Port connection via USB ports.

[msoloma]

The idea of port connections via parallel ports was a great idea in it's time.

Alas, most systems have evolved to supplying users with USB & NIC interfaces.

Is it possible to use these as port connections

[IGL]

Connecting two computers through USB is not as simple as it seems to be. You need special mainboard (in both computers) to do that. What's worse I have heard that there is some risk of damaging mainboard when you connect two computers by USB directly (but I'm not sure).
But if you make a connection of two computers by USB with some device or special mainboards - check out if there is some software. Maybe it allows to connect other computer as "external disk" or works as NIC (network adapter).
In case of NIC - there is file sharing. It is standard thing when you connect computers in a network. Then you can open network neighborhood [\] and you can exchange information.
Is there any need to implement some kind of direct connection by network cards in TC? Windows has these mechanisms. Even Win 3.11 supports network.

[Black Dog]

[face=courier]On 07-04-2004 07:00:47 +0000 msoloma wrote:

m> Alas, most systems have evolved to supplying users with USB
m> & NIC interfaces.

m> Is it possible to use these as port connections

Do you really think you are the first one who ask here about port connection via USB? Well, this forum has a search function, so why don't you search it e.g. for "USB" first?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - parallel port

Q: Why doesn't Total Commander support the USB port?
A: USB is a non-symmetrical bus - this can be seen from the cables, which have two completely different connectors. Therfore for a connection of two machines by USB, a device needs to be put in between, which forwards the data. Unfortunately there is no standard, so every manufacturer of such a cable bundles it with his own software. Good software emulates a small local area network, so you can use any program (including Total Commander) to access the remote computer. If you buy such a cable, make sure you can return it if it doesn't emulate such a local area network. The cable is often labeled as supporting TCP/IP connections or LAN connections.[/face]

[Black Dog]

[face=courier]On 07-04-2004 08:32:07 +0000 IGL wrote:

I> Even Win 3.11 supports network.

LOL
What about "even DOS"? Win 3.11 is "Windows for workgroups" %).[/face]

[IGL]

Sure thing that DOS allows to use network (but you need additional software - anybody remembers Lantastic? Or Novell/Novell Lite? I was just a kid, but it rings the bell...).
But TC does not work on DOS.
What I had in mind is that even if you have Win 3.11 and use TC - then you have network support - no need to add it to TC
One could ask - what about Win 3.0 etc? - Well, in this case install additional software to support network or upgrade to Win 3.11 (is such upgrade possible? Can you buy Win 3.11? ).

[msoloma]

I didn't mean for this to be a dddiscussion on USB 2 USB connections, {Hardware}.
Compaq makes a a nice little device that appears to work well on the hardware side.
It's called a Compaq 2.0 Host to Host link Adapter.

Yes, they do provide some software{PClinq2} with it for file tranferring.
But, I just like the capabilities & power of Total Commander,
and this is what I'd like the focus of this subject to be on.

, Also, forget about my thought on the NIC portion of that posting.
It was just mindless rambling and wishing that TC had the capabilities of something like PC Anywhere.

The hardware can be done rather easily with a crossover cable & TC.

This whole adventure came about because I use a Fuji Tablet to collect data out in the field
(it uses forms made from Access).
When I return, I need to transfer the data to the network.
The tablet only has 1 USB port to transfer data to/from.
I currently use a USB mem stick to do this.
Unfortunately, there is more data than there is stick mem, so the proccess has to be repeated many, many times.
Hence the hunt for the "holy grail".

[IGL]

I guess you would need a plugin for that tablet to allow you to connect. Who knows, maybe one day someone will write it...
BTW: Hint: When copying with mem stick you can create ZIP file than: menu File / Split and divide it - choose size or type your own, eg. "200k".
After copying, combine file and unzip.
Or use other packing program.

BTW. Is there a way to make a multiple volume archive of size e.g. 10MB (and not on floppy) with TC without other software?

[Clo]

2IGL

BTW. Is there a way to make a multiple volume archive of size e.g. 10MB (and not on floppy) with TC without other software?

Hello Chris !
• Whether you ask for a multi-volume archive with USB-sticks, it seems that TC uses the same process, but fills each USB-stick !
* Then, it asks for the next "diskette" ! I made a test a while ago, and wrote a topic (in French: Clé USB = disquette! …); TC doesn't take care of the "standard" parts sizes. In anyway, you can type a size by hand in the field.
• To verify with several USB-sticks, because I've one only...

  Friendly,
Claude
Clo

[IGL]

Hi Clo ,
have you been able to select the archive size by your own? And store them on HDD?
When I copy on e.g. floppies and during restoration one of floppies is broken - I have no chance to rewrite this one single floppy from source, but I need to rewrite all the diskettes. Too bad when you have about 10 or more FDDs. And when problem with FDD will occure again i need to do it again and again ...

[Hacker]

IGL,
You would have to specify that as a parameter I guess. Either in the packing dialog or in Configuration - Options - Packer. BTW: Recovery volumes (when using RAR) are pretty useful. And there's also PAR.

HTH
Roman

[Clo]

2IGL
Continuation…
• The French topic was : http://ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?t=2594
* I told there that we can compress files into an USB-stick with the option for multi-volume on diskettes. When all selected files are packed in the USB-stick, TC asks for the next "diskette". I didn't choose any size.
* I wished that the Author have a look at this, but he had not…
- It's a pity, because he could make to use this function again (rather obsolete today for diskettes…), tweaking it a bit, of course…
* Another user confirmed that TC "sees" an USB-stick as a removable storage device, the same as a diskette.
* Like I told above, I've one USB-stick, and no huge file to test further.
* For the rest of the thread, you ought to dive in your French school-books if you have

  Friendly,
Claude
Clo

[Black Dog]

[face=courier]On 07-04-2004 14:02:07 +0000 IGL wrote:

I> BTW. Is there a way to make a multiple volume archive of
I> size e.g. 10MB (and not on floppy) with TC without other
I> software?

You talking about built-in ZIP packer?[/face]

[IGL]

Yes, I am talking about bult-in packer. I now well how to do it with external archivers (arj, rar, winrar etc.).
But I come across the situations where a computer has no good software but only TC. A built-in packer with ability to specify volume size would be great (at least I have figured out a workaround - splitting the one big ZIP archive as described above in previous post, but it my take too much disk space).
2Clo,
You can perform the tests even with one USB stick - just open the another TC window and unpack&delete the archive form USB stick using second TC. Then go back to first TC and continue archiving - it will act as if you have inserted a new USB stick.
But the "problem" in here is that TC does not ask for the volume size. That's what I am missing.

2all and to Author
It would be great if there was a volume size selector - on Create Archive dialog after you check "Multiple disk volume" there could be a combo box (edit/list box) with choices: Auto, 1.44, 2.88 etc., or you can type your own: 512b, 100k, 650M etc. - Similiar like in menu File / Split File

[Black Dog]

[face=courier]On 08-04-2004 08:44:40 +0000 IGL wrote:

I> Yes, I am talking about bult-in packer.

Well, I'm sorry, but you can't assign custom volume size in that case because AFAIK ZIP format specification do not support it. It looks like you can make mutivolume archives only on floppis with floppy size.

I> at least I have figured out a workaround - splitting the
I> one big ZIP archive as described above in previous post

Yep, that's the only solution now.[/face]

[ghisler(Author)]

I didn't mean for this to be a dddiscussion on USB 2 USB connections, {Hardware}.
Compaq makes a a nice little device that appears to work well on the hardware side.
It's called a Compaq 2.0 Host to Host link Adapter.

Yes, they do provide some software{PClinq2} with it for file tranferring.

And this is exactly the wrong "cheap" cable you have. What you need is a cable which emulates a local area network (TCP/IP), this will work with ALL programs, not just with PC-Linq.

Btw, I would LOVE to write a plugin for such a cable, but I have searched for hours and didn't find any documentation on how to access the driver. This PCLinq program has to be written for that specific cable - it will not work with ANY other USB cables...