Table of Contents

Unicard Manager

About the program

     Unicard manager is a program for computers SHARP MZ-700, MZ-800 and MZ-1500. It uses one of the Unicard's communication interfaces MZFREPO and with its help allows for the following functions in working with the Unicard:

The program is different for each of the above mentioned computers, even though the source code are partially the same, therefore it is necessary to use the correct version of the Unicard manager on a given platform.

The program is usually run automatically through MZFloader.

The Main Screen

     After running the program, you will see the main screen. On it, we can see a list of files and folders on the SD card inserted in the Unicard.

  • Unicard Manager main screen on MZ-800.
  • Unicard Manager main screen on MZ-1500.
  • Unicard Manager main screen on MZ-700.

Browsing the files and folders on the SD card

Use the following keys to move between the files and folders:

↑
↓
←
→
↲
↲

up arrow
down arrow
left arrow
right arrow
Enter on the folder
Enter on the parent folder (../)

- move up by a file or folder
- move down by a file or folder
- fast movement up
- fast movement down
- opens the currently selected folder
- moves up a level to the parent folder

Running programs

     If we select a file with a file extension MZF, MZT or M12, a message with Y/N/ESC will show, if we really want to run this program. If we reply yes by pressing the Y key, the program will run.

  • Pressing the ENTER key while selecting a file with a file extension MZF, MZT and M12 runs the program.

     When running a file with file extension MZF on MZ-800, the message will, along with Y/N/ESC, also allow pressing the J key for turning on the Japanese characters support. This is needed for running Japanese programs for MZ-700 (games, demos), which require it for displaying correctly.

  • Game EUGEA run without the Japanese characters support.
  • Game EUGEA run with the Japanese characters support.

Connecting an image of an emulated peripheral

     Using the Unicard manager we can connect files of images of the emulated peripherals. You only have to select the required file and press the ENTER key. The Unicard manager will create a configuration file in folder \unicard for the emulated peripheral and write in it the path and name of the file with the selected image. To activate the emulated peripherals the computer needs to be turn off and on again. Each emulated peripheral has a set file extension of the file, based on which the Unicard Manager determines the type of the emulated peripheral and the name of the configuration file:

File Extension
dsk
mzq
mzr
mze

Configuration File
fd<0..3>.cfg
qd.cfg
ramdisc.cfg
emm.cfg

Emulated Peripheral
- Floppy disk
- Quick disk
- RAM disk
- EMM disk

Connecting the file with the image of the emulated peripheral and its dependence on the appropriate configuration file

Without the emulated peripherals

  • In folder \unicard there is no configuration file for emulated peripherals, nothing is emulated. We can check this by displaying the emulated peripherals and connected images by pressing the U key.

FD<0..3>

  • Before connecting the file with the image for emulated peripheral FD<0..3> the file fd<0..3>.cfg does not exist in folder \unicard.
  • Select the file with the image for a floppy disk unit with the correct file extension BASIC_2Z046_with_DEMO.DSK and press ENTER. A message asking for confirmation will appear. After confirming the connection of the floppy disk image by pressing A..D, depending on the required number of the emulated disk drive, the selected file with the image will be connected as a floppy disk.
  • We can check this by displaying the emulated peripherals and connected images by pressing the U key.
  • The Unicard manager created a configuration file fd<0..3>.cfg in folder \unicard containing the path and name of the selected file with the image.

Quick disk

  • Before connecting the file with the image for emulated peripheral Quick disk the file qd.cfg does not exist in folder \unicard.
  • Select the file with the image for a Quick disk with the correct file extension qdtestbas.mzq and press ENTER. A message asking for confirmation will appear. After confirming the connection of the Quick disk image by pressing Y the selected file with the image will be connected as a Quick disk.
  • We can check this by displaying the emulated peripherals and connected images by pressing the U key.
  • The Unicard manager created a configuration file qd.cfg in folder \unicard containing the path and name of the selected file with the image.

RAM disk

  • Before connecting the file with the image for emulated peripheral RAM disk the file ramdisc.cfg does not exist in folder \unicard.
  • Select the file with the image for a RAM disk with the correct file extension ramdisc.mzr and press ENTER. A message asking for confirmation will appear. After confirming the connection of the RAM disk image by pressing Y the selected file with the image will be connected as a RAM disk.
  • We can check this by displaying the emulated peripherals and connected images by pressing the U key.
  • The Unicard manager created a configuration file ramdisc.cfg in folder \unicard containing the path and name of the selected file with the image.

EMM disk

  • Before connecting the file with the image for emulated peripheral EMM disk the file emm.cfg does not exist in folder \unicard.
  • Select the file with the image for an EMM disk with the correct file extension emm1.mze and press ENTER. A message asking for confirmation will appear. After confirming the connection of the EMM disk image by pressing Y the selected file with the image will be connected as an EMM disk.
  • We can check this by displaying the emulated peripherals and connected images by pressing the U key.
  • The Unicard manager created a configuration file emm.cfg in folder \unicard containing the path and name of the selected file with the image.

Umount

     The Unicard manager allows for easy disconneting of images of the emulated peripherals. By pressing the U key we bring up the options, with which we can end the emulation of the chosen peripheral. Each peripheral corresponds to one letter. After pressing the appropriate key, the Unicard manager will disconect the image of the emulated peripheral and at the same time delete the appropriate configuration file.

Key
A
B
C
D
R
Q
M

Configuration File
fd0.cfg
fd1.cfg
fd2.cfg
fd3.cfg
ramdisc.cfg
qd.cfg
emm.cfg

Emulated Peripheral
- Floppy Disk FD0:
- Floppy Disk FD1:
- Floppy Disk FD2:
- Floppy Disk FD3:
- Quick disk
- RAM disk
- EMM disk

Disconnecting the file with the image for the emulated peripheral and its dependence on the appropriate configuration file

Step by step disconnecting of the files with images of the emulated peripherals

  • In this animated picture we can see the step by step disconnecting of the emulated peripherals and the deletion of the corresponding configuration files.

Info

     After pressing the I key, the Unicard manager will display the information about the Unicard manager version, the firmware version and the list of authors.

  • Information about the Unicard manager program.

Help

     After pressing the H key, the Unicard manager will offer a guide.

  • A guide for the Unicard manager program.

Reboot

     After pressing the R key, the Unicard manager will bring up a confirmation dialogue window which will, after confirmation, restart the computer.

  • Confirmation dialogue for restarting the computer.