Any help for a newbie's queries?

[prolog]

Hi all,
I am enjoying the zx81/zxpand - but would get a great deal more out of it if I could access .p downloaded files; and also had a reliable cassette machine!

1. I have downloaded .p files but when transferred to the zxpand get altered filenames e.g zxchessII.p becomes zxches?1.p . They appear on the CAT command, but on a LOAD the error code returned is a 4 or a 6
I am downloading to a mac so I am wondering if the mac is altering filenames (the names appear as on the website when downloaded and sat in my mac folders). I have a PC at work but I have to submit a "business plan" and present it to IT services in order to get permission to download stuff. Is there alternative or something I've missed with the filenames? I have no problems with my own newly written .p files.

2. I had zxchessii from Artic back in the day but never loaded from their cassette in the 80s as I had more success with a copy i somehow managed to make onto my own tapes (forgotten how I did it - probably did a Break during a computer move turn, doesn't work now!). Anyway, I can successfully load zxchess from the original Artic tape, which I still have, into the zxpand, but not any of my own written or copied programmes on cassette...as yet. Are there any good cassette machines out there? I've seen Comet still do a Sony - but don't want to bother if people have not had success with new models. In the 80s I had most success with a battery powered machine, but nothing mains powered. The machine I'm using now is mains powered with multiple 1/4" TRS outputs.

I'd be really grateful for any help

That's it for now!

all the best

Prolog

[Paul]

It's not a mac problem. Any files on your card have to be in 8.3 format having 8 characters for the name plus max 3 for the extension.

So "newchess16K.p" has to be renamed to "NCHESS16.P" for example.
Captial letters are prefered. Only use A-Z, avoid any $%&_... and blanks.
It's quite some work to rename the files, but it's worth it.

Please let me know if you succeed.

Thanks
Paul

[sirmorris]

Thanks for that Paul, you're spot on.

Long filename support would add too much code to the interface firmware so I had to leave it out.

C

[prolog]

Hi Paul and Sirmorris,
Many thanks both for those replies! Sounds obvious now you say it - so "MinesofSaturn" won't do! Can't wait to give it go. I will report back. Mind you I recall having a good few programs on tape with long REM titles often containing notes and/or descriptions. I presume it should be ok to load these from tape and save them to SD with a new (n=< 8) name?

cheers
Prolog

[Paul]

Correct. And keep in mind SirMorris has a Way to capture a whole Tape to sd.
I don't know the name. I have no working tape recorder too.

[sirmorris]

This might help - It's a quick and dirty little utility but with a little ... attention (cough hacking cough) it might do what you want

viewtopic.php?t=467

c

[sirmorris]

This might help - It's a quick and dirty little utility but with a little ... attention (cough hacking cough) it might do what you want

viewtopic.php?t=467

[Paul]

viewtopic.php?t=467

YES! That's what I'm talking about

[prolog]

Well Gentlemen,
I can report multiple successes! All the re-named downloaded files are read exactly as expected . I've also had success today with cassettes! I borrowed a few gold trs connectors from some audio stuff and put my tapes through at near top volume and have had 85% success rate with them. It's very weird to load all that stuff, like it's back from the dead! I can't believe I sat and copied out 100s of lines of PILOT from some magazine in the 80s; lots of stats programs (why did I need to know variance and stan dev?); and a ZX 'face' that says my name and winks at me - there must have been a reason...

I've got a few more tapes to go..I haven't found the one I'm looking for yet, but it's great to be able to load stuff instantaneously; and also a great idea to be able to load from tape with a LD"" command and the to SD with SAVE - whoever thought of that deserves a zxmedal.

Anyway, for all that gentlemen many thanks indeed - I now need to find a way of sorting out all these files!
thanks agin
Prolog

[sirmorris]

You're welcome!