[vcf-midatlantic] Known-good IBM joystick?

Evan Koblentz evan at vcfed.org
Tue Jul 10 12:44:53 EDT 2018


No. Everything is great with the Apple branded joystick connected to our
Laser 128. Where I'm having trouble is with a dual Apple/IBM stick
connected to a Compaq luggable.

Anyway it sounds like Tony is bringing one into the museum later this week,
which I can test on Saturday.

On Tue, Jul 10, 2018, 12:42 PM Bob Aviles via vcf-midatlantic <
vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

>  Question, what you need is an Apple joystick? because I have some.
> Bobby
>     On Tuesday, July 10, 2018, 12:40:07 PM EDT, Evan Koblentz via
> vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
>
>  >> The BASICs are 100% compatible?  You just had one change and it works
> on
> the IBM?
>
> Pretty much! I also changed the joystick button code. Applesoft uses a PEEK
> to check for button presses, BASICA uses the STRIG command. Everything else
> is the same.
>
> On Tue, Jul 10, 2018, 12:32 PM Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic <
> vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
>
> > On Tue, Jul 10, 2018 at 11:53 AM Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic <
> > vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
> >
> > > I'm using a Compaq Portable III (286). I forgot the card brand but I
> > > vaguely recall it might also be Kraft. I'm programming in the BASICA
> from
> > > the correct Compaq-branded boot disk. I use the STICK command; not
> > > PEEK/POKE.
> > >
> > > I can test the same joystick against the Apple side tomorrow.
> > >
> > > In a test program, I was only getting a range of about 5 to 195, vs.
> > 0-255.
> > >
> > > To "port" the code from Apple to IBM platform, I replaced the Applesoft
> > > PDL(0) and PDL(1) commands with STICK.
> > >
> > > The way my code works is, when I move the stick beyond a neutral range
> > > (say, within 75 of either end), then it turns on the robot motors on
> the
> > > correct directions.
> > >
> > > The logic is fine: works with the Apple joystick on the Laser 128, and
> > as I
> > > said I'll test that again with the Kraft tomorrow on the Laser.
> > >
> > > But when I tried it on the Compaq, only two of the directions work
> > > correctly. It was something like left and forward; I forget exactly.
> One
> > > other direction turns on the wrong bits (1 and 4, same as its opposite
> > > direction, rather than 2 and 3 which it should be), even though I'm a
> > > million percent certain the code is right. Another direction works
> (bits
> > 2
> > > and 4) if I move the stick to its extreme edge, but while en route it
> > turns
> > > on bit 3 for a second. That makes no sense! That's why I think the
> stick
> > > might be funky or somehow misadjusted even if it does work on the Apple
> > > side.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > The BASICs are 100% compatible?  You just had one change and it works on
> > the IBM?
> > b
> >
>
>


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