Converting Commodore C64 PractiCalc II files into Excel 4.0 Macintosh   4/22/96


Tools

Commodore C64, 1541 or 1571, telecomm software (ie:Microtechnic Solutions), Commodore modem or RS232 adapter and Hayes modem.
Macintosh, telecomm software (ie:Microphone), modem, Excel 4.0, Word 5.1a or some other good wp software.
Short Phone line.
Box of your favorite cookies.
Carload of patience or a "Pinky and the Brain" episode on video.

PART I - Transferring the files from the C64 to the Mac.  (more info found in "CBM2PC.HLP")

1.    Turn on both cpu's and their respective modems.  If they are close enough, you may see some pulsating 
       screens; not to worry.
2.    Connect the two modems together at the line ports with a short piece of phone line.
3.    Boot up both machines telecomm software.
4.    Set up Microphone's parameters: baud, data bits, parity, stop bits, flow control, etc., to match the C64's 
       telecomm.  Usually,  300-1200 baud, 8 data bits, parity none, 1 stop bits, X-On X-Off. 
       VT-52 terminal, 80 columns, no echo, auto detect, auto-blocks.
5.    Set up the C64 to go on line.
6.    Instruct the C64 software to dial a number, any number.  You are going to fool it into thinking that it is 
       going via phone line to another remote computer.
7.    As the C64 is dialing, enter  "ATA"  in the open Microphone window and press return.  After dialing is 
       complete, the C64 modem should squeal that annoying carrier and after a moment or two, you will see 
       "connect"  on both the C64 screen and the Mac screen.
8.    Type something on both computers keyboards to see that they are indeed connected.  What you type on one 
       should show up on the other's screen.
9.    Remove the telecomm disc from the 1541.  Put in the disc with the PCalc II files.
10.  Locate the files you want to transfer from the directory.  Note their names exactly.  Get out of the directory 
        mode on the telecomm software.
11.  Enter the X-Modem mode, usually it's "Commodore key-X".  Enter the file name exactly and add the 
        following ",s,r".  IE:  "expenses90,s,r".  Don't hit "return" on the C64 yet.  The "S" tells the software that 
        it's a sequential file and the "R"  tells it to read it off disc.  
12.  Hit "Command-R" on the Mac (receive).  You'll get the open/save box.  Select  "X-modem"  protocol and 
       "MacBinary"  mode.  Select a folder where you want to save the files.  I use a folder called "CBM files".
13.  Hit "return" on the C64.
14.  Hit the "receive" button in the open/save box on the Mac.
15.  Fairly soon you will see "attempting to handshake with remote system" in Microphone's transfer window.  
        If all is well, in about 20 seconds you will see signs of life from both machine's screens.  The C64 will 
        probably show you a dot for each block transferred correctly and the Mac will show a status graphic or the 
        words  ' "waiting for or receiving a 128byte block" '.    
16.  Here's where the cookies and patience come in.  My 125 block Commodore file took 45 minutes to transfer 
       at 300 baud.  Obviously, if you have access to an RS-232 adapter and a Hayes type 2400 baud modem, 
       you'll get to eat less cookies.  We all have our druthers. 
17.  When the transfer is done, both machines will let you know it.  Name the new Mac file to save it.

PART II - Making the files readable for Excel.

1.       Open Word 5.1a or other fave wp.
2.       Open the file you want to convert.
3.       Select to "display non-printing special characters" , such as paragraph and tab marks.
4.      "Search and Replace", all paragraph marks with tab marks. Replace all.  This will take some time 
           depending on the size of the file.
5.      "Search and Replace", all  ""  with nothing, not even a space.  Replace all.
6.      "Search and Replace", all  "@"  with nothing, not even a space.  Replace all.
7.       If you're converting a file with repeat row names, such as months, you're in real luck.  
         "Search and Replace", (IE:) JAN with "paragraph mark space JAN", etc.  This will allow you to set start of 
          rows and make for faster conversion.  If your file isn't of this sort, then you must figure out where the 
          start of all the rows are and precede them with a paragraph mark.
8.      Find all the column names at the top of the file and place a paragraph mark after the last name.
9.      Find all the formulas after the column names and place a paragraph mark after the last one or its resultant 
         number.
10.    At the very bottom of the files, find a long section of the number "255" repeating.  Mark and delete it.
11.    Save the file with "Save As" ,   "blah, blah, blah-tab ', just for safety.

PART III - Giving Excel a go at it.

1.     Open Excel.
2.     Locate and highlight the file you want to load in the open/save box.
3.     Click the "text" button.  In the delimiter box, click the "tab" button.  Hit OK.
4.     You'll return to the open/save box.  Click the "open" button.
5.     Here's where the fun begins.  You may get a message about a partial load.  Click OK.  This may take some 
        trial and error.
6.     Apparently, PCalc saved in some odd, but usable sequence.  You should find all of your column names 
        at the top and your formulas and their results below the column names.  There will be extra cells, row and                    
        columns in between. 
7.     Check and see what your row names are looking like.  Do they look like they're fairly correct?  If not, go 
        back to the original file that you opened with Word and do some more work.  Always "Save As".
8.     I found that my rows were 99% correct and what wasn't was useless data.  I found that the columns of 
        numbers were all in alignment, but that their names, formulas and results were shifted 2 to 4 cells to the 
        right.  All this depends on your getting the row names correctly marked (PART II, #7).
9.     Working from left to right across the column names, figure out what's what, rename columns with 
        aligned numbers and removed empty columns and rows.
10.  Now enter Excel formulas in the proper columns and rows.  Delete all the old formulas cell by cell. Copy all 
        the old (PCalc) results to the top of their columns in a separate row, just to compare and check.
11.  Some of this seems time consuming and tedious, but Excel's tools and functions make the job quite fast and 
        easy provided you've done your preformatting well with Word.
12.  In the end, the conversion work once on the Mac for 4 large sheets took 3 hours.  This was much faster then 
        re-entering all the data, believe me.  And my new results were spot on 99.9% of the time, no exaggeration. 

PART IV - Eat and gloat.

1.     Open and finish another box of cookies while watching another episode of "Pinky and the Brain".  
        You deserve it.


NOTE:  These are the basics of "how to".  I imagine that the same could be done with SpeedCalc, Lotus, Claris 
           Works and others.  Good luck.

Thanks to John Iannetta	73510,2152, of the Commodore Apps and Tech forums.
Thanks to Malcolm O'Brian 76703,4243 of the Commodore Apps and Tech forums.
Thanks to Howard Herman 72560,3467 of the Commodore Apps and Tech forums.
Thanks to Supra tech support.
Thanks to Eddie Celletti for loaning me a C64 after mine died.
Thanks to Nat for the loan of the 64 power supply after mine died.
Thanks to Douglas Weber for the loan of his Commodore modem after, guess what?, mine died.
Thanks to John F Davis 73455,43 for his input.
Thanks to Bill(ionaire) for his software and Microtechnic Solutions for theirs.
Thanks to Apple for a fabulous platform that really everyone is still trying to copy in one way or another.
Thanks to, gone but not forgotten, Commodore Business Machines for making a great little machine that all these years later has been responsible, at least partially, for myself and many others earning a living and having some big fun.

If you have questions, please feel free to email me at INTERNET:72477.3077@compuserve.com .

Fritz Lang  4/22/96

