Paper Tapes, Line Terminations in Basic, Etc.
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slob
May 5, 2016, 11:03:21 PM5/5/16
to pid...@googlegroups.com
So, I am waiting for a few critical parts from China and then I should get my paper tape readers working. In the meantime, I made some "fake, but accurate" DEC paper tapes that at first glance look like those (as I'm guessing) that were made in the 1968-72 timeframe. The PDP-11 tapes I've seen (generally of 73+ dates) have different labels and DEC transitioned to red (?).
The FOCAL program was lengthy so I used roll DEC paper tape to make that. This can be a PITA to handle if you don't have a "reel" type PTR but I have a hand-cranked reeler that helps.
I have a very old Visual Basic program that I wrote years ago that controls the punch and can also put nifty 7x5 upper/lower case labelling on the paper tape itself. I'm looking for the source code now.
DEC probably never had the BASIC programs as actual DEC part numbers. I pondered as to how end of line is handled by the PIDP-8/SIMH. The files I see on the Internet seem to terminate with a LF only (a la Unix) whereas it seems that if I were to feed the paper tape output into the console, a CR (only) world be best - that's what my terminal sends - so I made them that way. My paper tape readers aren't legit PTR devices for a PDP-8; they just "feed" into the console manually, and electrically the "share" input with /ttyAMA0. The real PTR/PTP interpretations of "new line" might be different.
AB
May 6, 2016, 7:06:51 AM5/6/16
to PiDP-8
be very interested to see some photos of your paper tape setup when you get it assembled... cheers
Andy
Andy
Tom Stewart
May 6, 2016, 8:33:53 AM5/6/16
to PiDP-8
Likewise! And if you're inspired to make a kit available, let us know!
Peter Willard
May 6, 2016, 8:58:09 AM5/6/16
to PiDP-8
(as I'm guessing) that were made in the 1968-72 timeframe. The PDP-11 tapes I've seen (generally of 73+ dates) have different labels and DEC transitioned to red (?).
It is my understanding that Blue label means the tapes are ASCII format and and RED means the tapes are BINARY format.
But hey, take that with a grain of salt as I started working for DEC starting in 1977, and by then... paper tapes were becoming more and more rare. By 1985, most people just used them as office decorations and the Dectape cases as [;aces to store spare change and paper clips.
Oscar Vermeulen
May 6, 2016, 9:01:14 AM5/6/16
to Tom Stewart, PiDP-8
On 6 May 2016 at 14:33, Tom Stewart <tast...@gmail.com> wrote:
Likewise! And if you're inspired to make a kit available, let us know!
Oh yes! A paper tape reader kit would be great.
A punch would be the next topic coming up quickly, though, and that is a very big challenge.
A punch would be the next topic coming up quickly, though, and that is a very big challenge.
Regards,
Oscar.
Peter Willard
May 6, 2016, 12:07:15 PM5/6/16
to PiDP-8, tast...@gmail.com
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