Before attempting a transfer, you should make sure that the communications settings on your other computer match those on your Z88. Assuming that you leave the Z88's panel settings at the defaults, your other computer should be set as follows:
This is usually done within a terminal program (such as Windows Terminal on the PC for example). If you aren't using a terminal program, then the communications port will need to be set up using a special command. For example, on the PC you would type something like:
MODE COM1: 96,N,8,1
You may also want to enable linefeed/carriage return conversions, if this is possible. The Z88 uses a single CR to signify the end of a line, but some computers use a LF, whilst others (like the PC) use a combination.
The most obvious application or popdown to use in transfers is Import/Export. To use this, press R on the Z88 to receive a file and type in the filename required. Then, on the terminal software on the host computer, send the file using your ASCII or text transfer option. When this is complete, press the ESC key followed by E on the host computer, to let the Z88 know that the transfer is finished.
To do the reverse operation, set the terminal software on the host computer to receive a file using the ASCII or text transfer option. Then press S on the Z88 and select the filename to transfer. Once finished, you will need to tell the terminal software to stop receiving.
You will probably notice that a few characters (including the filename) have been added to the start and end of the transferred file. This is the way that Import/Export signifies the start and end of the file, and you will have to remove them.
To use Terminal to receive a file, start it up on the Z88 and press the key sequence []+S. Then start the transfer from the other computer using either the terminal software as above, or by simply copying the file to the communications port. For example, on a PC you could type:
COPY FILENAME.TXT COM1:
When the transfer is complete, press the key sequence []-S. You will now have the transferred file in :RAM.-/S.SGN - you should copy and delete this file immediately, as a bug in OZ means that leaving files in :RAM.- can cause the Z88 to crash under certain circumstances.
To do this, set up your terminal software to receive a text file. Then use the copy command in Filer to copy the desired file to :COM.0. Once the transfer has finished, you will need to tell your terminal software to stop receiving.
Finally, if you need to transfer a CLI file which creates a BASIC program to your Z88, you can do this within BASIC itself, and create the program in one step.
In BASIC, type the following line, which instructs the Z88 to take its input from the serial port instead of the keyboard:
*CLI .<:COM.0
Now, transfer the file from your other computer as in any of the cases above. You should see the program being typed in before your eyes! When it is done, restore control to the keyboard by pressing SHIFT and ESC together.