Printing Issues

Please report issues with the DM41X Beta Firmware in this sub-forum
TwoWeims

Printing Issues

Post by TwoWeims »

I would assume that the built-in printer ROM would be designed to duplicate the functionality of the 82242A IR Module but this does not seem to be true.

The printer control commands such as PRTON, PRTOFF, MAN, NORM, TRACE are not implemented.
These would be very handy to have since the 82240B Printer does not have a hardware mode switch.
rprosperi
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Re: Printing Issues

Post by rprosperi »

The built-in module actually implements the 82143 ROM, except it works with the IR printer.

The modes MAN/TRACE/NORM are controlled by the same flags (15 & 16) as was used in the 82143 ROM.

Also note that the Printer status on the right end of the 3rd line of the SI view shows the current printer mode:

PRN: MAN
PRN: TRA
PRN: NRM

PRN: OFF indicates the printer has been disabled by CF 21. This is handy as some modules act differently (e.g. HEPAX) if they detect the presence of the printer; this lets you 'hide' the printer so no need to remove and later replace the module.

All the above is standard 41C behavior with the 82143 printer (i.e. the original, non-HP-IL printer).
--bob p

DM42: β00071 & 00282, DM41X: β00071 & 00656, DM10L: 071/100
TwoWeims

Re: Printing Issues

Post by TwoWeims »

First off, thank you for a quick response and also for your hard work on this project.
I got my 41X yesterday and I am now sleep deprived because I stayed up past my bedtime exploring it.
I love what I have seen so far and had to look very hard to find something to complain about.
rprosperi wrote:
Tue Feb 04, 2020 9:11 pm
The built-in module actually implements the 82143 ROM, except it works with the IR printer.
I have a 82242A IR Module so that is what I am used to using. I just made an assumption that since the 41X printer ROM was using UV that it would use the 82242A ROM instead of the 82143 ROM.
rprosperi wrote:
Tue Feb 04, 2020 9:11 pm
The modes MAN/TRACE/NORM are controlled by the same flags (15 & 16) as was used in the 82143 ROM.

Also note that the Printer status on the right end of the 3rd line of the SI view shows the current printer mode:

PRN: MAN
PRN: TRA
PRN: NRM

PRN: OFF indicates the printer has been disabled by CF 21. This is handy as some modules act differently (e.g. HEPAX) if they detect the presence of the printer; this lets you 'hide' the printer so no need to remove and later replace the module.

All the above is standard 41C behavior with the 82143 printer (i.e. the original, non-HP-IL printer).
I understand that I can manipulate the flags to get the same results.

I do like the SI View showing the printer status.

Thanks again for all of your hard work.
Thomas Okken
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Re: Printing Issues

Post by Thomas Okken »

rprosperi wrote:
Tue Feb 04, 2020 9:11 pm
The modes MAN/TRACE/NORM are controlled by the same flags (15 & 16) as was used in the 82143 ROM.
Wait, what? The 82143 print mode could be controlled by flags? :shock:
rprosperi
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Re: Printing Issues

Post by rprosperi »

A pleasure to help out, but thanks.

And it's not complaining if it's a good question! :lol:

And that was a good one. Being also IR, it's reasonable to guess that, but the IR Module was introduced near the end of the 41 market window, and years after HP released NOMAS documentation for devices, so there was no extant documentation.
Last edited by rprosperi on Wed Feb 05, 2020 12:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
--bob p

DM42: β00071 & 00282, DM41X: β00071 & 00656, DM10L: 071/100
rprosperi
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Re: Printing Issues

Post by rprosperi »

Thomas Okken wrote:
Wed Feb 05, 2020 12:19 am
rprosperi wrote:
Tue Feb 04, 2020 9:11 pm
The modes MAN/TRACE/NORM are controlled by the same flags (15 & 16) as was used in the 82143 ROM.
Wait, what? The 82143 print mode could be controlled by flags? :shock:
Busted! You got me.

So the ROM is the 82143 ROM with printer mode controls set by the Flags (15, 16, 21) that control the 82162 HP-IL printer.

It's important to keep me honest, so thanks for that.
--bob p

DM42: β00071 & 00282, DM41X: β00071 & 00656, DM10L: 071/100
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pcscote
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Re: Printing Issues

Post by pcscote »

ISSUE : PRX missing CR+LF after printing (HOLD ON)
I am just starting to test the calculator and I found an issue with the PRX function.
The original HP-41C print modules always try to keep the head on the left side.
PRX on HP-41C is issuing a CR+LF after printing X.
PRX on DM41X does not issue a CR+LF after a PRX and keep the print head on the right side.
It does issue a CR+LF at the beginning of the next PRX and still keep the print head on the right side.
Because it does not issue a CR+LF on the first print, it look like the internal buffer if not completely flushed at the end of PRX mcode execution.
Sylvain
EDIT: HOLD ON I did my testing on a 82143A and I see a different behavior with the 82242A, more testing is needed.
Last edited by pcscote on Thu Feb 06, 2020 1:26 am, edited 2 times in total.
[DM1x/DM1xL/DM41/DM41L/DM41X/DM42]
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pcscote
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Re: Printing Issues

Post by pcscote »

ISSUE : R/S does not stop PRP printing (NON ISSUE after all)
When I print a FOCAL program on a 41CX+82242A - pressing R/S stop the printing.
When I print a FOCAL program on a DM41X - pressing R/S do nothing and keep printing until the end.
(which btw can take quite a long time)
EDIT: Arrgg, I am having quite a hard time with the keyboard and especially with the R/S key.
[DM1x/DM1xL/DM41/DM41L/DM41X/DM42]
Geoff Quickfall
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Re: Printing Issues

Post by Geoff Quickfall »

Muscle memory problem or keyboard hardware problem?

:?:
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pcscote
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Re: Printing Issues

Post by pcscote »

Geoff Quickfall wrote:
Thu Feb 06, 2020 8:26 pm
Muscle memory problem or keyboard hardware problem?
Definitively a keyboard hardware problem.
I have opened the calculator and flexed its keys and it is better, a bit.

I will never be able to type as fast on this one as I am able to type on the original one, they are world apart.
As a reference, the 41CL at 50x is having a hard time keeping up with my typing speed.

That said, the rest of the calculator is really fantastic.

I am using my HP-41/71/75's to control HPIL/HPIB/RS232/GPIO equipments so I hope that at some point an HP-IL software simulator will be made available.
ex.: [DM41X] <= USB => [PIL-Box] <= HPIL => [peripherals] <=> [82169A] <= HPIB => [peripherals]
[DM1x/DM1xL/DM41/DM41L/DM41X/DM42]
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