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Larry Hiatt · 12-10-2018, 11:39 PM

I am probably putting this in the wrong forum.

I just bought A SwissMicros DM42. while I am eating for it I am wondering if it's keyboard programming is anywhere close to any of the HP calculators? It looks like it might be.

Thomas Okken · (This post was last modified: 12-11-2018 12:06 AM by Thomas Okken.)

(12-10-2018 11:39 PM)Larry Hiatt Wrote: I am probably putting this in the wrong forum.

I just bought A SwissMicros DM42. while I am eating for it I am wondering if it's keyboard programming is anywhere close to any of the HP calculators? It looks like it might be.

This isn't quite the right forum; you should post at Not quite HP Calculators - but related at this site, or at the SwissMicros forum.

As far as programming is concerned, the DM42 is based on Free42, which in turn is an HP-42S simulator. You can find several links to documentation by going to the Free42 home page and scrolling down to the Documentation section, and there is documentation specific to the DM42 in the SwissMicros web site as well.

**Gene** · 12-11-2018, 12:12 AM

Thread moved.

What I hope to set sometime is a version of every user-code HP-41 rom that can be easily loaded into the DM42.

I know there may be faster ways of doing things, sure, but why not make use of the math, stats, game, real estate, etc. rom listings?

Anyone? :-)

Thomas Okken · (This post was last modified: 12-11-2018 01:02 AM by Thomas Okken.)

(12-11-2018 12:12 AM)Gene Wrote: What I hope to set sometime is a version of every user-code HP-41 rom that can be easily loaded into the DM42.

I have a program, rom2raw, on my web site, that performs the required conversion. I know of at least one user who has attested, on the DM42 forum, that he was able to convert the HP-41 Navigation Pac using this tool, and use it on his DM42.

My only problem with this is that I'm extremely reluctant to host copyrighted materials on my web site. I'm OK with telling people where to find these things and how to convert them, but who is going to stick out their neck and host them? Just when you think some old software has gotten to the point where no one cares about it any more, ${COMPANY} resurrects ${CONSOLE} and suddenly the copyright to ${PACMAN} is relevant again...

UPDATE: Of course the situation could be simplified by integrating MODFile and rom2raw into Free42 / DM42. Smile

**rprosperi** · 12-11-2018, 01:00 AM

(12-10-2018 11:39 PM)Larry Hiatt Wrote: I just bought A SwissMicros DM42. while I am eating for it I am wondering if it's keyboard programming is anywhere close to any of the HP calculators? It looks like it might be.

A simpler and more direct answer is the DM42 programming is exactly the same as the 42S, with the only exceptions being those few cases where the DM42 has enhanced some features, which as Thomas pointed out are covered in the DM42 manual sections. But your experience with the 42S, or learning from the 42S manual, fully apply.

Thomas' Free42 is a painstakingly accurate simulation of the 42S, honed to perfection over many years and thousands of happy users. I've never used any product simulation that is as accurate, and I've tried lots (and lots!) of them. There are even a couple cases where the 42S design 'got it wrong' (aka could have easily been done better) and Free42 still accurately reproduces how a 42S will act.

It is safe to say that if you get different results using a 42S and Free42 (including the DM42) it's because Free42 uses greater internal precision, and even then there is an alternate (binary) version available, if identical results are needed (for some odd reason).

Please feel free to share your feedback once you've used your DM42; we all like hearing how a new user feels about a product we love.

Larry Hiatt · 12-11-2018, 05:11 AM

Thank you for the info. I just ordered it and was wondering how much of a learning curve there was going to be. It sounds like almost none.

ijabbott · 12-11-2018, 08:12 AM

(12-11-2018 01:00 AM)rprosperi Wrote: It is safe to say that if you get different results using a 42S and Free42 (including the DM42) it's because Free42 uses greater internal precision, and even then there is an alternate (binary) version available, if identical results are needed (for some odd reason).

The binary version has a few more digits of precision than the HP-42S but doesn't support the full numeric range. Also, the binary format means it cannot represent most simple (short and terminating in zeroes) decimal fractions exactly. See The Free42 FAQ for details.

grsbanks · 12-11-2018, 09:16 AM

(12-11-2018 05:11 AM)Larry Hiatt Wrote: Thank you for the info. I just ordered it and was wondering how much of a learning curve there was going to be. It sounds like almost none.

There is a learning curve if you're unfamiliar with RPN and have no prior experience of the HP-42S or the HP-41C, but it's really not steep at all. You can jog up the curve without even breaking a sweat.

Start by going through the documentation that's specific to the DM42. This will prime you about features that are not available on the HP-42S (I/O, screen resolutions and virtual variables) and it will save you a lot of head scratching when you go through the HP-42S' manual and see things that are not exactly identical on the DM42.

Secondly, download a copy of said HP-42S manual. There's a link to it on the SwissMicros website or, if you want to support this MoHPC website, you can do what many of us here have done and purchase the USB stick that is crammed full of information (including the HP-42S manual) and worth every penny.

Disclaimer: I have a (non-financial) interest in SwissMicros in that I collaborate with Michael & David in some aspects of product design and I run the SwissMicros forum.

tcab · 12-11-2018, 01:11 PM

As an adjunct to the other sources already mentioned, there is also my Python to HP42S RPN converter which offers an alternative, modern, structured way of programming the DM42.

I’d certainly recommend first learning "pure" RPN, which peaked and was perfected in the hp42s/Free42/dm42. I don’t know how hp41 users get by without the menu system of the hp42s.

Massimo Gnerucci · 12-11-2018, 01:33 PM

(12-11-2018 01:11 PM)tcab Wrote: As an adjunct to the other sources already mentioned, there is also my Python to HP42S RPN converter which offers an alternative, modern, structured way of programming the DM42.

I’d certainly recommend first learning "pure" RPN, which peaked and was perfected in the hp42s/Free42/dm42. I don’t know how hp41 users get by without the menu system of the hp42s.

Not a big fan of menus.
And, when your calculator is expandable, you cannot assign enough keyboard space to host all the functions to come. ;)

Dave Britten · 12-11-2018, 03:31 PM

(12-11-2018 01:33 PM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote: Not a big fan of menus.
And, when your calculator is expandable, you cannot assign enough keyboard space to host all the functions to come.

I'm a big fan of menus, personally, because I have many small programs that I use infrequently, and would have a hard time remembering all the key assignments/user keys, or juggling all the overlays. But I imagine someone with a smaller number of programs that they use very heavily might have the opposite preference. But I do wish the 42S had at least kept ASSIGN as an option for those cases where it's appropriate.

morex · 12-11-2018, 08:55 PM

(12-11-2018 01:11 PM)tcab Wrote: I don’t know how hp41 users get by without the menu system of the hp42s.

I could not.

I was (and I'm) a big fan of 41CX. It was my preferred calculator all my university years. Heavy use and programming.

I had an 42S years later when I studied an MBA.

And I could not switch back.

I don´t have a DM42 only becasuse it's a little expensive for me.

HP42S/Free42/DM42 are the best choice for me!