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(i) Data written to three and one-half inch diskettes can be read on DOS
computers using commercial software. This method is too slow and cumbersome
for routine use, and the software is expensive.
}The file transfer programs are slow and not inexpensive and you are limited to the
storage capacity of a single 3.5" floppy disk. This aside, it works. It requires not
complex networking (hardware and software) and can run from the time you install the
program.
}The Oswego transfer program has, in fact, been able to transfer data from damaged
disks that the HP computer was unable to read. This has salvaged some unrepeatable
experiments.
(ii) Data can be transferred using serial ports and public domain
software. This is also very slow; several dozen data files take hours to
transfer; but the software is free (and available from the same anonymous
ftp site as MFI, /pub/flowcyt/hp2pc).
}True, very slow, but how soon do you need the data? What is your computer doing at
night? It's probably not out drinking (but you could be!). A batch transfer during
the small hours of the night may be adequate for many.
(iii) Data can be transferred from the IEEE-488 GPIB of the Hewlett
Packard (the thick cable which connects each subunit of the H-P computer)
to an IEEE-488 card installed in the PC bus. HPPCLINK programs for
managing the transfer were written at Becton-Dickinson and contributed to
the public domain. This method requires about 20 sec to transfer a 50K
file. Our card model GPIB-PC2 came from National Instruments (12109
Technology Blvd., Austin TX 78727). Further information generously
provided by David Coder is available by anonymous ftp from
flowcyt.cyto.purdue.edu in a file HPPCLINK.PS (or, if you don't have a
postscript printer, HPPCLINK.TXT) in /pub. The software is free, but
the PC card can set you back up to US$500.
}Faster, but not fastest. If you do not have HP Pascal version 3.2 (this is required
for ethernet) then this is your fastest option. Again, batch transfers at night may
be perfectly adequate.
}Remember, the key point in data transfers is getting the data files on any computer
that is on your network. Once the files are on a networked computer, then access is
fast. Furthermore, adequate archival storage is then possible.
(iv) If your Hewlett-Packard computer is equipped with a network interface,
data files can be transferred by FTP. This is the fastest method. Once the
data files are on an MS-DOS computer, they can be moved to other MS-DOS
computers efficiently by network FTP, or less efficiently by floppy
diskettes, backup tapes, etc.
}Requires HP Pascal 3.2 on your HP (see note above). The best solution (cost aside).
Importantly, having the data archives on a network-accessible computer makes later
retrieval much more convenient. For example, on our somewhat outdated 4mm DAT
system, we can store at least 2GB of data and retrieve files at the rate of 10-15MB
per minute.
Dave Coder
dcoder@u.washington.edu
Dept. of Immunology
Univ. of Washington
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