Antoine,
Thanks for your patience while I dug through my older Robo CAD stuff, and
for your excusing my earlier rambing 'answer', although this one may ramble
as well.
Anyway, my Robo CAD User Manual (for the U.S. CAD 1 and CAD 2 versions)
shows the single wire breakout for the +12V power connection to their
3-axis/3 button joystick (the large plastic-cased 'BitStik' on the older
versions like you have, and the sleeker, smaller metal-cased 'Robo
Controller' on the newer ones).
Unfortunately, my manual was written before the introduction of the IIgs, so
it only covers the II+ and IIe hookups. I noticed, however, that the later
sales literature published by Robo Systems shows the same packages as having
IIgs compatibility, so I _suspect_ that Robo also supplied a jumper cable to
connect the 12V lead to the fan connector (possibly a pass-through style to
allow simultaneous fan connection).
There may be another 12 Volt 'pin' on the IIgs motherboard that would also
work for this purpose, but I can't be sure. So, as the other guys here
suggested, the fan connector is probably your best bet.
After reading your question, I took the BitStik (that I purchased used from
a guy in Sweden) apart to look around a bit and saw a PCB with a few more
components than I would imagine most joysticks would require. I _think_
these extra components are part of the hardware protection scheme I
mentioned in my prior post.
{On a side note -- Robo also sold a version of CAD 1+ just for the IIc with
mouse, and considering how that machine has no 16 pin internal game
connector, I suspect they implemented the hardware protection differently}.
The latter 'Robo Controller' plugged into a separate 'interface module',
which in turn plugged into the 16-pin game connection. It provided the
hardware protection that the Robo software required in order to run. (FWIW,
the earlier versions of the software also were heavily protected on disk).
I suspect that the earlier 'BitStick' (as you own and as I just dissected)
must have had the hardware protection circuitry incorporated on the PCB I
mentioned, as I noticed no separate interface module on this BitStick.
FWIW, the later versions of Robo CAD (both 1+ and 2) supported the mouse,
but still required a hardware dongle 'interface module' to be in place.
The mouse-compatible versions of the software mapped the paddle X/Y to the
mouse X/Y, and mapped the 3rd paddle 'Z' to the up/down arrow keys (very
coarsely). The (3) game pushbuttons were mapped to the Open-Apple,
Closed-Apple and Mouse Click keys.
In conclusion (finally), I'd suggest that as an alternative to making your
own jumper cable to the +12V fan pin, you may wish to try operating your
BitStik without any connection at all to the +12V line. I imagine that it
controls the light, but I can't remember whether the power line is required
for the hardware protection to work. It can't hurt to try either way. Just
make sure to use a V.O.M on the GS fan pins to ensure that you get your
polarity right, of course.
Hugh Hood
P.S. - Robo was conceived and sold in the U.K. (Ewen, are you familiar with
these guys)?
Their U.S. Affiliate who sold Robo CAD for the Apple II (Robo Systems
International of Newtown, Pennsylvania) is still in business and now only
sells RoboCAD for Windows. Their program is called 'AccuCadd'. Caron
Williams there is an extremely pleasant and most helpful guy, but he makes
no secret of the fact that Robo left the Apple II behind 20 years ago. Not
that I blame them -- A guy has got to make a living.
<http://www.accucadd.com>
P.P.S. - Steve - I'm responding to your question in a separate post.
in article
Post by Antoine VignauDear All,
I own a Robo-1000 package (https://picasaweb.google.com/
104707687928913128396/AppleIIRobo1000), the first 3D device for the
Apple II.
I was wondering where to connect one of the connector on an Apple
IIgs, knowing that the 16-pin interface connects to the I/O port of an
Apple II. But the controller lead also includes a single wire breakout
which is to be connected to the +12V connector of the 4-pin auxiliary
video connector of an Apple II+ or IIe.
The question is: on an Apple IIgs, where should I connect that extra
cable?
Yours ideas are welcome,
Antoine.thesolderingking.edu