------------------------------------------------------------------------ HP 82973A HP-IL Interface For the IBM Personal Computer* OWNER'S MANUAL Copyright Hewlett-Packard Company 1984 March 1984 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE HP 82973A HP-IL INTERFACE . . . . . . . . . 1 2. INSTALLING THE HP 82973A HP-IL INTERFACE . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3. CONNECTING AND USING HP-IL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 4. USING THE IBM PC AS AN HP-IL DEVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 5. USING THE IBM PC AS AN HP-IL CONTROLLER . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE HP 82973A HP-IL INTERFACE Congratulations! You have purchased a quality Hewlett-Packard Interface Loop (HP-IL) card that enables you to transfer information such as Lotus 1-2-3* spreadsheets, memos, and data files between the IBM PC and your HP 110 Portable Computer. The HP 82973A HP-IL Interface also enables you to form a desktop link between the IBM PC and your HP-IL peripheral devices. ______________________________ * IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines, Inc. ** Lotus and 1-2-3 are registered trademarks of Lotus Development Corporation. -2- The HP 82973A HP-IL Interface is a powerful yet easy-to-use addition to the IBM Personal Computer. It enables the IBM PC to serve as: 1. A "peripheral device" on a HP-IL loop controlled by an HP 110. 2. A "loop controller" using HP-IL peripheral devices. If you have one interface card installed on the IBM PC, the IBM can be either a peripheral device or the loop controller (but not both at the same time). The software disc included with the interface card contains programs and information needed to operate the interface. To protect your investment in this product, you should make a backup copy of the disc as soon as possible then store the original disc in a safe place. Use the copy of the software disc for all your operations. To make a copy of your disc, follow the instructions in the IBM PC "Disc Operating System Manual" on how to care for and copy discs. Since your programs and information are stored on disc, you should handle the software disc, and all discs, carefully: * Return flexible discs to their storage envelopes immediately after removing them from the disc drive. * Do not bend, fold, or emboss flexible discs. * Keep discs away from sources of strong magnetic fields, such as magnets, wires carrying heavy currents, transformers, and degaussers (magnetic erasers). * Refer to the IBM PC DOS manual for more information about disc care. -3- Throughout this manual, several programs are referred to. The table below lists those programs and gives a brief description of each. Program Name Description _____________________________________________________________________ HPLINK Makes the IBM PC an HP-IL device. HPIL.SYS Makes the IBM PC an HP-IL controller. HELP Enables you to read this manual on the display. TEST Enables you to test the interface card. HPILFOR Enables you to format discs from the IBM PC that are inserted in HP-IL disc drives. The following items are supplied with the HP 82973A HP-IL Interface: * An HP 82973A HP-IL Interface software disc. * A 1-meter HP-IL cable. * A service card. -4- 2. INSTALLING THE HP 82973A HP-IL INTERFACE A. Introduction B. Adjusting the Address of the Interface C. Changing the Address in HPLINK.BAT A. Introduction To install the HP 82973A HP-IL Interface in the IBM PC, follow the instructions for installing an IBM memory board. (If these instructions are not available, consult your dealer for information about installing the interface.) You don't need to set any system switches on the IBM PC. CAUTION! The interface card is shipped in a wrapping that protects it from electrostatic discharge (ESD). A common example of ESD occurs when you walk across a carpet and get an electrical shock from touching a doorknob. The shock you feel is a discharge. Even if you don't feel a shock, a static discharge can occur. To prevent ESD from damaging the interface card, keep the card in its protective wrapping until you are ready to install it. When you are ready to install the card, touch a grounded metal object to remove any static charge that you might have. After grounding yourself, you can remove the card from the wrapping and remove the protective cover from the edge connector. Always handle the interface card by its edges! After you remove the interface card from its protective wrapping and remove the protective cover from the edge connector, you can install the interface card in the IBM PC. -5- The HP 82973A HP-IL Interface has a memory address of 1700 (hex) preset at the factory. In most cases, you won't need to change this address. But if another card has this address, change the address setting on either the HP-IL interface or the other card. The rest of this section describes how to change the address of the HP-IL interface. NOTE: The rest of this section describes how to change the address of the HP-IL interface card. In most cases, you won't need to change the address, so you probably don't need to read the rest of this section. To change the address of the HP-IL interface, first determine a new, unique address, such as A400 (hexadecimal). Then: 1. Physically set the address switch on the HP-IL interface. (The procedure is described below.) 2. Enter the new address in the file HPLINK.BAT. (This is described later in this section.) B. Adjusting the Address of the Interface Hold the interface card so the mounting bracket is to the left and the edge connector is toward the top. The address switch to the upper right of the center of the board. The address switch is identified by the reference desig- nation "S1." The address switch has eight switch segments that can be set with a ballpoint pen. The designation "A15" is to the left of the switch and the designation "A8" is to the right of it. (Ignore the print on the switch.) -6- The address for the card has four hexadecimal (base 16) digits. The four switch segments on the left set the leftmost address digit, and the four segments on the right set the next digit. (The last digits are always 0.) The illustration below shows the address Switch Settings Value _______________________ switch set to 1700. The table at the right 0 0 0 0 0 +--< 0 0 0 1 1 shows how to set the switch segments. | 0 0 1 0 2 | 0 0 1 1 3 \ | 0 1 0 0 4 \ +-----------------------------+ 0 1 0 1 5 | Mounting | 0 1 1 0 6 | Bracket | +----------------< 0 1 1 1 7 | ______|______ ______|______ 1 0 0 0 8 | / \ / \ 1 0 0 1 9 | +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ 1 0 1 0 A | 1 | | | | | | |=| | | |=| |=| |=| 1 0 1 1 B | A15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | A8 1 1 0 0 C | 0 |=| |=| |=| | | |=| | | | | | | 1 1 0 1 D | +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ 1 1 1 0 E | \_____________/ \_____________/ 1 1 1 1 F == 1 7 The table above indicates how to set either of the two sets of four switch segments to get the desired address digit. In the table, a "1" indicates that you slide the switch segment to the "1" position and a "0" indicates that you slide the switch segment to "0." The table expresses the address in hexadecimal (base 16) notation. Digits can be from 1 through 9 and A through F. You don't need to understand hexadecimal numbers to be able to set the address switch on the card. You only need to know how to set the address switch segments. -7- Example: Set the address of the HP-IL interface to A400. Using the table above, find the patterns that match the digits A and 4: A 4 Since the last two digits of the _____________ _____________ / \ / \ address are always 0, setting the 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 switches as shown at right sets +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ 1 |=| | | |=| | | | | |=| | | | | the interface address to A400. A15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | A8 0 | | |=| | | |=| |=| | | |=| |=| +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ C. Changing the Address in HPLINK.BAT HPLINK.BAT is a batch file that, among other things, tells the IBM computer the memory address of the HP-IL interface. After altering the address on the HP-IL interface, you need to change the address specified in HPLINK.BAT. To change the address in HPLINK.BAT: 1. Run an editor or word processor and call up HPLINK.BAT. (Use a backup copy of the software disc with its write-protect tab removed.) 2. Find the line "a:cs80 1700". 3. Change the "1700" portion to the new address. 4. Store the file HPLINK.BAT. After changing the address on the HP-IL interface, installing it, and changing the address line in the file HPLINK.BAT, the interface is ready to use. If you can't determine a new address for the interface or, after consulting your IBM manuals, you are unable to properly install the interface, consult your dealer. -8- 3. CONNECTING AND USING HP-IL The Hewlett-Packard Interface Loop (HP-IL) consists of a controller (a computer), and one or more devices (such as disc drives and printers) connected in a series. All devices must be connected and switched on for the loop to operate. You can have up to 31 devices in a loop. +----------+ IN <----------- OUT +----------+ | Device <------------------------------------------------< Device | | | | | | #2 >--------------------+ +----------------------> #1 | +----------+ OUT -----> IN | | OUT -----> IN +----------+ +-------v----^--------+ | controller | | | +---------------------+ Peripheral devices are connected to your computer (and to each other) using HP-IL cables. A 1 meter cable is shipped with the interface card, and one is shipped with each peripheral device. The receptacles on the interface card indicate the direction information travels around the loop. With the IBM PC as loop controller, instructions and data are sent from the card through the receptacle labeled "OUT" and are received by the card through the receptacle labeled "IN." When only one peripheral is connected to the interface card (the card is installed in the IBM PC), one HP-IL cable runs from the OUT receptacle on the back of the computer to the IN receptacle on the peripheral. The other HP-IL cable connects the OUT receptacle on the peripheral to the IN receptacle on the computer. -9- If you want more than one peripheral in the loop, HP-IL cables should be connected from the OUT receptacle on each device to the IN receptacle on the the next device. Repeat this procedure until all peripheral devices are connected. The loop is completed when the OUT receptacle on the last peripheral is connected to the IN receptacle on the computer. Note that EITHER the IBM PC OR the HP 110 may be the loop controller at a given time--not both. Instructions and data on HP-IL originate from the controller and travel to the first peripheral, on to the second and continue around the circuit until that information returns to the controller. If the information isn't intended for a particular peripheral, it travels to the next peripheral in the loop. When the information reaches its destination, that peripheral responds as directed and then passes on the information. If you wish to space peripherals further from the computer than permitted by the cables, connect additional HP-IL cables. The maximum distance allowed between any two devices or a device and the computer is 10 meters (33 feet) with standard cables. Standard HP-IL cables are: HP 82167A .5 meter. HP 82167B 1 meter. HP 82167D 5 meters. -10- 4. USING THE IBM PC AS AN HP-IL DEVICE A. Introduction B. How to Run HPLINK C. Using the IBM PC Disc Drives D. Using the IBM PC Printer E. Using the IBM PC Display A. Introduction The HPLINK program turns the IBM PC into an HP-IL peripheral device that can be used on a loop controlled by an HP 110 Portable Computer. A sample HP-IL configuration is shown below: +----------------+ | HP 110 | | (Controller) | +----v------^----+ <-------- OUT | | IN <-------- +-----------------+ +-----------------+ | | | +------------------------------+ | IN | | OUT ---------> IN | | OUT +-----v-----^-----+ +-----v-----^-----+ | HP 9114 | Device #1 | IBM PC | Device #2 | Disc Drive | | | +-----------------+ +-----------------+ HPLINK is a program that turns the IBM PC into any of three peripheral devices to be operated by the HP 110 Portable Computer: * Disc Drive. * Printer. * Display. (The display operates as a printer.) Before running HPLINK ensure that all HP-IL devices are connected and turned on. -11- B. How to Run HPLINK To run HPLINK insert the software disc in drive A and type A:HPLINK. HPLINK displays the following selection of devices: 1: Disc 2: Printer 3: Display (E) Exit HPLINK also displays the current device at the bottom of the display. (The default is "Disc Drive.") The IBM can act as one device at a time only. To select a device type, press the number key corresponding to the device you want. For example, to use the IBM PC disc drives, press (1). To end the HPLINK program, press (E). This returns you to the operating system. So far, this section has described everything you need to know to begin using HPLINK. If you want to try running HPLINK now, press (E) to exit from this manual, ensure the software disc is in drive A and type: A:HPLINK. The remainder of this section describes more about using HPLINK. If you want more information about how disc drives are assigned or how the IBM PC printer and display respond to control codes, you can continue with the following instructions. Note: If the IBM PC has no physical disc drive B, you should read the following instructions on using IBM PC disc drives. -12- C. Using the IBM PC Disc Drives When you select Disc from the HPLINK menu, the disc drives connected to the IBM become assigned as HP 110 disc drives. The drives are automatically assigned drive identifiers that follow in the sequence of the existing HP 110 disc drives. For example, if you have drives A: and B: assigned on the HP 110 and then run HPLINK and select Disc from the HPLINK menu, the IBM PC disc drives will be assigned to the HP 110 as drives C:, D:, and so on. To use the IBM PC drives, ensure that the number of external drives specified in the HP 110 system configuration is at least the number of IBM PC drives. ASSIGNING VIRTUAL DRIVE B If you are using an IBM Personal Computer that has disc drive A but no physical drive B (for example, the IBM PC can have a single floppy disc drive A, virtual drive B, and a hard disc drive, C), execute ASSIGN B = A BEFORE you run HPLINK.* Otherwise, the screen displayed by HPLINK might be overwritten by messages from the IBM PC as you use drive B. Also, the HP 110 might "time-out" while waiting for you to insert a disc in drive B. To recover from a "time-out", type "A" (for abort) in response to the HP 110 message: ABORT, RETRY, IGNORE? _______________________________ * The ASSIGN command is a .COM file on the IBM PC DOS disc. -13- DISC OPERATIONS Using your HP 110, you can read and store files on IBM PC discs that were formatted using DOS 1.0, 1.1, or 2.0. Since HPLINK is a file transfer utility, you can store and retrieve files from IBM PC discs, but you can't format IBM PC discs from the HP 110. Note: Although the IBM PC and the HP 110 use similar operating systems, .COM files that run on one computer might not run properly on the other. EXAMPLE: Suppose you have a 1-2-3 worksheet on drive A of your HP 110 and you want to copy it to an IBM PC disc so you can work on it with the IBM PC. Assume that the IBM PC has two disc drives and the HP 110 has no external drives. Also, assume that the name of the file to be copied is PROJ.WKS. To transfer the file, you would: 1. Set the number of external disc drives in the HP 110 system configuration screen to 2. 2. With the interface program disc in IBM PC drive A, type: HPLINK. 3. Remove the software disc from drive A and insert a disc for data. 4. On the HP 110, type: COPY A:PROJ.WKS C: A copy of the file is now on the disc in IBM PC drive A. -14- D. Using an IBM PC Printer If you want to use a printer that is connected to the IBM computer, select Printer on the HPLINK menu. The printer becomes available to the HP 110, and the IBM computer appears as a printer on HP-IL. (Note that when you select Printer, the IBM PC disc drives are no longer on the loop.) The IBM PC must be the first printer on the loop to be accessed. (Refer to the HP 110 Owner's Manual for more information about assigning devices on HP-IL.) Also, before you run HPLINK, the printer must be designated the PRN device on the IBM PC. When you send information to the IBM PC printer from the HP 110, the HPLINK program uses the first printer connected to the IBM PC. When using a printer you should know how it responds to special characters such as linefeed (LF) and carriage return (CR). Otherwise, you might get unexpected results. Many printers respond to special codes called "escape sequences." Escape sequences are used to select different settings on a printer and control how information is printed. (The owner's documentation for your printer should describe how that printer responds to escape sequences.) -15- E. Using the IBM PC Display There might be times when it is more convenient to display information on a screen rather than a printer if you don't want to unnecessarily use printer paper. When you select Display on the HPLINK menu, you can use the IBM PC display as a printer. In fact, when you use the IBM PC display in this manner, the IBM PC appears as a printer on HP-IL. HPLINK directs information to the display as text. Control codes and escape sequences sent by the HP 110 are displayed on the screen. If you want to use certain IBM PC screen parameters, you must set them on the IBM PC before you run HPLINK. You can't alter the screen's characteristics while HPLINK is running. (For more information about altering the characteristics of the IBM PC display, refer to the IBM owner's documentation.) -16- 5. USING THE IBM PC AS AN HP-IL CONTROLLER A. Introduction B. Installing the HP-IL Driver on the IBM PC C. Using HP-IL Mass Storage Devices D. Using An HP-IL Printer A. Introduction The IBM PC can not only be a device on HP-IL; it can be a loop controller as well. (However, the IBM can't be a device and a controller on a loop at the same time.) When loaded onto the IBM PC, the file HPIL.SYS on the software disc is added to the IBM operating system, enabling you to use HP-IL devices with the IBM PC. Since HPIL.SYS enables the IBM PC to operate ("drive") HP-IL devices, it is called a "driver." You can load ("install") the driver in the IBM PC using a file called "CONFIG.SYS." (This is described later.) The HP-IL driver, when installed in the IBM PC, enables the IBM PC to use HP-IL peripheral devices. An example configuration is shown below: +----------------+ | IBM PC | | | | (Controller) | +----v------^----+ | | +-----------------+ +-----------------+ | | | +------------------------------+ | Device #1 | | | | Device #2 +-----v-----^-----+ +-----v-----^-----+ | HP 9114 | | HP 2225 | | Disc Drive | | Printer | +-----------------+ +-----------------+ -17- With the HP-IL driver installed, the IBM PC can operate: * HP-IL printers. * HP 7470A Graphics Plotter, option 003. * HP-IL disc drives and the HP 82161A Digital Cassette Drive. Installing the driver is described below. B. Installing the HP-IL Driver on the IBM PC 1. With an editor or word processor, edit the IBM PC file, CONFIG.SYS. If the file doesn't exist on your DOS disc, create it. 2. In CONFIG.SYS enter the line: DEVICE = HPIL.SYS If you have set the address on the interface card to other than 1700, you must specify that address on the line. For example, if you have set the address of the interface card to 2200, you would enter the following line in CONFIG.SYS: DEVICE = HPIL.SYS /A 2200 3. Store CONFIG.SYS on the DOS disc and copy the file HPIL.SYS from the software disc to the DOS disc. 4. With the DOS disc in the default drive, reset the IBM PC so that the operating system is booted up. The HPIL.SYS is now installed. -18- NOTE: If, after installing HPIL.SYS and using the IBM PC to control HP-IL devices, you want to run the HPLINK program (making the IBM PC an HP-IL device on the same loop), you need to first remove HPIL.SYS from the system. To do this, remove the line that you previously entered into CONFIG.SYS, and store CONFIG.SYS back on the DOS disk. Then reboot the system. When you want to control HP-IL devices again, install the driver. You can use HP-IL peripherals as you would other devices connected to your IBM PC computer. The following table lists the names that your IBM PC recognizes and their corresponding devices on the loop. Name Device --------------------------------------------------------------------- HPILPRN The first printer on HP-IL. HPILPLT HP 7470A Graphics Plotter (option 003). Drives C to J (D to K) Disc drives or HP 82161A Digital Cassette Drive. (Drives D to K for the IBM XT.) C. Using HP-IL Mass Storage Devices When you have successfully installed HPIL.SYS, you can control HP-IL devices using your IBM PC computer. Before using HP-IL mass storage devices, you must ensure that the media are properly formatted for use with the IBM PC. (Media formatted by the HP 110 can be used.) Once you've installed HPIL.SYS, mass storage devices on the loop are assigned disc drive identifiers. To format a mass storage medium on HP-IL, type: [d:] HPILFOR m: where m: is the identifier of the disc that you are going to format and [d:] is the optional drive identifier that contains the software disc. -19- For example, to format a disc on drive C:, type HPILFOR C: To format discs on the IBM PC, use the DOS command FORMAT rather than HPILFOR. NOTE: When using the HP 110 on the loop when the IBM PC is a controller, the HP 110 must be running a program that enables it to be a device on the loop. Otherwise the IBM PC and the HP 110 will both attempt to be the loop controller. The result is that the loop will not operate until either the IBM PC or the HP 110 is disconnected from the loop. Before the computer formats the specified drive, it prompts you to press a key to start formatting. This is to ensure that you don't accidentally format a disc that you don't want erased. (Remember that formatting a disc erases all information on that disc.) After pressing a key to confirm that you want a disc or tape formatted, the computer begins formatting the medium. (For a cassette this could take several minutes. Refer to the HP 82161A Digital Cassette Drive Owner's Manual for more information about operating the cassette drive.) Once you install a formatted medium in an HP-IL mass storage device, you cam use it. HP-IL devices are assigned disc drive identifiers in a sequence following those already assigned on the IBM. For example, if you have disc drives A:, B:, and C: assigned to the IBM PC and you have two HP-IL mass storage units connected, the HP-IL units will be assigned the identifiers D: and E:. You can then use them as you would any of the disc drives on your IBM PC. -20- EXAMPLE: Suppose you have a 1-2-3 spreadsheet file that you want to copy from an IBM PC disc to an HP-IL disc. Assume that the name of the file is PROJ.WKS. Also assume that besides the HP-IL single disc drive, there are no other external disc drives connected the IBM PC. To transfer the file to the HP-IL disc drive: 1. Ensure that HPIL.SYS is installed, as described at the beginning of this section. 2. The HP-IL disc drive is assigned the identifier C by the IBM PC. The disc the file is on is in drive A. To copy the file type: COPY A:PROJ.WKS C: The file is now on the disc in the HP-IL disc drive. D. Using an HP-IL Printer You can use an HP-IL printer as you would any other printer. If you have more than one printer on the loop, only the first printer will be used. NOTE: Be sure you know how your printer operates before using it. If all the information sent to the printer isn't being printed, it may be that the print buffer still has information in it. (Refer to the owner's literature for your printer for more information about how the printer receives and prints information.) -21- When you use the PRINT command to print files on the HP-IL printer, the computer prompts you to enter the name of the printer device if you haven't done so since booting the operating system. To specify the HP-IL printer (you can specify the first printer on the loop only), enter: HPILPRN in response to the prompt. The system printer on the IBM PC still retains the designator PRN. NOTE: You can find a components list, an interactive trouble- shooting section, and an index as part of the online documentation for the interface card. To access the online documentation, insert the software disc in the default drive of your IBM PC, type: help and press RETURN. ---------------------< END OF PRINTED MANUAL >--------------------------