Hi!
I have an Amstrad PCW 8256 equipped with a CPS 8256 interface.
I wondered if serial mouse could be connected to this interface and, if it could, what were the support for this configuration among various applications ?
Thx
There is of course no inherent support for a mouse within CP/M, or for the PCW.
You would need some sort of driver, that could be loaded into CP/M, which could detect signals from SIO and convert those into suitable keystrokes for the cursor keys. This could make a mouse useable for some packages. But not all packages necessarily use the same cursor controls.
This could be configures on a case-by-case situation.
Or, some specific software might be sensitive (even directly) to mouse input. There was at least one DTP package which I assume was.
I think there WAS at least one mouse available, the name 'Kempton' rings a bell. You might look for info on that, and try to determine how that did what it did.
I'd assume it could be done without the SIO box, with direct connection to the interface, but then the driver would need to do more work? As you've got the SIO box, that may be a help.
Geoff
This doesn't answer your question, but...
The AMX Mouse was one of the most well known options, and it came with AMX Desktop, a GUI front end / desktop program launcher.
Quick demo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBK1hj_xS98 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBK1hj_xS98)
There is also SymbOS, an graphical OS which replaces CP/M entirely. This supports the AMX mouse, although I couldn't get mine working with it.
Hmm, a serial mouse driver for CP/M Plus does not seem too implausible.
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Serial_RS232_Mouse
Especially when implemented as a FID.... and I know someone who has recent FID writing experience... ;)
Hmm - There WAS a Kempston mouse, but maybe for the CPCs only. This came with an interface.
As Jon says, there was the AMX mouse for the PCW, and that came with a CPS interface, so clearly it needed that interface.
Maybe a FID would work. Mainly just need to convert the mouse movement into cursor position co-ords,
Handling the mouse click maybe more of a problem - unless the prog was expecting something.
Geoff
Hi Geoff
Mouse click is easy. I mean, easy to detect; it's all in the link. Knowing what to do with it.. that's a different story. On a character based interface, it'd definitely be application dependent.
Cheers
JonB
Thanks for the answers, that clarified the situation.
I just recently got an 8256 (expanded to 512 kbytes) with a CPS8256.
I have no AMX mouse nor its interface.
I will look to FID and see what I could do.