Short: Load packages into the Newton from the Amiga v0.1 Version: 0.1 Uploader: Dr.David.Fong@medical.net.au Author: David Fong Type: misc/emu AmigaNPI 0.1 - 13th September 1997 Amiga Newton Package Installer Converted into Blitz2 Basic by David Fong Based on source code by Filip R. Zawadiak Based on information graciously provided by Apple Computer and Newton Inc. AIM To upload packages from the Amiga to the Newton without using a Macintosh emulator. USAGE Can only be used from CLI (sorry). AmigaNPI filename Where filename is the name of the package file you are uploading. Note that AmigaNPI will only upload package files, which are usually suffixed with a `.pkg' extension. Stuffit files, with a `.sit' extension, are archive files, like the Amiga's .lha files, or the .zip files commonly used on Windows machines. Unfortunately, only very old Stuffit de-archiver programs are available for the Amiga. It is called something like `unsit', it is available on the Aminet. It does not work properly with modern .sit files. Fortunately, most Newton packages are also provided in Zip format. Good UnZip programs are available for the Amiga e.g. from InfoZip. Try the Aminet, or ADE (ftp.ninemoons.com). PROBLEMS Only tested on my MessagePad 2000 :) Once started, AmigaNPI will wait for the Newton to respond. As far as I can tell, Blitz2's ReadSerial function cannot be stopped with a CTRL-C. So if things go wrong, AmigaNPI will just hang... Speed is probably slower than it should be. No graphic user interface (yet). Cannot interpret compressed information, which is part of the V42bis standard. This doesn't matter when uploading packages to the Newton, but it would be nice to see what the Newton is trying to send to the Amiga! CREDITS Blitz2 BASIC Filip R. Zawadiak - provided the original source code, which is present in the src_c directory. - philz@Gamma.wasko.gliwice.pl - http://www.wnet.silesia.pl/~philz/ Apple Computer, Newton Inc. - for at last providing the necessary information to make non-Mac package uploaders - for making the wonderful MessagePad 2000. The Makers of the Amiga HISTORY 0.1 - 13th September, 1997. First release - added code to `round-up' files to the next largest number evenly divisible by four. This is a requirement according to the Newton Load Package protocol. In fact, most packages seem to have been carefully manicured to the appropriate size anyway. - note that Blitz2's lof() function doesn't seem to work properly if the end of the file has already been reached. CONTACT Dr.David.Fong@medical.net.au (this is my permanent address) - vkelim@onaustralia.com.au - vkelim@ariel.unimelb.edu.au http://ariel.unimelb.edu.au/~vkelim/ - contains a lot of information about connecting the Newton to the Amiga.