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Transfer files from a REAL PDP8E and SIMh

Mike_Z

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Joined
Dec 1, 2013
Messages
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Location
Near Milwaukee Wisconsin
I've done this in the past, but can not remember how I did it and I can't find anything about this in my notes. I'm relearning Fortran IV programming. When I'm home I use my real PDP8e and when away I use the SIMh. When the programs are short, I can retype them into SIMh, but some are getting long and I really don't want to retype them, or add the additions. I'm looking at text files, *.FT. Thanks Mike
 
Hey Mike...

Can you just remind me - you are using OS/8 right? Just need to ask, because I have been playing with other PDP-8 operating systems as of late and I would hate to confuse you...

Dave
 
Presumably, what you want to do is to transfer the file from your real PDP-8 out of the serial port as though it is a PUNCH and to capture the file on a PC via the serial port. You should be able to do that with PIP and a serial capture program that transfers 8-bit characters in RAW mode to a file on the PC.

Next, you would want to attach this file just read to SIMH's paper tape reader and load it into SIMH running OS/8 using PIP again.

The process should work 'backwards' in that you attach a 'blank' file to what SIMH thinks is the PUNCH device and PIP the file out from the file on OS/8 to the PUNCH.

Then, take this file and copy it to the PC serial port with the real PDP-8 setup to read a file from the READER to a disk file using PIP.

Does this sound familiar?

There is also a way to connect a serial port in SIMH (PUNCH and READER) up to a physical serial port on the PDP-8. I haven't done it myself, but I have heard of it being done.

Dave
 
Forgive me, a little more (maybe a lot) information is needed. I'm running OS/8 and have one of Kyle's Raspberry PI's emulating an RK05 disk. I can communicate with the Rasp Pi, I think I used PUTTY. Mike
 
Hello,

in Simh you may use pip to cut and paste from your host:

.R PIP
*FILE.FT<TTY:

at the end type ^Z.
This will work fine with simh, but not with the real pdp8. Its to fast for pip. I would prefer Kermit to transport files between your host and the pdp8/e. Start kermit on your host (install ckermit for linux) and K12MIT.SV in your OS/8.

But in case you have the RTS modification on your serial card, you can also send files with gtty to a pip in the OS/8.

Volker
 
So, this may seem a bit simple, but why don't you just copy the entire RK05 emulated disk between the PI and your PC running SIMH and OS/8? and copy it back again?

Or run SIMH on the PI using the very same RK05 image(s)? No copying required.

Dave
 
So, this may seem a bit simple, but why don't you just copy the entire RK05 emulated disk between the PI and your PC running SIMH and OS/8? and copy it back again?

Or run SIMH on the PI using the very same RK05 image(s)? No copying required.

Dave

Uh... And for the real PDP-8?
 
Thanks for the help, I have to take the wife to the store. I'll try this later. Mike

If you ask me, the only sane answer is Kermit. Kermit-8 or Kermit-12 on the PDP-8 side, and whatever you want for Kermit on the other side. Or directly between the two machines using Kermit.

Direct copying have serious risks of dropping characters (no matter if you use cut-n-paste in some window, or just PIP, or some other hairy scheme). Using something like a fake paper punch and reader is obviously not really an answer for a real PDP-8. Whole disk images is equally much not an answer.
 
Uh... And for the real PDP-8?

>>> I'm running OS/8 and have one of Kyle's Raspberry PI's emulating an RK05 disk.

But Mike is using is using Kyle's serial server, so there is no physical RK05 disk drive on the real PDP-8 - it is emulated on a RPi over a second serial line.

This is why I refer to it as an 'emulated' disk...

Dave
 
>>> I'm running OS/8 and have one of Kyle's Raspberry PI's emulating an RK05 disk.

But Mike is using is using Kyle's serial server, so there is no physical RK05 disk drive on the real PDP-8 - it is emulated on a RPi over a second serial line.

This is why I refer to it as an 'emulated' disk...

Dave

My bad then. Sorry.
 
Well.... Today I found that I can use WinSCP to get into the Raspberry PI and transfer files from the PI to my windows machine. I found the disk images I have in the PI, but am not sure which one the SerialDisk is using. If I can find the correct one, I'm sure I can load it into Simh. Need some more time to work on this. Thanks Mike
 
Doesn't SerialDisk tell you which disk file(s) it is using when it starts up?

Look for the command line to SerialDisk and the filenames to the arguments -1 and -2.

Also look for the presence of a disk.cfg file.

Dave
 
You are correct, but for some reason I can not make them work in Simh. I place that image in the correct place and change the .ini file and Simh will load but I will not get the dot prompt. Mike
 
Now you have said that, the RK05 image (first block) has been 'modified' to work with the second serial port - as has the internal driver(s).

This may not be as simple as first thought...

Thinking now about a separate (unadulterated) OS/8 RK05 disk image for use with SIMH and using PUTR to transfer files from one RK05 image to the other...

Dave
 
That’s exactly what I am thinking Mike.

The handler(s) will use the IOTs for the second serial port when running on SIMH and not the IOTs for the RK05 disk controller.

I understand from posts that it IS possible to connect SIMH to SerialServer (so you should be able to do what you want to), but I have never done it.

Dave
 
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