HP12C: date functions and flashing display ?!

[Dieter]

First of all: I do not have a real 12C, instead I am using HP's own emulator which I think is supposed to behave like the real thing.
And here I noticed something that I cannot explain (yet):

In some cases the date functions (ΔDYS and DATE) return the result with a flashing display if the function is executed in a program (!).

Example:

1,011900 [ENTER] 1,012000 g[ΔDYS] => 36524

Fine. Now do the same thing within a program.
Clear program memory, then enter ΔDYS as step 01.

f[P/R] f[PRGM] g[ΔDYS] f[P/R]

1,011900 [ENTER] 1,012000 [SST] => 36524 flashing

Is this the same on a real 12C or a quirk in the emulator?
If this is by design: what causes the display to flash?

Dieter

[Don Shepherd]

(01-25-2018 07:14 PM)Dieter Wrote:  Is this the same on a real 12C or a quirk in the emulator?

Neither my old 12c (2001 with 1 batt) nor the 12c+ (2008 I think, 2 batts) exhibit this flashing behavior.

[TheKaneB]

My first generation made in USA (3 LR44 batteries, 27th week 1984) do not flash.
Given the tests, I assume it's a bug in the emulator. Maybe the flashing "running" display causes the end result to flash also, for some reason?

[Carsen]

My modern HP-12C does exhibit this behavior. It flashes when only used in the program. It was bought back in late 2016.

[Gamo]

Yes I try on both the HP own Emulator on PC and 12C+ gave result with flashing answer.

According to the HP-12C Owner's Handbook on the topic about Number of Days Between Dates state that

"When [DATE] is executed as an instruction in a running program, the calculator pauses for about 1 second to display the result, then resumes program execution."

So I guess when running DATE in a program it PAUSE one second then going in to a loop cycle that cause the flashing I'm not sure if this is the reason.

Gamo

[rprosperi]

I tried this on an early 12C+, (s/n 4CY147099S, w/2xCR2032) and it does NOT flash when activated in a program via SST as Dieter suggested. The s/n confirms this is the initial 12C+ design; the latter 12C+ design (with new CPU) was introduced about April '15, so Carsen's is almost certainly this latter version.

To summarize:

12C+ V1 (2008-2015): No Flash
12C+ V2 (2015+): Flashes

@Dieter - what vintage is the 12C emulator you are using?

[Dieter]

(01-26-2018 02:03 AM)rprosperi Wrote:  12C+ V1 (2008-2015): No Flash
12C+ V2 (2015+): Flashes

@Dieter - what vintage is the 12C emulator you are using?

The emulator says "Version 2012 11 29 Rev. 19022".

Dieter

[Dieter]

(01-26-2018 01:07 AM)Gamo Wrote:  "When [DATE] is executed as an instruction in a running program, the calculator pauses for about 1 second to display the result, then resumes program execution."

That's the DATE command.
But the example refers to ΔDYS.

Dieter

[grsbanks]

I don't have an HP-12C to hand right now (no batteries in it) but I do have a SwissMicros DM12L, which runs the original HP-12C's ROM in an emulator.

No flashing.