Add a printer Trace Mode option to settings

The Beta programme is where a device becomes fully formed. If you have any suggestions for features to integrate into the DM41X then feel free to make them here. We can't guarantee that they'll all end up in the final product but we'll certainly consider all sensible proposals.
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jonmoore
Posts: 108
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2020 4:18 pm

Add a printer Trace Mode option to settings

Post by jonmoore »

Later HP calculators provide this as a setting or flag and some 41 emulators provide a virtual Trace switch/mode.

As I'm sure many of you know, the original HP 82143A printer had a physical Trace switch. The later infra red models don't have this switch as the option is controlled by the calculator operating system. It's such a useful option, and it's a part of the Free42 emulation layer of the DM42 so would love it to be part of the 41x too.
rprosperi
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Location: New York

Re: Add a printer Trace Mode option to settings

Post by rprosperi »

Trace mode is supported in the 41X.

Although the emulation is based on the 82143A ROM, since there are no physical switches, the various modes are honored using the same Flag 15/16 settings as used for the 82162A printer.

Trace mode: SF 15, CF 16

MAN, NORM and TRACE modes are all available.

This is explained in section 3.1.2 of the manual, which explains SI view, which is where the printer status is displayed.
--bob p

DM42: β00071 & 00282, DM41X: β00071 & 00656, DM10L: 071/100
jonmoore
Posts: 108
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2020 4:18 pm

Re: Add a printer Trace Mode option to settings

Post by jonmoore »

rprosperi wrote:
Mon May 18, 2020 10:13 pm
Trace mode is supported in the 41X.

Although the emulation is based on the 82143A ROM, since there are no physical switches, the various modes are honored using the same Flag 15/16 settings as used for the 82162A printer.

Trace mode: SF 15, CF 16

MAN, NORM and TRACE modes are all available.

This is explained in section 3.1.2 of the manual, which explains SI view, which is where the printer status is displayed.
Thanks Bob, I went through the 82143A manual and through the otherwise great Thimet Quick Reference (which details the flags, but misses specific details on flags 15 and 16!).

Too much reference material, not enough time...
jonmoore
Posts: 108
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2020 4:18 pm

Re: Add a printer Trace Mode option to settings

Post by jonmoore »

rprosperi wrote:
Mon May 18, 2020 10:13 pm
Trace mode is supported in the 41X.

Although the emulation is based on the 82143A ROM, since there are no physical switches, the various modes are honored using the same Flag 15/16 settings as used for the 82162A printer.

Trace mode: SF 15, CF 16

MAN, NORM and TRACE modes are all available.

This is explained in section 3.1.2 of the manual, which explains SI view, which is where the printer status is displayed.
Having had more time to read through the various resources I have to hand, I've still not found specific details regarding Flags 15 and 16.

Most of this documentation came from the hp41.org archive one can torrent via Eric Rechlin's excellent set of torrents available here:

https://www.hpcalc.org/torrents/

I'm sure it's just a matter of the various versions of said documentation HP put out, but I did check in the 81243A printer Owner's Handbook, the 82240B documentation (very poor document) and both the single and dual volume versions of the HP-41 Owners Handbook and Programming Guide (both with detailed sections on Flags within their Programming sections).

I'm guessing that Flag's 15 and 16 enable the subtle differences between TRACE and NORM. TRACE is better for documenting intermediate and final answers, but NORM provides right justified Program listings and outputs Function names both as they are executed and as they are output from functions within Programs.

However. Flags 15 and 16, provide 4 potential states and I was wondering if those possible states were considered by the HP engineers. Guesswork tells me that each Flag is only considered on it's own and having both flags set traces everything.

Am I correct in my guesswork or is there more I should know?
rprosperi
Posts: 1703
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:48 pm
Location: New York

Re: Add a printer Trace Mode option to settings

Post by rprosperi »

The printer modes for the 82162A HP-IL printer are described in the 82160A HP-IL Module manual.

IIRC the 4th mode (TRACE with Stack) is not implemented, as a small gesture to try to save a few branches, if not trees.
--bob p

DM42: β00071 & 00282, DM41X: β00071 & 00656, DM10L: 071/100
jonmoore
Posts: 108
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2020 4:18 pm

Re: Add a printer Trace Mode option to settings

Post by jonmoore »

rprosperi wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 3:08 pm
The printer modes for the 82162A HP-IL printer are described in the 82160A HP-IL Module manual.

IIRC the 4th mode (TRACE with Stack) is not implemented, as a small gesture to try to save a few branches, if not trees.
Thanks.

In truth I can mainly see myself using the printer in much the same way as I have been with i41cvx. And that's to record stack calculations and annotate them with notes - nothing worse them looking at a stream of numbers without any context. Trace mode will only be used 'in extremis'

By very strange coincidence, the supplier of the thermal paper I sourced is endorsed by a charity that I'm involved with https://treesforlife.org.uk/

Saving trees is very high on my priorities. 🌳
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