Concerns About Adb Live Connect/Disconnect; Sending Text To A Macintosh - Alphasmart AS 2000 User Manual

Plug the short leg of the Y cable into your original keyboard
cable. The remaining cable leg should be plugged into the
connector port on the right side of your AlphaSmart, which is
the Macintosh ADB port.
Mac ADB
Cable
AlphaSmart
Figure 1. Installing the Mac Y Cable
To install the Y cable with a M2980 keyboard (which has a
permanently attached ADB cable), first unplug your mouse
from your keyboard. Insert the trunk of the Y cable into the
empty ADB port in the middle back of the keyboard. Plug
your mouse into the short leg of the Y cable (see Figure 2).
The remaining cable leg will be used to connect your Alpha-
Smart to the Macintosh when you want to transfer text.
to Mac
Mac Keyboard model #M2980
Figure 2. Installing the Mac Y Cable
with Mac Keyboard model #M2980
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Mac Keyboard
Mac "Y" Cable
Mouse
"Y" Cable
AlphaSmart
Mouse
AlphaSmart 2000
Warning: DO NOT attach the AlphaSmart to both a PC and the
Mac at the same time. It won't work and possible damage may
occur to the Mac or the PC.

Concerns about ADB Live Connect/Disconnect

The AlphaSmart keyboard is designed to be connected to and
disconnected from Macintosh ADB ports while the Mac is
running.
Some people may be concerned with this, since Apple
recommends not unplugging or attaching an ADB device
while the computer is running. This is recommended by
Apple because certain ADB devices change modes when they
are unplugged, causing confusion to the system when the
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devices are reattached.
However, the AlphaSmart has been designed so that it does
not change modes when unplugged. More importantly, it
does not confuse the Mac when unplugged and reconnected.
S E N D I N G T E X T T O A M A C I N T O S H
When you attach your AlphaSmart to a Macintosh, the
AlphaSmart changes modes and the screen displays the fol-
lowing message: Attached to Macintosh, emulating keyboard.
Press Send key to transfer file.
If you do not see this message, check your cable and make
sure it is attached properly to the Macintosh.
When the AlphaSmart is attached to a Macintosh, all of the
keys except the Send and On/Off keys behave as standard
Macintosh keyboard keys. Any characters that are typed will
appear on the Macintosh screen, and the Clear File key acts as
a Macintosh clear key. Although the Control, and Option
keys have no function when the AlphaSmart is used in stand-
alone mode, they function as normal Macintosh keys when
the AlphaSmart is plugged into a Macintosh.
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As stated on page 290 of The Guide to Macintosh Family Hardware by Apple
Computer (published by Addison-Wesley): "Do not unplug and reattach an
ADB device while the computer is running—if you do, the device reverts
to its default address while the computer continues trying to reach the
device at the address assigned at startup time."
AlphaSmart 2000 11