What is ETU?
ETU has two main purposes: data transfer and data translation. Data transfer entails the actual movement of data between the host and a microcomputer. Data translation changes the way the data is represented or stored so that the same data can be used by the two different systems. ETU provides you with file transfer commands and file translation commands.
Data Transfer
With the file transfer commands, you can transfer and translate the file, or you can specify that translations not occur. The transfer commands are discussed in Chapter 5, Transferring Files.
Data Translation
If you don't translate a file with a transfer command, you can translate it later using one of the ETU translation commands. There is a translation command that corresponds to each transfer command. (The ETU commands used to transfer host programs, PGMTO3XB and PGMFROM3XB, have no corresponding translation commands. This is because host programs are never translated to a micro format.)
One reason you might use a translation command is if you are transferring a file to or from a remote micro via a modem. Rather than have data translation take place over the phone line, the data can be translated more efficiently on the host system.
For example, if you are transferring a file from the host to a remote micro, you can first translate the data from any micro or terminal attached to the host using one of the file translation commands. When the translation is complete, you can then transfer the file to the remote micro with the appropriate file transfer command. This reduces the amount of expensive telephone line time used. The translation commands are discussed in Chapter 6, Translating Files.
Other ETU Functions
In addition to the transfer and translation commands, ETU includes a set of commands that allow you to work with PC files. With these commands, you can perform PC functions, such as creating and deleting PC files, while you are working in emulation. These commands are described in Chapter 7, Working With PC Functions.
This guide also discusses the ETU commands for advanced users. These commands allow experienced users to modify the translation tables included with ETU, and to perform other advanced functions such as transferring files to multiple devices, transferring selected records, and using entry and exit programs. To learn more about these commands, see Chapter 8, Modifying Translation Tables, and Chapter 9, Advanced ETU Features.
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