EazyLink2 User Guide

Welcome!

Welcome to the EazyLink2 User Guide. This is displayed when you have selected the Help > User Guide menu item from the desktop application. You may also have arrived here through our project wiki navigation system.

This user guide is written for all the Desktop versions of the EazyLink. Where necessary, specific details of desktop operating system features will be mentioned by displaying the OS icon.

Feedback is most welcome, to help us improve EazyLink

Installation

To install Eazylink2 to your Desktop, download the application and run it from our software repository. Currently there are three versions available; for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. The installers are quite self explanatory, behaving similarly on all three platforms.

On Windows however, the end-user will have a system warning screen about the software not being an officially signed application by Microsoft; this can be ignored (we don't write viruses and our software-installer is built on Linux or Mac OS X).

Connecting the Z88 to the Desktop

The Z88 has a female 9 way 'D' RS-232 connector which is used to connect to the Desktop. The connections are not the standard PC type as the Z88 was around before that standard was adopted. The recommended way to connect them together is to use the PC to Z88 cable. The PC end of this cable of this cable (either a 9 or 25 way 'D' female connector) plugs into the Desktop's Serial Port.

Serial to USB converter

Desktops that use USB and not Serial ports, need a Serial to USB converter. Choose one that supports 'hardware handshaking' and a driver available for the Operating System you are using. The cable type puts less strain onto the connectors than the adapter type. A disk with the manual and drivers are normally supplied with the converter, but these drivers can be years out of date. You are advised to read the manual to see which driver it uses. Then use Google to search for the latest driver.

If you are purchasing a new converter the ones that use the Prolific chip set are quite popular and support various Operating Systems. Here are a couple of examples.

• I bought this cable, it works with Windows xp. The CheckChip Version Tool reported it to be using one of the "End Of Life" chips. These are not going to be updated with new drivers.
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/ABC-Products%C2%AE-converter-convertor-Converter/dp/B000Z3MBG8/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t
• This one looks a better choice, it uses the PL2303HXD (HX Rev D) chip which also supports Windows 8.
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00425S1H8/?tag=uk77fansdelivery.co.uk-21

Download the Latest Prolific Drivers here:
http://www.prolific.com.tw/eng/downloads.asp?ID=31

It is hoped that as more uses use this program a list of known Serial to USB convertors can be listed here so that users may have a more informed choice.

Before running the program, you need to know the device name the operating system has allocated to the serial port you are using to connect to the Z88. This is either a physical number that is on the computer e,g, COM.1 COM.2 (device names on Windows). If you are using a Serial to USB converter the driver will automatically allocate a new serial port device name, please refer to the manufacturer's instructions for details how to find out that name (COM port number on Windows).

EazyLink2

Using the Program

There are two ways that this program may be used in. These are:-

• EazyLink2 mode
• Imp/Export mode

Eazylink2 uses an additional application on the Z88 so that all commands are operated on the Desktop.

The Z88 Eazylink Application is available on Flash or EPROM cards from Rakewell. Just follow the instructions that came with the card and the application will be ready to use. Should the user wishes to make their own copy, they can use the Imp/Export to upload the application and blow the image on a card.

Imp/Export is a standard communication application that is standard on all Z88. It is included here on the Client's side to enable users to connect to a Z88 without any additional applications. It requires the user to use both the Client's and Z88's keyboard.

 EazyLink2 mode

This is the preferred mode of operating as it uses all the options offered from the Desktop.

EazyLink2 prerequisites

• Install the software on the Client
• Install EazyLink on the Z88
• Connect the Z88 to the Client (with the Serial to USB Converter if required)

On the Z88 Select []L to start Eazylink

The only useful command that may be used manually is ESC to exit as all other commands are sent from the Desktop.

Which version are you running?

If you are running the 'stand-alone' version of the Eazylink application the version number is on the main HELP page.

If you are running Eazylink in OZ the version number isn't on the Eazylink HELP page.  

It is shown in grey in the bottom left-hand corner of the display. All versions of the Z88 Eazylink popdown will work with EazyLink2, the functions available will depend on the version used. As part of OZ V4.3, EazyLink V5.1 features were integrated then. The latest version, V5.2 functions were integrated into OZ V4.3.1, This was released in August 2012.  

On the Desktop start Eazylink2.

Select Settings and select the serial port device name the Z88 is connected to.

If you get a communication error, make a note of the messages on the Z88 screen and try again.

If you get continuous communication errors, go to Solving Communication Errors (see below).

The Display

When the Z88 has connected successfully, the above display will be shown.

Drop-down menu(s) are along the top. The two windows below display the files on the Z88 (left-hand) and the Desktop (right-hand). The files displayed initially may not be recognizable. This is because EazyLink2 selects the root directory of your main drive. This can be changed to where you want to store the files from the Z88. initially due to the wrong drive and directory

The Commands

Top Menu

 Z88 Line

Z88 Window

Desktop Windows

(Temporary Suggested Menus) - Work in Progress

The idea of this section is to see what the menus would look like if all the commands were there and could be accessed using the keyboard. Commands that are selected using the 2nd button on the mouse remain where they are.

Imp/Export

You should skip this section if you already have a copy of the Z88 Eazylink.

On the desktop computer

Start Eazylink2.

On the top menu bar, Select Settings

• Select Serial Port. Change the 'Default Serial Port:' to the device name the Z88 is connected to.
• Select General, untick all EazyLink functions and click OK.
• Select Translations, untick all EazyLink functions and click OK.

On the top menu bar, Select Z88

• Select - Send files to Z88 Imp/Export popdown

You will now get a series of help screens with instructions on how to use the Z88. 1.

Start Z88

Select Panel []S

Change Default device :RAM.1 - You will need extra RAM in your Z88 for the file and it needs to be in slot 1. 

Remember to PRESS ENTER TO UPDATE otherwise these settings will not change. 

Note that the Transmit and Receive rates Parity and Xon/Xoff settings are the correct value as given in the EazyLink Imp-Export Help. Click OK to move to the next screen. 2.

Select Imp/Export []X

EazyLink Imp-Export Help. Click OK to move to the next screen. 3.

EazyLink Imp-Export Help. Click OK to move to the next screen.

4) On the Desktop, select files to Send to the Z88..

If you get a communication error, make a note of the messages on the Z88 screen and try again.

If you get continuous communication errors or nothing happens, go to Solving Communication Errors (see below).

Getting a copy of Z88 Server Popdown.

This saves the hassle of doing it yourself. Users do have a choice. To do it yourself you will need to

• Download the software.

• Establish a Serial connection between the Z88 and the Client
• Transfer the software to the Z88 using EazyLink2 Imp/Export mode
• Run the software on the Z88 to blow the image into an EPROM or Flash card.

Problem Solving Area

EazyLink2 and the Z88 should work straight away, but if it doesn't this section will help you to find out why it doesn't.

Resetting the Z88

The Z88 never gets turned off. When the Shift keys are used to turn the display on and off, the Z88 keeps running it its low power mode. Sometimes a fault may appear due to something that was done in the past. So that we can test it at a known state, the Z88 needs to be reset by giving the Z88 a HARD RESET. If you have any important data, make sure that it is saved on either an EPROM or Flash card.

Hard Reset

Do this by opening the card flap, pressing the reset switch 2 times with an unbent paperclip, then shut the card flap.

Select Panel []S

Change Default device to :RAM.1 - You will need extra RAM in your Z88 for the file and it needs to be in slot 1. Move the cursor key down to Default Device, use <> right arrow to move it to the end of the line, DEL the 0 and put in the 1.

Remember to PRESS ENTER TO UPDATE otherwise these settings will not change. 

Select Filer []F

The Filer will still be pointing to ;RAM.0, so this is a good time to point it to RAM.1.

Move the left-hand cursor to SELECT DEVICE or use the quick keyboard command, <>SV

Change RAM.0 to :RAM.1 quick keyboard command <>right-arrow DEL 1 ENTER

Solving Communication Errors.

Test the Z88 Serial Port

If the Z88's serial port has never been used, it may have never worked.

To test it, you can use a 9 way 'D' plug with pins 2-3 4-5 and 8-9 connected, or you can use a paperclip cut into three to make these three connections.

On the Z88

• Make the connections as described above.
• Select the Terminal []V

• Type some characters on the keyboard like "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"

• Check that these characters appear on the screen
• Remove the connections
• Type some more characters, they should not appear on the screen.

If that all works, the Z88 Serial Port is working.

Is the correct cable being used?

If you are using a standard PC Cable, it will not work. Get the correct cable from Rakewell.

Using a Serial to USB convertor?

have you

• Downloaded a copy of the latest drivers for your Operating System?
• Checked that it supports hardware handshaking?

Test the Client's Serial Port

If you are unable to get it working, try downloading a Free Terminal Emulation program for your Client's Operating System and do a similar excercise as described in the "Test the Z88 Serial Port" section.