                        BBC DISK TRANSFER INSTRUCTIONS
                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1.0 - INTRODUCTION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PCXfer is a utility program for transfering disks and ROMs from a BBC Micro
to the PC.  It is distributed only with the registered version of PCBBC as
supplied by Stuart McConnachie and is only for use by officially registered
users of the PCBBC packgage.  It is subject to the same disclaimer, and terms
and conditions as set out in the README.TXT file.
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2.0 - USING PCXFER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To use PCXFER you will need a suitable serial cable to connect your PC and
BBC.  You can either make this up for yourself if you have sufficient
dexterity with a soldering iron, or have a shop do it for you.  I believe
the Malin Electronic Stores offer this service for a nominal charge, but
don't quote me on that.

There are two types of cable, each with different internal connections, the
purests out there will notice that configuration A is the correct setup so
far as the standards for serial communications go.  This is the one I'd
suggest you use as it should offer the most compatibility with other
products.

So what's configuration B?  Well, when I started out and needed a serial
cable to transfer things across from the Beeb this was the design I came up
with!  Foolishly, knowing nothing about comms standards (such as they are)
I thought that the PC RTS should be connected to the BBC CTS and vici versa.
"That would be logical, Captain", but also incorrect.  The early versions of
PCXFER and pcBBC (v 1.00 and 1.01) used this type of cable exclusively.

The choice of cable, with both PCXFER and pcBBC, is now entirely yours.
Since versions 1.02 these programs check for the RTS and CTS pins being
cross-wired (as in Configuration A) and switch automatically between the two
protocols.

If you're going to try and make up either of these cable yourself then please
make sure you know what you're doing first!  If you make a mistake then you
could damage your PC, or worse still your BBC which is irreplacable!  Please
remember that I can not be held responsible for any loss or damage, however
caused, either through errors, omissions or your own mistakes.

Anyway the pin layouts are:
            _______                _________________________
BBC RS423  /       \    PC SERIAL  \                       /
          /  Oe  Oa \   9 PIN       \  O1  O2  O3  O4  O5 /
                                   \                   /
          )    Oc   (                 \  O6  O7  O8  O9 /
                                     \_______________/
          \  Od  Ob /
           \_______/
            _________________________________________________________
PC SERIAL   \                                                       /
25 PIN       \  O1  O2  O3  O4  O5  O6  O7  O8  O9  O10 O11 O12 O13/
              \                                                   /
               \  O14 O15 O16 O17 O18 O19 O20 O21 O22 O23 O24 O25/
                \_______________________________________________/

Both conectors viewed looking into the socket from the rear of the machine.
This also coresponds to the pin location looking into the connector from the
side you have to solder the pins.

And the connections to make are:

CONFIGURATION A (Standard):

        BBC RS423   SIGNAL      SIGNAL      PC 9 PIN    PC 25 PIN
        a           Data In     Tx data     3           2
        b           Data Out    Rx data     2           3
        c           0v          Gnd         5           7
        d           CTS         DTR         4           20
        e           RTS         DCD & DSR   1 & 6       8 & 6

It is also esential that you locally connect the following pins at the pc end
of things:
                    n/c         RTS & CTS   7 & 8       4 & 5

Leaving the following pin unconnected at the PC end:

                    n/c         Ring Ind    9


CONFIGURATION B (Non-standard):

        BBC RS423   SIGNAL      SIGNAL      PC 9 PIN    PC 25 PIN
        a           Data In     Tx data     3           2
        b           Data Out    Rx data     2           3
        c           0v          Gnd         5           7
        d           CTS         RTS         7           4
        e           RTS         CTS         8           5

Leaving these pins unconnected at the PC end:

                    n/c         DCD         1           8
                    n/c         DTR         4           20
                    n/c         DSR         6           6
                    n/c         Ring Ind    9

The parts you'll need (and their Maplin part numbers) are:

    9 PIN  25 PIN
1 x RK61R / YQ48C - D series connector socket
1 x FP27E / FP29G - D series connector plastic hood
1 x     RK64U     - 5 pin DIN plug type C (domino-style pin layout)
n x     XR92A     - n metres four-core screened cable

Use the shield for the 0v-Gnd connection and the remaining 4 insulated cables
to connect to the two data and two control lines.

Plug the cable in at both ends and you'll be ready to go.  One word of advice
here, the plug at the BBC end can be inserted into the socket in one of two
orientations - one way round works the other doesn't!  Make sure you mark
the BBC connector on the top so you know which way round to insert it!

To start PCXfer type PCXFER [ENTER] at the MS-DOS command prompt.
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1.0 - SELECTING A SERIAL PORT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Before you begin to transfer disks and ROMs from your BBC you must select
the PC serial port that is connected to the BBC:

BBC FILE TRANSFER UTILITY 1.01 (C) Stuart McConnachie 1998


Please select a serial port or ESCAPE to exit
  1 - COM1: (03F8h)
  2 - COM2: (02F8h)
  3 - COM3: Unavailable
  4 - COM4: Unavailable

Enter the number coresponding to the serial port connected to the BBC.
Next PCXfer must transfer some software to the BBC to allow data to be sent
over the serial port.  When prompted to do so type the following line on
the BBC:
    *FX 2,1 [RETURN]
A small BASIC program will now be sent over the serial link to your BBC.
Soon after a menu should appear on the PC screen:

MAIN MENU

Select an option or ESCAPE to exit
  1 - Transfer ROM image from BBC
  2 - Transfer DFS disk image from BBC
  3 - Transfer ADFS disk image from BBC
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2.0 - TRANSFERING ROMS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Select option 1 to transfer a ROM, including the BBC Operating System ROM,
from the BBC.  A list of the available ROMs from 0 through 9 and A to F
will be displayed.  Press the number or letter which corresponds to the ROM
you want to copy, or "G" to copy the OS ROM.  Next enter the name of the
file you want to save the ROM image in and press ENTER.  PCXfer will copy
the ROM image from the BBC and save it in the required file.
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3.0 - TRANSFERING DISK IMAGES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Select option 2 to transfer a DFS disk image or option 3 for an ADFS disk.
When prompted select the drive you want to copy from, 0 through 3 for DFS
disks and 0 or 1 for ADFS disks.  Next enter the name of the file you wish
to save the disk image in, make sure the correct disk is in the BBC disk
drive and press ENTER.  PCXfer will copy the required disk from the BBC and
save it on your hard drive as a BBC disk image file.
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5.0 - EXITING
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Press [ESCAPE] at the main menu to exit the PCXFer program.
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6.0 - COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I welcome comments, suggestions and bug reports on all my software.  Find my
contact details in the PCBBC README.TXT file.
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7.0 - REVISION HISTORY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VERSION 1.01 - 08 Feb 1998
--------------------------
    Initial Release


VERSION 1.02 - ?? Mar 1998
--------------------------
New Features:
    Added support for DTR/DSR wired serial cables.
