Tsushin Booster & Tsushin Tool ------------------------------ A summary/partial translation of the instruction manual... Translation by Chris Covell (chris_covell@yahoo.ca) ############################################################# Tsushin Tool (tentative) Instruction Manual July 19, 1990 NEC Home Electronics Personal Product Engineering Division Personal Product HQ ############################################################# Table of Contents 1. Basic Operations 1 2. File Menu 4 3. Communication Tool 5 4. Graphic Editor 10 5. Program (BASIC) Function 28 6. Error Messages 52 ####################### PAGE 1 ############################# 1. Basic Operations 1.1 Use of the PAD Basic Use I Select/Activate a menu option II Go to previous menu / Exit an operation Cursor Key Move the cursor RUN+SELECT Reset Cursor Operations (1) When the Software Keyboard is not in use: ------------------------------------------------- Cursor Key Move the cursor SELECT n/a RUN Turn the Software Keyboard on/off I Return Key II Backspace Key SELECT+I CTRL+S (pause BASIC program) Turn command menu on/off in modem mode SELECT+II CTRL+C (2) When the Software Keyboard is in use: ------------------------------------------------- Cursor Key Move the cursor SELECT n/a RUN n/a I Enter the letter under the cursor II Backspace Key SELECT+I Return Key SELECT+II If the cursor is over a letter A-Z that has a corresponding control code, the code is entered ####################### PAGE 2 ############################# 1.2 Kanji Input (1) ANK Mode ... whatever that means (Alpha-Numeric Keyboard?) (2) Kanji Entry In ANK mode, selecting the "Henkan" (Conversion) option activates kanji input. The current mode will be displayed in letters at the bottom of the screen: "A B C" Full-width English mode "KA NA" Full-width Hiragana mode "KA NA" Full-width Katakana mode "ABC" Half-width English mode "KANA" Half-width Katakana mode (3) Mode Conversion 1. ANK/Kanji. Choosing the Conversion option switches between ANK and Kanji mode. The text under the cursor will be converted to Kanji (with choices). If there are no Kanji that match the selected text, substitution will not happen. 2. Full-Width/Half-Width. (self-explanatory) Kanji is full-width only. 3. Hiragana/Katakana. (also self-explanatory) 3. [sic] English/Kana mode. (also self-explanatory) (4) (BS erases, and Select+Cursor moves the cursor) (5) Hitting RET in ANK mode leaves the text as you typed it, or confirms the Kanji selection. (6) Kanji Conversion After you have typed in some characters and selected the Conversion option, you are presented with choices of kanji at the bottom of the screen. Here is how to select the choices: "Conversion" Goes to the next choice SELECT+L Goes to the previous choice SELECT+R Goes to the next choice SELECT+U Goes to the previous 8 choices SELECT+D Goes to the next 8 choices (Pressing a number in the keypad also confirms its corresponding kanji.) 1.3 Command Menu (nothing important here) ####################### PAGE 3 ############################# 1.4 Using the Tool Press the I button at the title screen. Main Menu At the main menu, you have 4 options. You can also return to the title screen by pressing II. 1. Graphic Go to the Graphic menu 2. Tsushin Go to the Tsushin (Communications) menu 3. Program Go to the Program menu 4. File Go to the File menu File This menu allows you to view and delete files stored in SRAM. Tsushin Menu You have 4 choices: 1. Tsushin Jikkou (Execute Comms.) Starts the Terminal mode. 2. Tsushin Settei (Comms. Settings) Communication parameters can be set here. 3. Denwa Chou (Phone Directory) Auto-login data can be saved here. 4. Denwa Machi (Phone Wait) Auto-answer is executed. Graphic Menu You have 2 choices: 1. Background (BG) Character Editor 2. Movement (SPR) Character Editor Program Menu You have 2 choices: 1. Program Jikkou (Execute) - If a BASIC program is in memory, it'll be executed. When the program finishes or is interrupted, it'll return to the Edit mode. 2. Program Edit - BASIC programs can be constructed in this mode. If "TEXT" is typed, a text file will be created. ####################### PAGE 4 ############################# 2. File Menu Files downloaded through XMODEM and stored in SRAM are examined here. (1) Screen Description *****Byte(s) free <--1. M TYP FILENAME SIZE - --- ------------ ----- > PGM BASICPROGRAM 1011 <--2,4,5,6. * AUT AUTOLOGDATA 121 <--3. mark del <--7. 1. Memory available 2. File Cursor 3. File Mark 4. File Type 5. Filename 6. File Size 7. Action (2) File Explanations TYP FILENAME CONTENTS --------------------------------------------------------- COL COLORDATA BG & SPR Editor colour data BGC BGFONT BG Editor data SPC SPFONT SPR Editor data SCR SCREENDATA SCREEN Editor data MAP MAPCELLDATA MAP,CELL Editor data PTN PATTERNDATA PATTERN Editor data AUT AUTOLOGDATA Auto-Login data TXT LOGTEXT Hands-free (?) stored data PGM BASICPROGRAM BASIC Program data ??? Data not created by this software (3) File Delete Move the cursor to the file that you want to delete, and choose the "del" option. When it says "Y/N", press I to delete, II to cancel. (4) File Mark Files that are marked can be sent via XMODEM through the "Data Send" command in modem mode. Move the cursor to the file that you want to mark, and choose the "mark" option. An asterisk will appear in the M column next to the file. ####################### PAGE 5 ############################# 3. Communication Tool 3.1 Comms Settings Settings will be stored in backup memory. Baud rate [300/1200] Echo [off/on] Redial [off/on]: If disconnected or busy (?), the modem will redial after a minute. Press SELECT+II to cancel. Monitor [off/on]: If set on, the sound from the modem will be sent through the TV speakers. Dial Type [Dial(Pulse)/Push(Tone)] Dial Speed [10pps/20pps]: Sets the pulse speed in Dial mode. There are some areas where NTT does not support 20pps dialing. 3.2 Execute Comms (1) Manual Dial: Turn on the Software Keyboard, type out the number, and hit RET to dial. (2) Autodial (Auto-Login): If you have Auto-Login data stored in the Directory, this can be chosen from the menu, etc etc... ####################### PAGE 6 ############################# (3) The following messages may be displayed on-screen: CONNECT 1200 CONNECT 300 NO CARRIER ERROR (displayed when a connection is cancelled) NO DIALTONE BUSY ILLEGAL DIAL DATA (displayed when the phone number or Directory data contain illegal characters) (4) Permissible characters are 0-9, *, and # (the latter two in Push mode only) A comma ',' between numbers inserts a 1-second pause. Note: All data must be in half-width character format. ####################### PAGE 7 ############################# (5) Modem mode only features: Command Menu: 1. Bunshou Jushin (Document Reception): When automatic downloading has begun, "D" will appear at the bottom of the screen. If the backup memory is full, "O" will be displayed. 2. Bunshou Soushin (Document Send): For uploading text files created in BASIC's TEXT mode. 3. X Jushin: XMODEM Download is executed. When a file is being downloaded, the number of remaining blocks will be displayed (?). Only file types usable by the Tshushin Booster can be downloaded, otherwise downloading will be automatically cancelled. 4. X Soushin: XMODEM Upload is executed. Files that have been marked in the file menu can be uploaded. 5. Data Jushin: Converted text data can be downloaded. This is also for downloading files not created within the Tsushin Tool (?). 6. Data Soushin: Uploading works identically to the XMODEM Upload above. 7. Break Soushutsu (Send): A BREAK signal is sent out. 8. Circuit Break (?) Not sure what this does. Scrolling is possible(?) 9. Local Echo: (turns this on/off) 10. Tsuwa (Telephone call) Mode: Not sure, but I think this either auto-dials or answers the incoming call after 10 seconds of it ringing. The user is instructed to pick up the telephone handset within this time. 11. File: The File feature is started. 12. Return to Menu: Returns to the Tsushin Menu. - Scroll feature: The Tsushin Tool has a 340-line scroll buffer. You can scroll by moving the cursor. The scroll data is stored within the 8 Kilobyte reception buffer. The following messages may appear: CAUTION OVER FLOW ...when the buffer is over half-way full. DATA OVER FLOW ...when the buffer is completely full. ####################### PAGE 8 ############################# 3.3 Phone Directory The directory can store telephone numbers, names, and auto-login data in backup memory. Up to 5 separate entries can be stored. (1) Go to the Directory Screen. (2) Data Format: 1. Host Name, Telephone Number, Receiving Character String, Sending Character String (If you want to send a new line (?) without sending a CR code, end the line with the "@" character (SELECT+II+@).) 2. Send/Receive Text Entry: To add a blank line, activate the Software Keyboard, move the cursor over the INS key and press SELECT+II. To delete a line, activate the Software Keyboard, move the cursor over the BS key and press SELECT+II. 3. Error Messages: OUT OF MEMORY ...when memory is full. OUT OF NUMBER ...when the phone number is greater than 10 digits (?) Here is an example of how to auto-login to the PC-VAN main menu: Host Name P C - V A N Telephone Number 0123456789 <--enter the number of your own access point. Receiving String 1 Sending String 1 VANPCNEC02 Receiving String 2 USER_ID: Sending String 2 ABC01234 <--enter your own ID. Receiving String 3 PASSWORD: Sending String 3 ******** <--enter your own password. Receiving String 4 = Sending String 4 N Receiving String 5 = Sending String 5 N ####################### PAGE 9 ############################# 3.4 Phone Wait 1. "Waiting for Carrier Signal" will appear on-screen. 2. After 2 or 3 rings, the modem will automatically answer. 3. After authenticating, "CONNECT" will appear on-screen. - Operation is the same as in "Execute Comms". Warnings: This Tsushin Tool's "Text Convert" option does not support the "ISH" functions of home PC communications tools. (????) If there are too many errors during data transfer, the transfer will be suspended. ####################### PAGE 10 ############################# 4. Graphic Editor 4.1 Terminology 1) Point: Move the cursor to a specific location. 2) Click: Press a button after pointing. 3) Double-Click: Click in the same spot twice. 4) Drag: After clicking, hold down the button, and move the cursor to another location. This is used to select the area in the COPY function, for example. 5) Select: Point to, then click or double-click an option. 6) Active Option: After selecting an option, it becomes active. 7) Command Entry Mode: This is the mode when an option has not been selected. 8) Cancel a Command: To return from the Active Option to the Command Entry Mode, press the SELECT button. 9) BG: Background 10) SPR: Sprite(s) 11) CELL: 4 BG characters grouped together (2x2) in one unit. 12) User BG Character: BG Characters that the user can create. Maximum of 256 characters. 13) User SPR Character: SPR Characters that the user can create. Maximum of 64 characters. 14) User Palette: Palettes that the user can edit. There are 8 for the BG, 8 for sprites. 15) Current Palette: The palette that a character currently uses. 16) Colour: There are colour codes 0-15, but the user can only freely modify 1-15. Colour 0 of all palettes are always the same value as Palette 0 colour code 0. ####################### PAGE 11 ############################# 17) Current Colour: The colour currently being used. The colour that the cursor is on in the COL area. 18) Colour Data: Colours are created out of the components R, G, B, with 8 levels (0-7) each. 19) Area Select: Used with the COPY, CLEAR, etc. options. When an action has been selected, holding down the II button and then moving the cursor will select an area inside a box to be copied/cleared. Pressing I will copy/clear that area. 20) Priority: When two sprites overlap, the sprite with the highest priority will appear in front. 21) Attributes: Cells can be given attributes that can be used by a BASIC program. For example, the program may interpret a certain cell attribute as "impassable" or "dangerous", etc. (???) 22) Backdrop Screen: This is the "screen" that can be seen behind sprites and the BG screen. It is represented by Palette 0 colour code 0. ####################### PAGE 12 ############################# 4.2 BG Character Design BG Characters are units made of 8x8 dots. Up to 256 characters can be made by the user (stored in an arrangement of 16x16 characters). The MAP Editor and SCREEN Editor use these characters to create large maps, up to 64x64 characters in size. SCREEN Editor: Characters can be laid on the BG individually, and have their palettes specified individually. It's thus more detailed than the MAP Editor. MAP Editor: Palettes are specified at the CELL (2x2 character) level. While single characters can't be used, CELLs can be given attribute codes which can be used by game programs. 4.3 BG Character Editor CELL, MAP, SCREEN data can be edited in this mode. Commands are on the left side, while the Work Area is on the right. (1) EXIT: Exits the BG Character Editor. Double-Click with the I button to exit. (2) CELL: Enters the CELL Editor. Double-Click with the I button to select. (3) SCREEN: Enters the SCREEN Editor. Double-Click with the I button to select. (4) LOAD: Enters the LOAD Mode. Double-Click with the I button to select. ####################### PAGE 13 ############################# (5) MOVE: Moves the view of the Work Area. After selecting this option, the "MOVE" text will turn red. You can then move the cursor around the Work Area. (6) DRAW: You can select a character to draw in, as well as choose a Colour Code for your drawing pen. Colour Data (values) can also be edited. In the (pixel) editing window, individual dots can be placed by pressing I or by dragging I. If you press II over a dot in the editing window, the colour of your drawing pen will be set to the colour of that dot. The PAL option allows you to select one of 8 palettes for your characters. (7) COPY: Allows you to copy characters from the Work Area to the scratch area (small box to the left of the work area), as well as copy a range of dots from one location in the editing window to another. 1. First select the COPY option with the I button. When you move the cursor, a box will appear in the editing window on the right. Select the character that you want to copy in the Work Area by pressing I. Move the cursor to the editing window, and to the first dot that you want to copy. Hold the II button and drag the cursor to resize the box whose area you will copy, then release the II button. 2. Move the cursor to the scratch area or a free character in the Work Area and press I. Then move the cursor to the editing window and the box that you selected will appear in the window. When you are ready to paste the dots onto the character, press I. ####################### PAGE 14 ############################# (8) BOX: Allows you to fill a rectangular area in the editing window with a certain colour. After selecting this option, select a Colour Code and move the cursor to the editing window. Position the cursor, hold the II button and drag the box to the size that you want, then press the I button. That area will be filled with your selected colour. (9) CLEAR: Resets a range of characters in the Work Area to Colour Code 0 (blank). After selecting this option, move the cursor to the first character in the Work Area, and drag the box with the II button to resize it. Pressing I will clear that area. (10) ROTATE: Allows you to rotate an 8x8 character or a (16x16) CELL by 90 degrees. In DRAW Mode, choose the character that you want to rotate. Select the ROTATE option, and press I with the cursor over ROTATE to rotate the 16x16 CELL, or move the cursor into the editing window to choose the 8x8 character to rotate and press I. SELECT exits this option. (11) COLCNG: Allows you to change all dots of one Colour Code in a CELL to a different Colour Code. There are two ways to do this. One way, select COLCNG and move the cursor to the editing window. Click on the colour that you want to change with the II button. Then either select another colour in the editing window and press II, or select another colour in the Palette with the I button. Another way is to click in the palette with the I button on the colour that you want to change, and click on another colour in the palette with the I button (or another colour in the editing window with the II button.) ####################### PAGE 15 ############################# (12) MIRROR: Allows you to flip an 8x8 character or a (16x16) CELL either horizontally or vertically. It operates similarly to the ROTATE option. After choosing the option (and possibly an individual character), pressing I flips the character horizontally, and II flips the character vertically. (13) COL: Changes the current Colour Code. Used with the DRAW and BOX options. (14) GRB: Allows you to change the RGB values of a Colour Code. Clicking on the bars sets the individual colour channels, and clicking on the number to the left sets the channel to 0. Color Code 0 of any palette other than Palette 0 cannot be edited. (15): PAL: Selects the currently-used Palette. (16): BG Work Area Scroll: The arrows to the left of the Work Area scroll the view of the Work Area around. [It isn't mentioned in the manual, but during DRAW, COPY, etc. commands, the gridlines in the Editing Window can be turned on/off by pressing RUN+II, and the pixels can be changed between circular/square by pressing RUN+I.] ####################### PAGE 16 ############################# 4.4 BGLOAD Editor BG and SPR characters stored in ROM or in SRAM can be loaded into the BG and SPR Work Areas for manipulation. (1) EDIT: Double-Clicking on this returns you to the Character Editor. (2) REF1,2: Some example (Reference) character sets of BG and SPR characters for the user to work with. (3) WORK: These are the characters that are currently stored in the Work Areas. (4) GET: Allows you to copy one character at a time from one area to another. Press II to select the character, and then I to paste it in the Work Area. (5) COPY: Allows you to copy a range of characters from one area to another. In the top or bottom window, hold II and drag it to resize the box around the characters you want to copy. Then release the button, move the cursor to where you would like to paste the characters, and press I. (6) PALCPY: Copies the Palette from one area to one of the Work Area's Palettes. After selecting this option, choose the Palette Number you would like to copy in the source palette area with the I button, then choose the Palette Number of the destination in the lower palette area with the I button. Pressing the II button copies the palettes. ####################### PAGE 17 ############################# 4.5 CELL Editor CELL Data is created here. Once you create CELLs, you can use them in the MAP Editor. The MAP Editor is also accessible here. (1) EDIT: Double-Clicking on this returns you to the Character Editor. You might have to wait a bit while data is being saved. (2) GET: Copies one character at a time from the BG Work Area. Before copying/pasting, you can also set the Palette of the character being copied. Whenever a character or CELL is copied, its Palette and Attribute are copied to the destination CELL as well. (3) COPY: Similar to GET but a range can be copied as above. (4) CLR: This works as in the Character Editor, but on CELLs. (5) MAP: Double-Clicking on one of the MAP types will take you to the MAP Editor. (6) ATTR: A CELL's Attribute can be set here. After selecting this option, pressing I or II at this option will change the Attribute number (from $00-$FF). You can then go to the editing window and set any CELL's Attribute to this number by pressing I. Pressing II over any CELL in the editing window will set the current Attribute number to the Attribute of that CELL. (7) PAL: Sets the Palette of the Work Area prior to character copying. (8) EXPAL: Allows you to set the Palette of any CELL in the editing window. You can click on any Palette and then press I over any CELL to set its Palette. Also, pressing II over any CELL will take that CELL's Palette as the current palette. ####################### PAGE 18 ############################# 4.6 MAP Editor The Map Editor has 3 modes, in which the MAP Data is arranged in different ways. The MAP Data is spread over 4 pages (numbered 0-3). Here are the arrangements for each mode: Mode 0: 0 1 Mode 1: 0 1 2 3 Mode 2: 0 2 3 1 2 3 (1) CELL: Double-Clicking on this returns you to the CELL Editor. (2) CLR: Allows you to set an area of the map to CELL #0. You can select an area of the map by holding II and dragging the box, then pressing I to clear it. (3) OUT: Displays the entire map. Depending on the MAP Mode, you can scroll around the map with the PAD. Pressing I returns to the MAP Editor. (4) GET: Copies one CELL at a time from the CELL area to the MAP. Similar to GET as above. (5) COPY: Copies a range of CELLs from the CELL area to the MAP or from one area of the MAP to another. Similar to COPY as above. (6) PAGE: Jumps to one of the 4 pages. ####################### PAGE 19 ############################# 4.7 SCREEN Editor (1) EDIT: Double-Clicking on this returns you to the BG Character Editor. (2) CLR: Allows you to set an area of the Screen to Character #0 Palette #0. You can select an area of the Screen by holding II and dragging the box, then pressing I to clear it. (3) OUT: Displays the entire Screen. Moving the PAD Up or Down flips between the 4 screens. Pressing I returns to the SCREEN Editor. (4) GET: Copies one character at a time from the Work Area to the Screen. Similar to GET as above. (5) COPY: Copies a range of characters from the Work Area to the Screen or from one area of the Screen to another. Similar to COPY as above. (6) NO: Jumps to one of the 4 pages. ####################### PAGE 20 ############################# 4.8 SPR (Sprite) Character Tool Explanation A Sprite Character is 16x16 dots in size. Up to 64 Characters can be created. Tools are provided for creating SPR character data as well as for animating sprites. 4.9 SPR Character Editor (1) EDIT: Exits the SPR Character Editor. Double-Click with the I button to exit. You might have to wait a bit while data is being saved. (2) PATT: Enters the PATTERN Editor. (3) LOAD: Enters the LOAD Mode. (4) MOVE: Same as in the BG Editor. (5) DRAW: Same as in the BG Editor. ####################### PAGE 21 ############################# (6) COPY: Same as in the BG Editor. (7) BOX: Same as in the BG Editor. ####################### PAGE 22 ############################# (8) CLEAR: Same as in the BG Editor. (9) ROTATE: Same as in the BG Editor. (10) COLCNG: Same as in the BG Editor. (11) MIRROR: Same as in the BG Editor. (12) COL: Same as in the BG Editor. ####################### PAGE 23 ############################# (13) GRB: Same as in the BG Editor. (14) PAL: Same as in the BG Editor. (15) SPR Work Area Scroll: Same as in the BG Editor. ####################### PAGE 24 ############################# 4.10 SPRLOAD Editor Character Data stored in ROM or either work area can be transferred to the SPR Work Area. (1) EDIT: Returns you to the SPR Character Editor. (2) REF1,2: Same as in the BG LOAD Menu. (3) WORK: Same as in the BG LOAD Menu. (4) GET: Same as in the BG LOAD Menu. (5) COPY: Same as in the BG LOAD Menu. (6) PALCPY: Same as in the BG LOAD Menu. ####################### PAGE 25 ############################# 4.11 PATTERN Editor This is the tool in which you can animate SPR Characters. One to eight SPR Characters can be combined to form a single pattern and animated as a single unit in one Animation. Animation data is stored as an Animation Number (0 to 255). (1) EDIT: Returns you to the SPR Character Editor. (2) PAL: Changes the Palette number. Selecting a Palette prior to choosing a SPR Character with the GET command will cause that sprite to use its selected Palette in the Animation Pattern. (3) SPR: Selects (once in use) the sprite currently being used in the Pattern Area. When a sprite is highlighted with the cursor, its contents will appear as white in the Pattern Area. Pressing I selects the sprite for use with the CHR CLR, FLOAT, SHIFT, MIRR options. (4) GET: Allows you to choose a SPR Pattern for pasting into the Pattern Area. After pasting a sprite, its priority, positioning, and mirroring can be changed. A selected sprite can be deleted by choosing CHR CLR. The selected sprite's priority can be changed with the FLOAT option. Selecting this option with I increases the current sprite's priority (bringing it closer to the front.) ####################### PAGE 26 ############################# By Clicking on the arrow keys to the left of the Pattern Area, the current Pattern Number can be changed. (5) SPEED: The animation speed for the current Pattern can be changed. The number represents how many 1/60ths of a second the current Pattern is displayed before flipping to the next Pattern in the animation. (6) PATT COPY: Copies the Pattern Data from one Pattern to another. After selecting this action, the following options are displayed: SOURCE =1 DESTINATION =3 EXEC Choose the source Pattern and destination Pattern with the I and II buttons, then click on EXEC to copy them. SELECT cancels this operation. (7) PATT CLR: Clears the data in the selected Pattern. Operates similarly to the PATT COPY command. (8) ANIMATION NO: Chooses the current Animation Number (if an animation exists.) (9) START: Animates the current Animation. Press SELECT to stop. ####################### PAGE 27 ############################# (10) CLEAR: All data in the current Animation Number is cleared. After selecting this action, the following options are displayed: CLEAR ANIMATION CANCEL EXEC Choose the option with the I button, or press SELECT to cancel. Once an animation has been cleared, all animations after it have their Animation Numbers shifted down by 1. (11) Other On-Screen Information: When a sprite is selected in the Pattern Area, information about it is displayed to the right of the Pattern Area. CHR The current sprite's SPR Character number PAL The current sprite's Palette number X 000 The current sprite's X-position in the Pattern Area Y 000 The current sprite's Y-position in the Pattern Area (12) VRAM Overflow: This error is displayed if the Pattern Area's buffer in VRAM is full. New animations cannot be created, and any excessive data will be erased. *** Pages 27-54 are continued in the BASIC translation document. ***