9.  USING A CASSETTE TAPE RECORDER WITH THE M10

It has already been mentioned, on several occasions, that  files  created 
on  the  M10  can  be  stored on cassette tapes. In fact this practice is 
recommended to provide back-up for your files and to clear  the  RAM  for 
storing new files.

The M10 applications programs BASIC and TEXT provide the  necessary  com-
mands  for saving a file to tape and loading a file from tape. In view of 
this, the use of a cassette tape recorder can be regarded as  a  standard 
operational facility of the M10.  The present chapter is devoted entirely 
to these operations.

CONNECTING THE M10 TO A CASSETTE RECORDER

Connecting the M10 to a cassette tape  recorder  enables  you  either  to 
transfer  files from the M10 to the tape (Save) or to transfer files from 
the tape to the M10 (Load).  Before making  the  connection,  insert  the 
cassette  tape  and  rewind  it to the position where the recording is to 
start, using the counter to fix the position. Always  take  note  of  the 
counter ceadings when putting files on tape.  This greatly simplifies the 
task of refinding them.  Any standard cassette tape recorder can be used, 
provided  it  is equipped with the following features, in addition to the 
normal facilities such as RECORD, PLAY, STOP/ElECT, WIND etc.:

-   Input microphone jack MIC

-   Output jack EAR

-   Remote control jack REM

-   Tape counter

The connections between the M10 and the cassette recorder are depicted in 
Figure 9-1.  The  interconnecting  cable can be supplied by your Olivetti 
dealer. This cable  has  three  plugs  for  connection  to  the  cassette 
recorder jacks on one end, and a round eight-pin connector for connection 
to the M10 at the other.  The three plugs are red, white and  black.  The 
black plug has a perceptibly smaller connecting pin than the others.

1.  Connect the round 8-pin connector on one end of the cable to the TAPE 
    socket on the rear panel of the M10.

2.  Connect the white plug to the output jack EAR.

3.  Connect the black plug to the remote control jack REM.

4.  Connect the red plug to the input jack MIC.

M10 Operations guide	9-1



5.  Switch on the cassette recorder and the M10.



Fig.  9-1  Connecting the M10 to a Cassette Recorder

When the recorder is connected in this way, two control  signals  can  be 
sent from the M10:

MOTOR ON -  When this signal is sent it returns  the  recorder  to  local 
            control  and  the  recorder  buttons  once  again control its 
            operation.

MOTOR OFF - This signal  disables  the  recorder  buttons  and  puts  the 
            recorder  fully  under the control of the M10. The motor will 
            start  and  stop   automatically   when   files   are   being 
            transferred.

These are both BASIC commands (see also in the Directory  of  BASIC  Com-
mands)  The  command  MOTOR OFF should be given before a 'Load' or 'Save' 
operation.

9-2



SAVING A FILE TO CASSETTE TAPE

This can be done for either a .DO file using the TEXT  function  keys  or 
for  a  .BA file using the BASIC function keys.  In both cases, start off 
by setting the tape to where you want the saved file to be stored.   Con-
nect the recorder as described in the preceding section, switch it on and 
press the RECORD and PLAY buttons simultaneously.

SAVING A TEXT FILE TO TAPE

1.  Access the TEXT file you want to save by placing the cursor  over  it 
    on the main menu and pressing <ENTER>.

2.  Press the function key <F3> (Save); this brings up the prompt:

                                   Save to:

3.  Select a filename for the tape file to which it is going to be saved. 
    This  must  follow the prescriptions laid down for M10 file nomencla-
    ture (see Chapter 5).

    Now type in the selected filename and press <ENTER>.

4.  The recorder will start to turn  automatically.   When  the  file  is 
    saved,  the recorder will stop and the prompt will disappear from the 
    screen.

The file is now saved on the cassette under its tape filename.

SAVING A BASIC FILE TO TAPE

The procedure for BASIC files is slightly different. 

1.  Access the BASIC facility from the main menu.

2.  Press function key <F2> (Load) and in response to the prompt  Load "
    type in the RAM file name of the file to be saved and press <ENTER>.

3.  Now press <F3> (Save) and in response to the prompt Save "which then 
    appears, enter the command:

                          CAS:tape filename <ENTER>

    where 'tape filename' is the name selected for the cassette  file  in 
    which  it  is to be saved. This must be chosen according to the rules 
    of nomenclature for M10 files.

The recorder will turn until the 'Save' operation is complete, then stop. 
The file has now been saved to tape under the given cassette filename.

M10 Operations Guide	9-3



LOAOING A FILE FROW CASSETTE TAPE

Again the procedure is slightly different according to whether  it  is  a 
TEXT or a BASIC file that is to be loaded.

LOADING A TEXT FILE FROM TAPE

1.  Rewind the cassette tape to the counter position corresponding to the 
    beginning  of  the  file to be loaded to the M10.  If you do not know 
    this, set it to the start of the tape; the M10 will search the entire 
    cassette for the file requested.

Z.  Connect the recorder to the M10 as described earlier.  Switch on  the 
    recorder  and  press  the PLAY button.  The recorder will not operate 
    until it receives the signal from the M10.

3.  You may create a special TEXT file for receiving  the  cassette  file 
    from  the  recorder  or  you may choose an existing file to which the 
    cassette file is to be appended.
    Press function key <F2>. This will bring up the prompt:

                                  Load from:

4.  Type in the tape filename under which the file was  originally  saved 
    and press <ENTER>.

5.  The M10 will now begin to search through the cassette  for  the  file 
    requested,  making  a high-pitched sound as it does so.  Each time it 
    encounters a file which is not the one  requested,  it  displays  the 
    message:

                             SKIP: tape filename

    where 'tape filename' is the name of the file encountered.

When the correct file has been located, the M10 displays the message:

FOUND: tape filename

where 'tape filename' is the name of the file requested.

When this message appears, the tape file is loaded  into  the  TEXT  file 
from  which  you  called.   In a 'Load' operation, the tape file does not 
over-write the contents of the TEXT file but is appended at the end.

9-4



LOADING A BASIC FILE FROM TAPE

1.  Rewind the cassette tape to the correct position for the file  to  be 
    loaded,  connect the recorder and press the PLAY button, as explained 
    in steps 1 and 2 of the preceding section.

2.  Frora the main menu, access BASIC and press <F2>.  This brings up  the 
    prompt:

                                    Load"

3.  Type in the following command:

                          CAS:tape filename <ENTER>

    where 'tape filename' is the name undec which the file was originally 
    saved on tape.

4.  Again you will hear a high-pitched sound as the  M10  looks  for  the 
    desired file on the cassette.  The message

                             SKIP: tape filename

    is displayed each time it encounters an undesired file, and

                             FOUND: tape filename

    is displayed when the correct file is located.

Note that in the 'Load' and 'Save' operations in BASIC, it is  necessary, 
in response to the prompts, to specify not only the filename but also the 
device name, in this case CAS.  This is because  the  BASIC  program  has 
access  to other external devices and can also load from and save to RAM. 
The 'Load' and 'Save' operations in BASTC can also be effected by  direct 
comnand, using the BASIC commands CLOAD and CSAVE.  You will find further 
reference to these in the Directory of BASIC Commands in Part 2  of  this 
manual.

MAINTENANCE

When using a cassette recorder regularly with the M10, it is important to 
follow the maker's recommendations for maintenance and cleaning.  In par-
ticular, be sure that the recording heads are kept clean and demagnetized 
to avoid damage or "noise" on your computer files.

M10 Operations Guide	9-5