--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anonymous FTP server: cherupakha.media.mit.edu (18.85.0.47) This file: ~ftp/pub/miniboard/docs/README Last updated: Wed Jun 2 18:51:39 1993 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- This directory contains the documentation for the Mini Board 2.0, in PostScript form. The file "mb.txt" is a poorly-formatted ASCII text version of the main documentation, lacking all diagrams. This is provided for persons without PostScript printer access who wish to have some indication of the content of the Technical Reference. Hard copies of the Mini Board Technical Reference can be ordered from Epistemology and Learning Publications, MIT Media Lab, 20 Ames Street Room E15-309, Cambridge MA 02139. Include check or money order for $5 (U.S. five dollars) made out to "MIT Epistemology and Learning" with your order. The file "mon.txt" describes a program called MON, which is very useful when testing and debugging Mini Boards. The file "sensors.PS" in an excerpt from the "6.270 Robot Builder's Guide," the course manual for the MIT LEGO Robot Design Competition. This illustrates how to build a variety of common robotics sensors which are compatible with the Mini Board. The file "chapter6.PS.Z" is a link to the Chapter 6 from the Builder's Guide, which describes the theory of operation of the sensors illustrated in the previous pages. (Note that this file is stored in binary compressed form, using Unix compress, so it must be transferred using FTP binary mode.) The file "6811intr.PS" is a 40-page introduction to assembly language programming on the 6811. If you are a novice to the 6811 and assembly language in general, this would be a good document to get you started. The file "orderfrm.txt" is a sample form for ordering parts to build the Mini Board from Digikey Corp., submitted by Shane Bouslough. The file "mb-debug.txt" is an excellent guide to testing your Mini Board. It includes debugging information oriented to the beginner and is highly recommended. Submitted by Chuck McManis. ---- PRINTING NOTES: You will need a PostScript printer to print any of the .PS files. All of the printouts will work fine on an Apple LaserWriter and most other PostScript laser printers as well, though there may be some problems some of the time. The most common printing problem will occur when you are printing the doc's to a printer on a Macintosh network. If the printer has been used by a Mac running Mac OS System 6, it will have had installed in its RAM a LaserPrep dictionary that will conflict with the PostScript files, causing printing to stop on particular pages. The solution to this is to reboot the printer and then re-print the file, submitting the print job *before* any other Mac print job is allowed to run. If you still have printing problems, or if you're not using a Macintosh system at all and you're experiencing difficulties, try downloading the files "mb1.PS" through "mb9.PS" in the directory "small." These files contain the documentation in five-page increments and may be easier for your printer to deal with.