floppy files to HFE image ?

[exxos]

I see the is a program to convert floppies into HFE files, only problem is, it does not work with USB floppy drives, so I am kinda stuffed right now

I have most of my floppies stored on my PC, but these are not images. So is there any software where I can just file copy files over to a image or HFE format ? Using the actual floppy drive is simply a no-go. I have lots of Atari floppies held on my PC, which I simply cannot load in HFE format

Also, what switches are supposed to be set for non-twisted cables, I can only get it to work with a twisted cable with switch 1 set. Ive tried all switch combinations going by the manual, even gone though them all, cant work it out

[simonsunnyboy]

Simply image your floppies to .MSA or .ST files first and then convert those to .HFE. Sofar I only converte .MSA and .St files for the .HFE needs and that worked pretty well for me.

[exxos]

Though can I convert actual files from my PC to ST files ? IE the floppies I have on my pc are simply file copies, not images..

[wongck]

There are blank HFE files at the HxC site.
There is also a virtual floppy driver that makes the blank HFE looks like drive A: or B: on Windows.
So you can just copy files from HDD to virtual floppy HFE images.
I do this all the time.

All available are from the HxC website.

[troed]

Though can I convert actual files from my PC to ST files ? IE the floppies I have on my pc are simply file copies, not images..

I believe the virtual driver in Windows is easier - but Mac users can open 720kb .ST images by renaming them to .dmg and mount them natively.

(Also, you can always load up an emulator - I use Hatari - and mount a disk image inside it as well as emulating a hard drive off a directory and then do the copying inside the emulator)

Use the HxCFloppyEmulator app to then convert between .ST and .HFE and back.

[Jeff_HxC2001]

STOP!

Nobody noticed that there is a Dos image browser into the HxC Software or what ?

This one works on Windows, Mac, Linux...

http://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... r_soft.zip

-> Click on the button "Disk Browser" !

Here is a demo of the "simplified" version :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhMNGKBYb-8

[troed]

Nobody noticed that there is a Dos image browser into the HxC Software or what ?

I hadn't Apparently I need to make sure I follow your release notices.

Thanks!

[Jeff_HxC2001]

Other thing good to know : You can create virtual disk images of 4.23MB working with a simple ST with this tool

[exxos]

I found the virtual floppy thing and managed to get my files over to a HFE image that way. Its a bit long winded but does the job I will have to get PCI floppy card for the PC, it was turning into a epic trying to get a USB one to work.

I was also hunting to use the floppy cable without it being twisted, as I have to put the cable in upside down, its not long enough to reach, but later released when it means "twisted" cable, it actually means the 4 or so ribbon wires twisted not the entire cable twisted around ? It looks like its caught a few people out. I will make a new cable assuming there isn't any way to use the floppy cable "right way up" ?

Overall it seems to be working good I did run into a odd problem that if the autoboot HFE is loaded, if you managed to end up on desktop you get a bunch of corrupted files listed, though with any other HFE files loaded it all works fine. Will play with it some more when i get a internal floppy drive fitted to the pc

[Jeff_HxC2001]

I found the virtual floppy thing and managed to get my files over to a HFE image that way. Its a bit long winded but does the job

Why so much hassle when you have just to use the "Disk Browser" function ?!

Code: Select all

The HxC Floppy Emulator DOS Disk Image Browser is a simplified version of the HxC Floppy Emulator software.

This version is designed to replace the VFD solution.

Avantages over the VFD solution :

- No driver installation needed.
- Support of 3 mode DOS floppy disk image (1KB sector size) (For PC98 based CNC machines).
- Support of special/custom DOS floppy disk image (2.5MB,4.5MB,6.78MB...)
- Ready to be used on non-windows systems (Mac, Linux,...) ! ;)
- Simple to use !

To use it :

Copy DosDiskBrowser.exe & libhxcfe.dll to the root of the SDCard with your DOS HFE image files.

Start DosDiskBrowser.exe.
At startup the software try to load the first HFE image found at the root of the SDCard and display its content.

You can select the image to edit with the Disk Selector or by using the "Load Image" button.

To Get file(s) from the image disk :
->You can get files from the image with the "Get Files" button.

To Add file(s) to the image disk :
->You can add file(s) & subfolder(s) to the image by a simple drag&drop on the browser window.

All modification(s) done on the image are automatically saved when you use the "Disk selector" or when you use the "Close" button.

Jeff/HxC2001
24/03/2013


[Jeff_HxC2001]

I was also hunting to use the floppy cable without it being twisted, as I have to put the cable in upside down, its not long enough to reach, but later released when it means "twisted" cable, it actually means the 4 or so ribbon wires twisted not the entire cable twisted around ? It looks like its caught a few people out. I will make a new cable assuming there isn't any way to use the floppy cable "right way up" ?

Why so much questions about this ? You can use both (twisted and not twisted) with the HxC. Just change the switch setting and that's all. please check the documentation.

[Jeff_HxC2001]

I did run into a odd problem that if the autoboot HFE is loaded, if you managed to end up on desktop you get a bunch of corrupted files listed, though with any other HFE files loaded it all works fine.

Not a surprise : This autoboot file doesn't have any file system, like many games in the past .

[exxos]

I was also hunting to use the floppy cable without it being twisted, as I have to put the cable in upside down, its not long enough to reach, but later released when it means "twisted" cable, it actually means the 4 or so ribbon wires twisted not the entire cable twisted around ? It looks like its caught a few people out. I will make a new cable assuming there isn't any way to use the floppy cable "right way up" ?

Why so much questions about this ? You can use both (twisted and not twisted) with the HxC. Just change the switch setting and that's all. please check the documentation.

Do you mean physically having the entire cable in upside down ? like when you have to fit a 1.44 drive ? I have read the doc over and over and tried all kinds of switches, but i am unable to get it to work

The software in windows does not work with USB floppy drives, it works great with normal internal floppies. The dll software says it will not work with USB drives. There is another dll set which claims does work, but then the emulator software says the dll's are not found as its looking for the other normal dll files.

[Jeff_HxC2001]

Do you mean physically having the entire cable in upside down ? like when you have to fit a 1.44 drive ? I have read the doc over and over and tried all kinds of switches, but i am unable to get it to work

I think that there is a "definition" problem:
Here is what i call a twisted cable :
http://www.nullmodem.com/images/fddcable02.jpg
"Drive A" connectors on this pictures are "twisted", others connector aren't.

The software in windows does not work with USB floppy drives, it works great with normal internal floppies. The dll software says it will not work with USB drives. There is another dll set which claims does work, but then the emulator software says the dll's are not found as its looking for the other normal dll files.

I didn't talk about floppy drive, but about the way to create/use a blank dos HFE image and add files to this image. To do this the easiest and fastest way is to use the Dos Browser function present in the HxC Floppy Emulator software. That's all.

[exxos]

The dos software does work wil USB drive

1.png

I can drag and drop files there then create the image. I thought it was just DOS software for use without windows, like command line, I did not realise it was windows software too

Not sure that 1.39MB as shown at bottom is correct as its a 720K floppy ?

[wongck]

STOP!

Nobody noticed that there is a Dos image browser into the HxC Software or what ?

Thanks Jeff.
I will try this out later.

The VFD method isn't too much of an issue as I have set this up permanently on my system.
It is very similar to mounting ISO images.

[alexh]

I thought it was just DOS software for use without windows, like command line, I did not realise it was windows software too

I believe that the DOS refers to the disk file system the application can read/examine/write and not the target OS of the application.

i.e. It is a Windows application to browse DOS formatted disk images.

[Jeff_HxC2001]

The dos software does work wil USB drive

1.png

I can drag and drop files there then create the image. I thought it was just DOS software for use without windows, like command line, I did not realise it was windows software too

Not sure that 1.39MB as shown at bottom is correct as its a 720K floppy ?

Here the right software for you
http://hxc2001.com/download/floppy_driv ... r_soft.zip
Button "Disk browser"....

[exxos]

Is it possible to copy from a external B: drive and copy direct to the HxC ? Or any Atari software to load images to the SD card, it all seems to be windows software from what I can see.

[simonsunnyboy]

I think that is possible. The HxC probably only needs jumper configuration to disable drive B: accesses.

[Jeff_HxC2001]

All operations that can be done with a normal floppy drive (read,write,format...) can be done with the HxC Floppy Emulator in same way..