                Section 10: Hot Dots at the Command Line
 
                                Overview
 
     You can perform most Hot Dots operations outside of the menus at
the DOS command line. By issuing Hot Dots operations from the command
line, or from a batch file, you can operate more swiftly and
automatically.
 
                            Our Batch Files
 
     The batch files DOTS1234, DOTS1, and DOTS234 are very useful and
may meet all your braille processing needs. You may find it instructive
to examine these batch files in your word processor. Examining these
files may be much more valuable than reading documentation on how to
create your own Hot Dots batch files.
 
                      Working at the Command Line
 
     When you use a Hot Dots program segment at the command line, you
start with the command name. Next comes the input file, then the output
file. If you leave out a file name, Hot Dots prompts you for it. After
all the file names, you can place optional switches (additional
parameters). Here is the list of Hot Dots commands:
 
DOTS1234 <input file> <word processor type> <output device> <optional
     rules file> -- Takes an input file through all the steps
     (importing, translating, formatting, and output)
 
DOTS1 <input file> <word processor type> <optional rules file> --
     Imports a file into a Hot Dots .HD$ file
 
DOTS234 <input base name> <output device> -- takes existing file <base
     name>.HD$ and translates, formats, and outputs it
 
G2FWD <input file> <output file> -- grade two translation
 
FTEXT <input file> <output file> -- format a file. Switches: /W=33;
     (width is 33) /F=27 (form length is 27); /B (braille style
     formatting); /I (inkprint style formatting). FTEXT assumes braille
     formatting unless the carriage width is over 45. Use the /I or /B
     to force the style you want.
 
VIEW <input file> -- display a braille formatted file on the screen. Use
     /S to suppress braille cheat sheet.
 
GLOBAL <input file> <output file> <rules file> -- global replace
 
G2BACK <input file> <output file> -- back translation
 
VANILLA <input file> <device> -- output file to regular brailler (one
     not requiring special handling)
 
CRANMER <input file> <device or file name> -- output to a Cranmer. Use
     /F to set form length.
 
LED120 <input file> <device or file name> -- output to an LED-120. Use
     /W to set carriage width
 
DIPNER <input file> <device or file name> -- output to Dipner Dots. Use
     /R for printable dots on a Diablo 650, use /E for printable dots on
     an Epson style printer, use /I for printable dots on an
     ImageWriter.
 
OHTSUKI <input file> <device or file name> -- output to an Ohtsuki. Use
     /N for normal spacing (25 lines per page).
 
           Section 11: Interfacing Braille Equipment to your
                            MS-DOS computer
 
     With your purchase of Hot Dots, you are probably anxious to start
producing braille. It can be frustrating to try to set up the Hot Dots
software and to learn how to use your embosser all at once. We have
included these instructions to make it easier to get your embosser
working.
 
     Because the pace of technological change is rapid, these
instructions may become outdated. Please read the instructions provided
by your brailler vendor for further information. We also provide
additional interfacing notes and updates in the Raised Dot Computing
Newsletter. If you notice anything which is wrong (or misleading) in
this section, please call or write to Raised Dot Computing.
 
                        Two Kinds of Interfaces
 
     Some embossers have only serial ports, some have only parallel
ports, and some have both. If your embosser has both, you need to decide
which interface to use (based on how many ports of each kind your
computer has and what other equipment is connected to the computer).
 
     In general, parallel connections are easy. To make a parallel
connection, use a standard parallel cable (available at all computer
stores) to connect the 25-pin female jack on the computer to the wide
parallel jack on the embosser.
 
     Most computers have only one parallel port, known as LPT1. If there
is a second parallel port, it is called LPT2.
 
     If you use a serial connection, there are more complications. Some
serial jacks on computers use 25 pins (male), and some use 9 pins
(male). For all the embossers discussed in this section, the jack on the
embosser uses 25 pins. Some embossers have male jacks, and some have
female jacks.
 
     When you use a serial connection, the settings of several serial
parameters must be the same on the computer's serial port and on the
embosser, to avoid getting garbage data. We recommend setting both the
computer's serial port and the embosser for 9600 baud, no parity, 8 data
bits, and 1 stop bit. When you use a Hot Dots batch file, DOTS1234 or
DOTS234, to direct braille through a serial port, it automatically
establishes these recommended settings on that port. If you use a
different method for outputting, you must use the MODE command to set
parameters on the serial port. MODE COM1:96,N,8,1,P sets COM1 (serial
port number one) to the recommended settings. Similarly, MODE
COM2:96,N,8,1,P sets COM2 (serial port number two) to the recommended
settings. The instructions for each brailler in this section include
setting the brailler for these same recommended settings.
 
     When you use the Hot Dots Printer Menu for outputting text, Hot
Dots is set up to output through LPT1. To print through a different
port, you must first tell the system to redirect LPT1's output through a
different port. You do this with a different use of the MODE command. To
set up for printing through COM1 from the Hot Dots menu, use MODE
LPT1:=COM1 <enter> in addition to the command MODE COM1:96,N,81,P
<enter>. To set up for printing through COM2 from the Hot Dots menu, use
COM2 instead of COM1 in these commands. To set up for printing through
LPT2 from the Hot Dots menu, use only MODE LPT1:=LPT2.
 
                                 Cables
 
     RDC does not sell parallel cables. Unless otherwise noted, parallel
connections use a standard parallel cable, available at any computer
store. We do sell a number of serial cables. If you choose, you can
purchase these cables elsewhere by using the descriptions below. All RDC
serial cables for the PC come with a female 25-pin connection for the PC
end and with a free, additional 9-pin to 25-pin adapter. By using the
cable with or without the extra adapter, you can connect your cable to
either a 9-pin or a 25-pin PC serial port.
 
     Our 6F cable is a straight through male-to-female cable.
 
     Our 8M cable is a male-to-female cable which swaps the following
pairs of wires: 2 and 3, 4 and 8, 5 and 20, and 6 and 9. Wires 1 and 7
are straight through.
 
     Our 8F cable is the same as the 8M except that it is
female-to-female.
 
                               Bookmaker
 
     The Bookmaker interfaces to the computer just like the Romeo. See
the instructions on the Romeo.
 
                             Braille Blazer
 
     The Braille Blazer cannot produce braille that is 40 cells across.
You need to tell Hot Dots to format braille for a narrow width. At the
command line (or in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file), type the command SET
HDWIDTH=32 (or any number up to the Blazer's limit of 34).
 
     The Braille Blazer has both a parallel and a serial connection. To
set up the Braille Blazer for parallel connection to the PC, do a total
reset. To do this, hold down all three buttons on the righthand side as
you power on. When you release the buttons, the Braille Blazer voice
asks you if it is okay to reset. To go ahead with the total reset, press
the three buttons again. After you have done this, the Braille Blazer is
all set up for the PC parallel port.
 
     If you get a blank page after each page of braille, Hot Dots and
the Braille Blazer are both deciding that it's time to flip the page. If
this happens, tell the Braille Blazer it has zero lines/page (in the
printer menu as shown below in the configuration dialogue for serial
connection).
 
     The Braille Blazer uses voice for the dialogue in its configuration
menu system. The three buttons on the right side are, from top to
bottom: on/off line, line feed, and form feed. Press all three buttons
at the same time to get into the configuration menu. If you want to
change a value, press the form feed button; the form feed button means
"change." If you are satisfied with a value and want to advance to the
next question, press the line feed button; the line feed button means
"advance." If you want to back up to the previous question, press the
on/off line button; the on/off line button means "back up." To exit a
menu or a sub-menu, press all three buttons together.
 
     When you enter the configuration menu system, the choices available
are speech menu, printer menu, serial menu, service menu, and quit (to
take the Blazer back to being an embosser).
 
     Here is the dialogue to set the brailler to serial:
 
Press all three keys Configuration
Speech config Change
port: serial Change
port: off All 3 keys
Printer config Change
port: Parallel active Change
port: Serial active Advance
Left margin: 0 Advance
Right margin: 34 Advance
Top margin: 0 Advance
Bottom margin: 0 Advance
Lines/page: 25 Change
Lines/page: 26 Change
Lines/page: 27 Change
Lines/page: 28 Change
Lines/page: 29 Change
Lines/page: 30 Change
Lines/page: 0 Advance
Page length: 11 All three keys
Serial config Change
9600 baud Advance
bits per char: 8 Change
bits per char: 7 Advance
Stop bits: 1 Advance
Parity: none Advance
Handshake: software Change
Handshake: hardware All 3 keys
Service Menu Advance
Exit
 
     For a serial connection to the PC, use an 8M cable.
 
                                Braillo
 
     All Braillo embossers have a serial interface. Effective February
15, 1991, Braillo embossers will be available with both serial and
parallel interfaces. The instructions here are for the serial-only
model.
 
     The Braillo has two sets of 8 DIP switches. Set the upper bank for
"alpha numeric mode", 6 dots, 5mm, 22 holes/page, "S max-2", and 40
char/line. This is 00100001. Set the lower bank for 1 stop bit, 8 data
bits, no parity, and 9600 baud. This is 00000110. When you purchase your
Braillo, a cable is included at no charge. Be sure to specify to the
vendor that you are using a PC serial port. A Raised Dot Computing 8M
cable will work also.
 
                            Cranmer Brailler
 
     The Cranmer Brailler has only a serial connection. Use an RDC 8M
cable to connect the Cranmer to one of your serial ports.
 
     The Cranmer Brailler has eight internal DIP switches. You need to
unscrew the bottom plate and remove the bottom circuit card to get to
the DIP switches. Raised Dot Computing recommends the switch settings:
OFF ON OFF ON OFF OFF ON OFF.
 
     We have noticed a bug in the Cranmer's software which was never
fixed. The Cranmer will occasionally introduce a spurious carriage
return in the line after a form feed. We have therefore equipped Hot
Dots with a special driver program called CRANMER, which makes sure that
the brailler does not receive any form feeds. Include the following line
in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file: SET HDDRIVER=CRANMER (to tell the Hot Dots
batch files to output for a Cranmer Brailler).
 
     After you turn on the Cranmer, enter chord-H H chord-S Y chord-R.
Then your Cranmer is ready to braille. When you get to the end of a
page, the brailler beeps. After inserting a new page, press chord-(dots
4-5) to indicate that you are ready for another page of output. To force
a page eject, press chord-(dots 4-5-6).
 
                              Dipner Dots
 
     Braille can be embossed or printed as flat, inkprint dots with some
inkprint printers using a technique known as Dipner Dots. To create
Dipner Dots, Hot Dots turns each braille character into a pattern of
period characters representing its braille dots. Each braille character
is sent to the printer as nine characters, each either a space or a
period. Six characters are for the six dot positions, and the additional
three characters are spaces to separate each cell from the next one.
When your printer is doing Dipner Dots, it therefore prints nine times
fewer characters per second than it does normally.
 
Dipner Dots, Embossed
 
     To produce embossed Dipner Dots, you must have a daisy wheel
printer. Dot matrix printers do not work. For a discussion of producing
"inkprint Dipner Dots," (not raised) with several kinds of printers, see
the next heading "Dipner Dots, Inkprint."
 
     To make embossed Dipner Dots, the daisy wheel printer must have
several characteristics. First, the printer must be able to hit fairly
hard with its hammer. Second, the printer must obey the same spacing
commands as the Diablo 650 printer. Virtually all letter quality
printers can respond to the Diablo 650 command set, so this should not
be a problem.
 
     The Dipner Dot method uses a single character, the period, to
emboss dots into lightweight paper backed by a soft roller. Although you
do not produce Library of Congress quality dots, the dots are quite
readable. This is not recommended for schools or transcriber groups. But
it may be just the ticket for a blind individual in an office setting.
 
     The most important modification needed for the printer is to modify
the roller. There are two approaches. One approach is to wrap some soft
material around the existing roller. You can use something like "flannel
rubber sheeting" available from medical supply houses. You need a layer
several millimeters thick. Wrapping your roller changes its diameter.
Because the printer turns its roller a fixed number of times per page,
this changes the printer's page length. To avoid a dramatic change in
page length, do not make the wrapping too thick. The more you alter the
page length, the more quickly the top of form creeps down as printing
continues, until the bottom of the page reaches the perforation. Another
drawback of wrapping your existing roller is the inconvenience of
switching from braille to print or from print to braille.
 
     The other approach is to purchase a spare roller and have it
wrapped with soft material. Then, switching modes literally just means
switching rollers.
 
     First, buy a spare roller for your printer. This may cost about
$100. Next, get the spare roller recovered. We recommend that you find a
computer or office supply dealer who can recover your roller with a "low
resilience" material. Ask for "30-Durometer rubber." (Durometers are the
unit of measurement of resilience.)
 
     If possible, remove the printer ribbon to save it for printing
inkprint text. Consider getting a separate print wheel reserved for
Dipner Dots embossing only. Otherwise, you might end up wearing down the
period character on your print wheel by making braille. If you get a
metal printwheel, it will last much longer.
 
     To emboss Dipner Dots with Hot Dots, include the following line in
your AUTOEXEC.BAT file: SET HDDRIVER=DIPNER (to tell the Hot Dots batch
files to output for Dipner Dots).
 
Dipner Dots, Inkprint
 
     Using the same method, Hot Dots can also produce inkprint (flat)
braille dots. This method works with some letter quality and with some
dot matrix printers. A letter quality printer needs to obey the spacing
commands for the Diablo 650. A dot matrix printer needs to obey the
spacing commands for Epson-style printers or for the Apple ImageWriter.
 
     As with embossing Dipner Dots, include in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file
the line HDDRIVER=DIPNER with a space and an extra modifier after the
word DIPNER (to tell the Hot Dots batch files to output for inkprint
Dipner Dots). If you are using a letter quality printer, add /R (slash
R) after the word DIPNER. If you are using an Epson or IBM style dot
matrix printer, add /E (slash E). If you are using an ImageWriter dot
matrix printer, add /I (slash I). For example, to get inkprint dots on
an Epson-style printer, include the following line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT
file: SET HDDRIVER=DIPNER /E
 
                                 Index
 
     The Index has both a serial and a parallel port. For use with a PC,
we recommend using the parallel connection. Just set the S/P switch to P
(parallel).
 
     If you use the serial connection, use an 8M cable, and set the
Index for 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, and hardware handshaking.
To do this, set the DIP switches to: off on on on off off off on.
 
     On most devices, turning the power off and on again sets the
parameters back to the DIP switch settings. Not so on the Index. To
force the Index to read the DIP switches, you must press the square
"reset" button. Other parameters for the Index are established by
sending escape sequences from your computer. To reset those parameters
back to their default values, you must instead do a "system reset." To
do a system reset, first turn the Index off. Then hold the form feed and
paper rocker switches away from you while you turn the power on. Only
this full system reset clears away parameter changes established by
escape sequences.
 
                                LED-120
 
     The LED-120 is a now-historic embosser produced by Triformations,
now Enabling Technologies. It has only a serial connection. Use an 8M
cable, and set the brailler to 1200 baud. You must also set the
computer's serial port to 1200 baud. When you configure the computer's
serial port with a MODE command, use 12 instead of 96. You must also
modify the MODE commands inside of the batch files DOTS1234 and DOTS234,
to change 96 to 12.
 
     To use the LED driver, include the following line in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file: SET HDDRIVER=LED120 (to tell the Hot Dots batch files
to output for an LED-120).
 
     Some LED-120's have special software requirements. Some need a
several second delay between pages, and some need to receive a control-K
instead of control-L to advance to the next page.
 
     If your unit requires a control-K instead of a control-L for a form
feed, use: SET HDDRIVER=LED120 /k
 
                                Marathon
 
     The Marathon interfaces to the computer just like the Romeo. See
the instructions on the Romeo.
 
                                MBOSS-1
 
     The MBOSS-1 is no longer produced. Each MBOSS-1 was sold with
either a serial or a parallel interface. If you have the parallel model,
we believe that the connection is straightforward (but we do not have
the settings for the DIP switches).
 
     If you have a serial connection, use an RDC 8M cable. Set switch
bank 40 to: open open closed closed open closed open open. Set switch
bank 41 to: open open open closed closed open open open open open.
 
                                MBOSS-35
 
     The MBOSS-35 is no longer produced. Despite its name, the MBOSS-35
is not related to the MBOSS-1. It was actually a prototype for the Index
brailler.
 
     The MBOSS-35 is a serial embosser. Use an RDC 6F cable (straight
through male-to-female) to connect the brailler to your PC. There are no
DIP switches. All parameter changes are done from an external braille
keyboard or from escape codes sent by a computer. The MBOSS-35 is rigged
so that its default parameters are: 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit,
and no parity (the preferred settings for Hot Dots).
 
                                Ohtsuki
 
     The Ohtsuki has both a serial and a parallel connection. The serial
connection does not really work, and it is not recommended except for
those who enjoy frustration.
 
     The parallel connection works very well. You need a special
parallel cable. On a standard parallel cable, wire 17 from the PC
connects to wire 36 on the printer, and wire 11 on the PC connects to
wire 11 on the printer. On the modified cable, disconnect both of these
connections, and then connect wire 11 on the PC to wire 36 on the
printer (wires 17 on the PC and 11 on the printer should not be
connected to anything).
 
     For a parallel connection, set the switches in bank one to: off off
off on off off. The switches in banks two and three affect only the
serial port.
 
     The Ohtsuki brailler has a wide variety of printing and embossing
modes. The usual application is to produce print and braille from a
grade two file (that is what the above switch settings do). Be aware
that the inkprint is generated by a translator from braille to print
inside the Ohtsuki. The braille file sent to the Ohtsuki must contain
uppercase ASCII characters for the Ohtsuki's braille-to-print translator
to work. That is why there is a special Ohtsuki driver. To activate the
Ohtsuki driver, include the following line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
SET HDDRIVER=OHTSUKI (to tell the Hot Dots batch files to output for an
Ohtsuki brailler).
 
     When the Ohtsuki is set for print and braille, it spaces out the
lines so that only 19 lines can fit on a page. To fit the standard 25
lines on a page, add /N (space, slash N) after the word OHTSUKI.
 
                           Personal Brailler
 
     The Personal Brailler is no longer produced. It has only a serial
connection. Use an RDC 8F cable.
 
     You must use care in setting the switches on the Personal Brailler,
since Enabling Technology reversed the conventional meaning of on and
off for a rocker switch. A rocker switch has two ends. One end is flush
with the surface, and the other is raised from the surface. On the
Personal Brailler, when the end of the switch labeled "on" is raised,
the switch is on.
 
     The Personal Brailler has four banks of switches, with eight
switches per bank. The fourth bank is set by the factory to control
timing of the embosser. Never change bank four unless you have been
instructed to do so by the vendor. Set bank one to: off on on on on on
on off. Set bank two to: on off on off off off off off. Set bank three
to: off off off off on off off off. Do not change bank four.
 
     To find out if you have the switches set correctly, hold down the
on line button as you power up. You will get a status report. This
report should mention that it is set for 9600 baud.
 
                                 RESUS
 
     The first units were very sensitive to differences in
communications parameters. The RESUS has both a serial and a parallel
interface which are controlled by DIP switches. We recommend that you
use the parallel port to eliminate potential problems.
 
     New units, those with serial numbers higher than 200, do not have
the sensitivity of earlier units.
 
     Check the RESUS manual for details on how to set the DIP switches
to meet your needs.
 
                                 Romeo
 
     The Romeo has both a serial and a parallel connection. The Romeo's
menu number 1 is set for the IBM. Item 2 in the menu determines whether
the Romeo is set for parallel or serial (1=parallel, 0=serial). The
default is parallel. Menu 1 unmodified from the factory is good for
parallel connection to the IBM. To make menu 1 the default, enter the
following: <off line> 0.1E 1.0E 1.1E
 
     The serial connection requires an RDC 8F cable. Here is how you
load menu 1; set menu 1 to serial; change the values to 9600 baud, 8
data bits, and no parity; and then make menu 1 the default. Enter the
following on the keypad: <off line> 0.1E 2.0E 3.9600E 4.8E 6.0E 1.0E
1.1E
 
     Some early Romeo units sometimes lock up entirely. To totally reset
the Romeo (losing all your stored menus), enter the following: <off
line> 0.0E 95E 98E 99E
 
                                TED-600
 
     We are not sure of the interfacing details with the TED-600.
Contact Enabling Technologies for the details. However, we do know that
you need to include SET HDDRIVER=LED120 in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to get
correct output from the Hot Dots batch files. This driver pads each line
with spaces, which the TED-600 requires.
 
                                 Thiel
 
     The Thiel has only a serial connection. Use an RDC 8F cable.
 
     To set the parameters on the Thiel, you have to go through a
configuration dialogue in braille. All the critical parameters on the
Thiel are set from a simple YES/NO keyboard. Set the on-line/local
switch to local. To begin the dialogue, hold down the YES button a few
seconds and then release. Here is the dialogue:
 
Start of the set-up program:
 
Dialog in detscher sprache?
Outprint in German language? No
Display parameters? No
Select Fixed Parameters? No
Change Character Set? Yes
Character Set German? No
Character system U<;S-ASCII? Yes
Change format of printing? Yes
6-dot presentation? Yes
Continuous Print? No
Page length 13 inches? No
Page length 12 inches? No
Page length 11 inches? Yes
Change line spacing? No
26 lines per page is possible. Change number? No
Number of characters per line: 42 Change number? No
Word Wrap? No
Indent following line overflow? No
Paperfeed at end of page? Yes
Change computer connection? Yes
Allow escape sequences? No
Change baudrate? Yes
9600 baud? Yes
Change data format? Yes
Parity on? No
Number of stopbits 1? Yes
Change Synchronization? Yes
Synchronization Xon/Xoff No
Synchronization DTR? Yes
Synchronization DTR-positive? Yes
Half-Duplex? Yes
Change mode of read key? No
Selftest? No
 
     The Thiel displays all the selected parameters and asks Save
Parameters? Answer Yes.
 
     These parameters are remembered even when you turn off the power.
To get ready to print, make sure the top of form is appropriate and flip
the switch to on-line.
 
                       VersaBraille (tape based)
 
     A VersaBraille is a linear braille device. When you send a file to
the VersaBraille, you want to exclude formatting commands and hardcopy
formatting that would make reading more difficult. To do this, set the
environmental variable LINEAR to 1 with the command SET LINEAR=1
<enter>. Place this in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file if you want it most of the
time. Setting the variable LINEAR equal to 1 tells Hot Dots that you
have a linear braille device. That suppresses extra dollar sign commands
when you import a file into Hot Dots. It also eliminates the step of
formatting the file for hardcopy output when you use the Hot Dots batch
files. If you want to begin processing for hardcopy output again, enter
SET LINEAR= <enter> (nothing after the equals sign).
 
     To interface with the older tape-based VersaBraille, you need the
special I/O cable that comes with the VersaBraille. Examine it. One side
is hammer shaped, and it goes into the VersaBraille. The other side is
either a female or a male 25-pin connection. If it is female, you need
an 8M cable. If it is male, you need an 8F cable.
 
     Load the terminal overlay and set the parameters as follows: b
9600; d 8; p n; s 1; t c; ll 80; pl 0; ci sp (or y if you want to
capture carriage returns); cr 0; et eot; dx f; hs dtr; ai n; co cr; ak
n; dci n; cts y; cd n
 
     Save these parameters with a chord-o. Open a new chapter and get
into remote mode with a chord-r r. Make sure that the cursor is up. Then
you are ready to send material to the VersaBraille with the DOTS1234 or
DOTS234 batch file.
 
     To upload from the VersaBraille to the PC, you need to lower the
baudrate. We recommend 1200 baud. (You might experiment to see if a
higher baud rate works on your system.) Load the hardcopy overlay and
set the parameters as follows: b 1200; d 8; p n; s 1; t c; ll 72; pl 0;
ci u; cr 0; et eot; dx f; hs dc3; ai n; co crlf; ak y; dci y; cts y; cd
n
 
     Save the overlay with a chord-o. Also create a chapter called
UPLOAD on the VersaBraille which has only one character: control-Z. Also
set the IBM's serial port to 1200 baud: change the MODE commands in the
DOTS1234 and DOTS234 batch files.
 
     On the PC, issue a command like: COPY COM1 <filename> <Enter>. Find
the chapter on the table of contents. Do not load it. Instead, issue a
chord-x p to send it to the PC. Finally, send the UPLOAD chapter
(consisting of just a control-Z) to the PC to tell the PC that the file
transmission is over.
 
                      VersaBraille II (disk based)
 
     The VersaBraille II is a linear braille device. When you send a
file to the VersaBraille, you want to exclude formatting commands and
hardcopy formatting that would make reading more difficult. To do this,
set the environmental variable LINEAR to 1 with the command SET
LINEAR=1. Place this in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file if you want it most of
the time. Setting the variable LINEAR equal to 1 tells Hot Dots that you
have a linear braille device. That suppresses extra dollar sign commands
when you import a file into Hot Dots. It also eliminates the step of
formatting the file for hardcopy output when you use the Hot Dots batch
files. If you want to begin processing for hardcopy output again, enter
SET LINEAR= <enter> (nothing after the equals sign).
 
     Use a 6F cable (straight through male-to-female) between the PC and
the DCE (corner) port on the VersaBraille II. Set the communications
parameters as follows:
 
9600 baud
8 data bits
1 stop bit
half duplex
no parity
DC IN no
DC OUT no
DTR handshake
DSR yes
CTS yes
RTS handshake
 
     To send a file to the VersaBraille, select the files menu, then
select print, and then select input. After you specify the file name,
you have to specify the device. Answer No to the prompt "Do you want to
send a command?".
 
     To send a file from the VersaBraille, select the files menu, then
print, and then serial. Specify the file name and the device. You are
then asked if you want the file formatted or not (your choice) and if
you want to pause.
 
     On the PC use the COPY command to copy the serial port to a file
name. You need a control-Z at the end of the file to terminate the
transmission. You may find it useful to keep a file on the VersaBraille
that just consists of a control-Z. Send it last.
 
Another way to transfer data
 
     There is a product from Cornucopia Software [1625 Beverly Place,
Berkeley CA 94707; (415) 528-7000] called IBM-VBII which allows an IBM
computer with a 3.5 inch drive to read and write VersaBraille II disks.
Your computer must have a 3.5 inch drive that can handle 720k disks.
Some older IBM XT's or quasi-compatibles may not work. IBM-VBII costs
$250. Contact the vendor for details.
 
                               VersaPoint
 
     The VersaPoint has both a serial and a parallel connection. We
recommend using the parallel connection.
 
     There are no DIP switches for setting the parameters on the
VersaPoint. Instead, you go through a dialogue in braille, as with the
Thiel. The VersaPoint remembers 5 different collections of parameters
(numbered 0 through 4), and it is easy to switch between them. It is
much easier to switch between "set up 0" and "set up 4" than to go
through the entire dialogue. So it helps to save the settings you need
at different times as separate set ups. Note: Set up 0 is fixed (always
goes back to its factory-set values when you turn off the VersaPoint).
 
     To do a total reset on the VersaPoint, set the A/B switch to A, set
the on line/off line switch to on line, turn off the unit, and hold down
all four buttons while you power on. This resets all the set ups to
their original factory settings. It sets the default set up to be set up
0. The "default set up" means the set up that the VersaPoint uses when
you turn on the power.
 
     Once you do a full reset, the set ups are as follows: set up 0 is
for the Apple II; set up 1 is also for the Apple II; set up 2 is for PC
parallel; set up 3 is for PC parallel sideways; set up 4 is for PC
serial.
 
     To switch between these set ups, Hold down the LF button during
power up. In the dialogue, the FF button means yes, the LF button means
NO, and the TF button means exit. A typical dialogue is as follows:
 
TSI VERSAPOINT SET UP MENU
PUSH LF-NEXT FF-ENTER, TF-EXIT
BRAILLE OUTPUT: YES Yes
RECALL SET UP: 2 No
RECALL SET UP: 3 No
RECALL SET UP: 4 Yes
LANGUAGE: U.S.A. Exit
STORE SET UP: 4 Exit
 
     There is one major quirk about how the VersaPoint configuration
process works. A set up becomes the default only through the act of
being loaded, not by being saved. For example, suppose you load set up
4, make some changes, and then save the results in set up 3. You might
expect that set up 3 (the revised parameters) would be the default.
Wrong. The last set up that was loaded (set up 4) is the default.
However, once you load configuration three (which contains the changes
you saved), it becomes the default set up.
 
     When you save a set up, the configuration program offers you a
chance to load that set up again. Do it. That will make that set up the
default set up.
 
 