HDRIVE1.DAT from ilper/giesselink not readable in pyILPER

[floppy_stuttgart]

Hello,
I have a file HDRIVE1.DAT from ilper here https://hp.giesselink.com/hpil.htm (on a raspberry pi4, ARM, 32bits, ext4 file system, ilper started in a box86&wine environment) and it is not readable from pyILPER (in a Debian 11, x86 64bits, ext4 file system).
Same in the other direction: I have a file I created few months ago and used with pyILPER and it cannot be read with ilper (I cannot remember where the original HDRIVE1.DAT used with pyILPER came from; I can only remember the first try with an HDRIVE1.DAT was not successfull and I had to find a working one).
It means for me, I cannot put the HDRIVE1.DAT on an usb stick and use it whatever on PC 32/64bits or ARM board for communicating via pilbox to the HP41.
Has anybody experienced incompatibilities of HDRIVE1.DAT between ilper under windows and pyilper under MacOS/Linux/Windows?

[jeffcalc]

I'm not a raspberry/Linux/Mac user and rarely used pyILPer but if you can post a HDRIVE1.DAT disc image that can't be read in ILPer then we could have a look and maybe give some indications.

J-F

[floppy_stuttgart]

File was sent via mail since the .DAT extension cannot be uploaded here.

[floppy_stuttgart]

As per J-F suggestion, I created/formatted a new HRIVE1.DAT with the HP41 connected to a virtual drive HDRIVE1.DAT by pilbix/pyilper by giving "XEQ NEWM" then "447" as per requested entry.
For now, I have 2 files HRIVE1.DAT and HDRIVE3.DAT. Is there any possibility to move program files from HDRIVE3.DAT into HDRIVE1.DAT by command line or other?
Loading files into the HP41 from HDRIVE3.DAT then moving into the HDRIVE1.DAT with pyilper/pilbox is well known but perhaps a quicker solution with hpdir or other exists?
Then with the new formatted refilled file, I will further dig into my original issue.

[jeffcalc]

For now, I have 2 files HRIVE1.DAT and HDRIVE3.DAT. Is there any possibility to move program files from HDRIVE3.DAT into HDRIVE1.DAT by command line or other?
Loading files into the HP41 from HDRIVE3.DAT then moving into the HDRIVE1.DAT with pyilper/pilbox is well known but perhaps a quicker solution with hpdir or other exists?

Well, the Extended I/O ROM provides a MCOPY command to copy the whole medium, but it will not help there since it would also duplicate the LIF structure anomalies.
Otherwise, you can write a short program, using other commands from the X-I/O ROM, to do a file per file copy.

Here is the principle;
select source drive with SELECT
set index=1
repeat
{
read the catalog entry number index with DIRX
if the catalog entry is empty, then it's done.
copy that file from source to target drive with COPYFL
index++
}

It seems I already posted such program, can't remember right now where,.

J-F

[floppy_stuttgart]

Lets come back to the original subject of that thread.
I found out that the lifutils linux 64bits which has to be installed in parallel to pyilper dont list the programs present in the the "giesselink" DAT file =

Code: Select all

/usr/bin/lifdir /home/user/programming/hp41/HDRIVE1.DAT
Volume : , formatted : 10/04/16 09:53:05
Tracks: 125 Surfaces: 8 Blocks/Track: 64 Total size: 64000 Blocks, 16384000 Bytes
0 files (640 max), last block used: 0 of 64000

lifutils came from there https://github.com/bug400/lifutils/rele ... _amd64.deb
I am still searching the reason for non compatibility.

[rprosperi]

Email me the exact HDRIVE.DAT LIF file you are having trouble with and I verify if the windows version of lifdir will read the file and produce the listing.

[floppy_stuttgart]

The windows and linux lifutils programs from pyilper github can read the content of virtual drive HDRIVEP.DAT created with pyilper (both commands; see below; made on a linux 64bits PC).
In fact, nothing really new, it show only that the GUI pyilper and the command line programs works as it must be.

Code: Select all

wine '/home/user/.wine/drive_c/Program Files (x86)/HP-Emulators/LIFUTILS/lifdir.exe' '/home/user/programming/hp41/HDRIVEP.DAT'

Volume : , formatted : 25/03/22 13:00:00
Tracks: 125 Surfaces: 4 Blocks/Track: 64 Total size: 32000 Blocks, 8192000 Bytes
BATTEST PGM41 50/256
1 files (2000 max), last block used: 252 of 32000

Code: Select all

lifdir '/home/user/programming/hp41/HDRIVEP.DAT'

Volume : , formatted : 25/03/22 13:00:00
Tracks: 125 Surfaces: 4 Blocks/Track: 64 Total size: 32000 Blocks, 8192000 Bytes
BATTEST PGM41 50/256
1 files (2000 max), last block used: 252 of 32000

A virtual DAT file from ilper (Giesselink) cannot be read on a Linux 64bits PC with the lifutils codes from pyilper. Nothing new, just an evidence the command lines work as the GUI. However, no error comes up, just no file is listed.

Code: Select all

lifdir '/home/user/programming/hp41/IIL1.DAT'

Volume : , formatted : 10/04/16 09:53:05
Tracks: 125 Surfaces: 8 Blocks/Track: 64 Total size: 64000 Blocks, 16384000 Bytes
0 files (640 max), last block used: 0 of 64000

Code: Select all

wine '/home/user/.wine/drive_c/Program Files (x86)/HP-Emulators/LIFUTILS/lifdir.exe' '/home/user/programming/hp41/IIL1.DAT'

Volume : , formatted : 10/04/16 09:53:05
Tracks: 125 Surfaces: 8 Blocks/Track: 64 Total size: 64000 Blocks, 16384000 Bytes
0 files (640 max), last block used: 0 of 64000

ilper started on the linux64bits pc with

Code: Select all

/usr/bin/wine 'C:\\windows\\command\\start.exe' /unix '/home/user/.wine/drive_c/Program Files (x86)/HP-Emulators/ILPER/ilper.exe'

can read the content of a virtual file from ilper sources which is
NAME TYPE REGS
CHIL1 PR 3
BATTEST PR 7

Summary:
- pyilper and ilper cannot access the same virtual drive on linux64bits
- ilper access to a file created/readable by pyilper show the error "MEDM ERR" on linux64bits (ilper started with "wine")
- since,
a) there is no pyilper for ARM 32/64bits linux (raspberry PI)
b) it is possible to install ilper on raspberry PI raspbian,
it makes ilper the first choice in case only a single virtual drive want to be used (= a virtual drive on a USB storage can be used on a linux64bits and raspberry PI "raspbian" and
connected to a V41 or an HP41 via "ilper")
- = 2 different virtual drives has to be used for linux64 bits (pyilper) and ARM (ilper) raspbian
- windows PCs dont show any issue so far (result of JF and Rob testing)
- travel package; setup in picture
raspberry PI4 "raspbian" with its own 220V connection via USB-C
booting direct in USB3-SSD
Micro SD port is free
USB-Memory attached on USB3 (virtual drive on that memory)
pilbox to an HP41CX (via an USB hub with separated 220V connection because its usual too much USBs connected to a raspberry PI make it functionality unstable)
ilper/V41 seen on a touchscreen
optional USB mouse or USB board (not everyone likes touchscreens which ia accessed via a touchpen)
LAN-Network cable can be connected to the raspberry PI for writing here in that forum

[hesc01]

LS,
I wrote a lot of programs for my old HP41CV (which is dead since yesterday, 44 years old…, but I have a second one) and had some experience to copy these programs, making use of an HP-IL HP41 interface and a so-called Pil-box. For that purpose, I made use of a file transfer program Ilper.exe. The transfer was not very stable, because sometimes it did not recognize COM 5 (my USB, I believe) and also gave an error at the end sometimes.
However, some years ago I was successful in transferring programs in that way and used a file conversion program named HP41UC. I made notices of it and made the use of option /l to /t, i.e. *.lif to *.txt. For some reasons that does not work anymore, but I still had the *.dat file from the original file transfer and a *.txt file from the conversion result. In the meantime I looked at the *.dat file and copied it to a *.BIN file and a *.RAW file. In that case the transfer to the *.TXT file worked, but with some typical headers.
Question to you is:
What is the original file format resulting from the HP41 to HPIL transfer and what kind of headers are connected to the raw and bin format?
Do you have an idea why the transfer is not very stable? Do you think there is a mismatch in serial? Settings or so?
Sorry for the long intro… Hope you have time to answer…
Kind regards,
Henk Schellen

[floppy_stuttgart]

What is the original file format resulting from the HP41 to HPIL transfer and what kind of headers are connected to the raw and bin format?
Do you have an idea why the transfer is not very stable? Do you think there is a mismatch in serial? Settings or so?

my thoughts.. more professionals to step in..

What is the original file format resulting from the HP41 to HPIL transfer and what kind of headers are connected to the raw and bin format?
.. A transfer from an HP41 (binaries data; format unknown for me) into an HPIL is IMHO only throwing binaries into a line. When the target identified by hpil is a drive, then the HPIL will convert (a cassette? binairies into electromagnetic stripes.. or a virtual drive recognized by ILPER or a floppy disk will be something different).
.. Headers: this is in the case of files in a virtual drive. Dont know how they looks like.

Do you have an idea why the transfer is not very stable? Do you think there is a mismatch in serial? Settings or so?
.. I observed some issues to connect to a virtual drive in ILPER (win binairies starting in linux environment) due to following..
loop running at start but with the wrong setup or with the pilbox not in the USB at the same place (it was necessary to stop the loop, connect to the virtual drive.. restart the loop)
the solution was to connect the pilbox and hp41 to the PC (or ARM), start the ARM with the tested setup start and/or with the command below in the same sequence with waiting time in between (10s seems enough; 0s was leading to weird loop not started; more 30s is fine but IMHO not necessary/too long)

# first start the ilpilbox with a .vil stored setup and put the command in the background = dont wait for anything
wine '/home/pi/ILPILBOX/ilpilbox.exe' '/start' 'C:\\users\pi\ILBox2.vil' &
wait 10
# then start ilper
wine '/home/pi/ILPER/ilper.exe' '/start' 'C:\\users\pi\ILPer2.vil' &
wait 10
# start another ilper with another setup .vil for another drive in the loop especially if the first drive is for an HP41 and the second would be for an HP71
wine '/home/pi/ILPER/ilper.exe' '/start' 'C:\\users\pi\ILPer3.vil' &
wait 10
# not sure this wait is necessary