Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!hplabs!hp-pcd!hplsla!mikeh
From: mikeh@hplsla.HP.COM (Mike Hall)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: Re: Reading HP instrument disks on a PC
Message-ID: <5300013@hplsla.HP.COM>
Date: 23 May 91 19:34:58 GMT
References: <1991May21.090824.12630@lut.ac.uk>
Organization: HP Lake Stevens, WA
Lines: 45

> 
> We have a number of Hewlett-Packard instruments, many of which have
> built in floppy disks for the storage of measurement data. It would be
> very useful to be able to read these disks on a PC. The various manuals
> say that the disks are readable on HP9000/200 and HP9000/300 under
> BASIC 3.0 and 4.0 but they do not give us the disk format. All the
> manuals give the stored file format but this is not useful if you can't
> read the disks !. We have no access to an HP9000 computer within our
> institute and hence would like to use a PC compatible to read these 3.5
> inch disks. Does any body know of any utilities, PD or commercial, that
> will allow this ? alternativly if someone knows the disk format, or a
> reference to it, we could have a go at writing such a routine
> ourselves.
> Thanks for your assistance in advance.
> 			Jeff

    The disk format is LIF (Logical Interchange Format).

Commercial ON  ;^)

    The HP 35652A (Dynamic Signal Analyzer) has an option 921 (cost $150)
    that includes, among other things, a LIF file converter which runs
    on a PC.  It can read/write individual LIF files from 3.5" and 5.25"
    floppies on the PC's internal drives or it can read/write files on an
    external HP-IB disk drive (e.g. HP 9122) using the HP HP-IB card or
    the National GP-IB Card.  The LIF utility directly converts ASCII
    and BDAT files (BASIC binary data files) to a usable format on
    the PC and any weird files can be copied as "raw" mode (no format
    conversion).

    For a commercially available product, I believe it is the cheapest way 
    to go (it is supported).

    To Order from Hewlett-Packard Co.:

        HP 3562A Quantity 0, Option 921 Quantity 1.

Commercial OFF

    Mike Hall
    Hewlett-Packard
    Lake Stevens Instrument Division

    My comments are strictly my own, but I did write the LIF utility
    in the mentioned product, so I hope that counts for something.