Current version: 3.1
It's main advantage over other programs is that it can import and export transparently from Abiword or RTF files to Pipedream, and vice-versa, during the transfer itself. This is: if you send an Abiword file from your PC, your Z88 will receive it converted to PipeDream format, and if you send a PipeDream file from your Z88, your PC will receive it converted to Abiword format. This allows you to work directly with all your files, without worrying about having to convert it to and from PipeDream format.
It can emulate foreign characters (like á, ñ and so on) from an english keyboard too, and convert them into true characters when the file is exported to Abiword. This is called "Pseudotranslation".
This software is distributed as is, under the GPL license (version 3 or later), and without warranty of any kind. Use it at your own risk. Press here to read it.
There are three possibilities: System-wide linux installation, local linux installation, and windows installation.
To be able to run Z88transfer, you must have installed in your computer:
All theses components are GPL, so it's very probable that you can find them in your Linux's installation CDs or repositories. Just be sure that all are installed and go ahead, or simply try to run z88transfer.py from a command line (after installing the program, of course) and, if something isn't installed, you will receive an explanatory error.
To install the program itself in the system, just enter as root and run the script file install.sh (you can use sudo too, just with sudo ./install.sh). This will uninstall all old versions, create the directories and copy all the files in the right place. It should create even an entry in your Gnome/KDE/freedesktop-compatible-windowmanager menu, in the Accesories part.
If you can't (or don't want) to install Z88Transfer in your system, you can run it from the uncompressed folder. As you can see in the next picture, you just have to open the folder and double-click in the file z88transfer.py.
To be able to run z88transfer under windows, you must install some components in your system. This is the list, with the internet URL where you can download them. You must install them in this order.
Be sure to install the packages for the right version of python (current it's 2.5).
To simplify this task, I created a ZIP file with all the right files. You can download it from the Z88Transfer's homepage (http://www.rastersoft.com/programas/z88transfer.html).
After installing all this packages, just uncompress the ZIP file with Z88Transfer and run the file z88transfer.py, as you can see in this picture:
This window is divided in these parts:
1 and 2 are the file lists. In 1 we can see the files in the Z88, and in 2 the files in the PC. Directories ends with a slash ('/'). You can navigate through the file tree just clicking in the directories to go down in the tree, and clicking in the ../ to go up.
3 is the reload button. Clicking on it will re-read the files from the Z88 and the local disk. It's usefull when you launch Z88transfer before than the PCLINK or EAZYLINK utilities and 1 appears blank.
4 are the transfer buttons. If you select a file in 1 and press the right arrow, the file will be transferred from the Z88 to the PC. The same, if you select a file in 2 and press the left arrow, that file will be transferred from the PC to the Z88. If there's a file with the same name at the destination directory, you will be asked if you want to overwrite it or abort the transfer (except if you are using the IMP-EXPORT protocol).
5 is the status bar. It shows the current activity.
6 shows the current configuration (serial port, speed and protocol). You can change it by pressing the button 9. Your new preferences will be stored in your hard disk.
7 allows you to set the Z88's clock. It will use your PC's clock as reference, so be sure that it's adjusted (you can use a NTP server to sinchronize your PC's clock with an official atomic clock). This option is available only if you select EazyLink protocol.
8 shows the (aproximate) free memory available in your Z88. This option is available only if you select EazyLink protocol.
10 allows you to create a new folder, rename a file or folder, or delete a file or folder in your Z88. This option is available only if you select EazyLink protocol.
There you can choose:
Remember that, currently, only IMP-EXPORT program allows to choose the speed. Both PCLINK and EAZYLINK works always at 9600 bps, so if you use that utilities, be sure to choose that speed or the program will not work. Remember too that there seems to be problems with speeds faster than 9600bps due to OZ (the Z88 operating system) not being fast enough to handle the raw transfer speed - so until there's a fix, or the communication program explicitly says that it supports them, connect only at 9600 or 2400bps.
| Z88 | PC | |
| 'a | <-> | á |
| 'e | <-> | é |
| 'i | <-> | í |
| 'o | <-> | ó |
| 'u | <-> | ú |
| 'n | <-> | ñ |
| '? | <-> | ¿ |
| '! | <-> | ¡ |
This set is fine for spanish characters. Of course, you can adapt this set for your personal needs, just creating a file with the new rules and choosing it with the File with rules for Pseudotranslation button.
This file has a very simple format: each line contains two characters: the first is the ASCII character that, prefixed with a ', will be converted to the second UNICODE character. Let's see it with an example: the this is default file that gives us the above spanish translation scheme:
aá
eé
ií
oó
uú
nñ
?¿
!¡
This file is stored by default at /usr/local/share/z88transfer/pseudotranslation if you install Z88Transfer in Linux, or in the folder files if you are running it under windows or locally in linux, but you can change the location.
With this mode active, to type a "'" character in the document, just use it twice (this is, just press "''"). Really, prefixed characters not included in the table will be shown "as is", so if you write 'W at the Z88, you will get W at Abiword.
If this option isn't selected, then Z88transfer will simply convert between Latin1 codes (used on Z88) and UTF-8 (used on Abiword).
It's important to note that the pseudotranslation is done ONLY with AbiWord/RTF/PipeDream files, and ONLY if the automagic conversion is active. To know if a file is from Abiword, Z88transfer will look for the extension .abw. For RTF files, .rtf, and for PipeDream files, .pdd or .ppd.
The import and export functions are limited to theses capabilities:
Another important detail is that, since PipeDream adds a Carriage Return after each line, the converter will asume that all lines with only one Carriage Return at its end forms a single paragraph, so to delimite a paragraph from the next one you must use two carriage return. The converter will ignore extra carriage returns, so is the same to put two, three or one hundred: it will asume there is TWO carriage returns and will delete the other 98. It will delete the spaces at the begining of each paragraph too.
IMP-EXPORT protocol is very simple, so the options for using it are very limited. When using IMP-EXPORT you won't be able to see in 1 the current files in your Z88. To transfer a file from the Z88 to the PC you must choose the option Send file in your Z88 and then press first the right arrow in Z88Transfer. You have 30 seconds before your Z88 aborts. You will be warned if there's a file in the PC with the same name.
Sending files to the Z88 is the same: just choose first receive file in your Z88, when asked for the filename press Return, and then select the file in 2 and press the left arrow. The file will be transferred to the Z88 and, if there was another file with the same name, it will be overwritten.
The files in this mode are stored in the default device (you can change it in the panel, in your Z88).
The program doesn't work. What's happening?
Be sure that you have all the modules needed: Python, PyGTK, GTK and GDK, libglade and PySerial. The same for windows.
If the program runs, but you are unable to connect to your Z88, check that you have access to your serial ports. Normally, you will have to add your user to the serial-port group (the exact group's name should be dialout, at least in Debian).
How can I send more than one file each time I press the arrow?
You can mark multiple files just using the Ctrl key.
Version 2.2
Version 2.1
Version 2.0
Version 1.0
First public version
http://www.rastersoft.com
e-mail: raster@rastersoft.com