Bug? - CONVERT Function

[rlinden12]

Hi...

I was reading with interest issues with unit conversions. I tried to replicate them on the prime and found that the CONVERT() function will not work when the calculator is in RPN mode! (Syntax error) It's fine when the prime is in arithmetic mode...

Having used HP's RPN for the past 40 years or so, I find this somewhat disconcerting... HP used to be the world's proponent for RPN logic - what's happened?

Rob

[Paul Berger (Canada)]

It does in fact work and it is very similar to conversion a 50G so to convert a temp in celsius to fahrenheit say 100C you would enter 100 units-> Temperature and select C and enter to put 100_C on the stack then units -> Temperature and select F and then enter to put 1_F on the stack then units -> Tools -> Convert and enter.

[Han]

(02-04-2014 12:09 AM)rlinden12 Wrote:  Hi...

I was reading with interest issues with unit conversions. I tried to replicate them on the prime and found that the CONVERT() function will not work when the calculator is in RPN mode! (Syntax error) It's fine when the prime is in arithmetic mode...

Having used HP's RPN for the past 40 years or so, I find this somewhat disconcerting... HP used to be the world's proponent for RPN logic - what's happened?

Rob

In RPN mode, the syntax is a bit different. Place the arguments on the stack first, then use COMMAND(n) where n is the number of arguments being passed to the command. If n=1, you can optionally leave off the "(n)" part and just type COMMAND. Can you share how you are typing in the CONVERT command as well as the arguments while in RPN mode?

[rlinden12]

(02-04-2014 03:24 AM)Han Wrote:  

(02-04-2014 12:09 AM)rlinden12 Wrote:  Hi...

I was reading with interest issues with unit conversions. I tried to replicate them on the prime and found that the CONVERT() function will not work when the calculator is in RPN mode! (Syntax error) It's fine when the prime is in arithmetic mode...

Having used HP's RPN for the past 40 years or so, I find this somewhat disconcerting... HP used to be the world's proponent for RPN logic - what's happened?

Rob

In RPN mode, the syntax is a bit different. Place the arguments on the stack first, then use COMMAND(n) where n is the number of arguments being passed to the command. If n=1, you can optionally leave off the "(n)" part and just type COMMAND. Can you share how you are typing in the CONVERT command as well as the arguments while in RPN mode?

Thanks for the responses guys....

I used the command syntax exactly as per the manual...

CONVERT(5_m, 1_ft)
Enter

Your method above works and is basically the same as for the 50g. Unfortunately none of the Prime documentation mentions any different syntax forms (at least none that I can find...) for different input modes...

Also, as I mentioned earlier, HP has always been the champion of RPN... Now, apparently, algebraic input has won the day... Sad...

Rob

[Tim Wessman]

The Prime is not targeted at the same group of people as traditional HP users - especially those that view the 48 series as the pinnacle of HP calculators. Is RPN still considered important by the HP calculator group? Yes, that is why it was a requirement to get in to the extent possible. However, is it more important then other <insert features> here that might be critical for adoption in those much larger customer groups of non-traditional HP calculator users? That is the question of the day in which unfortunately RPN is not considered critical.

It is on the list of possible future enhancements to improve upon, and even surpass the 48 style RPN. However, the priority is determined by market forces and not you or I unfortunately.

[rlinden12]

(02-04-2014 09:34 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote:  The Prime is not targeted at the same group of people as traditional HP users - especially those that view the 48 series as the pinnacle of HP calculators. Is RPN still considered important by the HP calculator group? Yes, that is why it was a requirement to get in to the extent possible. However, is it more important then other <insert features> here that might be critical for adoption in those much larger customer groups of non-traditional HP calculator users? That is the question of the day in which unfortunately RPN is not considered critical.

It is on the list of possible future enhancements to improve upon, and even surpass the 48 style RPN. However, the priority is determined by market forces and not you or I unfortunately.

Which is why the Prime was consigned to the bottom drawer and I returned to the 50g. I've recently resurrected the Prime to give it another go but I strongly suspect that it will appear on eBay in the not-too-distant future...