[comp.sys.hp] HP-86 to DOS ???

vanness@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu (Van Ness Alan) (07/12/90)

Help,

   Does anyone know how I can get files from an HP-86 to an IBM-PC
(a DOS format that is).  I am a programmer familiar with DOS and
BASIC (not HP's).  I know nothing about the internals of the HP-86
(it belongs to a friend).  I'm hoping that there is a program I
can run on the HP that can write files to a floppy in a DOS format.
I would also be interested to learn about any HP-86 user groups
or libraries.  Email responses would probably be best.

Thanks,

Alan VanNess
vanness@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu
(301) 498-4056 - home
(301) 993-7602 - work

mikef@hp-ptp.HP.COM (Mike_Forman) (07/13/90)

Disclaimer first--I have not tried this, but it should work.

You can connect the HP 86 HP-IB output to a GP-IB (HP-IB) card on
a PC compatible.  The HP HP-IB device library can be used to
write a BASIC program that takes ASCII data from HP-IB into
memory and stores it on disk.

The 86 would LIST it's program to HP-IB, just as if it were going
to a printer.  The PC reads from its HP-IB.  

Only one of the cards can be set to "system controller", and there
will be a few trial and error runs to get it going.  However, I did
the same thing to transfer program files from the HP 9825 to the
9826, and it worked just fine.

Hope this gets you going in the right direction.

Mike Forman
HP Workstation Group

The opinions expressed above are my own, and they do not reflect
HP's official position.

steveg@hpcvnb.CV.HP.COM (Steven_Grant) (07/17/90)

/ hpcvnb:comp.sys.hp / vanness@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu (Van Ness Alan) /  5:26 pm  Jul 11, 1990 /


>Help,
>
>   Does anyone know how I can get files from an HP-86 to an IBM-PC
>(a DOS format that is).  I am a programmer familiar with DOS and
>BASIC (not HP's).  I know nothing about the internals of the HP-86
>(it belongs to a friend).  I'm hoping that there is a program I
>can run on the HP that can write files to a floppy in a DOS format.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert on these things and in no way am I 
            representing HP in the following statements.

Although I don't claim to be an expert I have spent many an hour behind
an HP-86/87 keyboard.  I also had the need to transfer files from the 
HP-86 to DOS format and ran across a handy program for doing it.
I had great success in transfering data files from my 86 to DOS format
and then into Lotus123.  I can't give you a copy because of copyright
laws but I can point you to the writers and maybe you can still get a
copy from them.  The program is called  SWAP.                   
                "SMART BACKUP"     (c) Copyright 1984 All rights reserved.
                A.G.W. Inc. 
                Box 3103 Albany NY  12203
                518-482-9023

Good Luck!                        
              Steven Grant
              (503) 750-2177