Re: nib2gmodel question

[Pascal Bourguignon]

Jay McCarthy <jay@kenyamountain.com> wrote:
> 
> I was working on porting some Openstep apps to GNUstep and I have some
> nibs which need to be converted to the GNUstep nib format.
> I was told that a tool exists to do this called nib2gmodel , but it only
> compiles on NeXTstep and OPENSTEP.
> Is there someone I can send a bunch of nibs and get them to convert them
> on their NeXT machine? or possibly a public NeXT machine that I could
> use to do this?
> 
> It would be interesting/cool to have some sort of machine "out there"
> which would check an email address (or something) for nib files and send
> the person back a conversion - this would be a useful tool for porters
> without NeXT machines. If I ever get my NeXTstation up again (blown
> monitor) I think I will pursue creation of such a service.
> 
> Good day,
> Jay McCarthy

I've got this news item too about using NeXTslabs without monitor.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: meyergru@informatik.tu-muenchen.de (Uwe Meyer-Gruhl)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.hardware,comp.sys.next.sysadmin
Subject: How to use a NeXT mono w/o monitor
Date: 26 May 1995 10:27:38 GMT
Organization: Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Germany

Hi Folks,


me again. Since many of us may be using their old NeXT non-ADB monostations now
as fax servers or the like, the following question comes up again with even
more importance:

             "How can I use my NeXT mono without the monitor?"

Every solution I have seen has its own disadvantages (and so has mine).

First, some facts:

There is more in the NeXT monochrome monitor than one should think. The whole
keyboard and mouse I/O system and part of the sound circuitry, including but
not limited to the microphone and the loudspeaker are in there.

There are solutions available which simply shorten pin 6 of the 19pin DB
connector to ground (preferably through a 330 Ohm resistor). That way, the
computer can be switched on (it can still be switched off using
"shutdown -h -p" via a remote login). You have to remember to switch off the
"sound out test" in the rom monitor, or otherwise the boot may fail. If you can
live without the windowserver, you can even disable it in /etc/ttys, but then
faxing and printing will not work, since nobody will render the postscript
image for you. Even another trick is to actually _disable_ the "port A is
alternate console setting", unless you want somebody with a modem (that happens
to be connected to port A) to fiddle with your boot settings...

However, newer versions of NEXTSTEP (like 3.3) even crash if sound output is
sent to a system without the sound circuitry. If you do not want to afford a
soundbox (which would have to be adapted to the mono connector as well, and
that differs quite a bit from the color connector the sound box was designed
for), here is a solution which I find quite nice.

The underlying idea is to keep the sound, keyboard and other logic going but
to shut off merely the video part with its CRT heating and high-voltage
generation (yes, that is being generated from the +-12 Volts which are the
sole operating powers provided to the monitor).

If you open the monitor (by loosening four screws at the rear), you will find
a metal shielding case with some openings for several video adjustment
possibilities (Ah, there they are!). This case can be taken away after another
few screw have been removed. Now you can look into the monitor. At the back
wall, there is a large, vertical circuit board. Down at the bottom, there is
the smaller audio board with the loudspeaker in front. Leave them in place.

Take a look at the 9-wire cable that connects these boards. There is one wire
that is black, I will call it #1. The assignments are as follows:

           #1           +12V
           #2           +12V
           #3           GND
           #4           -12V
           #5           -12V
           #6           HSYNC
           #7           Video GND
           #8           VSYNC
           #9           Video GND

Pull out both connectors of the cable (the audio side is blue, the video
side is grey). Cut wires #1, #2, #4 and #5. Connect #1 with #2 and #4 with #5
on both sides. Now you have something like:


  Blue (audio = in) side                       Grey (video = out) side

        #1 -+                                               +- #1
            |                                               |
        #2 -+------------- +12Vin           +12Vout --------+- #2

        #3 ------------------------(GND)---------------------- #3

        #4 -+                                               +- #4
            |                                               |
        #5 -+------------- -12Vin           -12Vout --------+- #5

        #6 --------------------------------------------------- #6

        #7 --------------------------------------------------- #7

        #8 --------------------------------------------------- #8

        #9 --------------------------------------------------- #9




Buy a momentary switch and a 12 Volt relay and wire them as follows (the relay
is shown in the "off" position!):


    Switch
                              +--------------------------------+
       T                      |                                |
     +---+                    |                                |
     |   |                    |    +12Vout      -12Vout        |
                              |       |            |           O
     O   O--------------------O       O    O       O        +-----+
     |                               /            /         |     |
     |                              X============X==========|     |=
     |                             /            /           |     |
     +----------------------------O            O            +-----+
                                  |            |               O
                                  |            |               |
                                +12Vin       -12Vin           GND

                                         Relay


Now, normally, if you power on the NeXT, the monitor will go on as before.
Once you push the switch, the relay will activate, thus switching off the
video power. Furthermore, the relay will keep itself going after you
release the switch (which is a "Good Thing", because the NeXT's power
supply would break down if you reactivated the video power while the system
is running). To get video again, you will have to power down the system
completely, starting the sequence again. Powering down can now be done by
pressing the power key and then the return key (as usual, but you cannot
watch what happens).

The switch can be built into the plastic back cover on the left side (seen
from the front) (make the cables long enough), about 2 inches from the bottom
(as not to touch the metal frame nor the shielding). At the back, the beautiful
black design we all like so much is not messed up too badly. There is a small
gap where the cable for the microphone is running through. You can put your
connecting cable for the button here, too. Also, remember to insulate
everything properly!


              Back
          +----------+                            +----+++++++-+
          +          +                            |    ||||||| |
Switch -->/          \                            |    ||||||| |
         /            \                           |    ||||||| |
        /              \    (seen from top)       |    ||||||| |   Front
       /                \                         |    ||||||| |
     ++                  ++                       |  . ||||||| |
     |                    |                       +----+++++++-+
     +--------------------+                                 /
             Front                                         /     "." is Switch
                                                      ---------

         (seen from top)                          (seen from left)


Take care, folks, no guarantees. Don't ask me anything (like: "My cable is
_all_ white, which wire is #1?"). And please note: you may lose your warranty
;-), and also: there is high voltage in the monitor, so leave it if you don't
know what you are doing.


cheers, Uwe
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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