Using Epoc and a Mac by Steve Clack, Editor, Palmtop Magazine

There's no escaping the fact that EPOC-to-Mac connectivity is fairly dismal. Psion's PC synchronisation software (PsiWin), for all its foibles, offers a level of sophistication that isn't instantly available to Mac users.

What are my options?

Before deciding how best to use your EPOC PDA with a Mac, ask yourself the following questions:

  • What level of 'connectivity' do you need? If you simply need a means to backup your PDA and perform software installations then the Macintosh software available is perfectly adequate. If this is the case, then you simply need to make the physical connection between your PDA and Mac.
  • Do you also need to share or exchange data between the two computers? If you're an EPOC user who wants to exchange spreadsheets, Word documents, etc. then you'll have to resort to PsiWin, running under some kind of PC emulation on your Mac.
    • MacConnect

    If you fall into the first category above, you can safely use Psion's own software solution called MacConnect (see Palmtop : Issue 15). Sadly this has no file convertors built in. Coupled with the fact that EPOC machines no longer allow files to be saved directly into RTF/WK1/WKS/DIF formats, the situation becomes even worse.

    The smallest relief comes in the ability to save Psion Word files as plain ASCII text from your PDA (using 'File | More | Export as text file...') and then copy them to your Mac. However, this loses all formatting apart from simple paragraph breaks.

    Assuming that, in common with most Mac users, you can't live with these severe limitations, then you'll have to incorporate some kind of PC emulation into your workflow...

    The accursed PC

    Although something of an anathema to many Mac users, PC emulation will give access to all the myriad file conversion utilities of PsiWin, solving most of your problems at a stroke. The following options are currently available:

    • Buy a copy of Virtual PC or SoftWindows (check your usual Mac dealer or magazine for details). Install PsiWin as you would on an ordinary PC and set up as per PsiWin's instructions.
    • Get a hardware PC or DOS compatibility card for your Mac. These are relatively expensive and largely unnecessary with modern G3/G4-based Macs, which run Windows at perfectly adequate speeds under software emulation.

    Although running PsiWin under a 'virtual' PC is usually satisfactory, some software solutions impose a maximum connection speed of 56kbps or lower. This is slightly restrictive for EPOC models, which would otherwise connect at 115kbps. Also, certain combinations of MacOS/Psion/connection cable configuration can prove to be inexplicably unreliable.

    Given the choice, my own preferred solution is to use MacConnect for basic backup/restore and software installation in the native Macintosh environment, switching to PsiWin only to convert files via its 'File Converter' facility. This option has the benefit of allowing you to spend less time in a PC environment, requires no mapping of the virtual PC serial ports to your Mac ports, and generally makes the whole process faster and more seamless.

    All PC emulators allow you to share folders between PC and Mac environments, so to copy files for conversion simply drag them into a common folder, run them through PsiWin's Convert Files, then re-save to the same folder and copy directly to your Psion.

    If you do choose to use PsiWin alone, then remember that a connection cable will already be provided. By adapting the 9-way PC serial cable to your Mac serial port you'll save yourself the expense of having to buy Mac-Connect.

    Although >90% of commercial EPOC software is now supplied with SIS file installation (see Palmtop : Issue 21), there are still some that rely on Windows-based installation/setup routines, for which PC emulation is essential.

    Making a connection

    Regardless of which software/hardware combination you're using, you'll need to make a physical connection between your Mac and EPOC PDA in order for the two to communicate. Here are some useful pointers:

    • If you have a pre-G3 Macintosh or a beige G3 then the cable supplied with MacConnect will plug directly into any serial port (the printer port or modem port). Just be sure to select the appropriate one under the 'Preferences' menu option of either program.
    • If you have a USB-based Mac such as an iMac, iBook or blue-and-white G3/G4, then you'll need some kind of USB-to-serial adaptor. The Keyspan Twin USB Adaptor works faultlessly for this, at speeds of up to 115kbps. The cheaper Keyspan PDA adaptor also works, but only up to 56kbps
    • For blue-and-white G3/G4 machines and iMacs with an unused internal modem port, you can purchase the excellent Stealth Serial Port Adaptor (which supports speeds up to 230kbps).
    • We have also heard reports that the serial ports built into the iDock iMac stand work MacConnect, and other suitable products are coming onto the market
    • If you have an infrared-enabled PowerBook or one of the earlier IR iMacs, you won't be able to connect via infrared, as suitable infrared drivers are not available for MacConnect.

    Whichever solution you choose, just be sure to configure MacConnect or your PC emulator software to connect to the appropriate port designation, and check that your PDA and Mac are both communicating at the same speed.

    "Fun and games"

    All this may seem like an awful lot of trouble, but sadly there are no better solutions available at present. Various staff at Psion have intimated that a Macintosh equivalent to PsiWin may eventually be produced, but it's not something we can rely on. In the meantime we're stuck with a potential morass of cable adaptors and PC emulation. In certain cases the combination of hardware and software needed to get a satisfactory solution can amount to quite a bit of money.

    These extracts are reproduced from Palmtop : Issue 26 by kind permission of the editor. Further information on using an EPOC PDA with a Mac (including the use of earlier non-EPOC Psion machines, installation of software, printing configuration and CompactFlash back-up) is included in the full version of the article. Palmtop is the premier publication for Psion and EPOC users and is available worldwide on subscription through www.palmtop.co.uk.