Geoff,
Thank you for following up with this thread. I believe that I have tried all you describe. My effort has been exhaustive but not productive. It is probably owing to my ignorance more than anything. To describe my status at present:
(1) Yes, I have tried the HxC software to no avail.
(2) I have looked at cpmtools and other suggestions also to no avail.
(3) I requested the .hfe file description in order to see if I could write my own Windows-oriented app to accomplish what I wanted. It's in progress but not too promising.
(4) I have .hfe diskette images of native CP/M files that have either been found or created on my 2X.
(5) The .hfe images I have come across will be visible when directly moved to a properly formatted USB thumb drive and inserted into the GoTek emulator on the 2X.
(6) Similarly visible are images created on the 2X. This is done by renaming a .hfe file, copying it in Windows, and placing it on the USB drive. When the image is loaded onto the 2X and "dialed to", the files are visible. I can then delete all the files in the disk image and copy other files from the 2X's B: drive.
(7) Therefore, using the 2X, I can copy/rearrange/edit the files on/onto that "emptied" .hfe image. For example, I can copy only the necessary files for the Turbo Pascal compiler onto the image and leave the spreadsheet demo programs on the original TP distribution diskette in the B: drive. Similarly, I can copy the desired snippets of C code or C source code for an app (.h, .c, etc.) onto an "emptied" disk image. And so on, ad nauseum.
(8) I possess a very great amount of old CP/M diskettes containing programs like the Perfect series, WordStar, various editors, games (which I do not play often), and other sundries that I am currently copying/creating using the the 2X. Thus, I can "back up" my collection of CP/M diskettes onto my Windows 7 desktop using this method.
What I am aiming to do is use the Windows 7 desktop computer to grab other CP/M software "collections" on the internet to port them to .hfe files. I regret to say that, germane to any problem being solved is a clear and lucid statement of that problem and, regrettably, I have not been able to formulate one. So, not to be pedantic, let me see if I can do so with an example.
(1) I limit this to the windows 7 environment with a work station that does not have any older drive (i.e., a 3" diskette, etc.) and also only using the DOS window and not any Unix/Linux framework like MingW, etc. Therefore this involves creating any suitable format of file readable by the GoTek on my Windows 7 workstation and copying them onto the USB drive.
(2) I am using a GoTek emulator that has "the latest" FlashFloppy firmware loaded. I am disinclined to upload any "newer" or different firmware into the GoTek as I do not want to jeopardize it's present ability to read the .hfe files. (Sort of a Hippocratic oath:
first, do no harm.)
(2) As an example, consider the archive of Kaypro CP/M files cited by this forum at the following URL:
http://www.retroarchive.org/maslin/disks/kaypro/
(3) Select a "trivial" item in that archive called DUMPSCRN.
(4) When downloaded and expanded, it yields the following files:
(3) The problem is this: I want to translate/transport those files into an image
that is recognizable by the GoTek emulator. So far, the only file image it recognizes is the .hfe format. Therefore, how does one "load" those files into a .hfe file?
(4) Alternatively, how does one load those files into a file image
that is recognizable by the GoTek emulator?
(5) In seeking the answer to #4, I have investigated the FlashFloppy Github and experimented with the Kaypro examples/Host/Kaypro/IMG.CFG file that ostensibly will read Kaypro images if placed in the root directory on the USB drive. I have
not been successful in making this work and, candidly, I am not sure I completely understand this method. See #2 above.
(6) I have experimented with other methods of accomplishing the above graciously suggested by others. Alas, this was without success and/or they were outside the limits I sent with #2 and #2 above.
..now I realize this is probably info overload but wanted to describe the situation in case others wished to add suggestions.
Thank you for your interest!