Connecting Series 7 to Intel Mac "Lion" latest version

[Nicholas Murray]

In the past I have been able to connect up my Series 7 to my MacBook by using a USB serial converter and the appropriate downloaded software. I have just installed the latest Mac update (10.7.1 "Lion") and clearly I need to do something as it doesn't like the old Psion link software. Have I reached the end of the road or is it possible to connect?

[PsiNewt]

Hi Nick

I can't offer any advice on Lion as I don't have it, sorry. But i'd love to know what setup you had to connect prior to Lion.

Are you using a Series 7 psion with EPOC (ie not WindowCE on a Psion Netbook Pro)?

Is the serial-USB adapter the one that comes with the Psion?

What software were you using in Snow Leopard to connect to the Psion

What did this connection allow you to do (Agenda, email sync etc)?

Sorry again that I can't help you, but I'd love to using my psion again for a new office-heavy role I have at work.

Cheers

[PsiNewt]

Nick

Just thought, Lion doesn't have the Rosetta app, the app that translates the old powerPC processor code (such as PsiMac) into code that Lion compatible Intel processors understand. Snow Leopard still had Rosetta but Lion doesn't.

[Nicholas Murray]

That makes it sound as though we really have reached the end of the line with Series 7/Mac transfer of files. Lion has already started rejecting some power PC things like Photo Studio (which of course can be got round if all you want to do is scan photos) and I suppose my Psion must now be relegated to the museum. It's just that I still have some useful data on it which I would like to transfer (and should have done ages ago).

[highlandcattle]

You could use the java link:
http://downloads.zdnet.com/abstract.aspx?docid=449029

I use it, but it is a little dodgy

[PsiNewt]

A couple of questions for you, Nick

1. As I'm still on Snow Leopard and Leopard, what software/hardware solution did you use for transferring Psion info to and fro?

2. On Lion, have you considered VirtualBox, a free way of virtualising Windows 98, XP, etc on a Mac? You could use PsiWin to transfer data to/from a Psion

3. Or just use a CF/SD card reader on the Mac to read the card from the S7 (using the now freeware nConvert to convert e.g. EPOC Word to MS Word on the Psion itself, and a host of other document type conversions)?

[pthwaite]

The java link software works fine (jp2alpha) The only problem is Lion thinks it's a power PC version so download the Linux version and it all works okay.

http://www.littlespikeyland.com/psionlink/

Additionally, Psiwin still works under parallels and winXP, though I rarely use it

Howard

[Nicholas Murray]

Thanks everyone. I downloaded that Linux version as suggested but I get a message that says it won't connect because it needs java.comm which I thought I already had

[pthwaite]

Ah yes, but lion messes up Java. Well, it actually seems to remove it until you first try to use it. At which point you are asked to reinstall. So, I suspect your java.comm has been, at best, switched off.

I just re-downloaded and installed it and then ran the linux implementation and, to coin a phrase, all was ticket boo :)

Howard

[Nicholas Murray]

OK I did that, downloading RXTX for Leopard which seems the most recent and using it with the JPL2 alpha downloaded yesterday and now I am getting "No serial ports were found. This may be because you do not have access permission."

[lilspikey]

I think the OS X app that's on my site probably has a little bit of PowerPC code in it, so you might want to try using the jar file instead:

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/javapsionlink/jpl2alpha5.jar?download

Beyond that if you are seeing a message about not finding serial ports it probably means that the version of RXTX you have isn't compatible with Lion or you haven't updated the serial port drivers?

cheers,

John

[lilspikey]

I don't know which serial port adapter you have, but there are OS X Lion drivers for some of them:

Serial IO: http://serialio.com/products/adaptors/usb_serial_5V_pin9.php
Prolific: http://xbsd.nl/2011/07/pl2303-serial-usb-on-osx-lion.html
Keyspan: http://unixzone.dk/unix/2011/09/os-x-lion-driver-for-keyspan-serial-adapters/

I've not tried any of these myself (just googling), so caveat emptor...

[pthwaite]

Lion breaks a whole pile of things and the ACL issue is one I had too. You do need to make sure you've downloaded and re-installed the java.comm file. If it still moans and you are running the linux jar version of jp2alhpa, it for work. However to cure the ACL issue, I restarted lion from its install partition (restart and hold the Option key until it boots) and did a permissions fix from the disk utilities.
I can't remember if that worked by itself because I also found the directory where the java files were and changed all the permissions to myself. Macintosh HD/Library/Java and set them all so I could read and write ("Get info" does this )

I use the Keyspan sub-serial adapter (US-19HS or something like that and the drivers still work okay for that.

[Nicholas Murray]

Changing permissions etc seems a little risky for simple folk like me. Is getting a more up to date serial adapter that has Lion-friendly software perhaps the answer?

[pthwaite]

Well it probably wouldn't hurt but I don't know. I suspect the java app needs the java.comm to work and I just don't know if a new usb device would add those drivers. It may well do so in which case we'd all like to know how you get on.

Did you try just repairing the permissions from boot up?

Howard

[Nicholas Murray]

You must realise how unsavvy I am. Repairing the permissions from boot up is something that sounds a bit beyond me but maybe I should try.

[Nicholas Murray]

I did repair the permissions (forgot how easy that was) but I am still getting nowhere. The source forge downloads site is a bit confusing. It would be nice if someone could offer some basic instructions to Lion users e.g: "Do the following in this order: X,Y,Z.

[pthwaite]

Yeah, I agree. Especially if, like me, you have very little idea about modern programming and scripting. Fortran, Basic and Assembler were my programming languages and even then it was some 30 years ago..

However, in the main, if you re-install the java.comm and use the java linux version of jp2aplha that is half the battle. I did also re-install my usb drivers just to make sure. I also downloaded the JMRI files but I don't think they are needed. I haven't got round to deleting them yet.
Ensure you check the permissions again... and mine works, so it can be done.

Howard

[Nicholas Murray]

Maybe because it's Monday morning I've decided to make one last attempt with this. I downloaded Java.comm for Mac which seems to be the latest version (8 Nov 2011) and I downloaded the Linux Jp2alpha and still it won't work. Is there ANY way it can be made to work? Anyone succeeded with a MacBook Intel 10.7.2?

[pthwaite]

Well, yes. I use it with 10.7.2.

As I've said, All I did was make sure I had the latest drivers and then repaired my permissions.

ie, J2Alpha for Linux
Java.comm (mines older that 8th November though as I haven't updated it since Lion came out).
I re-downloaded the RXTX files again I used the older versions. I also installed the JMRI apps from their website as I wasn't sure if I needed them or not. I haven't deleted them yet to find out as I'm not short of space
I'm using the Keyspan USB-Serial adapter.

Which all in all I'm afraid isn't a lot of help as you can't get it to work :(
I followed all the instructions on the RXTX and JMRI website re deleting old files from around the operating system before re-installing. Oh and I also installed the latest Java installation as my machine asked me to when I moved from Snow Leopard to Lion.

THe RXTX package was the universal package for Leopard and:
it will copy the following files:
comm.jar , libSerial.jnilib and RXTXcomm.jar file into folder /Library/Java/Extensions

javax.comm.properties into folder
/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/CurrentJDK/Home/lib

It will also create a /var/spool/uucp directory and assign the correct permissions to the current user
For all information about RXTX goto http://www.rxtx.org

In my Library/Java/Extensions I have:
LibrxtxSerial.jnilib
RXTXcomm.jar
comm.jar

regards, Howard

[Nicholas Murray]

Thank you so much. I'll try all this today. I wonder if the Keyspan adapter is significant because I am using a nameless generic one that has no drivers that i can trace. Perhaps it's worth investing £40 in the Keyspan if it will work. I will report back if I am successful.
Nick Murray

[Nicholas Murray]

I have now done this and those three files are in my extensions library too and it still gives the old message: "No Serial Ports Were Detected, this may be because you do not have access permission" so I think the problem must be the serial adapter I am using.

[pthwaite]

I'd try and do a repair permissions from the "hidden Boot Partition".
Reboot the Computer and hold the Command and R key pressed when it boots up. You should then be in the "recovery Partition".
Run disk utilities and choose to repair permissions on the normal "Macintosh HD"
Let it work its way through. It may take a while 10 - 20mins.
Then reboot again and have a go.

Else ou my need to change the permissions on the appropriate folder. But try that first.

Howard

[Nicholas Murray]

Howard, this is really helpful of you and I tried the reboot (some Java issues I could see were repaired during that process) but I am still getting the same message. You suggest changing the permissions on the appropriate folder but I don't really have the knowhow to grasp what that means. Which folder and which permissions?
Best wishes
Nick M

[pthwaite]

I suspect it's a permissions problem. I don't know why Lion got stuffed when it changed and I'm not the one to ask regarding the ins and outs of permissions, however the things to check first would be: (by viewing the "get info") of the file/folder
In your library folder and the Java folder, Check your privileges are listed as a Read/Write.
Same in the subdirectory Extensions in the same Java folder. you need them set the same as above.
Then in your System Folder and in the Library check it's Java folder and sub folder Extensions (This should be the same...)
Then, in the "System Preferences" and under "System" and "Users and Groups" look at yourself you can also see what is set up under the "Groups tag (It's under the various users on the LHS and not immediately obvious"
Now there is a lot in that and some of it I've no die what it does but if required we could compare what I've got set up and you have in a Private email later.

Annoying isn't it when it worked no problem in Snow leopard and even though I've got it working I don't quite know why I had to do anything.

Howard

[Nicholas Murray]

I have now done all that and nothing so I am coming round to the view that it's my dodgy serial converter and that I should invest in a proper Keyspan one with drivers etc

[pthwaite]

Well, the Keyspan does have MAC drivers at least and they are reasonably up to date
H

[Nicholas Murray]

I got the keyspan with its mac drivers and....alas. This is where I finally give up. Thanks for all the help that this site has given me

[pthwaite]

Oh well, sorry it hasn't worked yet.
I assume you are trying the 64bit versions of the various softwares etc I must admit it took me a while to get it working and I still think the biggest problem was Permissions that I don't fully comprehend so there's not a lot more I could help with anyway.

regards, Howard