TRANSFERING FILES BETWEEN THE M100 AND THE IBM PC When I purchased my M100 a week ago, the RS salesman assured me that I could easily transfer text files directly from the M100 to my IBM PC, provided I had a serial port on the PC, a null modem and cable, and communications software for the PC. This turned out to be only partly true, but with much help from folks on the SIGs, I can report three ways of accomplishing such transfers. First, hardware requirements. You will need a serial port on your PC or clone; it can be either COM1: or COM2:. You can get a null modem for $29.95 from RS, although I am told it is possible to use 70 cents' worth of wire and alligator clips to provide the connection instead. I leave that to hackers. The cable you will need should be a "standard 9-line EIA extension cable," with DB25 connectors on either end. Since the PC's serial port is "male," and the M100's is "female," the cable should be male on one end and female on the other. You should attach the null modem directly to the PC's serial port, then use the cable to connect the null modem to the M100's RS232 port. COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE METHOD The simplest method of transfer is to use the communications software that you already use on your PC, provided it has a "terminal" mode. Unfortunately, I have been using SmartCom, which does not have such a mode--it will only work with a telephone connection. Other programs, such as Crosstalk and PCTB (available for downloading on PCS-131) do have such a mode. I have tried this using PCTB. You must go to the "program defaults" screen to set the baud rate, parity, data bits, and stop bits you want to use, and also the communications port (COM1: or COM2:). Since you are using a hard-wired connection, there is no reason not to use 9600 baud. A setting of 9600, even parity, 7 data bits, and 1 stop bit corresponds to the M100's "stat" setting of 87E1E. Your next step is to put the M100 in Telcom, set the "stat"s to correspond with the communications parameters that you've set on the PC (see page 86 of the manual for help with this), then enter "terminal" mode. Back to the PC, you need merely issue the command for "receive file" ( or in PCTB) and answer the prompt for file name; then back to the M100, issue "upload" , and poof, it's done. When the "up" symbol returns to regular display, the transfer is complete. You can then exit from PCTB (or similar program) and view your file. USING DOS COMMANDS Various of my advisors seemed to think it was possible to use DOS commands to effect a simple text file transfer from the M100 to the PC. In the end, the DOS solution seemed to work only in transferring *from* the PC to the M100. The way to do this is: first, you must initialize your com port with DOS's MODE command. Syntax is MODE [port][baud rate],[parity],[data bits],[stop bits]. Usual would be: MODE COM1:9600,E,7,1 (again, same as 87E1E on the M100). Set the M100 to download, then issue the DOS command: COPY filename.ext COM1: (or AUX). I got pretty good transfers this way, though I did tend to lose the final character from my files. This procedure does not work in the other direction; i.e., COPY COM1: filename.ext will give you an error message. Something to do with the timing, I am told. A SMALL BASIC PROGRAM Several folks offered me short, simple BASIC programs to effect the transfer from the M100 without needing fancy communications software on the PC. The most workable solution--a five line program--came from Fred Foss (ppn 70107,1326). This program is to run on the PC; the M100 works just fine in its terminal mode. Again, you will need to set the "stat"s to correspond with the communications parameters sent to the PC's serial port in the first line of the program; the sample below uses 1200 baud, equivalent to 57E1E on the M100. 10 OPEN "COM1:1200,E,7,1,RS,CS,DS,CD" AS #1 20 OPEN "FILENAME.EXT" FOR OUTPUT AS #2 30 INPUT#1, A$ 40 PRINT#2, A$ 50 GOTO 30 This program is a closed loop. Run it from the PC, then issue the upload from the M100. When the transfer is complete (as indicated by the M100's "UP" returning to normal display), you will need to issue on the PC to break out of the loop. You should then issue CLOSE , to be sure to capture whatever might have been left in the buffer. This program works just fine; the output will be strangely formatted, rather like concrete poetry, but it will all be there. If you are handly with BASIC, you should be able to substitute line 20 with a prompt for a variable filename. I hope this information is useful to others, who like me, use the M100 as an auxiliary to a desk computer. Please let me know if I have been unclear in places; will be glad to try to help. Joan Friedman (75106,3014)