Instructions
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Instructions
I wrote this for a teacher about a month ago. It origanally was followed
by instructions for linking a calculator, and a disk with Link software
one it. I know it isn't of much use, and it is incomplete, but :
This document contains instructions for transferring files from the
internet to your TI-83 via
your computer.
The TI-83 is a great and wonderful tool, that can be used for many
applications from
graphing geometry, to science work, to playing games. It has come to my
attention that
perhaps one of the greatest uses of the ti-83 (that of running external
programs, such as
games) has been underused in the past. Programs have been transmitted
solely calculator-
to-calculator, while Many more games are stored in the vast knowledge
source we know as
the internet.
Various sites offer games to download, by two favorites being:
http://www.ticalc.org
http://www.inlink.com/~dafek/ti-files/
>From these locations not only can games be downloaded, and then
transferred to the
calculator, but much can be learned about the calculator ( including how
to write games)
To transfer these programs to your calculator several things must first
be done:
1) Copy the files from the floppy disk supplied with this document into
a directory on your
computer's hard disk. I have included on the disk provided with this
documentation a sample
program written be Bill Nagel. It is the popular SuperMario type game,
Penguins.
2) If the extension of the downloaded file is .zip, it is a compressed
file, and must be
uncompressed before use. I have included a utility names pkunzip to
decompress them. To
do so you need to change to the drive and/or directory that contains the
floppy disk files.
Then type :
pkunzip [name and directory of the downloaded file]
and press enter. There now should be a file with the extension .83g or
.83p to transfer.
3) If this is your first time transferring a file to your calculator, a
decision must be made at
this point. You may either buy a package from Texas Instruments, build
your own, or send
away for one to be built for you.
A) Texas Instruments sells 2 packages. This is the ONLY option if you
have a Macintosh
computer. The two packages that Ti sells are The Graph link, and the
Link only package. The
Graph link package($45) contains the wire, and all the necessary
hardware and software to
ensure that it works with your computer. The link only package is
cheaper ($35), and only
contains the wire to transfer the programs to your calculator. It gives
instructions on where to
download the software from the internet.
If you decide to use either of these packages follow the directions
given to you with
the package, and stop reading this document.
B) If you decide to try to build you own cable($5) let me first inform
you that this task requires
some knowledge of basic electronics, and is not an entirely easy job.
If you still Wish to build
one, a step-by-step guide has been included for you.
C) If you decide to send away for a cable (aprox. $10-15) a list of
people/companies
providing this service follows on the LAST pages of this document.
4) After you have your cable, attach it to your computer and your
calculator. To any Printer
port cables, the printer must first be unplugged from the computer.
5)Change to the drive and/or the directory that contains the floppy disk
files provided with
this document. at this point it would be a good idea to read the
documentation provided in the
file CAL.DOC. After reading this document run the file : CAL.EXE. This
will activate the
linking software. Follow the directions provided in the cal.doc file.
After these steps have been performed, You should be able to run the
program from your
calculator's program menu, just as if you had received it from another
calculator.
I hope this helps!
-Colin Davis (cdavis@thepentagon.com)
--
This message brought to you by Colin Davis, His ISP, and the letter 'C'