LaddieCon
Running LaddieCon
On your laptop, you must be running a TPDD client. TPDD clients include TS-DOS, TEENY, POWR-DOS, FLOPPY.CO or the WP-2 Disk mode.
For the physical connection, you need a "null modem" wired serial cable to connect to a serial port on your Windows PC. You need to know which numbered COM port you are using on the PC side.
LADDIECON.EXE runs on a Windows computer, on top of the .Net Framework. To start it,
Click Start -> Run -> cmd.exe
Assuming LADDIECON.EXE is saved at c:\tools\laddiecon.exe
c:\tools\laddiecon.exe com1 6
Here I put 'com1.' For your setup, the number may well be different.
If you are using a Tandy WP-2 word processor, make sure to change the '6' to an '8'. This is important because the WP-2 uses an 8.2 style (8 characters for the base name, 2 characters for extension) filename, while the Model 10x and 200 use a 6.2 style filename. If you don't set this properly, you will get weird behavior.
When you press ENTER, laddiecon should run until you hit CTRL-C. It won't appear to "do anything." It is completely "remote controlled" by your disk client on the Model T laptop.
LaddieCon and Vista
LaddieCon is reported to work with Vista. However, you must run laddiecon.exe in "Administrator Mode." Also, your USB adapter must have a driver that is compatible with Vista.
To enable "Run As Administrator:"
- Find your laddiecon.exe executable with Windows Explorer.
- Right click on laddiecon.exe
- Select Properties->Compatibility Tab
- Check the 'Run as Administrator' option.
Note: if anyone knows a more fine-grained way to permit laddiecon.exe to access the COM port without using Administrator Mode, please note it here.
If you're looking for a USB->serial adapter known to work with Vista, this one has been tested:
- USBGEAR U232-P9AP
Please add any other adapters you verify work with Vista and LaddieCon.
Reliable Text-Only Transfers
If you are only transferring text files, Hyperterminal is known to be a reliable way to transfer files even at 19200 using XON/XOFF protocol. Note that saving and loading text files via the TEXT application is much faster than TELCOM, because TEXT does not scroll the text to the screen as it captures.
See Text File Transfer using Hyperterminal for details instructions on getting Hyperterminal working.
