[comp.sys.mac.misc] Apple File Exchange

gupthaba@aludra.usc.edu (Suresha Guptha B. A) (09/11/90)

Hi there,
	I have a problem using apple file exchange. Whenever I insert a disk 
with MS DOS format, apple file exchange won't recognize the disk format.  
However if I use the same disk with an IBM, I have no problem in reading the 
contents of that disk.  Any help in this matter would be highly appreciated.

	Thanks in advance.

- Suresh
suresh@macpost.caltech.edu
gsb@bach.caltech.edu

russotto@eng.umd.edu (Matthew T. Russotto) (09/11/90)

In article <11907@chaph.usc.edu> gupthaba@aludra.usc.edu (Suresha Guptha B. A) writes:
>Hi there,
>	I have a problem using apple file exchange. Whenever I insert a disk 
>with MS DOS format, apple file exchange won't recognize the disk format.  
>However if I use the same disk with an IBM, I have no problem in reading the 
>contents of that disk.  Any help in this matter would be highly appreciated.

My guess would be that you have a computer lacking a SuperDrive (FDHD).
The Superdrive is included with the Mac IIx, IIcx, IIci, SE/30, and IIfx.  It
is not included with the Mac Plus or Mac II, and newer SEs have it.

philip@pescadero.Stanford.EDU (Philip Machanick) (09/12/90)

In article <1990Sep10.211033.15098@eng.umd.edu>, russotto@eng.umd.edu
(Matthew T. Russotto) writes:
> In article <11907@chaph.usc.edu> gupthaba@aludra.usc.edu (Suresha
Guptha B. A) writes:
> >Hi there,
> >	I have a problem using apple file exchange. Whenever I insert a disk 
> >with MS DOS format, apple file exchange won't recognize the disk format.  
> >However if I use the same disk with an IBM, I have no problem in
reading the 
> >contents of that disk.  Any help in this matter would be highly appreciated.
> 
> My guess would be that you have a computer lacking a SuperDrive (FDHD).
> The Superdrive is included with the Mac IIx, IIcx, IIci, SE/30, and IIfx.  It
> is not included with the Mac Plus or Mac II, and newer SEs have it.
Another possibility: most IBM clones will allow you to format a HD diskette
as 360K or 720K. Apple File Exchange will refuse to accept that such a
diskette can be formatted at anything less than 1.4M.

Philip Machanick
philip@pescadero.stanford.edu

marc@Apple.COM (Mark Dawson) (09/12/90)

In article <1990Sep11.175832.13343@Neon.Stanford.EDU> philip@pescadero.stanford.edu writes:
>In article <1990Sep10.211033.15098@eng.umd.edu>, russotto@eng.umd.edu
>(Matthew T. Russotto) writes:
>> In article <11907@chaph.usc.edu> gupthaba@aludra.usc.edu (Suresha
>Guptha B. A) writes:
>> >Hi there,
>> >	I have a problem using apple file exchange. Whenever I insert a disk 
>> >with MS DOS format, apple file exchange won't recognize the disk format.  
>> >However if I use the same disk with an IBM, I have no problem in
>reading the 
>> >contents of that disk.  Any help in this matter would be highly appreciated.
>> 
>> My guess would be that you have a computer lacking a SuperDrive (FDHD).
>> The Superdrive is included with the Mac IIx, IIcx, IIci, SE/30, and IIfx.  It
>> is not included with the Mac Plus or Mac II, and newer SEs have it.
This would be my guess also.  

>Another possibility: most IBM clones will allow you to format a HD diskette
>as 360K or 720K. Apple File Exchange will refuse to accept that such a
>diskette can be formatted at anything less than 1.4M.
>
I don't know if AFE can read 360K disks, but I've never had any trouble using
AFE on 720K 3.5" disks (of course, that was about 1 1/2 yrs ago, but I can't
believe that feature would have been deleted).

Mark


-- 
---------------------------------
Mark Dawson                Service Diagnostic Engineering
AppleLink: Dawson.M

Apple says what it says; I say what I say.  We're different
---------------------------------

userDJMA@mts.ucs.UAlberta.CA (Douglas James Martin) (09/13/90)

In article <44727@apple.Apple.COM>, marc@Apple.COM (Mark Dawson) writes:
>>
>I don't know if AFE can read 360K disks, but I've never had any trouble using
>AFE on 720K 3.5" disks (of course, that was about 1 1/2 yrs ago, but I can't
>believe that feature would have been deleted).
>
>Mark
>
You misunderstood slightly, I think.
HD diskettes have an extra hole opposite the write-protect hole.
If you want to read a disk in a Superdrive (as well as many but
not all other HD drives), the format MUST correspond to the
presence/absence of the hole (i.e. 1.44 Meg format is required
if you have the hole, it is forbidden if you don't). The problem
arises if you format a disk using a drive that does not have this
requirement and you do something like format a HD disk for 720K
or a DD disk for 1.44Meg -- your Superdrive won't read it because
the disk format doesn't correspond to the presence/absence of the
hole.
 
Douglas Martin
Printing Services
University of Alberta
1-403-492-4246 (work)    1-403-439-1939 (home)

marc@Apple.COM (Mark Dawson) (09/13/90)

In article <1325@mts.ucs.UAlberta.CA> userDJMA@mts.ucs.UAlberta.CA (Douglas James Martin) writes:
>In article <44727@apple.Apple.COM>, marc@Apple.COM (Mark Dawson) writes:
>>>
>>I don't know if AFE can read 360K disks, but I've never had any trouble using
>>AFE on 720K 3.5" disks (of course, that was about 1 1/2 yrs ago, but I can't
>>believe that feature would have been deleted).
>>
>>Mark
>>
>You misunderstood slightly, I think.
>HD diskettes have an extra hole opposite the write-protect hole.
>If you want to read a disk in a Superdrive (as well as many but
>not all other HD drives), the format MUST correspond to the
>presence/absence of the hole (i.e. 1.44 Meg format is required
>if you have the hole, it is forbidden if you don't). The problem
>arises if you format a disk using a drive that does not have this
>requirement and you do something like format a HD disk for 720K
>or a DD disk for 1.44Meg -- your Superdrive won't read it because
>the disk format doesn't correspond to the presence/absence of the
>hole.
> 
Well, I wasn't using a SuperDrive to read the disks, I was using a regular
"800K" Mac drive; I've never tried to use a 720K formatted HD diskette in
a SuperDrive (that I remember).  FYI I was using Kennect's Rapport (I developed
the Mac software/drivers for it) to be able to read the 720K format on the
regular drives (that was 1 1/2yrs ago, so my memory is a little hazy...).

Mark


-- 
---------------------------------
Mark Dawson                Service Diagnostic Engineering
AppleLink: Dawson.M

Apple says what it says; I say what I say.  We're different
---------------------------------

jeff@hpspdra.HP.COM (Jeff Gibson) (09/13/90)

Being really cheap (and broke, to boot), I'm wondering if there is any
possible way to read DOS formatted, 720K floppies in my standard, MAC+
internal 800K drive without having to dish out $250 for an external FDHD
disk drive.

From the gist of this notestring, I sense that it might be possible with
some software, etc.  I would especially like to be able to transfer
binary files, as well as some Ascii stuff, from my PC at work to my MAC
at home.

Am I really off base here, or is there some possible approach?


Thanks-
Jeff Gibson
HP Palo Alto, CA
email jeff@hpspdra.HP.COM

marc@Apple.COM (Mark Dawson) (09/14/90)

In article <21480005@hpspdra.HP.COM> jeff@hpspdra.HP.COM (Jeff Gibson) writes:
>
>Being really cheap (and broke, to boot), I'm wondering if there is any
>possible way to read DOS formatted, 720K floppies in my standard, MAC+
>internal 800K drive without having to dish out $250 for an external FDHD
>disk drive.
>
>From the gist of this notestring, I sense that it might be possible with
>some software, etc.  I would especially like to be able to transfer
>binary files, as well as some Ascii stuff, from my PC at work to my MAC
>at home.
>
>Am I really off base here, or is there some possible approach?
>
>
I think you're a little off base.  First, you can't connect a FDHD drive
to a Mac+, and read FDHD disks (or 720K IBM disks)--you need to be using
a SWIM (Super Wozniak Integrated Machine or Sanders-Wozniak Integrated Machine
<depends on your Apple politics>) chip to do this, and the MAC+ doesn't have
one (and I don't think you can upgrade to one).

There is a product, "Rapport" (Kennect, Inc.) that attaches to the disk port
at the back of your Mac, and DOES allow you to read 720K disks in your
Mac+ internal drive.  I believe it sells for $200-$250 (maybe less?).

Mark

-- 
---------------------------------
Mark Dawson                Service Diagnostic Engineering
AppleLink: Dawson.M

Apple says what it says; I say what I say.  We're different
---------------------------------

hnewstrom@x102c.harris-atd.com (Harvey Newstrom) (10/30/90)

I know how to use Apple File Exchange to read disks from DOS, Apple II, and
ProDOS into my Mac.  Are there any other disk exchange formats available?
If so, where can I find them?  If not, is there any way  to read the disk
directly, sector by sector, and then try to write my own?

Specifically, I need to read 800K disks produced by a Panasonic WordProcessor
machine.  It has a built in printer, but no printer port and no means to
out put data.  It does store data on 800K disks, but they are not in any
format recognized by the Apple File Exchange.
__
Harvey Newstrom      hnewstrom@x102c.ess.harris.com       uunet!x102c!hnewstrom
(407)727-5176  FAX:(407)727-5118   P.O.Box 37; M/S 15/8873; Melbourne, FL 32902

carsup@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU (Fisher Library support) (11/06/90)

In article <4683@trantor.harris-atd.com> hnewstrom@x102c.ess.harris.com (Harvey Newstrom) writes:
>I know how to use Apple File Exchange to read disks from DOS, Apple II, and
>ProDOS into my Mac.  Are there any other disk exchange formats available?
>If so, where can I find them?  If not, is there any way  to read the disk
>directly, sector by sector, and then try to write my own?
>
>Specifically, I need to read 800K disks produced by a Panasonic WordProcessor
>machine.  It has a built in printer, but no printer port and no means to
>out put data.  It does store data on 800K disks, but they are not in any
>format recognized by the Apple File Exchange.
>__
>Harvey Newstrom      hnewstrom@x102c.ess.harris.com       uunet!x102c!hnewstrom
>(407)727-5176  FAX:(407)727-5118   P.O.Box 37; M/S 15/8873; Melbourne, FL 32902

When you say 800K, do you merely mean 3.5" DD?  Just wondering if it is DOS
readable.  Otherwise, if it is of a proprietory format, may I suggest you print
the files out, scan them into mac readable (readible?) files, and then sell
the Panasonic WP.  I presume there are *no* output ports whatsoever on the WP?

****    My employers ignore me, I'm on my own when I speak out in public   ****
Norton Chia	||  My address is carsup@extro.ucc.su.oz.au
Micro Support	||	"When are they going to put in built-in spell-chequers"	
*******************************************************************************

toepke@cis.ohio-state.edu (kevin michael toepke) (04/25/91)

	I have a friend that just converted from the IBM world to the Mac world
Just one problem. He has some text files on MS-DOS disks that she *NEEDS*.
Enter me. I have a Mac SE with a superdirve and Apple File exchange. The 
problem. When I insert a disk formatted by DOS 2.1 when I'm in AFC I get the
dialog box:
	/--------------------------------------------\
	I /---\	 Apple File Exchange cannot 	     I
	I |   |	 read this disk. Do you want to      I
	I \---/	 initialize it?                      I
	I  					     I
	I  * 400k	/-----------------------\    I
	I  * 800k	| Macintosh		|    I
	I  * 720k	| MS-DOS		|    I
	I  		| ProDOS		|    I
	I		\-----------------------/    I
	I					     I
	I		Initialize	Eject	     I
	\--------------------------------------------/
My question. Am I doing anything wrong, or is it a problem/incompatability 
with AFC/DOS2.1.
	E-mail will be appreciated.
	I will summarize if I get enough responses, requests for info.
Thanks - CRASH

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lurifax@diku.dk (Michael Brian Moustgaard) (06/27/91)

Hello everybody

I`m new in the Mac-world, and have just heard about

Apple File Exchange. What is it, can it put the PC-files

in a Apple readable format ?

  If not how can it be done ?



  Zillion thanks in advance, Michael (lurifax@freja.diku.dk)