Epson PX-8 User Manual page 57

3.8.3
PIP
The PIP program is used to copy files between peripherals, e.g. from disk to
disk, disk to Microcassette tape, from a disk to a printer etc. The name comes
from the initial letters of the words Peripheral Interchange Program.
PIP can be used with wildcards (see section 3.2.1) to transfer all types of files.
It
can also be used to perform other valuable functions such as:
• Remove part of a file either from the beginning, end or the middle.
• Convert all characters into upper case or lower case
• Join a number of files together
• Make a backup of a file under a different name
• Add sequential numbers to each logical line of text
• Reform the page length of a text file
There are two ways PIP can be used.
1) When only a single operation is required, PIP can be used by following
the command 'PIP' with the command string of the operation you wish
to carry out. On completion of the operation the CP 1M prompt will be
returned or the MENU displayed if it is switched on. When using PIP
from the MENU the command string can be typed on the MENU com-
mand line, when PIP has been selected.
2) When a number of operations are to be performed, the PIP program
can be loaded into memory. The CP 1M prompt (A>, B> etc) will be
replaced by a PIP prompt indicated by an asterisk. The use of PIP in
this manner is essentially the same as when only one operation is re-
quired.
When PIP is chosen from the MENU, unless an additional command
string is given, the PIP screen will clear and the PIP asterisk prompt
will appear.
Pressing the
I
RETURN
I
key, the
I
STOP
I
key or
I
CTRL
I -
(g
will return to the
MENU screen or the CP 1M system prompt whichever is set.
In using PIP the command is written to perform the operation to a particular
drive or device, from a particular drive or device. The location of the file being
moved always comes last.
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1. COPYING A FILE FROM DRIVE TO DRIVE
Any file with a readlwrite attribute can be copied from one disk to another.
For example,
C>PIP H: =A:INFO.DAT
This copies the file DEMO.DAT from drive A : to drive H: th<:n returns. to
the system prompt. The same filename will appear on the new dnve. The fIle-
name can be changed, for example:
C>PIP H:NEWNAME.DAT=A:INFO.DAT
By using this option to copy the file to the same drive, it can be used to make
a backup of a file under a different name.
Various options can be added to the end of the PIP command string. These
are listed starting from item 5. For example specifying the [V] option causes
the file to be verified as it is copied:
C>PIP H:=A:INFO.DAT[V]
2. COPYING A FILE FROM DISK TO PRINTER
This has almost the same effect as pressing
I
CTRL
I -
~
then asking the com-
puter to TYPE a file:
C > PIP LST: = A:LETTER. TXT
The file will be printed character by character, and words which come at the
end of a line are likely to be split in the middle of the word.
This command can also be used to list a BASIC file to a printer if you are not
in BASIC and do not have the BASIC ROM installed.
C > PIP LST: = A:DEMO.BAS
The BASIC program is sent to the printer as if you had LLISTed it while in
BASIC. You MUST have saved the BASIC program as an ASCII file using
the" ,A" option in BASIC.,
A refinement of this command is to add the option [Pn] where the printer will
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