CalComp ADB drawing tablet and IIGS?

Mitchell Spector

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Jun 15, 2012, 9:52:33 PM6/15/12

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Just found an ADB drawing tablet (circa 1989) and wondering
if its compatible with the Apple IIGS. It's a CalComp "Wiz" and
includes a pair of interchangeable corded interfaces: a stylus and
a 3-button mouse with cross-hair.

I tried daisy-chaining it to my GS keyboard. The LED flashes
rapidly, and then turns solid when applying pressure to the
stylus tip. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to recognize it--at all.
Any chance someone wrote a GS/OS driver for it? I seem to
recall only the Kurta tablet being compatible, but thought it
worth checking here before I toss it back.

Mitchell Spector

Geo3

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Jun 15, 2012, 11:33:00 PM6/15/12

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For the Kurta Tablet, it used the an NDA called PenWorks or PensWork
if I remember. I may have it if it is not on the net somewhere. Maybe
it will work with it also.

Bill Garber

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Jun 16, 2012, 4:22:37 AM6/16/12

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"Geo3" <gre...@gmail.com> wrote in message news:f6f37a69-
9da9-49ca-825...@x17g2000yqg.googlegroups.com...

Will this work with the KoalaPad, as well???

Bill Garber @ SEPA Electronics
http://www.sepa-electronics.com

Bill Garber

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Jun 16, 2012, 4:34:58 AM6/16/12

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>> For the Kurta Tablet, it used the an NDA called PenWorks
>> or PensWork if I remember. I may have it if it is not on
>> the net somewhere. Maybe it will work with it also.
>
> Will this work with the KoalaPad, as well???

Penworks NDA is included in this archive. :-)

http://www.whatisthe2gs.apple2.org.za/files/System_Addons.zip

Alex Lee

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Jun 16, 2012, 4:37:23 AM6/16/12

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You beat me to it Bill! :-)
--
http://www.whatisthe2gs.apple2.org.za/

Bill Garber

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Jun 16, 2012, 9:50:49 AM6/16/12

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"Alex Lee" <ale...@mac.com> wrote in message
news:jrhgk3$dpo$1...@dont-email.me...

I read it and was sitting here thinking, 'Now, where did I see
that not long ago?'. 'YES!, on What Is The IIgs.' :-)

Now, if only it worked with the KoalaPad. Had it for 2 years.
Just sitting on the shelf, and never tried it on any Apple II.

Geo3

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Jun 16, 2012, 1:57:49 PM6/16/12

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Hi,
I thought it might be on one of the CDs I sent years ago. Still have
not forgotten about backing up the others things and sending to you.
Still busy with other problems that have to come first.
Take Care

Geo3

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Jun 16, 2012, 2:00:18 PM6/16/12

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The Kola Pad has its own software. Never used one, so I do not know if
it would work on the IIgs with its software.

Michael J. Mahon

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Jun 16, 2012, 2:52:28 PM6/16/12

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The KoalaPad will work on anything that works with paddles. That was its
genius--it was a pad that looked *exactly* like paddles. The two buttons
are the paddle buttons.

So almost any early drawing software works with it, including things you
write in BASIC.

-michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II: http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon

Bill Garber

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Jun 17, 2012, 2:21:44 AM6/17/12

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"Michael J. Mahon" <mjm...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:877129653361565326.0...@news.giganews.com...

> Geo3 <gre...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Jun 16, 9:50 am, "Bill Garber" <willy4...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 2012-06-16 09:34:58 +0100, Bill Garber said:
>>>
>>>>>>> For the Kurta Tablet, it used the an NDA called PenWorks

>>>>>>> if I remember. I may have it if it is not on>> the net
>>>>>>> somewhere. Maybe it will work with it also.
>>>
>>>>>> Will this work with the KoalaPad, as well???
>>>
>>>>> Penworks NDA is included in this archive. :-)
>>>>> http://www.whatisthe2gs.apple2.org.za/files/System_Addons.zip
>>>

>>> Now, if only it worked with the KoalaPad.
>>

>> The Koala Pad has its own software. Never used one, so I do

>> not know if it would work on the IIgs with its software.
>
> The KoalaPad will work on anything that works with paddles.
> That was its genius--it was a pad that looked *exactly*
> like paddles. The two buttons are the paddle buttons.
>
> So almost any early drawing software works with it,
> including things you write in BASIC.

Hi Michael,

Thank you for confirming my expectations.

Mitchell Spector

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Jun 21, 2012, 6:28:59 PM6/21/12

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Geo3 <gre...@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Jun 15, 9:52 pm, Mitchell Spector <mitch...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> Just found an ADB drawing tablet (circa 1989) and wondering
>> if its compatible with the Apple IIGS. It's a CalComp "Wiz" and
>> includes a pair of interchangeable corded interfaces: a stylus and
>> a 3-button mouse with cross-hair.
>>

>For the Kurta Tablet, it used the an NDA called PenWorks or PensWork
>if I remember. I may have it if it is not on the net somewhere. Maybe
>it will work with it also.

No success, but an interesting update. I installed PenWorks NDA
and up came a menu with options (normally it won't come up without
the Kurta tablet present). It actually woke up the tablet, but it doesn't
track properly with either the cross-hair mouse or stylus.

The pointer seems to be locked to the extreme top portion of the
screen, and you cannot move vertically down. It also jumps so rapidly
you cannot follow or see the pointer, unless you move the stylus very
slowly, a few millimeters at a time (even then it jumps).

Tried disabling my Zip GS accelerator, setting the mouse tracking
to default, and briefly tinkered with the PenWorks settings. No change.
The options are: Absolute, Absolute (old), Relative. There's also some
additional options such as "Std", "zip", etc.

Oh well, I'll just continue to keep my eyes opened for a Kurta
tablet, likely the only drawing tablet that works on the IIGS. I used
to do pixel art in PaintWorks and Platinum Paint in the late 80s/
early 90s, not sure I'd have the patience for that these days.

Mitchell Spector