagetool.zip and similar errors, via http://www.ninerpedia.org/index.php/TIImageTool and the atari-age forum posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 It looks like Michael's website is down for maintenance, at least that is the message I received when I hit his top level page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mizapf Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Yes, for the xth time I decided to rebuild my website, this time I know it's for real. You can still download TIImageTool from the WHTech server. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 LIST "DSK2.?W.TEST.TXT" I played with this less than 5 minutes ago, damn Tursi, this is SLICK! Now if I could just find a font that looked like a real dot matrix printout.... Three easy steps: 1) List it to disk 2) Load it with Word 3) Save it as a PDF ... I like it! Test Document.pdf 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globeron Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 I played with this less than 5 minutes ago, damn Tursi, this is SLICK! Now if I could just find a font that looked like a real dot matrix printout.... Three easy steps: 1) List it to disk 2) Load it with Word 3) Save it as a PDF ... I like it! I like it also that's the main purpose (to PDF listings)! but I was wondering what if there is a program that need to print to RS232 directly? (I cannot think of it 1-2-3, maybe text editors, Multiplan, TI-emulators ?) but I would not use the TI for these, but it might be that there are disks stored in these formats, then the output can be printed to PDF. e.g. I have databases in "PR-BASE" to be printed) Currently I see the support in TI-99/4w with TIPRINT (and the MESS/MAME, but did not try it out yet, I have Direct x problems with the latest MAME version) Also I also learnt for V9T9, you also can do a nice print (in the Linux version it is set already, but for the Windows version you need to select "RS232/PIO" then it outputs it in matrix format. btw.... if someone knows an easy way to copy and paste screenshots in this AtariAge forum, it makes it much easier to show examples!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globeron Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 I played with this less than 5 minutes ago, damn Tursi, this is SLICK! Now if I could just find a font that looked like a real dot matrix printout.... Three easy steps: 1) List it to disk 2) Load it with Word 3) Save it as a PDF ... I like it! Matrix example (v9T9 latest version 2 July 2015), make sure that you use RS232PIO http://www.globeron.com/freedownload/services/TI99/V9T9-PrintTest-MatrixFormat.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+InsaneMultitasker Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 I use MESS - I mount a file (.txt) to the parallel port then print whatever I want to PIO. With the Geneve, I use a program called "PRINTME". It adds page numbers and allows you to print one or more files by using wildcards. Very handy since I often print source code to one giant file for searching and reading. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mizapf Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 What version of MESS are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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