Help needed with null-modem PC to ST transfers!

[Gunstar]

O.k., here's the big scoop. I have a friend who is into Atari, he not much of an internet buff, so he basically keeps up with the Atari community vicariously through me. Any way, for years he's been using his Atari STe's, Falcon, and PC with Gemulator 2000 to do CAD with CAD 3D and Pheonix, etc. Most of his work he does with the PC and emulator becuase the CAD is faster that way, but he always eventually needs to get the CAD data back onto a real STe. The way he has been doing this is by using his falcon as a go-between. He'll save data to 1.44Mb floppy, use the floppy from the PC to transfer files to his Falcon, and then he either uses STalker 3 and midi cables between the Falcon&ST or just transfering it to 720k disks to finally get it on the STe. He told me that he just wants to be able to hook up the ST&PC together to easily transfer files, and since that's all he uses his Falcon for currently, that he would GIVE me his falcon if I can get his PC&ST talking more directly. I really want his Falcon, it deserves better than file serving status. So, I know it whould be possible to hook him up in a similiar way he does with the ST&Falcon and midi cables with STalker 3. I've never done this type of thing before myself though. I assume that what's needed is a terminal program like STalker on the STe, a null modem cable that runs from the ST's serial/modem/com port to the PC's com port and another terminal program on the PC so they can communicate and transfer files. So I'm asking here for some help getting started, like the proper cable and terminal software needed, preferably free. I may already have what's needed, I have STalker 3, a cable and on the PC I have Hyperterminal that I use to use with the Jaguar&PC to transfer rom images. Can Hyperterminal&Stalker 3 talk to each otner and work together to transfer files from the STe to PC and vice versa or do I need something else? I've done all of this very little, so I need all the help I can get. Help me get a Falcon for free! What I don't have is a standard STe to know what port to use on that machine. I have an STf with it's huge modem&parallel ports and a Mega/STE with it's more modern looking 9-pin(15?) ports similair to the PC's. Does the STe have a port like the Mega/STE?

 

Now, I know there are a lot of different ways to get that data from the PC to the STe including a 1.44MB floppy upgrade to the STe, or an IDE memory card or zip drives, etc. and probably other ways I haven't thought about. What my friend really wants is for the USB project (USB port through ST cart port) for the ST to get finished so he can just use USB memory sticks, but that's not happening soon enough for him, and he's old school and doesn't want to modify his computers in any way, so to me that basically leaves terminal programs and null-modem as far as I know. he's used to terminal programs, and that's the way he wants to do it if he can. Any help, please.

Edited January 1, 2007 by Gunstar

[Rybags]

Null modem on the ST would probably be slowish - I'd be surprised if it went much over "real" 56k modem speeds.

 

Something along the lines of a laplink parallel (printer port) link should be a fair bit faster, but then it's a case of finding (or creating) the software on the ST (and possibly PC) side.

 

Why not just give him some 720K disks?

[Gunstar]

Null modem on the ST would probably be slowish - I'd be surprised if it went much over "real" 56k modem speeds.

 

Something along the lines of a laplink parallel (printer port) link should be a fair bit faster, but then it's a case of finding (or creating) the software on the ST (and possibly PC) side.

 

Why not just give him some 720K disks?

 

please reread more carefully. 720k disks are not an option. Mainly due to much larger file transfers. I don't want to have to get into a VERY long explanation of why it needs to be done as I've asked, Please, I appreciate the help and other ideas, but he wants to use a cable and terminal/transfer type programs to do it, regardless of how slow they are. For this thread and the help I need please assume my way is the ONLY way I have to do it, and PLEASE, I'M BEGGING, help me with accomplishing that goal. Just please believe me that my friend and I have come to the decision that transfers in the way I'm suggesting is the best solution for us(him), and we only need help in getting this solution up and running.

Edited January 1, 2007 by Gunstar

[ijor]

Hi Gunstar,

 

It is not clear to me if you are looking for any transfer way via a parallel/serial cable, or if it has to be using a terminal program.

 

If the former is good enough for you, then look here:

 

http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=1673

 

That topic describes the two most popular methods. One uses a standard serial cable, the other uses a custom parallel cable.

 

If you want to use a standard terminal software, then most/many should work. Many of us used to transfer that way between the 8-bit (with 850 or similar) and the ST, and also between ST and PC. So not sure exactly what are you asking.

 

Regarding the USB project. You should be aware that there is a similar (but not exactly) project almost finished. This doesn't mean that your friend should abandon his one, just letting you know about it.

[Gunstar]

Hi Gunstar,

 

It is not clear to me if you are looking for any transfer way via a parallel/serial cable, or if it has to be using a terminal program.

 

If the former is good enough for you, then look here:

 

http://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=1673

 

That topic describes the two most popular methods. One uses a standard serial cable, the other uses a custom parallel cable.

 

If you want to use a standard terminal software, then most/many should work. Many of us used to transfer that way between the 8-bit (with 850 or similar) and the ST, and also between ST and PC. So not sure exactly what are you asking.

 

Regarding the USB project. You should be aware that there is a similar (but not exactly) project almost finished. This doesn't mean that your friend should abandon his one, just letting you know about it.

 

Thanks a lot, that looks to be just the sort of thing I'm looking for. I think I can use my hyperterminal program instead of Ghostlink for faster transfers, but if not, even a slow Ghostlink connection will suffice. My friend is coming over this afternoon, so we'll give it all a trial run.

Edited January 1, 2007 by Gunstar

[dinosaur]

Ghstlink.zip

 

Real simple,been using it for years! It only requires a simple null modem cable:

 

trans and rec crossed and ground connected straight.

 

I had a MegaFile 30 that a friend of mine (who owned a Mega ST2) lusted after and he

offered me an obscene amount of money for it.

 

As I had other hard drives,he got it!!

 

Before I gave it to him,I used GhostLink to copy the hard drive's contents to a PC and

burned them into a CD for archiving.

 

Worked like a champ.

 

(Probably should run it from a DOS window,though)

Edited January 1, 2007 by dinosaur

[jens]

I you want to get faster than with Ghostlink consider an Ethernec networking device and run an ftp-server on the ST which you can easily embed as a folder into Windows explorer (at least from win 2k on, don't know about 9x).

You could then mount this folder into Gemulator Explorer and directly access it from there.

 

Ethernec would be about 50,- Euros here if without and 70,- if with case.

[techie_alison]

mhgfkmgv

Edited January 11, 2007 by techie_alison