7

                                Uploading Apple II Files
                        Original Document written by Gedme
                         Edited ("MADAfied") by Drof Mada

     If you have a small program, then you can just skip to Part 2 of this 
document,       however if you have a somewhat large file (4k or larger), 
please read on.

Part 1:
        There are lots of programs out there that are capable of compressing a 
file down to its bare bones to reduce transfer time or to pack more info on a 
given disk. The main program to do this for the Apple II series computer is 
the one called "ShrinkIt". There is a ShrinkIt program that will fit almost 
all Apple II computers ever made. If you own a Apple II+ use ShrinkIt II+), 
Apple IIe/c users us ShrinkIt, if you own an Apple IIgs use GSHK. Shrinkit II+ 
will not work on an Apple II, because the ProDOS requires at least 64K.

Part 2:
     The relationship between IBM's and Apple II's is a strange and tricky 
thing. If you try to upload or download a file from a Apple to an IBM, or visa 
versa, the files can become corrupted, unless the file is a text file. 
Although MS-DOS and ProDOS are similar, the two sometimes can't understand 
each other's way of writing down information. This doesn't happen to TEXT 
files.
      Text files are also known as ASCII files, or ASCII TEXT files. It is a 
common language for all computers. If a computer can't understand text files, 
then it's corrupted or not a true TEXT file. If you're reading this, then 
probably neither of the two is true.
      If you wish to upload something other than a text file you must first 
shrink the file then change it into some sort of text file.  The easiest way 
to do this is to use a program called BINscii, GScii or EXECutioner. BINscii 
for the Apple IIe and GScii, an NDA for the IIgs simply change any file you 
want into a text file using a "scrambled" type conversion to prevent HACKING. 
BINscii and GScii are compatible with each other, so you can use either to 
convert or restore.  EXECutioner for the Apple IIe doesn't kill your system 
but changes any file you want into something YOU can "EXECute". Isn't 
compatible with GScii or BINscii, and it is vulnerable to HACKing.  What this 
really means is that all you have to do to get the program back to normal is 
to go into ProDOS BASIC.

        ]
and type:

        ]EXEC (name of TEXT file)

Then you just let the computer take over your program will return to normal 
operating conditions.

Part 3:
     To prepare a file for uploading, run it through any version of ShrinkIt, 
then use EXECutioner, BINscii or GScii. to convert it to a TEXT file. Then 
simply upload it!

Note:
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO NAME THE UPLOADED FILE USING THE SUFFIX .EXEC OR .SCII 
DEPENDING ON WHICH TEXT CONVERTING PROGRAM YOU USED, BECAUSE YOU NEED TO USE 
THE SAME ONE TO RESTORE THE FILE.
This will save whoever downloads it a lot of trouble! To receive a file, 
download it using your term program. Then according to the suffix, use 
binscii, GScii, or simply EXECute through BASIC. ( If your terminal program 
isn't capable of XMODEM transfers, e-mail DROF MADA or GEDME here at the 
Independent BBS )  And there you go! There's the program you wanted still hot 
from beaming down!

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ASCII- American Standard Code for Information Interchange; a code in which the 
numbers from 0 to 127 stand for text characters, used for representing text 
inside a computer and for transmitting text between computers or between a 
computer and a peripheral device.

NDA- New Desk Accesory. This is a special type of a Apple IIgs program which 
is easy and quick to use. You can use it while using any IIgs program which 
uses pull down menus. All you have to do is select the program under the Apple 
menu and it pops up for you to use.


Which G-file (Q=Quit) ?