Questions tagged [apple-ii]

The Apple II series of personal computers and related software and hardware. Use [apple-iigs] for the Apple IIgs in particular, or [apple] for Apple hardware in general.

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Getting garbled text when using ADTPro with Apple IIc and serial connection

I am currently having issues while trying to use ADTPro to connect to my Apple IIc and was wondering whether anyone could help me. I am using this serial connection kit and trying to bootstrap from ...
Idrees's user avatar
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8 votes
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What were MECC's specifications for a school computer in 1978?

It is well-known that one key moment for Apple was selling 500 Apple IIs to the Minnesota school system in 1978. I came across this video which discusses the background to that, including a reminder ...
rwallace's user avatar
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ProDOS BASIC.SYSTEM overwrites RNDL ($4E) - how to get random numbers

I am writing an application that uses random numbers. The plan is to use RNDL/RNDH ($4E) to initialize a pseudo-random number generator. Unfortunately, I keep getting the same sequence. Tonight, I ...
A2Geek's user avatar
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2 votes
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What is likely cause for sudden auto-rebooting of Apple II+ with Disk II?

I have the Apple ][+ with 64 KB RAM: 48 KB on the motherboard plus 16 KB on the Language Card, in Slot 0. Slot 6 has disk controller for two Apple-manufactured Drive ][ floppy drives. The display is ...
JTyler2's user avatar
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How Can Apple II DOS 3.3 Floppy Disks be Restored after Formatting with INIT?

I have files on around 50 5.25" floppy disks. Most are in the Apple II (or ][ Plus), DOS 3.3 formats. I have the Apple ][+ with 64K RAM (48K on MBd plus 16K on the Language Card in Slot 0), and ...
JTyler2's user avatar
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Did any DOS 3.3 variants relocate start of BASIC?

A common annoyance when programming in BASIC on the Apple II is that 6K of BASIC storage area falls before the start of the first hires screen, with another big chunk of storage falling after it. On ...
supercat's user avatar
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Help understanding TAIPAN source code for the Apple II

I am trying to run the source code found at https://taipangame.com/BASIC.txt on Epple 2 (with Apple II+ roms) to eventually run on my own Apple II+, but the program keeps crashing. First, I used a ...
EvanTheGamer's user avatar
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What were the differences of the various AE RamWorks cards?

Applied Engineering (AE) produced some 80-Column cards for the Apple //e that, unlike Apple's offering which only brought the machine up to 128KB, would allow a user to install up to 3MB in addition ...
bjb's user avatar
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Defective Apple IIe motherboard

I have a PAL Apple IIe, put in service in 1982. Components C9, C12, C15, and C17 on the 820-0073-B motherboard are burnt out. I originally thought they appear to be power diodes, but seem to be 10 µF ...
Jochen's user avatar
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What's the correct Unicode code point for the Apple IIe's "delete" symbol?

I was writing an essay today about using the Apple IIe I grew up on, and I wanted to add some examples that included the "delete" symbol that was used for the cursor: But try as I might, I ...
Sean Werkema's user avatar
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2 answers
589 views

Apple ][ nibble disk format specification

Is there an official specification for .nib format disks for the Apple? I'm currently debugging through a CP/M boot disk for a Cirtech //e Z80 which works fine on real hardware but fails in an ...
PeterI's user avatar
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3 votes
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Were the Apple II patents, obstacles to cloning?

The Apple II was a simple design relative to its retail price, so attractive to cloners. This naturally led to many lawsuits, at least one of which actually established new copyright law. https://en....
rwallace's user avatar
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9 votes
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How to change what program Apple ProDOS 'starts' when booting

I finally have my Apple //e booting from my SCSI2SD but I'm missing something regarding how ProDOS knows what program to start when it boots. As I understand it, ProDOS will look for the first .SYSTEM ...
Geo...'s user avatar
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What's the name of this Apple monitor

Browsing through retrocomputing resources, I recently stumbled upon this picture: I'm familiar with quite a few Apple II monitors, but it's the first time I saw this one. There's an Apple logo, so it ...
airman's user avatar
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5 votes
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Is it possible to write unit tests in Applesoft BASIC?

It's been decades since I wrote anything in BASIC. But I'm curious: If I were to go back and start playing around with it, would my test coverage be essentially zero percent by necessity? Or is there ...
Mayor of the Plattenbaus's user avatar
8 votes
4 answers
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How to read copy protected Apple II floppies / NIB images

I've got a game on Apple II 140k 5,25" floppy that does not exist in the archives yet. I would like to read it into an image. But ADTpro just shows read errors on all sectors in spite always ...
JPT's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
489 views

Is it possible to detect Vertical Blanking on an Apple III

The Apple IIe, IIc, IIc plus, and IIgs had ways to detect when the video signal was in the vertical blanking period. These were: Setting a soft-switch in the mouse interface that triggers an ...
rbanffy's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
765 views

How do I make an Apple II disk image with the sectors in physical order?

As far as I understand: a .do or .dsk file extension indicates that the sectors in a disk image are in AppleDOS order (i.e. the physical sectors are in order 0, 13, 11, 9 etc). a .po file extension ...
David Given's user avatar
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11 votes
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What exactly was the intent and implementation of Apple DOS 3.3's volume concept?

Inspired by this question, it got me thinking about how DOS 3.3 for the Apple II had the 'DISK VOLUME 254' at the top of every CATALOG listing. The default was always 254, but you could make your ...
bjb's user avatar
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Does anybody have information on this tube?

I need to know if this is a color or monochrome tube. It’s in an applecolor A2M6020
help's user avatar
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9 votes
1 answer
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What is the VTOC format for an AppleDOS disk with more than 50 tracks?

I am trying to read files of an AppleDOS 3.3 disk. The documentation I've found, both from Inside AppleDOS and also from Archiveteams' website (which I believe was taken from Inside AppleDOS): http://...
David Given's user avatar
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A2M6020 AppleColor monitor not showing color

When I got my Apple IIc computer, it came with an A2M6020 AppleColor 13" NTSC composite monitor. However, I have not been able to get color working on it. I don’t know if it just has a monochrome ...
help's user avatar
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11 votes
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What were the Apple II artifact colors?

A simplified version of the question in the title is "is lo-res color #1 red, or is it purple?" because that's the color that shows the most obvious variation. Color #1 was usually called &...
benrg's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
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Did any AppleSoft language enhancements patch CHRGOT?

Some BASIC language enhancements for Commodore 8-bit machines, such as the 1982 DOS Wedge, worked by patching the CHRGOT routine. Even though BASIC is in ROM, every byte that is fetched from a ...
supercat's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
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Why did ProDOS trace Applesoft?

When running an Applesoft program under ProDOS, BASIC.System watches for OS commands by looking for PRINT statements that start with Ctrl+D. This is similar, but not equivalent, to the DOS behavior. ...
fadden's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
298 views

Motivation for DOS 3.3 using I/O hooks rather than ampersand-hook

AppleSoft BASIC is designed so that if it encounters an ampersand while processing a program, it will jump to address $03F5, allowing code there to examine what follows and process it suitably. While ...
supercat's user avatar
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15 votes
1 answer
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How are the randomizer values on the Apple II maintained?

Looking at a comment on this question, it reminded me of how there are two memory locations in the Apple II zero page that are used for random number generation: 0x4E and 0x4F (78 and 79, respectively)...
bjb's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
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6502 Assembly on Apple IIe: GETLN fails with 'syntax error' under ProDOS

I'm writing a text adventure in assembly for the Apple IIe (using Merlin). I'm also using ProDOS 8 v2.0.3. At some point, I have a subroutine to read user input from the keyboard using the GETLN1 call....
Taciano Dreckmann Perez's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
779 views

Which wires need to be changed to use a Gotek floppy emulator on an Apple Mac?

Preamble I own a Gotek floppy emulator that I use with my BBC Model B. It is the latest model with the Artery AT32F435 MCU1, so there is a lot of memory space and processing power for future features ...
Greenonline's user avatar
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20 votes
3 answers
2k views

What exactly were those large orange chips on the Hayes Micromodem II interface card?

I've had a Hayes Micromodem II for the Apple ][ a very, very long time. I've seen a lot of interface cards over the years since then and have never seen anything quite like it: there are giant orange, ...
bjb's user avatar
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10 votes
1 answer
364 views

Why would a Reset key bounce disconnect Apple DOS?

This answer stated that hitting the Apple II Reset key twice, in quick succession, could cause DOS to be disconnected from the I/O hooks. I don't understand why that would happen. Quick background: ...
fadden's user avatar
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15 votes
1 answer
871 views

Apple IIe problem (can’t save and load files anymore)

I recently bought an Apple IIe at an auction. It was extremely cheap but worked. I have no experience with such old computers. I just started the computer and wrote some BASIC programs for fun. ...
Samuel's user avatar
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14 votes
3 answers
1k views

How can one do bitwise Boolean operations in later versions of Applesoft BASICs?

According to this answer, Apple changed the AND, OR, NOT operators in later versions of BASIC to perform Boolean instead of bitwise logic, so for example (1 AND 2) = 1. Which raises the question, how ...
Mark Reed's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
279 views

Apple II mixed mode cursor placement

I've been playing on my recently resurrected Apple IIs, a //e, IIc, and IIgs (mostly the //e), tinkering with assembly. I'm reading the paddles and plotting a colored block on the screen, kind of an ...
mswade's user avatar
  • 93
8 votes
2 answers
2k views

Asking explanation of 65C02 assembler code

From Gary B. Little's "Apple ProDOS: Advanced Features for Programmers", pages 176 - 188: "Since the ONLINE command handler is not inherently relocatable, all references to internal ...
mswade's user avatar
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7 votes
0 answers
133 views

Apple II floppy drive, pressure pad cleaning or replacement?

This is related to the following question: Cleaning 5¼" floppy drives Is there a proper way to clean the pressure pad that simply presses against the back side of a single-sided 5.25-inch ...
Dale Mahalko's user avatar
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11 votes
2 answers
873 views

Information about the Hollywood Hardware Graphics Card for Apple II+

I still have a Hollywood Hardware graphics card that I used in my Apple II+ back-in-the-day. It was my understanding that this was the graphics card used for the special effects in the first three ...
Educ8edlady's user avatar
1 vote
4 answers
329 views

I found an apple IIe without a power supply where can i find one [closed]

I found an apple IIe without a power supply where can i find one also any tips on where i can find other parts for it. Btw i know nothing about Retrocomputers.
Dimitri's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
713 views

How to make a maximally compatible Integer BASIC (Apple II) game disk for the Internet Archive?

I'd like to get an old Apple II Integer BASIC game running on archive.org's embedded MAME in such a way that it just runs without the user having to choose anything from a menu or type any commands to ...
Qubei's user avatar
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10 votes
1 answer
396 views

Where can I find the awesome programs from Apple II's Beagle Bros's Uncle Louie's two-line programs contest?

Back in the old nostalgic 1980's there were these very cool guys making fantastic programs for the Apple II, the Beagle Bros. Among the very cool stuff they publish there were these amazing two-line ...
Arc's user avatar
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-1 votes
1 answer
205 views

How can I get reasonably-priced APPLE-II manuals? [closed]

I am making a emulated apple-ii based on a raspberry pi and a custom chassis. I would like to have physical manuals to go along with it. Obvious approaches are to download and print one of, or to pay ...
fectin's user avatar
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17 votes
1 answer
473 views

Was any commercial end-user software written in PROMAL?

PROMAL is a procedural programming language from the 1980s. Its designer, Systems Management Associates, released compilers for the Commodore 64, Apple II, and IBM PC. The language and development ...
Psychonaut's user avatar
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12 votes
3 answers
2k views

Disk copy protection schemes for Apple II

I have a vague recollection back in the late 70s of using a wonderful program called Locksmith (from memory, so I could be wrong). It apparently could handle all the different ways that disk-based ...
paxdiablo's user avatar
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11 votes
3 answers
1k views

Extensions to Apple BASIC with ampersands

I have a vague recollection of some early software that extended the Apple II BASIC language, though I'm not sure if this was Integer or Applesoft BASIC. It provided more features for the language by ...
paxdiablo's user avatar
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16 votes
2 answers
3k views

Can someone make a photograph of the original Apple 1 Integer BASIC cassette?

I'm wondering if anyone here has an original Integer BASIC cassette and might be willing to upload an image of it to the wiki commons? There's a serious lack of imagery in the article in en.wiki, and ...
Maury Markowitz's user avatar
12 votes
1 answer
731 views

Can you read the character definitions (font) in an Apple II using PEEK in Applesoft BASIC?

Can you read the character definitions (font) from ROM in an Apple II using PEEK in Applesoft BASIC? You can do this on some other computers e.g. Sinclair ZX81, Commodore 64, and Amstrad PC1512, but ...
mobluse's user avatar
  • 503
11 votes
1 answer
274 views

Commodore / Apple II GEOS Document Cross-Platform Compatibility

As I have never used Graphic Environment Operating System (GEOS) on an Apple II (only I on a Commodore 64), I have always wondered were the documents created (from programs such as GeoWrite and ...
GrapefruitIsAwesome's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
806 views

Could a Saturn 128K card be used as a /RAM device under ProDOS?

For starters, the Saturn 128K card was a RAM expansion card produced during the Apple ][+ era. From what I recall, unlike the later AUX slot RAM expansions for the Apple //e, it did not provide bank ...
bjb's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
117 views

Apple II c repair keyboard and check disk driver error [closed]

I'm new in this forum and I want to say hello to all and sorry my bad English! I'm trying to repair an Apple II c computer that was stored in my house for many years. When I stored it, like 15 years ...
GiordiX's user avatar
  • 21
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

Copy content between floppy disks on Apple II

I own an Apple IIe with the Apple DuoDisk device. I've been trying to find out if it is possible to copy content from a floppy disk inserted into the disk 1 slot into a floppy inserted on the disk 2 ...
JV Lobo's user avatar
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