sneakers@heimat.UUCP (Dan "Sneakers" Schein) (01/12/89)
[ Wanted: A line eater that works! ]
Does anyone know of an AUX: like device that uses the PARALLEL port instead of
the SERIAL port?!?
Why? I have two Amiga 2000's sitting here, both using the serial ports (one
running a BBS 24 hrs, the other running UUCP 3-4 hrs). What id like to do is
run a cable between the PARALLEL port of both machines (similar to a RS-232
null modem cable). Then using an AUX: like device and special terminal prog-
ram access machine B from machine A.
Possible? Hell if I know, thats why I asked you :-). Im open to suggestions,
comments, and or code samples.
I know this method is limited by allowing for only one way communications
with no file transfer, but thats all I need. My desk is just too small for
2 keyboards and 2 monitors!
--
Dan "Sneakers" Schein {pyramid|rutgers|uunet}!cbmvax!heimat!sneakers
Sneakers Computing
2455 McKinley Ave. Of course heimat is an Amiga.
West Lawn, PA 19609 Doesn't everyone run UUCP & UseNet on an Amiga?
Call: BERKS AMIGA BBS - 60+ Megs - 24 Hrs - 12/2400 Baud - 215/678-7691Andrew@cup.portal.com (andrew scott lagodzinski) (01/14/89)
>[ Wanted: A line eater that works! ] > > Does anyone know of an AUX: like device that uses the PARALLEL port instead of > the SERIAL port?!? [ Line Eater, YUM! ] > >-- >Dan "Sneakers" Schein {pyramid|rutgers|uunet}!cbmvax!heimat!sneakers >Sneakers Computing >2455 McKinley Ave. Of course heimat is an Amiga. >West Lawn, PA 19609 Doesn't everyone run UUCP & UseNet on an Amiga? Don't quote me, but I believe the CNX: handler that runs under ConMan V1.3 will do what you want. Although you may have to write you own device driver (CheapNet.Device??), I have used this with Serial.Device but lacking an ANSI terminal it was of no more use than AUX: so I have been using AUX: . The Parallel.device may work for you, but you would have to write to William S. Hawes for all the details. Andrew@Cup.Portal.Com
scotty@ziggy.UUCP (Scott Drysdale) (01/14/89)
In article <5748.AA5748@heimat> sneakers@heimat.UUCP (Dan "Sneakers" Schein) writes: >[ Wanted: A line eater that works! ] > > Does anyone know of an AUX: like device that uses the PARALLEL port instead of > the SERIAL port?!? > > Why? I have two Amiga 2000's sitting here, both using the serial ports (one > running a BBS 24 hrs, the other running UUCP 3-4 hrs). What id like to do is > run a cable between the PARALLEL port of both machines (similar to a RS-232 > null modem cable). Then using an AUX: like device and special terminal prog- > ram access machine B from machine A. ... > I know this method is limited by allowing for only one way communications > with no file transfer, but thats all I need. My desk is just too small for > 2 keyboards and 2 monitors! i have some sample code that allows me to connect the parallel port of my amiga to that of an ibm clone (with single cut, single jumper mod to the ibm parallel card) so that the amiga can use the pc's hard disk. the speed i was getting wasn't awesome (slightly faster than a floppy through the filesystem, or around 25K per second), but it worked (*). the ibm parallel port needed fix so it would play bidirectionally. the amiga parallel port code is in the form of a device driver, but the actual read/write to the parallel port is easily extracted. (*) - i had one problem with it, and the folks at CATS couldn't help me on this one - i get access to the parallel port with the proper resource mechanisms, and everything's fine for a few minutes, then SOMETHING reprograms one of the bits normally assigned for centronics handshaking (which i'm using as a bidirectional line) to be an input or output only (forget which). if i disable interrupts around the parallell transfer part and reprogram the CIA then transfer and reenable interrupts, it works - but of course the serial port, mouse, etc get unacceptably jerky. anyways - interested? --Scotty > > >-- >Dan "Sneakers" Schein {pyramid|rutgers|uunet}!cbmvax!heimat!sneakers >Sneakers Computing >2455 McKinley Ave. Of course heimat is an Amiga. >West Lawn, PA 19609 Doesn't everyone run UUCP & UseNet on an Amiga? > > Call: BERKS AMIGA BBS - 60+ Megs - 24 Hrs - 12/2400 Baud - 215/678-7691
elg@killer.DALLAS.TX.US (Eric Green) (01/14/89)
in article <5748.AA5748@heimat>, sneakers@heimat.UUCP (Dan "Sneakers" Schein) says: > Why? I have two Amiga 2000's sitting here, both using the serial ports (one > running a BBS 24 hrs, the other running UUCP 3-4 hrs). What id like to do is > run a cable between the PARALLEL port of both machines (similar to a RS-232 > null modem cable). Then using an AUX: like device and special terminal prog- > ram access machine B from machine A. I just looked at the schematics in the back of my A500 manual, and it's quite possible indeed. Almost all the pins on the parallel port are connected straight to the CIA I/O pins, meaning they're bi-directional. Including things like "Paper Out", etc. You could easily do something like, say: use 8 pins for data input/output. Use Strobe/Ack for clocking the bytes (suitably cross-wired cable, since at first glance one appears to be hardwired interrupt-producing input & one hardwired output). Use, HMM, BUSY for direction turnaround (since this is a half-duplex port, after all). Set up a suitable low-level protocol. Use DNET or something like that, for the higher-level protocol. Presto. Can at least transfer files that way, I don't know about other stuff. Hardware, then, is fairly simple. For software, would have to write a network.device which grabbed the printer port from the parallel.device, have something wedged into the interrupt chain to handle handshaking, and then, if desired, a Dos-level handler a' la AUX:. I have two Amigae here, too, so I'll have to take a look & see exactly how difficult it'd be. I need to learn how to write device drivers anyhow... I've done something of the sort before on the 64, but the Amiga is no 64. > I know this method is limited by allowing for only one way communications > with no file transfer, but thats all I need. My desk is just too small for > 2 keyboards and 2 monitors! The only limit would be that offered by your networking protocol. As for the problem with your desk, I had the same problem. When we went house hunting, one priority was a whole room just for the computers & electronics junk. We thought we'd never use that much space... three walls covered with rough plywood tables (~$30 total), & a ton of shelves. Maybe two square inches of surface are visible now. -- Eric Lee Green ..!{ames,decwrl,mit-eddie,osu-cis}!killer!elg Snail Mail P.O. Box 92191 Lafayette, LA 70509 Netter A: In Hell they run VMS. Netter B: No. In Hell, they run MS-DOS. And you only get 256k.
aaron@madnix.UUCP (Aaron Avery) (01/14/89)
In article <5748.AA5748@heimat> sneakers@heimat.UUCP (Dan "Sneakers" Schein) writes: > Why? I have two Amiga 2000's sitting here, both using the serial ports (one > running a BBS 24 hrs, the other running UUCP 3-4 hrs). What id like to do is > run a cable between the PARALLEL port of both machines (similar to a RS-232 > null modem cable). Then using an AUX: like device and special terminal prog- > ram access machine B from machine A. You could always get some more serial ports!-) > Possible? Hell if I know, thats why I asked you :-). Im open to suggestions, > comments, and or code samples. Well, the code to look at is Andy Finkel's cport-handler on disk 1 from the 88 Philadelphia DevCon. > I know this method is limited by allowing for only one way communications > with no file transfer, but thats all I need. My desk is just too small for > 2 keyboards and 2 monitors! Why can't you use PAR: for this? Is it just due to the lack of an EOF? If so, the above code will probably do you just fine. -- Aaron Avery, ASDG Inc. "A mime is a terrible thing to waste." -- Robin Williams UUCP: {harvard|rutgers|ucbvax}!uwvax!nicmad!madnix!aaron ARPA: madnix!aaron@cs.wisc.edu
shimoda@infohh.rmi.de (Markus Schmidt) (01/18/89)
In article <391@madnix.UUCP> aaron@madnix.UUCP (Aaron Avery) writes: >Well, the code to look at is Andy Finkel's cport-handler on disk 1 from the >88 Philadelphia DevCon. Where can I get this? Thanks Markus
walker@sas.UUCP (Doug Walker) (01/19/89)
In article <5748.AA5748@heimat> sneakers@heimat.UUCP (Dan "Sneakers" Schein) writes: > I know this method is limited by allowing for only one way communications > with no file transfer, but thats all I need. My desk is just too small for > 2 keyboards and 2 monitors! Why is it limited? The interface to the parallel.device is almost identical to the serial.device, the only exception being that you can't set flags that don't make sense in the setup (like bps). I am working on an AmigaDOS device driver to allow you to access another node's devices via some arbitrary communications medium. I certainly would expect the parallel port to be a prime candidate. I have played with it a little and have run into what may be parallel.device bugs, but the hardware is eminently capable of high- speed two-way data transfer. Right now I'm using DNET, but it seems to be a little flaky about dropping my connection. While I'm on the subject: has anybody had the following problem with DNET? 1. Side A writes to an already-open connection. The DWrite returns successfully. 2. Side B, which is doing a DRead (synchronous, not asynchronous read) never gets notified there is any data. 3. Side A, now getting desperate, sends a DNET EOF. 4. Side B never wakes up. 5. Side A terminates DNET. 6. You guessed it, side B never wakes up. DNET itself is up, since I can still initiate new transfers with PUTFILES and the like, but I can't blast that one connection loose short of sending a BREAK signal to the DNET process on side B.