Loading programs using the CoCo serial port

[mlaferriere]

It has been a long time since I had a functional Model-I. But I recall having a serial cable that hooked up my Model-I (which had two floppy drives) to my Cocos (which had no floppys). I vaguely recall having a program to cload software from the serial port. The speed of this would be set by the serial ports. This required no additional software on the Coco and even back then it didn’t seem to be well known. The Model-I (or compatible) would run a program which would allow you to load in a file from disk and stream it over the serial port to the CoCo.


I have tried several searchs and haven’t been able to find any discussions on this. I am in the process of getting my machines functional again. Does anyone recall using this method to get software onto a CoCo? It would be a good way to share files to a CoCo if you have a FreHD or similar. I believe it worked for basic and machine language programs.

 

[NF6X]

I don't think I've ever hears of this, but it sounds interesting. I don't think the CoCo has built-in code to load programs from its own serial port. Maybe the cable in question connected between the Model I serial port and the CoCo cassette interface, and the Model I bit-banged the CoCo's cassette tones?

 

[TRS-Ian]

There is a DLOAD command on the Coco, maybe investigate the requirements to make that command work.

Ian.

 

[NF6X]

I didn't know about the DLOAD command. I just fired up an old silver CoCo with Extended Color Basic 1.0, and sure enough, it accepts DLOAD as a command.

I found it listed in Going Ahead with Extended Color Basic, but not in Getting Started with Color Basic. The summary states:

WORD	PURPOSE	EXAMPLE
DLOAD	Loads machine-language program at specified baud. 0 = 300 baud 1 = 1200 baus	DLOAD X,1

 

[mlaferriere]

I didn't know about the DLOAD command. I just fired up an old silver CoCo with Extended Color Basic 1.0, and sure enough, it accepts DLOAD as a command.

WORD	PURPOSE	EXAMPLE
DLOAD	Loads machine-language program at specified baud. 0 = 300 baud 1 = 1200 baus	DLOAD X,1

Hotdog! I think you guys might have found it! I was beginning to think I had lost it...


I dug through my old library last night and was able to locate one of the Model-I diskettes that I used to serve files to my CoCo's with. No real clues, just CCH written on it. It might be interesting to see if someone can revive this command or reverse engineer the Model-I software and make a slightly more usable and portable PC version.

I Googled up dload and found a few scattered references but no real information until i came across an old Google Usenet thread at: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.sys.tandy/wRqdeIqBVUY It seems like it was in the earlier CoCo's but scrapped in the 3's?

If there is some interest in there, I could send the flippy floppy I have along to Ira and see if he would work his magic on it and hopefully its still readable. Not that loading CoCo programs from a Model-I, III or IV would have its advantages other than a 'hack' type thing. It might be useful for someone at the software end with the time if they would like to get something going like this for other CoCo users.

 

[mlaferriere]

Hey folks,
For anyone still interested an article was in one of the issues of 80 Microcomputing (wish I still had the full collection..) in 1982.

http://willus.com/trs80/?-a+5+-p+124632+-f+23

There are more 'modern' ways to get software to a CoCo but I felt the need to post this for anyone interested in it for the 'hack' of it or just as an alternative to someone who just gets a CoCo etc..

Thanks again.

 

[pski]

Hey folks,
For anyone still interested an article was in one of the issues of 80 Microcomputing (wish I still had the full collection..) in 1982.

http://willus.com/trs80/?-a+5+-p+124632+-f+23

There are more 'modern' ways to get software to a CoCo but I felt the need to post this for anyone interested in it for the 'hack' of it or just as an alternative to someone who just gets a CoCo etc..

Thanks again.

Thank you for finding this. BTW, did you try calling the number for your missing issues?

Name: DLOAD
00001 ;** THIS PROGRAM COPYRIGHT 1982 80 MICRO MAGAZINE ** A DIVISION OF WAYNE GREEN INC.
00002 ; DOCUMENTATION CONTAINED SOLELY IN 80 MICRO CALL 800-258-5473 FOR BACK ISSUES