From HEPAX to ROM or MOD ?

[pcscote]

This is good stuff, thanks Silvain. Did not know that you could extract a ROM from the NoVRAM with the programmer!

Hello Meindert,
Several years ago, I had decided to learn every features available in Diego modules.
While trying things, I bugged him with several emails asking all kind of information that was not clear to me.
So he patiently answers my emails and in one of these, he told me about that feature.
Sylvain

[pcscote]

I have created a 4K RPN application ROM on the DM41X and I was able to export it as a ROM file on a PC.
I will post the step-by-step procedure later this week.
Sylvain

[pcscote]

How to create a custom RPN application ROM on a DM41X with the HEPAX module.

To symplify things, I have create a custom HEPAX module that contains only 1 page of RAM.

References:

• HEPAX, VM Electronics, HP-41 module
  • Custom module image: HEPAX-1D-4K.mod
    • ROM: 16K x 10-bit words, 1 page, 4 banks, location: dynamic, version 1D
    • RAM: 4K x 10-bit words, 1 page, 1 bank, location: page 9
  • Owner's Manual, Volume 1
  • Owner's Manual, Volume 2
  • Quick Reference Guide
• ROM Handler, Meindert Kuipers, Windows Application

Win-PC: download files from the web

• create a DM41X folder under your home folder that will serve as a work folder → [home]/DM41X
• download HEPAX custom module image to the work folder → HEPAX-1D-4K.mod
• download ROM Handler zip file to the work folder → ROMHandler-main.zip
• unzip ROMHandler-main.zip file in the work folder, zip file content ...
  • ROMHandler.exe
  • ROMHandler.INI
  • README.TXT
  • SYSTEMLABELS.TXT
  • XROM.TXT

Win-PC: copy the HEPAX custom module image to the DM41X (part 1)

• plug the DM41X to the computer with the appropriate USB cable

DM41X: activating the USB disk

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[SETUP]                     // enter in the setup menu
1. File >                   // select file sub-menu
5. Activating USB Disk      // activating USB file sharing

... you should see ...

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    USB disk mode ...

    WARNING: ...

    Press ON key to end

Win-PC: copy the HEPAX custom module image to the DM41X (part 2)

• mount the DM41X flash drive (if not done automatically)
• copy HEPAX-1D-4K.mod file from the work folder to the [DM41X_flash_drive]/MODS folder
• eject/unmount the [DM41X_flash_drive] from the computer
• unplug the DM41X from the computer

DM41X: leaving menu

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[←]                         // leave the file menu
[←]                         // leave the menu system

DM41X: import custom HEPAX module

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[SETUP]                     // enter in the setup menu
2. Module >                 // select module sub-menu
2. Manage Modules in Flash  // enter module management screen
[Imprt]                     // import a new module
HEPAX-1D-4K...              // select HEPAX module from the list
[ENTER]                     // import the file
[←]                         // leave Manage Modules in Flash screen

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1. Active Modules           // enter module activation screen
[Plug]                      // plug a new virtual module
HEPAX-1D-4K                 // select HEPAX module from the list
[Add]                       // add the selected module
[ENTER]                     // activate configuration and leave menu system

DM41X: validate setup

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                  // power cycle the calculator (off then on)
CAT 2             // you should see "-HEPAX 1D" appears

DM41X: clear HEPAX RAM

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"OK"              // CLRAM confirmation message
9
CLRAM             // clear page  9
                  // power cycle: OFF then ON
HEPDIR            // should display: H:DIR EMPTY
[<-]              // clear message & display available HEPAX RAM registers
                  // should display: 651.0000  // 1 page (#9) of 4K 10-bit word

DM41X: add your programs to HEPAX RAM

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"FIRST"           // program name in ALPHA
HSAVEP            // copy program from main memory to HEPAX RAM
"SECOND"          // program name in ALPHA
HSAVEP            // copy program from main memory to HEPAX RAM
...
"LAST"            // program name in ALPHA
HSAVEP            // copy program from main memory to HEPAX RAM
HEPDIR            // list programs in HEPAX RAM

DM41X: remove page 9 from HEPAX RAM chain

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HEXEDIT
  ADR: ____       // enter: 9FF3  // HEPAX RAM page state
  9FF3 200 ___    // enter: 300   // change page state from 200 (use page) to 300 (exclude page)
  9FF4 xxx ___    // press [gold] then [SST] keys to do a [BST]
  9FF3 300 ___    // value should be 300
  [←]             // leave edit mode, display: ADR: ____
  [←]             // leave hexedit,   display: 0.0000

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                  // power cycle: OFF then ON
HEPDIR            // should display: H:NO FILESYS which is normal here
[←]               // clear message & display available HEPAX RAM registers
                  // should display: 0

DM41X: validate page 9 QROM content

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CAT 2             // catalog ROMs
[R/S]             // to pause the running catalog
[SST]             // until you see: -EXT FNC 2X
[ENTER]           // to enter that catalog
[R/S]             // to pause the running catalog
[gold] [BST]      // until you see your last program
[gold] [BST]      // until you see your first program
[←]               // to exit catalog

DM41X: validate/set XROM value

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HEXEDIT           // ROM Editor
  ADR: ____       // enter: 9000  // XROM ID address for page 9
  9000 00B ___    // keep the same XROM ID (11) or enter a value between 001 (1) and 01F (31)
  [←]             // leave edit mode, display: ADR: ____
  [←]             // leave hexedit,   display: 0.0000
                  // power cycle: OFF then ON

DM41X: save QROM to the DM41X Flash file system

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[SETUP]                     // enter in the setup menu
2. Module >                 // select module sub-menu
7. Save RAM Pages           // enter RAM Pages saving screen
<New File>                  // select this option
myrom.ram                   // choose a name for your RAM page
[R/S]                       // save the file and leave menu system

Win-PC: copy RAM file from the DM41X to your Windows PC (part 1)

• plug the DM41X to the computer with the appropriate USB cable

DM41X: activating the USB disk

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[SETUP]                     // enter in the setup menu
1. File >                   // select file sub-menu
5. Activating USB Disk      // activating USB file sharing

... you should see ...

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    USB disk mode ...

    WARNING: ...

    Press ON key to end

Win-PC: copy RAM file from the DM41X to your Windows PC (part 2)

• mount the DM41X flash drive (if not done automatically)
• copy [DM41X_flash_drive]/RAM/myrom.ram file to the work folder
• eject/unmount the DM41X flash drive from the computer
• unplug the DM41X from the computer

Win-PC: extract ROM image from DM41X RAM image file

• go to the work folder
• run the ROM handler application → ROMHandler.exe
• press the Open button
• go to the work folder → [home]/DM41X
• in the drop down list box located at the window bottom right, select DM41X RAM (*.ram) option
• select the ram file → myrom.ram
• press the Open button
• you should see the following ...

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  Reading RAM File: [work folder]/myrom.ram
         File size: 5120bytes
         RAM pages: 1
    File Size OK, start reading
    writing file: [work folder]/myrom_0.rom
  

• exit the ROM handler application

Win-PC: validating ROM image

• go to the work folder
• run the ROM handler application → ROMHandler.exe
• press the Open button
• go to the work folder → [home]/DM41X
• select the rom file → myrom_0.rom
• press the Open button
  you should see something like the following ...

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  ROM Filename    : [work folder]/myrom_0.rom
  ------------------hex---dec----------------
    XROM          : $00B  011
    # Functions   : $005  005
    ROM Name      : LBL "FIRST" (User Code) (first function name)  (first function name)
    Pause Entry   : $000
    Program Entry : $000
    Sleep Entry   : $000
    OFF Entry     : $000
    Service Entry : $000
    ON Entry      : $000
    MemLost Entry : $000
    ROM Revision  : @@-@@
    Checksum      : $000  CHECKSUM NOT GOOD, should be $0D5
    NOPs Counted  : 3947
    41CL YCRC     : $244326FF
  

• press the List FAT button
  you should see something like the following ...

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  -XROM----ADDR--FUNCTION --------------
  011.00   A0A0  "FIRST"     UCode XROM 11.00  "FIRST"      // your first program name
  011.01   A0BE  "SECOND"    UCode XROM 11.01  "SECOND"     // your second program name
  011.02   A0DD  "THIRD"     UCode XROM 11.02  "THIRD"      // ...
  011.03   A0FB  "FOURTH"    UCode XROM 11.03  "FOURTH"
  011.04   A11A  "LAST"      UCode XROM 11.04  "LAST"
  

• exit the ROM handler application

Thank you very much Meindert for creating the ROM Handler application and also for having added the RAM extraction part, it saved me to write my own application.

Sylvain

edit: typos

[rprosperi]

Epic post Sylvain, Bravo!!!

The hex-edits to un-link the HEPAX page and the RAM extraction details are real gold in here, but the extraordinary effort to document this entire process is significant and much appreciated, THANK YOU!!

[akaTB]

Yes, thank you Sylvain, really!

[Boub65]

OMG!
This is a great tutorial @Sylvain!

Merci beaucoup mon ami... je l'essaye ce week-end sans faute!

[MeinKuipers]

Thanks Silvain for starting to document my software . A task long overdue. I will put it high on my list of things do do. Just to let you know I already started to write some kind of DM41X guide like I have done for the 41CL, and it will inlcude topics like this.