StreathamBen
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Transfering files via IR between SIBO and EPOCHi all.
I wonder if anyone can help.
I still use my SIBO devices (3a/3mx and Sienna) along with EPOC macines. There was a program that permitted beaming a file from a SIBO device to an EPOC, but it is shareware and crippled to the extent that it is unusable for me (max file size only a few Kb). Unsurprisingly, I'm finding it hard to get it registered...
Does anyone know of a pair of programs (one for EPOC, one for SIBO) that would allow me to beam text (.txt) files up to at least 200kB between the 2 platforms? I have plBeam on my EPOC devices - is there a piece of software for SIBO that can talk to plBeam?
Or, as a last resort, is there any way I can make my external SSD drive work with an EPOC machine?
(Otherwise, the only way I can transfer is via a PC...)
Any help with this would be gratefully appreciated.
Many thanks in advance.
Ben.
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StreathamBen
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I found a crude, but effective solution to my problem of sending documents between SIBO and EPOC devices without a PC.
If anyone's interested, I joined the serial cables from the 2 machines with a null-modem adaptor (and a 9-way gender changer) and then ran the Comms function on both machines to send the files both ways.
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Kees vd Straten
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Thank you for this clever solution.
Kees.
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JonB
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DittoI tried for many months on this problem, my only solution was the wired null modem adaptor method too...
It's amazing what you can do in a lab during a boring electronics lecture 
Only thing is I never managed to use the EPOC device to "do" anything as I could only use the File Manager on the SIBO device to transfer things, have you found a way for the EPOC end to be "in control"?
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StreathamBen
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Re: Ditto | Kees vd Straten wrote: | | Thank you for this clever solution. |
Thanks Kees.
| JonB wrote: | I tried for many months on this problem, my only solution was the wired null modem adaptor method too...
It's amazing what you can do in a lab during a boring electronics lecture
Only thing is I never managed to use the EPOC device to "do" anything as I could only use the File Manager on the SIBO device to transfer things, have you found a way for the EPOC end to be "in control"? |
Jon, no lectures (boring or otherwise) for me, so I did it during a boring afternoon in the office instead. (Bonus marks for me for getting paid whilst playing with my Psions when I was supposed to be doing something else...)
I've not experimented too much with the control side of things yet. So far, I'm happy just to be able to move large chunks of text between SIBO and EPOC machines without a PC. The method I use works in any direction, between any two Psion machines. I've not tested it on an Osaris or Geofox yet, but it works fine on an Acorn 
Once the two machines are connected, make sure the settings in Comms are the same on both devices. The menus are slightly different in EPOC and SIBO but the same options are available in both systems. I found best success with the "ASCII" protocol. I had trouble using the faster baud rates (not an issue when one machine is an S3 Classic, but if you're transferring between a 3mx and a 5mx, set both machines to use 19200 if you're having problems..) Data bits: 8 Stop bits: 1 Parity: None. XON/XOFF: checked. RTS/CTS, DSR/DTR and DCD all unchecked. Remember to set the exact same settings on both devices. You'll know when you are connected OK, because whatever you type on one machine's keyboard will appear on the OTHER computer's screen.
To transfer data, select "Capture to file" on the receiving machine, enter the target filename and press ENTER. Then on the sending machine, select "send file" from the menu. You'll see the text appear on the receiving machine. Once all the text has been sent, uncheck the "Capture to file" setting on the receive machine to close the new file.
I've not tried much to send EPOC documents with this method yet. My principal interest was 2-way transfer of .txt files. I'd love to hear of other people's experiences.
The interesting thing about this is it works between any two machines, SIBO or EPOC. I have tested it with various combinations of the following, all with success: S3 Classic, S3a, S3c, S3mx, Sienna, S5 Classic, S5mx, Revo, Netbook.
There's no "Comms" app on a Sienna, but if you have a S3/S3a and a 3-link cable, you can copy the files from "C:\" on the S3 when the link cable is connected, either to a PC or to an SSD. Just copy the files from there into the same directories on the "M:\" drive of a Sienna, and install as normal.
The other missing "Comms" app is on Revos. Psion never made one as far as I'm aware. There is a freeware version available on the internet however, which is an exact copy of the programme on other ER5 machines. (You can also get Sketch and OPL and Spell for Revo...)
Let me know if you'd like to see any screenshots/photos of the process...
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JonB
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EPOC from SIBOIf you're doing this process from the 3c or 3mx (I think they're the only ones with the File Manager app) then it makes the process easier, either connected to a PC or EPOC device.
Connect 'em up, null modem method and start the PC link over Serial at the same baud on 'em both.
Open the File Manager app on the SIBO end. Locations in SIBO are of the sort LOC::M:\ for internal, LOC::A:\ for SSD A etc, but you can also select remote drives.
Set one pane to REM::C:\ for PC/EPOC main drive etc, this allows you to just copy and move files as if they were an onboard drive. Obv on a s3 classic without the app you can't, unless someone knows of a fileman app similar to the real SIBO one.
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StreathamBen
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That's great, Jon. A lot more user-friendly. And you can copy in both directions, either copying to or pasting from the rem::c: drive. The only problem, as you mention, is the lack of a suitable file-manager on the s3, s3a and sienna. 3T is a fine app, but it doesn't help us here.
The ability to view another (connected) machine's files as "native" seems to be pretty unique to SIBO. There just doesn't seem to be any equivalent in EPOC. (I assume that's why PsiWin has the "Allow Series 3 to view PC files" option, but there's nothing for EPOC machines.) Jon's method allows transfer in both directions, so it's not an issue as long as one of your two machines is a 3c or a 3mx.
I'm going to experiment with OPL to see if I can bodge-up a simple app to do the same job for a S3a, S3 Classic and Sienna. "rem::" and "loc::" paths don't seem to work in OPL programmes on EPOC machines, but they're fine in SIBO.
Incidentally, if you're using the ugly method described 2 posts above and not Jon's simpler system, you'll need to turn the link setting off on both machines before launching the Comms app.
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JonB
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EPOCNo I can say for certain there's no EPOC way of viewing remote file systems, I had a LOT of those boring electronics lectures.
I did read somewhere you can do this in OPL but I never figured a way to impliment it, anyone a good s3 programmer??
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StreathamBen
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Re: EPOC | JonB wrote: | | No I can say for certain there's no EPOC way of viewing remote file systems, I had a LOT of those boring electronics lectures. |
At least some good seems to have come from those lectures, Jon! Thanks for all your advice.
I've got no idea how to get an EPOC device to see files on an attached machine. I'm just still overjoyed that I can finally send text documents "on the fly" between SIBO and EPOC machines.
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