Conference 7.286::atarist

    I'm not an expert on this particular subject, but a simple solution
    is to connect the RS232 ports of the MAC and the 1040 together.
    
    At this point you can use a tellecommunications program to transfer
    the files.  It's like an upload/download without a modem in between.
    
    You may need a "null modem" cable, which is a regular cable, but
    with pins 2 and 3 swapped.  I don't think you'll damage anything
    if you hook it up incorrectly, BUT PLEASE STEP IN ANYONE IF I'M
    WRONG...
    
    According to my Magic SAC manual, if you have the "TRANSLATOR",
    you can read and write MAC disks directly.  I believe this is
    going to require the Magic SAC though...
    
    _John_

    
    As far as I know the Mac writes and reads floppies in a totally
    different way (like variable density, less towards the inner tracks ?)
    So just exchanging floppies without any hardware won't work.
    I suggest the Null-Modem cable as the easiest solution too.
    
    Bernd                                          
    

No!  Actually the floppy drive is the easiest IFF  the Mac has the new Apple
Superdrive.  All Macs except Macplus models now ship with the Superdrive and
I believe any Mac II with small letters after the II in its name 
(ie, any except except original II) and the SE/30 always have had the Superdrive.
The Superdrive can read MS-DOS (and most likely therefore ST format) disks and
import data with the file exchange utility that comes with the system.  Apple 
DSDD (800K) drives will not work for this.  Then you might need the null-modem
way or buy a Spectre GCR.

Chad

    In clarification. Assuming that your wife's MAC does not have
    Superdrive, the least expensive way is to get a NULL modem cable. The
    problem here is that some MACS have 9 pin connectors. Most computer
    dealers can provide you with this. 
    
    Since your wife's computer is in the office, and the 1040 is at home,
    and the MAC does not have the Superdrive, if there is an IBM (or clone)
    PC in the office with 3.5in drives, you can use the NULL modem cable in
    the office.
    
    Currently the best solution (albeit somewhat expensive) is to get
    Spectre GCR and an external drive. With this solution, not only can you
    use native ST software to do the work, but your wife could also do her
    work using MAC software which she is probably used to.

As a Mac SE Owner (with the Superdrive!) I am using the easiest way possible:

Just start Apple File Exchange, insert a ST Disk and do a conversation 
from ST (MFM-coded Disks) on to the Hardisk or a Mac Floppy (GCR-coded Disks)

It works just great for me, jsut a few things to remember:

Some Programs (especially IBM text processors) will do a CR/LF at the end of 
the line. Some Programs on the ST don't.

The Mac Doesn't expect a CR/LF combination, but one option of AFE (Apple File 
Exchange) is to convert (with the TEXTCONVERTER - Be shure to use this one!)
it while copying.

If you are using UMLAUTE those �,�,� (for those not having 8 bit Fonts:
the a with dots on it...)
The original IBM Character Set hasn't got a � (Scharf-s), but a beta.
Therefore AFE will translate the Beta to a P (yes, just a P).
That's a bit silly, but isn't that frustrating.

I haven't jet tried to find converters to directly translate for example
Script Files to WriteNow Files, so this is Text only.

The Mac will take the ST formatted disks, so you don't need to do an MSDOS
Format (IBM Clones usually don't like them...)


You said it'S a big Mac with a big harddisk,... so I am pretty shure it will be
equipped with a FDHD (floppy Drive High Density - also called Superdrive)

If not, it might be a good Idea to think about upgrading it. Might be 
cheaper than getting Spectre/GCR (and a lot faster)

hope this helps
                             Bernhard