Noob Questions

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J Peters
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Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2018 9:53 am

Noob Questions

Post by J Peters »

OK I hope these aren't too obvious but I'm a new user of a DM42. Never owned an HP42s, coming instead from HP35s. I've had a few days to play with it and got a few questions. I have read the original HP42s manual and the documentation on the DM42 but cannot find these:

1. Can't see how to change date format to dd/mm/yyyy

2. When you are in Alpha mode and you want to enter a numeral, you can use SHIFT-numberkey. This works in most circumstances but not when entering program labels. So if I want to enter the line LBL 03 I have to SHIFT and up or down arrow (to turn off Alpha) press 0 3 and then SHIFT and up or down arrow to toggle Alpha mode back on. Is this the only way?

3. Slow auto repeat doesn't do anything on mine (or if it does the difference is so subtle as to be unnoticeable).

4. Why is it so easy to delete the variable REGS? You can't overwite it by accident ("Restricted Operation") but you can delete it. I couldn't fathom how to bring it back so had to resort to a state reset.

Thanks in advance for any help.
dlachieze
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Re: Noob Questions

Post by dlachieze »

  1. Press [Σ+] to toggle between DMY and MDY modes in the date settings dialog. See the release notes of the V3.3 firmware for more details.
  2. Yes, AFAIK this is a limitation of the DM42 direct keyboard Alpha mode. To enter numeric labels you should not be in the DM42 Alpha mode, but in the HP 42S Alpha mode. See Alpha Input Mode in the DM42 manual.
  3. Same here. The speed of going for example through the FCN catalog used to be clearly different, but with the latest firmware I don't see the difference.
  4. This is the same on the HP 42S. You can recreate the REGS variable with:
    25 [ENTER] 1 [MATRIX] [NEW] STO "REGS"
DM42: 00425 - DM41X: β00066 - WP43: 00042
J Peters
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Re: Noob Questions

Post by J Peters »

Thank you very much, just what I was looking for.
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ijabbott
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Re: Noob Questions

Post by ijabbott »

dlachieze wrote:
Sun Apr 22, 2018 11:26 pm
Press [Σ+] to toggle between DMY and MDY modes in the date settings dialog. See the release notes of the V3.3 firmware for more details.
You can also use DMY and MDY in the function catalog to set the date format. That also works on other implementations of Free42 (on your smartphone, for example).
grsbanks
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Re: Noob Questions

Post by grsbanks »

Also, as per the original HP-41C Time Module that inspired the time and date functions in Free42, flag 31 is mapped to this setting.

SF 31 => DMY
CF 31 => MDY

The "REGS" matrix can also be re-created by executing SIZE (2nd page of the MODES menu).
There are only 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who do not.
dlachieze
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Re: Noob Questions

Post by dlachieze »

grsbanks wrote:
Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:34 pm
The "REGS" matrix can also be re-created by executing SIZE (2nd page of the MODES menu).
Interesting ! I didn't know that. It's much simpler than creating a new matrix.

Btw, is there any update planned for the DM42 manual ?
DM42: 00425 - DM41X: β00066 - WP43: 00042
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Walter
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Re: Noob Questions

Post by Walter »

dlachieze wrote:
Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:11 pm
Btw, is there any update planned for the DM42 manual ?
Once upon a time, many months ago, there was ... an update planned. ;)
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
rprosperi
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Re: Noob Questions

Post by rprosperi »

Walter wrote:
Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:18 pm
dlachieze wrote:
Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:11 pm
Btw, is there any update planned for the DM42 manual ?
Once upon a time, many months ago, there was ... an update planned. ;)
Here's an idea...

Doing the update is relatively easy, if one has an exhaustive list of all the updates. Does it make sense to create a new sticky thread, "DM42 Manual Update Suggestions", where folks can file short notes about what is missing, incorrect, confusing, etc.? As long as folks here actually use it, and keep the posts short and focused, it should be quite helpful for when SM (and/or grsbanks) can allocate time for said update. No doubt, at the moment folks are busy on other tasks, but I suppose that just leaves more time for 'contributions'.

I know Walter already has a list somewhere (which is kinda my point, who knows where?) which would be a good example post so folks get the idea of what should be posted and how.

Feedback?

@grsbanks - If this makes sense, probably the best place for it is a sticky thread on the DM42 top-level section (i.e. just under the recent "DM42 License Statement" thread.
--bob p

DM42: β00071 & 00282, DM41X: β00071 & 00656, DM10L: 071/100
grsbanks
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Re: Noob Questions

Post by grsbanks »

Walter wrote:
Mon Apr 23, 2018 9:18 pm
Once upon a time, many months ago, there was ... an update planned. ;)
Once upon a time, in 1927 in fact, there was a member of Rotary Club in Norwich (East of the UK) called Louis Marchesi. He was in his late twenties at the time and he thought that this Rotary thing was great except for the average age of the club's members and the requirement at meetings for spare oxygen bottles, false teeth and walking sticks. So he set out to create a similar organisation but aimed specifically at younger men.

Thus was born an organisation called "Round Table". Since then RT has spread throughout the world with sister organisations throughout Europe and Africa but also in the Americas more recently (there's a RT in New York, some in Brazil...).

RT's members were aged 18 to 40. Once they reached 41 years of age, they were out.

So, what did they do once they reached 41? A club for former members of RT was formed in 1936 in Liverpool, then another in 1939 in London, one in 1941 in St. Annes-on-Sea, one in 1943(?) in Wakefield..... On May 13th 1945 these 4 clubs got together in Wakefield and formed the "National Association of Ex-Round Tablers' Clubs", which was nicknamed "41 Club" because of the age at which you joined.

I was a member of Round Table in Leyland, Lancashire. Since then I've moved on to 41 Club. I've climbed the ranks and I now serve on the National Executive of 41 Club in my capacity of National Communications & IT Officer. The organisation held its annual National Conference and AGM in Belfast, Northern Ireland just over a week ago. There has been a massive amount of work involved during the 6 months leading up to this event (I've been on the committee organising the conferences for 3 years running now) and another shedload of work in the wake of it.

All of this to say that I'm afraid DM42 literature has had to take 3rd place behind my day job first, then 41 Club!
There are only 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who do not.
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