some NanoPeb 101 questions

[newTIboyRob]

Hello everyone, and Happy New Year!  I was graciously, (and I can't emphasize graciously enough), recently given a NanoPeb thanks to the kindness of a really super cool member here on the forum, @FarmerPotato  Wow. Thanks again for this!!!  But as I know very little about it, and since the online manual I found really isn't helping me progress much, I turn to the forum for help.  At this point I am actually just hoping to do a few relatively simple things with it, relatively simple considering what it really can do. I have 5 main questions, so I will put 3 in this post and hold off for the final 2 to come.

 

Let me start with the set up and hook up. Until I can get my monitor working again, I am using an RF box and old tv, and have hooked everything else up to a standard 6 outlet power strip, as follows:  

 

4A console---> Speech Synth ---> Axiom Parallel Printer Interface (it powered by its own barrel plug into the strip) --->Star Printer, and finally the back of the Axiom connected to the NanoPeb which sits last in the chain and is powered by a USB cable into 5V plug which then plugs into the power strip.  

 

I have tested all 4 possible chain order scenarios, adding each one by one, and all worked perfectly through and including the final complete combo above.  [I.E. the speech synth by itself gave me its HELLO using the CALL SAY command with XB cart inserted, the Axiom gave the Star an XB Basic program print out using OPEN #1:"AXIOM" and PRINT #1 statements, etc.]

 

So the set up works nicely, but I would just like to briefly review the power on and off sequence within the chain so I don't damage anything. So my first question:

 

1) Is this powering on and off sequence/order ok:

 

Power On:  Power strip (which supplies power to the Axiom automatically), TV, NanoPeb, TI, Star printer

Power Off:  Exact reverse of above

 

2) I am trying to use the NanoPeb as a replacement for my tape recorder. So I'd like to be able to go into TI BASIC, write a program, save it to one of the NanoPeb volumes instead of the tape recorder, print out the program and load it back in.  All I know is the tape recorder method of  SAVE CS1, follow the tape prompts, VERIFY tape, OLD CS1 to load back in and RUN. I know that the NanoPeb's volumes are basically blank floppy disks, and that the 3 "drives" are DSK1 DSK 2 and DSK 3, but I couldn't quite put all that info together to feel confident.

 

So this brings me to 3 sub-questions here:

 

A)  How do I use the NanoPeb to replace the tape recorder?  [I could only take a stab here,  hoping someone can correct/clarify the following:]

Do I first write the program in TI Basic or XB?  And then do:

 

SAVE DSK1.FILENAME   to save a program in TI Basic to the NanoPeb instead of the tape recorder... ?  (not sure how to assign a volume number/how that comes into play when saving. I'd eventually like to be able to see it on a list of all volumes on say DSK 1)

 

OLD DSK1.FILENAME    to load that program  back from the NanoPeb?   And then RUN ...?

RUN "DSK1.FILENAME" to run a program directly with the XB cart in?

 

B) When and where does CALL MOUNT (1,filename) come into play?  Before writing the program?  After?  N/A? 

C) Are quotes needed anywhere in the above commands?

 

3) Let's say I want to see a catalog type listing of all the volumes on the NanoPeb to see the file names, say the volume I created in TI BASIC earlier. How do you view all the volumes on the NanoPeb and do you need the XB cart in?

Edited January 7 by newTIboyRob

[+Torrax]

QUICK START GUIDE

 

You can keep your XB cart inserted and freely switch between Basic and XB.

With this in mind go to TI Basic first and from the command prompt ">" type the following:

 

CALL UNMOUNT(1)

CALL UNMOUNT(2)

CALL UNMOUNT(3)

 

This will reset DSK1, DSK2, and DSK3 to the defaults of VOL1, VOL2 and VOL3.  Type BYE to quit.

Select "TI Extended basic" and if your CF Card is has been set up properly from the previous

owner XB will load some utils from VOL1.  A copy of this volume should be on the last available

volume number -i.e. VOL391 (320mb CF Card).  Try to leave these two volumes alone, except

when you need to use the utils.  On my CF7+ and NANO I have also kept a copy of this on VOL4.

 

Try starting out by using VOL5 for DSK1.

 

CALL MOUNT(1,5)

 

You can then use OLD CS1 to load and then SAVE DSK1.MYPROGRAM

 

Some of your programs on tape may be too large to transfer.

So from the command prompt you need to type:

 

CALL FILES(1)

NEW

OLD CS1

SAVE DSK1.MYPROGRAM

 

Keep a piece of paper on hand to keep track of what your volumes are.

 

Your NANO/CF+ will keep track of your current mounted volumes with a TI reset or powered off.

 

--------

 

CALL MOUNT(drive-number,volume-number)

   - mount the drive-number with the indicated volume-number

   - i.e. CALL MOUNT(1,16) - mounts DSK1 with VOL016

 

CALL UNMOUNT(drive-number)

   - resets the drive-number to the default volume-number

   - i.e. CALL UNMOUNT(1) - resets DSK1 to VOL001

 

There are more commands and info in the CF+/NANO documentation that should be on-line in PDF form.

 

 

Hope this helps

 

[newTIboyRob]

Thank you @Torrax, I will be sure to try things you explained tomorrow. In your helpful descriptions, you mentioned keeping a piece of paper handy to keep track of my volumes. This kind of relates to my question #3 above... so is there a way, or is there no way, to have the TI list the contents of the NanoPeb volumes while in TI or TI Extended Basic?  This would be great thing, a catalog, to see what all is on it before typing in and saving a program in either basic.

[+Torrax]

Try to keep track of your current mounts, and change only when needed.

This will save wear and tear on CF Card from excessive writes to the dsk mount configs.

 

You got the SAVE, OLD, and RUN down pat there.

 

If you have a XB file named "LOAD" on your volume.  XB will auto load when you select it

from the TI Title screen.

[globeron]

11 minutes ago, newTIboyRob said:

Thank you @Torrax, I will be sure to try things you explained tomorrow. In your helpful descriptions, you mentioned keeping a piece of paper handy to keep track of my volumes. This kind of relates to my question #3 above... so is there a way, or is there no way, to have the TI list the contents of the NanoPeb volumes while in TI or TI Extended Basic?  This would be great thing, a catalog, to see what all is on it before typing in and saving a program in either basic.

To catalog, I used to have a VOL 1  Dksk  in one of the volumes  (and copied a backup just in case this one got corrupted). 

 

NanoPeb dsk files are 400K in size. 

 

 

I also add 2x systems disks with Disk Managers on it.

 

0001-VOL1.dsk

 

0004-System01.dsk

 

0005-System02.dsk

 

 

 

 

 

 

Furthermore:

This is Windows software to look into .dsks (or create disks) -- https://hexbus.com/ti99geek/  - under projects TIDIR)

out of my head use  RUN "DSK1.LOAD"  (from Extended Basic) and then there is a catalog program for all volumes on the NanoPeb. 

 

 

 

 

Disk manager can read DSK1., etc.    (which means that you mounted already NanoPeb volumes to a Dsk)

MGR1 is useful,  load with EA.   (or from Extended Basic with the Load util to run an EA program)

 

 

 

 

 

[WhataKowinkydink]

29 minutes ago, Torrax said:

Try to keep track of your current mounts, and change only when needed.

To that end I keep a small card-sized piece of manila folder with the current mounts jotted down in pencil - when I mount a new volume, that volume number goes on the card adjacent to the corresponding DSK#.

[+Torrax]

The TI Disk Controller ROM does not have a built in catalog routine.  The NANO/CF+ uses a customized

version of this so this is one limitation it lacks.

 

You can type this XB one-liner that was posted by Senior_Falcon and save it to your working volume.

i.e. SAVE DSK3.CAT

 

1 IF B=0 THEN INPUT B::GOTO 1 ELSE C=C+1::OPEN #1:"DSK"&STR$(B)&".",INPUT,RELATIVE,INTERNAL::INPUT #1,REC C:A$,A,J,K::IF LEN(A$)=0 THEN CLOSE #1 ELSE PRINT USING "########## ### #":A$,J,A::CLOSE #1::GOTO 1

[newTIboyRob]

So before I venture into the territory submitted by Globeron (which seems over my head) , I first wanted to approach things first things first, with @Torrax information.  With the XB cart in, I went into TI Basic, and at the > typed in the 3 separate CALL UNMOUNTs to reset DSK1, DSK2, and DSK3 to the defaults of VOL1, VOL2, and VOL3. I did type BYE, the computer reset, I pressed a key then pressed "2" to go into XB, however, all I get is a blank blue screen, no READY prompt or anything, just complete blank deadness. So I obviously couldn't continue or do anything with this. So now what?

 

Edited January 7 by newTIboyRob

[WhataKowinkydink]

Hmmm do those volumes (Vol 1-3) exist on the CF card?

[Stuart]

Sounds like vol 1 doesn't exist. If you go into TI BASIC, enter a single line program (10 PRINT) then SAVE DSK1.ZTEST, do you get an error? You'll need to do a CALL FORMAT(1) as a short term fix if so. XB should then boot.

 

Not sure if it got lost in the previous posts but ISTR one of the disk managers (DM1000 possibly?) was modified to allow you to catalog by volume number, rather than DSK number. Which answers one of your original questions.

[newTIboyRob]

Good points. I was able to go into regular TI Basuc, typed out 10 PRINT and then SAVE DSK1.ZTEST... it took that, with no error.

Edited January 7 by newTIboyRob

[newTIboyRob]

Somewhat good news here, as I typed NEW while still in TI Basic and then tried OLD DSK1.ZTEST  and sure enough, it had saved that program and loaded back in to run it. So at least now I know how to save, load, and print a file in regular TI Basic.

I reset the computer with the XB cart still in, and when I press 2 I am still getting the blank blue screen however. 

 

So although I didn't get an error in TI BASIC, should I go back into TI BASIC and type in CALL FORMAT(1)  to get XB to return?

[I would like the option to write, save and load programs in XB, but I am scared to type the CALL FORMAT(1) now that my question 2A has worked successfully!]

Edited January 7 by newTIboyRob

[+Torrax]

Have you tried the one-liner Catalog program from XB to see if there are anyfiles

on DSK1, DSK2, or DSK3 ??

 

Also do you have a CF reader for your PC?

If so this is the easiest method to fix the missing VOL's.

You just need a Win7/8/10/11 machine and the TI99Dir program.

[newTIboyRob]

@Torrax, I temporarily can't even get into XB from the initial start up menu, I still just have the blank blue screen after pressing "2" to try to access it.  Thus, I can't yet try that one liner Catalog program from XB.

I tried the 3 unmounts that you mentioned previously.

 

First, how do I get the READY from the XB screen back after pressing "2" from the main menu? 

Edited January 8 by newTIboyRob

[WhataKowinkydink]

First I would check the cartridge port is clean, if XB still doesn't work, then try pulling the nanoPEB and trying again.

[newTIboyRob]

Very strange... I hadn't even touched the cart since I started earlier, but I instead just took it out and put it back in... and now XB is working again.  So maybe XB had locked up with the unmounting?  That seems like a logical guess. Regardless, at least I got the XB screen back.

Edited January 8 by newTIboyRob

[+Torrax]

Try this from TI BASIC:

 

CALL MOUNT(1,1)

CALL MOUNT(2,2)

CALL MOUNT(3,3)

BYE

 

And reselect Extended Basic from the menu screen.  Does XB still lock up with a blue screen?  Wait a bit to see if it is loading something.

It looks like it might be finding a corrupt LOAD program on DSK1, DSK2, or DSK3.

 

You can try this.  After selecting TI Extended Basic quickly hold down FCTN-4 and see if you can exit to a **break point** error.

 

Try resetting the mount points to different volumes.

 

Go to TI Basic and from the command prompt type:

 

CALL MOUNT(1,5)

CALL MOUNT(2,6)

CALL MOUNT(3,7)

 

Try to run Extended Basic again.

[newTIboyRob]

@Torrax... thank you. But before I try all that, I tried typing in your 1 liner program and it runs out of room after the letter "l" in the word "CLOSE"... thus will splitting the line into a line 2 fix this?

[+Torrax]

Okay here is a Directory program you can type and run from BASIC or XB.

After typing in type "SAVE DSK1.DIR" and the same for DSK2 and DSK3.

 

 

100 CALL CLEAR
110 INPUT "DISK DRIVE (1-3):":D
120 D=INT(D)
130 IF(D<1)+(D>3)THEN 110
140 OPEN #1:"DSK"&STR$(D)&".",INPUT ,RELATIVE,INTERNAL
150 INPUT #1:A$,FT,FS,RL
160 DISPLAY :"DSK";STR$(D);".";A$;
170 DISPLAY TAB(17);"SEC:";TAB(21);SEG$("    ",1,4-LEN(STR$(FS+2)))&STR$(FS+2)
180 DISPLAY :"AVAILABLE:";STR$(RL);TAB(17);"USED:";STR$(FS-RL)
190 DISPLAY :"FILENAME   SIZE TYPE   P":"---------- ---- ------ -";
200 INPUT #1:A$,FT,FS,RL
210 IF LEN(A$)=0 THEN 290
220 DISPLAY :A$;TAB(12);SEG$("    ",1,4-LEN(STR$(FS)))&STR$(FS);
230 DISPLAY TAB(17);SEG$("D/FD/VI/FI/VPGM",(ABS(FT)-1)*3+1,3);
240 IF ABS(FT)=5 THEN 260
250 DISPLAY SEG$("   ",1,3-LEN(STR$(RL)))&STR$(RL);
260 IF FT>0 THEN 200
270 DISPLAY TAB(24);"Y";
280 GOTO 200
290 CLOSE #1

300 END

 

 

Line 170 and 220 have 4 spaces between the quotes in the SEG$.

Line 250 has 3 spaces between the quotes in the SEG$.

Edited January 8 by Torrax
program formatting clarification & bug fix

[newTIboyRob]

Ok, I will type that in and report back in about 15 minutes or so.

[+Torrax]

For the one-liner at the end when you run out of room press enter.  You may get an error.

Just ignore that and then press FCTN-8 (REDO) this will allow you to enter a longer line in XB.

[newTIboyRob]

@Torrax XB froze on me again. I rebooted the computer, and again XB was once again locked out. So I will first try your: 

Try this from TI BASIC:

 

CALL MOUNT(1,1)

CALL MOUNT(2,2)

CALL MOUNT(3,3)

BYE

 

And reselect Extended Basic from the menu screen.  Does XB still lock up with a blue screen?  Wait a bit to see if it is loading something.

It looks like it might be finding a corrupt LOAD program on DSK1, DSK2, or DSK3.

 

You can try this.  After selecting TI Extended Basic quickly hold down FCTN-4 and see if you can exit to a **break point** error.

 

Try resetting the mount points to different volumes.

 

Go to TI Basic and from the command prompt type:

 

CALL MOUNT(1,5)

CALL MOUNT(2,6)

CALL MOUNT(3,7)

 

Try to run Extended Basic again.

 

And then I will try the one liner, and then type in that longer program. Hopefully something will work in the end!  I'll be back.

[newTIboyRob]

Ok, so I tried the first part of: from TI BASIC:

 

CALL MOUNT(1,1)

CALL MOUNT(2,2)

CALL MOUNT(3,3)

BYE

 

And reselected Extended Basic from the menu screen.  XB now does not lock up anymore... so now I have XB back, thank goodness.

 

So to finish off this part of this suggestion, now that I have XB back, do I need to do any of these still:

 

After selecting TI Extended Basic quickly hold down FCTN-4 and see if you can exit to a **break point** error.

 

Try resetting the mount points to different volumes.

 

Go to TI Basic and from the command prompt type:

 

CALL MOUNT(1,5)

CALL MOUNT(2,6)

CALL MOUNT(3,7)

[+Torrax]

Did any thing load after waiting for a bit??

 

And for stopping a load program just hold on to the FCTN-4 till you get a **break point**.

I have used this many times to stop XB from running a LOAD program from disk.

[newTIboyRob]

Or can I skip the rest of that above, and just try the one liner now or should I type in the longer program?  This got involved because I kept losing XB, sorry about the confusion here!