Simtel MSDOS 1992 June/SIMTEL_0692.cdr/msdos/dskutl/adamdisk.arc/ADAMDISK.DOC

Text File | 1990-06-10 | 39KB | 635 lines

                           DISKTALK DOCUMENTATION

Thank you for downloading the DISKTALK collection.  I have put many hours into
unravelling the mysteries of the Coleco Adam, and into writing these programs.
I hope you enjoy using them as much as I do - John Wiley, September 16, 1989.

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS:
                                 I. DISKTALK
The DISKTALK program lets you exchange files between the Coleco ADAM and the
MS/PC-DOS IBM PC and compatible family of computers, via floppy disk.  It's
really three programs in one.  It includes easy to use utilities for both Adam
to DOS, and DOS to Adam file Transfer.  It also has an advanced Reveal disk
feature.  The Transfer portion is for importing Adam files into the MS-DOS
environment, and vice versa.  The Reveal portion is for examining and changing
Adam disks, in the PC drive.

** NOTE: DISKTALK may not work correctly if any "Terminate Stay Resident"
     programs are loaded.  These "TSR" type of programs such as Sidekick,
     ProKey, and Uniform can cause conflicts.  If you are unsure about the
     presence of a TSR on your computer, boot from a floppy disk which has
     neither an AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS file on it before running the
     DISKTALK.COM program.

                         III. TECHNICAL INFORMATION
This is a brief but detailed tour of the Coleco Adam floppy disk operating
system known as SmartFiler.  The information is very helpful in using the
Reveal function to repair and modify disks.

                                 IV. PRINTER
Finally, an article describing the Adam printer and helpful modifications to
it.  It is based on my own experience in repairing, modifying and improving my
printer.  Although you may not want to risk working on your printer, you'll
benefit from knowing more about how it works.

           *******************************************************

                                 I. DISKTALK
DISKTALK can be started from any drive, but requires that the Adam disk be in
drive A: during operation.  Disktalk has two main functions, as follows:
     1. TRANSFER an Adam file to or from DOS-IN to an Adam disk.  The source
file will still be there, but when you're done a copy of it will also be on
the DOS or Adam disk.  This involves some fancy communication, but is designed
to be easy to use.  Another common use of the Transfer portion of the program
is to see what's really on an Adam disk.  You'll notice that files deleted on
the Adam are still listed and accessible for Transfer.

     2. REVEAL and/or modify an entire Adam disk.  This is the second level of
Disktalk, meaning that you must first go through the Transfer function. Reveal
enables direct editing of Adam disks, with many convenient features.  It also
has a COPY BLOCK utility, to copy one or more 1k Adam disk "Blocks" to a DOS
drive B: disk.                                                  DISKTALK pg.2

                             TRANSFER and DOS-IN
TRANSFER:
This will copy a file from an Adam disk, on an MS-DOS disk.  To use the Adam
Transfer utility, first start the DISKTALK program from any disk drive. NEXT,
MAKE SURE THE ADAM FLOPPY DISK IS IN DRIVE A:, and tap the letter Y key.
After DISKTALK tells you what kind of disk it thinks is now in Drive A:, just
tap the Enter key.  After a moment, the first half of the Adam disk directory
(DIR 1: first 20 file entries) will be displayed.  The display is arranged
with 12 characters, followed by 28 hexadecimal numbers on a line.  Each line
represents one possible file entry.  The 12 characters are the name portion,
and the numbers give the Adam information about that file.  Note that only the
actual name of the file is highlighted.  The Fourth file name in the display
will be highlighted, since it is the first possible user file on an Adam DATA
disk.  If it's a SmartWriter file, you'll be notified on the right side of the
screen.  Note the menu of options at the bottom of the screen.

To Transfer a file, just use the Arrow keys (cursor keys on numeric keypad),
to go up or down the screen to select an Adam file to transfer.  Note that Num
Lock must be OFF to use the arrow keys.  If the file you want isn't listed in
DIR 1, use the Pg Dn key to select DIR 2 (the 2nd directory).

After selecting the file to Transfer, tap the F10 key (As shown in the menu at
the bottom of the screen).  This begins preparations to Transfer the Adam file
into an MS-DOS file in another drive.  The first 3 files on a data disk and
the first five on a system disk are Adam system files.  These and some other
files may not Transfer properly.  If you've selected such a file, you may get
a message such as "Bad SB, BU, or LB".  If so, you'll need to use the Reveal
function to modify it (& Save Changes), if you really want to Transfer it.

At the top of the screen, you'll be asked to enter a DOS path.  If you want
the new file to be in the DOS C:\wp\stuff\ directory for example, just type
that in and tap the Enter key.  Remember to use a colon (":") after the drive
letter, and to end the path with a backslash "\" marker.  If you just tap the
Enter key without typing in a path, the new file will be sent to drive B:\ for
you automatically.

** NOTE:  *DO NOT* Transfer to drive A:\.  If you only have ONE DISK DRIVE,
     use a DOS "RAM disk" as the other drive.  Set up the DOS RAM disk before
     using DISKTALK.  Start DISKTALK in A:, then put the Adam floppy disk in
     A: and Transfer the file(s) to the RAM disk.  After you Exit DISKTALK and
     remove the Adam floppy, put a DOS disk in drive A: and copy the
     transferred file(s) from the RAM disk.

Next you'll be asked for a DOS file name.  Type in any legal DOS name, and tap
the Enter key.  If you want to CANCEL the Transfer, just tap the Enter key
without typing in a name.  If you've already typed in the name and want to
Cancel, just use backspace to erase it and then tap the Enter key.  Once the
Transfer has started it's best to let it finish, but you could use Ctrl-C.

Finally, you may be asked to select the format you'd like the Output file to
be in.  This only happens if you've selected an Adam SmartWriter file to
Transfer.  If you're in doubt, just tap the Enter key - the DISKTALK Transfer
program will choose for you, and notify you what format was selected.  If you
want to know more, keep reading - Otherwise, CONGRATULATIONS!  You've just
discovered DISKTALK!  Tap F7 to Exit DISKTALK, and remember to remove the Adam
floppy disk from the computer.
                                                                DISKTALK pg.3
                            More about Transfers
The TXT and WP Output formats are only possible with SmartWriter Input files
(name in the DIR ends with "H" or "h").  You can use the Reveal screen to
change the letter at the end of the file name.  That is, to get TXT Output
from an AdamBASIC file you'd use Reveal to change the A to an H at the end of
the file's name in the DIR, use F10 to Save Changes - F7 to Exit, and select
TXT output back in the Transfer screen.

The Output format for non-SmartWriter files is BIN.  That's Binary format,
which means the Adam file will be copied verbatim - "as is."  For SmartWriter
files, the best option is WP because it translates the SmartWriter Margin and
Page settings (you can use a DOS file conversion utility then, if you don't
have WordPerfect).  The TXT and WP formats will both translate the Underline
and CR (Carriage Return) codes (you may need to remove Underlining from the
Adam file if you don't have WordPerfect).  The difference is that the TXT
format won't translate the Margin and Page info from the SmartWriter header.

If you're fortunate enough to have access to WordPerfect, it will accept the
WP Output files and add the missing CR code - the file will look just like it
did on the Adam.  Otherwise, you may need to use a program or macro to re-
insert a CR before each LF in the Output file before your word processor will
accept it.  This is because many programs use both a CR and LF to end each
line.  The Adam uses only a CR, and WordPerfect uses only an LF.  Since some
programs (such as WP) will accept an LF alone and add the CR back in, the TXT
and WP Output formats will translate the Adam's CR into an LF for you during
the Transfer.

If you tap the F3 key, a few lines of helpful reminders will appear.  When
you're done, tap any key to return to the program.  If you've finished your
session, tap F7 to Exit the program.  Remember to REMOVE THE ADAM DISK after
you tap F7 to Exit.  This can save you from permanent data loss on the Adam
disk, since MS-DOS may try to write to it later.  If your Adam floppy disk
ever does get damaged in any way, you may be able to repair it using the
Reveal program.

At this point I would like to note that, while this program has worked well
for me, it may not work well for you.  The many hours I put into this effort
were mainly as a focus to learn about inter-computer communication, how we
communicate with our machines, and a new language: Turbo Pascal.  This was a
major part of my degree in Communications.  So if you're inclined to think
that this program could be better, I agree wholeheartedly.  I'd add that the
price was reasonable, and you are welcome to fix it.


DOS-IN:
This utility allows writing a DOS Text file onto an Adam disk.  The file can
then be read directly by the Adam.  DOS-IN thus complements TRANSFER since
the two types of computers can communicate freely via floppy disk.  At the
bottom of the main Transfer screen, the menu notes that Ctrl-F5 is the key
combination to invoke this utility.  This matches the DOS WordPerfect use of
Ctrl-F5 for "Text In" to import DOS ASCII text.

When you hold down the Ctrl key and tap F5, an introductory screen and some
instructions appear.  Any key except Y will abort the utility and return you
to the main Transfer screen.  This utility is not very flexible.  It will
automatically do its best to accomplish copying a DOS file named -AX.TXT on
the drive of your choice, to an Adam file named X.  To give it the best chance
of success, prepare at least one Adam disk before starting.     DISKTALK pg.4

The DOS-IN utility translates a single DOS text file named -AX.TXT to an Adam
SmartFiler file named X on a specially prepared Adam disk in drive A:.  Since
you're not likely to use it very often, it's a quick and simple utility, with
few features.  It can only Transfer one file at a time, and needs a separate
prepared Adam disk for each file.  The disks can be reused, after using the
Adam to copy the X file to any regular Adam disk.

To Transfer a DOS file to the Adam, first prepare an Adam floppy disk.  Put an
Adam SmartFiler SYSTEM disk in the Adam drive, and pull the reset switch.  Use
"Format" to make a blank Adam DATA disk (NOT a System disk).  Next, Escape to
SmartWriter and type "Blank Transfer file."  Now store the workspace as a file
named X.  This creates a file entry on the Adam disk, which can be used by the
DOS-IN utility.  Label this disk, so that you won't put any other files on it
later.  If you put other files on it, you may damage the one you Transferred
and will probably damage the others if you use the disk to Transfer again.
This disk is only used to Transfer one file at a time.  You may want to make
several such disks, so you can Transfer more than one file in a session.

You'll also need to prepare the DOS source file.  If it's a WordPerfect or
other special type of file, you'll need to convert it to ASCII or DOS Text
format.  Most word processing programs have a Text Out function, or Convert
utility to do this.  Next make sure the source file is named -AX.TXT so the
DOS-IN utility can find it.

As you've probably guessed, I use WordPerfect.  I've set the DOS Text printer
to B:\-AX.TXT so all I need to do is "print" a file or block to that printer
definition.  If you use WordStar, best of luck.

Remember that DOS will only allow ONE file with the same name in to be in each
directory.  So if you're going to Transfer more than one file in a session,
you'll need to put the -AX.TXT files in different directories.  (Another
method would be to name them -AX.TXT, X2, X3, etc.  Note the real name of each
file as you prepare them.  After each one is Transferred, you'd use the DOS
commands: del -AX.TXT, ren X2 -AX.TXT, etc.)

After you've prepared the source and destination files, just start the DOS-IN
utility and follow the instructions.  Remember that the fourth file on the
Adam disk will be written over.  That's the X file you created on the blank
DATA disk.  If you put any other type of disk in drive A:, it may get written
over.  I have put in a few safeguards against that, but hopefully you'll never
test them.  You can reuse the X disk without reformatting it.  Just use the
Adam to copy the Transferred file to a regular Adam disk before you do.
Either use the SmartFiler DiskManager program, or Get the file and then Store
the workspace on another disk.  When you copy the X file to a regular Adam
disk, give it a name based on its contents (not -AX.TXT).

Once you've prepared a few X destination disks, and worked out a quick way to
format and name the -AX.TXT source files, DOS-IN is quick.  It just takes the
-AX.TXT file and writes it to the Adam X disk a sector at a time.  Then you
can use the Adam's letter quality printer.  Or you can Transfer a file to use
on the Adam.  Some files may need cleaning up with REVEAL before Adam use.

                                                                DISKTALK pg.5
                             REVEAL & BLOCK COPY
REVEAL:
To Reveal the Adam disk, first start the DISKTALK program.  Make sure the Adam
floppy disk is in drive A:, and tap the letter Y key.  Then tap the Enter key.
After a moment, the Transfer screen will appear.  The menu at the bottom of
the screen has a note on how to Reveal the disk.  Hold down the Alt key, and
tap the F3 key.

Reveal has an introductory screen, and a prompt to type in a DOS track number.
If you just tap the Enter key without typing in a number, the track for DIR 1
(track 0) is selected automatically.  Next is a prompt to type in a DOS sector
number.  Again, just tap Enter to see DIR 1 (Sector 3).

After a moment, the Reveal screen appears.  The selected sector is displayed
in duplicate.  On the left, it's in hexadecimal numbers.  On the right, it's
in characters.  Your current position in the sector is highlighted on both
sides.  Use the cursor (arrow) keys to move around the sector.  Home takes you
to the first byte, and End takes you to the end of the current line.  To
quickly get to the start of a line, tap End and then the Right Arrow key (Num
pad key 6).  PgUp/PgDn take you to the previous or next sector, respectively.

At the top of the screen "Reading:" gives you the drive, side, track, sector,
and Adam Block currently displayed.  In the upper right corner, the current
Byte number, hexadecimal value (following the $ hex symbol), and decimal value
(after the = sign) are shown.  These numbers represent the same byte as the
character selected on both sides of the dual screen.  You can find the numeric
value of a character by using the arrows to select it, and noting its hex and
decimal values displayed in the upper right corner of the screen.

You can make changes to the Adam disk.  First use the cursor keys to select
the particular character or byte you want to change.  Then type the changes in
directly.  When you make changes, the most recent change and its location is
shown at the bottom of the screen.  For values not represented by a key (or F
key on the menu), hold down the Alt key and type the DECIMAL value using the
numeric keypad.  The regular number keys (across the top of the keyboard)
don't work for this.  When you release the Alt key, the change will appear.

** NOTE:  The values 00 and 03 *CAN NOT* be entered using the Alt key numeric
     keypad method.  Alt 03 will crash the program in fact.  Use F6 and F8 to
     enter 00 and 03 as noted in the menu.  REMEMBER, NOTHING IS CHANGED ON
     THE ADAM DISK UNTIL YOU SAVE YOUR CHANGES.  More on that later.

The Block number at the top of the screen is two hexadecimal digits, followed
by either "a" or "b" to denote which half of the Block is displayed.  Each
Adam Block is two DOS sectors.  So the sector shown on the screen at any time
is either the "a" or "b" part of an Adam Block.  Adam files always start in
the "a" half of Blocks.

DIRs: The Directory is in two parts - DIR 1 and DIR 2.  When you have selected
one of the DIRs there are extra markers on the screen, and some extra F keys
you can use.  The A, SB and BU markers note the columns corresponding to
Attribute, Start Block, and Blocks Used values for each line.  F2, F4 and F9
only work while you're in one of the DIRs.
                                                                DISKTALK pg.6

An Attribute (A) value of 14 (hex) indicates a deleted file, invisible to the
Adam.  To restore such a file for the Adam to use, all you need to do is use
the arrows to select the line in the DIR that file is on and tap F4.  This
automatically changes the Attribute value to 10 (hex), making the file on that
line back into an Adam user file.  The F9 key does the reverse, marking the
selected file as deleted.  This feature is a real time saver for Adam users.
With F4 and F9, you can move through the DIRs and quickly restore or delete
files.  These keys only work in the DIRs.  REMEMBER THAT NOTHING YOU CHANGE IS
PERMANENT UNTIL YOU SAVE IT WITH F10.  Also, files deleted by marking them in
this way will still be on the disk, until the Adam writes data over them.  It
may do this if you subsequently use the Adam to Store a file.

F2 also works only in the DIRs, taking you to the Start Block of the file on
the current line.  The Start Block (SB) column tells you (in hexadecimal) what
Adam Block the file starts at.  If you're in one of the DIRs, the SB key (F2)
automatically selects the SB column of the current row, and instantly advances
you to and displays that Block.  Note that if it's a SmartWriter file, you're
taken to the actual start of the file (byte 259).  To advance through the
file, tap Pg Dn.  To return to the Directory (DIR) tap F5, as noted in the
menu at the bottom of the screen.

The Blocks Used (BU) column contains the Hexadecimal number of Adam Blocks
used by the file.  To translate the number into Decimal, just put the cursor
on it and look at the value displayed in the top right corner of the screen
(ie: $0F=15 - $hex=decimal).  This number includes any partial Block at the
end of the file.  So a BU of 02 would be shown for a file of 1025 bytes, even
though only one byte is used in the last Block.  Remember that Adam uses
Blocks of 2 DOS sectors, so each Block is 1024 bytes.  The Header on
SmartWriter files also complicates the calculation of a file's actual length.
See TECHNICAL INFORMATION for details.

Alt-F2 works anywhere on the disk, in addition to the DIRs.  Alt-F2 will Seek
SmartWriter files from your current location to the end of the disk.  You can
step through the disk from one file to the next, Seeking SmartWriter files
that have been completely removed from the DIRs.  ONLY ADAM SMARTWRITER FILES
ARE FOUND BY THE SEEK FUNCTION.
     To restore such a file, first note its Start Block.  Then use Pg Dn
     to find the end of the file.  Determine the number of Blocks, and
     the number of bytes in the last Block.  Then create an entry in the
     DIR for that file.  The Technical Information below will help you
     figure all this out.  Once you've restored a few files, it's pretty
     easy.  Really!


COPY BLOCK:
This utility is available from the Reveal screen, by holding down the Alt key
while you tap F4.  It lets you copy one or more Adam blocks onto a DOS disk.
Why would anybody do that?  Well, there's a thing called CP/M available for
the Adam.  CP/M makes the Adam much more useful, for people who are willing to
learn its intricacies.  Trouble is, there is no way I know of to copy an Adam
CP/M file to DOS automatically.  If you have Adam CP/M files, you can use
Reveal to figure out where they start and how many Blocks long they are.  Then
you can use COPY BLOCK to write them to a DOS disk.

If you're a REAL hacker, you'll also want to use the source code for DISKTALK
to add a CP/M utility for the rest of humanity.  It shouldn't be hard.  Those,
by the way, are famous last words.
                                                                 DISKTALK pg.7

                         III. TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
The Coleco Adam floppy disk drive uses Single Sided, Double Density 5 1/4"
disks.  Since the disks are of this "SSDD" type, only side 0 is used.

** NOTE: MS-DOS uses the first byte in Linear Sector 2 to identify the format
     of a disk.  Typical MS-DOS DSDD disks have a value of 253 (hex FD) for
     this "Media Descriptor" byte.  If an Adam disk is damaged, the ID byte
     may have been changed to hexadecimal FD (253) by MS-DOS.  This causes MS-
     DOS to identify the disk incorrectly when DISKTALK is started.  To
     prevent such damage, always remove the Adam floppy disk when you Exit.
     To fix such a disk, use Reveal to select Track 0, Sector 2, tap Home, and
     type a Question mark to change the ID byte (Block 02b, byte 0) to 63 (hex
     3F).  Remember to Save the change, and MS-DOS will default to SSDD format
     when reading the disk.

The Adam disk format uses 512 byte sectors, 8 sectors per track, and 40
tracks.  This gives a total disk capacity of 160k.  SmartFiler, the Adam disk
operating system, uses Blocks of 2 sectors.  SmartFiler occupies the first 2
Blocks on Data disks, and the first 25 Blocks on System disks.  Files use only
contiguous sequential Blocks, in 5:1 Interleave (see INTERLEAVE at the end of
this section).  Adam CP/M formatted disks use the same interleave, but a
different disk operating system.  DISKTALK won't read CP/M files, but can
manipulate CP/M sectors and Blocks.  Adam CP/M comes with two programs for
translating between SmartFiler and CP/M formats, both ways.

                    Adam SmartFiler disk operating system
DIRECTORY: The Directory is in Block 1, and contains up to 39 File Records.
The Records are 26 bytes in length.  As mentioned above, each Block is two 512
byte sectors (1024 bytes).  Since MS-DOS is oriented towards sectors, the 20th
Adam Record is split between two sectors, and the 21st Record is shifted 8
bytes in DIR 2.  This is why the Reveal screen looks jumbled in DIR 2, and BU
is on the line below each file name.  For the main Transfer screen, I've
hidden this from the user for simplicity.  Because SmartFiler was written for
the Adam Cassette drive and future options, there are unused areas in the disk
version.

FILE RECORDS in the Directory are each 26 bytes long, as follows:
Name-12 bytes, ending in Hex 4803 for SmartWriter Files (10 byte name + 4803).
  **Note: The 4803 marks the end of the file name.  48 is the ASCII code for
     the letter H.  Other letters are used for other types of files, and small
     letters indicate backup files (ie: h for a SmartWriter backup file).
Attribute-1 byte: $10=User file, $14=Deleted file.  (Note: $ indicates Hex)
Start Block-4 bytes.  1st byte=Start Block.
Length-2 bytes.  1st byte=Length of file (number of Blocks reserved on disk).
Used Length-2 bytes.  1st byte=Used (number of Blocks actually used).
Last Count-2 bytes.  Tells bytes used in Last Block, to find End of File.
Date-3 bytes.  Apparently not used by Adam, but reserved for future options.

As noted, file names ending in H are SmartWriter files.  Those ending in A may
be SmartBASIC, SmartLOGO or other types of files.  All types of files use the
same scheme for Attribute byte.  The heart shaped symbol representing Hex 03
is used by the Adam to find the end of each file name.  Only the first $03 in
a name is used, so there may be more than one in the 12 byte Name area.
Others are ignored.

                                                                DISKTALK pg.8

FILE HEADERS (258 bytes at start of file), are used on SmartWriter text files,
and tell margin set, etc.  SmartWriter Headers start with 00 01 01.  Text
starts at byte 259.  Headers are used by the DISKTALK Alt-F2 Seek command, to
find SmartWriter files even on a disk with a damaged Directory.  The SB (Start
Block) F2 key uses the file type (at end of file name) and Start Block found
in the Directory.

FILES: The first File starts at Block 2 on non-system disks.  Only SmartWriter
files have Headers, others start at the first byte.  DISKTALK automatically
differentiates SmartWriter files from other types.

The SmartFiler FORMAT CODES are (HEX): 0D = HRt (Return or Enter), 13 = UL
(Underline) on, 14 = UL off, TAB = spaces (TABs are converted to spaces by the
Adam SmartWriter ROM word processor).

HEXADECIMAL ARITHMETIC uses a two digit "byte" to count in units of one, from
     zero to 15 (0-F hex) per digit and 256 per byte.  The counting for each
     digit is from 1 to 9, and on from A to F.  So Hex 9 and decimal 9 are the
     same, but Hex A has a decimal value of 10 and Hex F = 16 decimal.  The
     left hand digit in each Hex byte represents a multiple of 16.  This is
     like the "tens" column in decimal arithmetic, which tells the number of
     10 units to count.  The difference is that it counts "sixteens" instead
     of "tens".  So hex $0F = 16 (if the zero is counted too - not always!),
     $10 = 17, and $FF equals the decimal value 256.
       "Two byte" Hex arithmetic uses four digits.  The right hand two digit
     byte tells the number of units of 256 to count.  But it's on the right
     instead of the left to help keep you confused.  So $FF 00 = 255 decimal,
     and $00 01 = 256.  It's called backwords storage (good idea, eh?).

The only part of an Adam File Record that involves two byte Hexadecimal math
is the Last Count.  That is, Last Count uses both of its two allotted bytes.
The largest possible value for the right hand byte in the Last Count of a File
Record is 04, since that would be four units of 256, or 1024 bytes (two 512
byte DOS sectors, one Adam Block).  To get the total Last Count for a File
Record, multiply the right hand byte by 256 and add the value of the left hand
byte.  If you're smart, you already know all this.  If you're lucky, perhaps
you don't care.

5:1 INTERLEAVE, means that Absolute Sectors (AS) in each Track advance by 5,
starting at MS-DOS:1, and ending at :4.  The next AS read in that Track is
always ahead 5.  Example: Starting at :1, the next sector will be :6, then :3
(counted 7,8,1,2,3 to advance 5).  This continues until sector :4 is filled,
then advancing to Sector :1 of the next Track.  The sequence to read
contiguous Sectors is 1,6,3,8,5,2,7,4  ->(go to next Track) 1,6,3... and so
on.  So if the Header is in 6:3 and the File is 4 Blocks (8 Sectors), the
sector read sequence would be Track 6: 3,8,5,2,7,4  ->  Track 7: 1,6.

                               SECTOR SEQUENCE
BLOCK  0   |   1   |   2    |   3     [   4    |    5    |    6    |    7   ]
AS 0:1  :6  :3  :8  :5  :2   :7   :4  [1:1  :6   :3   :8   :5   :2   :7   :4]
  (AS=Absolute Sector, BLOCK=1k Adam) |----------- Track sequence ----------|
                                                                DISKTALK pg.9

                           IV. THE COLECO PRINTER
                           according to John Wiley

**NOTE:  There are several versions of Coleco printers - details & specifics
vary, but basic concepts apply to all.  Of course, any work you do on your
printer is AT YOUR OWN RISK.

     ** MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS UNPLUGGED FROM ANY ELECTRICAL SOURCE **
               ** BEFORE ATTEMPTING REPAIR OR MODIFICATION **

                                INTRODUCTION
The information in this article may be helpful in getting the most from an
Adam printer.  There are tips for everyday printing jobs, modifications, and
other tips for Adam owners.  There is an exploded drawing of the printer in
circulation, but how you can get a copy is anyone's guess.

In the first section of this article, I describe Common Problems with the Adam
printer.  Following each problem, are letters in parentheses indicating which
reference items to read.  For example, if the PAPER SKEWS when printing, read
items a, b, d, i, c, and q.  There you'll find details on how I think the Adam
printer works, possible causes of the problem, and potential solutions.

The second section describes some Modifications I have made to my own printer.
If you are mechanically inclined, have a few tools, and are prepared to risk
damaging your printer, you may want to try them yourself.  I modified mine 2
years ago, and it's still going strong.  In parentheses next to the MOD# is
the amount of time it took me to make that modification.

Last is a section with some general Tips for Adam owners.


                              COMMON PROBLEMS:
* PAPER SKEWS - Paper is normally held in position by friction on the platen
(a,b,d,i), and may be skewed by friction with other things (c,i,q).
* MISSING CHARACTERS - (h,j,k,m,r).
* LIGHT OR UNEVEN PRINT - The ribbon advances 1 click on every 2nd character
 strike.  Increasing ribbon advance to 3 clicks with MODification #I helps
  greatly, but uses more ribbon.  A software method of toggling advance from
2nd to every character would help, but would be difficult to write.  Better
quality ribbon and MOD # II help too.- (e,f,h,i,j,k,o,).
* COLUMN/MARGIN MISALIGNMENT & UNEVEN CHARACTER SPACING - (c,g,i,l,m,n,p).
* NOISY (!!!) - 1: Removing the snap-on cover helps a little.  2: Putting a
 pillow on top (don't let it touch the paper or carriage!) helps more, but
watch out for heat buildup (only cover it while printing).  3: Isolating the
printer (foam feet underneath & a cardboard box over it-or an expensive
enclosure), + pillow helps a lot.  MOD # III helps too. - (e,i)

Reference Items:
a) Clean platen with alcohol or lacquer thinner.
b) Align paper bail so all 3 rollers touch evenly.
c) Paper shield on carriage touching paper-loosen ribbon tray screws & adjust.
d) Paper guide rollers loose, damaged or not touching evenly.  ( See TIP # 2 )
e) Striker (hammer or armature) set too far or too close (periods dent paper).
f) Striker angle wrong. (see Mod.# II)
g) Daisy wheel loose, low quality, or faulty.
                                                               DISKTALK pg.10

h) Irregularities in platen (flat spots, damage, etc).  ( See TIP # 2 )
i) Loose parts (platen advance assy., ribbon tray, and all other mountings).
j) Ribbon advance- mark the 2 white shafts on the ribbon and see if they both
 turn; if only 1 does=bad ribbon; if neither does=bad ribbon or advance unit.
k) Fouled, folded, or faulty ribbon.  ( See TIP # 3 )
l) Carriage interference- check freedom of movement, misplaced wires-(Mod # V)
m) Rail cleaning & lubrication- use silicone or WD40 on a rag (less is
better).
n) Loose string or pulley.
o) Striker or armature binding or weak.
p) Bent, warped or misaligned rails or base shell.
q) Rough or fouled paper guide (I meticulously smoothed mine & removed burrs).

r) Data missing - check CPU plug, board connections & other wiring.


                                MODIFICATIONS
                 ( UNPLUG IT and proceed at your own risk. )
                      ( not for all printer versions )
MOD. # 1  (1.5 hrs)
The ribbon typically advances very slightly after every second character is
printed.  As a result, the ribbon is struck many times in the same place.
This modification increases ribbon advance, to reduce multistrikes from up to
12, to only 4; giving darker more reliable printing at the cost of faster
ribbon use.  Remove ribbon, ribbon tray, and inner solenoid shaft circlip.
Slide plastic ratchet actuator in & reinstall circlip, while holding shaft
(fig. 2).  Remove rubber shaft stop & cut to approx. 1/2 thickness, reinstall
& shim or recut as needed to get reliable 3 click (3 ratchet gear teeth)
advance.

MOD. # II  (.5 hr)
This is a deliberate misalignment of the striker to get more uniform density
and even underlining after doing MOD I.  Because the ribbon is struck twice,
moved 1/2 character, and struck again; the left side is weaker (it's been hit
4 times).  Angling the striker to the left side of the char. leaves more ink
after the first 2 strikes and forces more out of the last 2, by hitting
lighter on the right and harder on the left.  My printer has 2 phillips
mounting screws, with an eccentric slot adjusting screw for the striker.  I
just loosened the right mounting screw, forced the alignment to the left by
turning the alignment screw, and retightened.

MOD. # III  (1 hr)
This is a noise abatement measure which changes the printer's plastic upper
case from a noise generator to a noise suppressor, by isolating it with foam.
   With the printer on it's side or inverted on a soft surface, remove the 7
recessed screws holding the u.c., then place printer upright and remove u.c.
Cut soft foam to fit between u.c. & lower case, or between u.c. mounting posts
& their sockets on l.c.  Reinstall u.c. without screws, making sure nothing is
interfered with, and u.c. touches l.c. only through foam.  Also see TIPS.
                                                               DISKTALK pg.11

MOD. # IV  (.5 hr)
This is a cheap alternative to the Coleco tractor feed.
   Cut a cardboard box to hold the form paper in a curve (about 8" radius),
allowing it to unfold into the printer without a direct pull.  Put it behind
the printer, avoiding any interference with ventilation.  I mounted mine,
along with the printer, on a board I slide under a low table to reduce noise.
  The paper tends to drift to the left and bind against the paper bail.  This
occurs on mine after printing 2-15 pages.  It's no problem if you watch it.
  Another idea is to roll the form paper onto something & mount the roll above
the printer.  Vert. Margins set to 3 & 56 seems to work well for form feed.

MOD. # V  (.5 hr)
This is to minimize the case interfering with the carriage wire harness.
  Remove the right rear mounting post (fig. 1-V) from the upper case.  Trim
off the small locating tab from the lower case.  You can locate these before
disassembly by removing the snap-on top cover & seeing where the wire harness
interferes as the carriage is moved from side to side.

MOD. # VI  (1 hr.)
The keyboard and disk drive can be changed to use standard modular phone
cords.  Only the outer 4 lines are used on the expensive Coleco 6 line cords.
  To change the whole system requires rewiring the jacks on the units.  That's
more hassle and risk than I was prepared to take.
  But I did pick up a surplus keyboard to use as a spare.  With it, I got an
extra cord.  I then took a standard modular phone double female inline jack
and modified it.  I squeezed it with vise grips to loosen the joint in the
plastic.  After prying it apart, I simply moved the gold wires to the
positions of the 4 active lines on the Adam.
  Do this on both sides of the jack and tape it back together, and you have an
Adam to Adam cable connector.  With my connector and two Adam cords, I can sit
comfortably 15 feet from the Adam and its 19" TV.


                                    TIPS
TIP # 1
The SmartWriter line spacing of blank lines (carriage return alone on a line)
is one and a half times the spacing for text.  That is, if Spacing is set at 2
the printer inserts 3 lines between paragraphs.  If spacing is 1, 1 1/2 lines
are inserted instead of one blank line.  This causes a problem when printing.
  This doesn't show up on the screen, but only when printing.  Thus a document
may print off the page bottom, despite the Vertical Margin being set correctly
on the screen.  You may also find that documents with blank lines don't format
correctly (printing on forms for example).
  If you put a period on every blank line, it fixes this problem.  I found
that I could put the period in the center of the page, and it doesn't look too
bad.  For a business letter, you can put a tiny dot of White Out on the
period.  You can also shift the whole document over, and print the periods off
the edge of the page.

TIP # 2
I haven't tried this myself, but I'm told that filling the inside of the
platen with clay or putty helps reduce noise.
  TO REMOVE THE PLATEN:  Remove u.c. (see Mod. #III), pry out the plug on the
left end of the platen, pry between the gear and the platen at the right end,
pull out the line feed wheel (white thumb wheel) enough to remove platen.  Use
a large screwdriver to pry, and go slowly.  It takes considerable force the
first time, so don't pry just in 1 place.
                                                                DISKTALK pg.12

TIP # 3
The long video monitor cord provided with the Adam degrades the picture.
  Use a short (1' or less if you can) high quality stereo cord to your TV or
monitor, and see how clear a Coleco can be.  I found that the impedance of the
cord matters far less than its length.  There is some RF interference between
the monitor and Adam, so you'll need to experiment.  Vary their positions to
minimize this interference, and take care to provide good ventilation.

TIP # 4
Often when ribbons are about half used, they start printing badly.
  This is because the internal drag increases.  By prying with a knife at the
ribbon lid mounting prongs, you can open the ribbon case.  Open the case and
take note of how it's threaded, to get it back together right.  Remove the
used ribbon from the takeup reel, and the ribbon may work again.
  Sometimes there isn't enough pressure on the drive shaft, from the idler
wheel.  Put a small piece of electrical tape on the end of the idler arm,
where it touches the case.  That holds the ribbon more firmly between the
drive shaft and idler, to help overcome drag.  Use a new rubber "O" ring from
a plumbing shop to replace a bad takeup belt.