Help SIO2PC: Save from Atari

[AtariDisk]

Using the SIO2PC, is it possible to save BASIC programs from my Atari 800XL to PC? I can send ATR images from PC to Atari, but can it go other way round? Do I need DOS or something? Thanks, sorry if this seems like a silly question

[+DrVenkman]

Yes, you can, provided you have an .ATR disk image file mounted in whatever interface software you use on your PC (I recommend RespeQt if you aren't already using it, or if you haven't paid for something like APE). But anyway, most - maybe all - interface software on the computer can be used to create a new, empty .ATR file. Mount that empty file in your software as D2: or something, then boot your Atari with another .ATR in D1: that contains whatever DOS you want. Back in the day I used Atari DOS 2.5 like millions of others. Today there are many different options, most of which as vastly more powerful. But whichever DOS you use, boot from that DOS as D1:. Once you're up and running, use it to format the blank, empty .ATR you created early and mounted as D2:. Once that new .ATR is formatted, use it however you like. Save files to it, load files from it, whatever.

[charliecron]

How you gonna name yourself AtariDisk and then go and ask a question like that.

[Kyle22]

Using the SIO2PC, is it possible to save BASIC programs from my Atari 800XL to PC? I can send ATR images from PC to Atari, but can it go other way round? Do I need DOS or something? Thanks, sorry if this seems like a silly question

SAVE "D:FILENAME.EXT"

LOAD "D:FILENAME.EXT"

 

You did boot DOS first, right?

 

Welcome to AtariAge, and be sure to RTFM

[AtariDisk]

SAVE "D:FILENAME.EXT"

LOAD "D:FILENAME.EXT"

 

You did boot DOS first, right?

 

Welcome to AtariAge, and be sure to RTFM

Thanks, sorry, I'm really new to all this, and my naming skills aren't the most imaginative. I've since found an instruction manual, but every time I save as you instructed, even with a correctly formatted .ATR is just throws up ERROR-130. What've I done wrong? I booted DOS2 and used it to format the disk. I then reset atari into BASIC and made tiny program before trying to save, and failing

[+Stephen]

Thanks, sorry, I'm really new to all this, and my naming skills aren't the most imaginative. I've since found an instruction manual, but every time I save as you instructed, even with a correctly formatted .ATR is just throws up ERROR-130. What've I done wrong? I booted DOS2 and used it to format the disk. I then reset atari into BASIC and made tiny program before trying to save, and failing

How did you "reset the atari into BASIC"? If you powered it down, you wipe out DOS. From the DOS menu, invoke the BASIC cartridge via "B" on the menu. Error 130 means "device doesn't exist".

[AtariDisk]

How did you "reset the atari into BASIC"? If you powered it down, you wipe out DOS. From the DOS menu, invoke the BASIC cartridge via "B" on the menu. Error 130 means "device doesn't exist".

Sorry, I meant reset the atari, I'm using an 800xl, so when I reset it it goes to BASIC. I don't have a BASIC cartridge so that does nothing. Thanks for your time

[+DrVenkman]

How did you "reset the atari into BASIC"? If you powered it down, you wipe out DOS. From the DOS menu, invoke the BASIC cartridge via "B" on the menu. Error 130 means "device doesn't exist".

 

 

Okay, try again - boot the machine with a DOS disk in the drive. Are you hearing the SIO beeps indicating the drive is loading? Great. At the BASIC READY prompt, type DOS and get to the DOS menu. Once it's up, select B - Run Cartridge to get back to BASIC.

 

If all that is working, you should be able to type in your program and save it. Now the next question. How are you saving the program? In BASIC you need to type out the whole file spec, surrounded by quotes. For instance, something like SAVE "D:TEST.BAS"

[Roydea6]

Sorry, I meant reset the atari, I'm using an 800xl, so when I reset it it goes to BASIC. I don't have a BASIC cartridge so that does nothing. Thanks for your time

after the READY prompt type DOS to see the DUP.SYS screen. Press the 'A' key and RETURN key to see the directory the FREE SECTORS is still higher than 10 or so, Then press the 'B' to get back to basic or cartridge, and you should be able to type you basic program (remember to add line numbers) and enter to save line to memory when complete the do the SAVE or LIST "D:FILENAME.BAS" SAVE is for tokenized basic a BAS file, and LIST is for Atascii a text and readable listing LST.

[Kyle22]

Also note that the two ways of saving a file are not compatible with each other. They each have their benefits.

 

If you SAVE"D:FILE.SAV" then you LOAD"D:FILE.SAV"

If you LIST"D:FILE.LST" then you ENTER"D:FILE.LST"

 

I like to keep the extenders different, such as SAV for a saved BASIC file, and .LST for a listed BASIC file. That helps to avoid errors.