Another bug hidden for over 40 years ... ?

[ThomasF]

(12-14-2023 10:18 PM)brouhaha Wrote:  Did they fix it in CX Time?

Hi Eric,

Yes, as mentioned, later versions work, and to verify I had a quick look into a later version of the Timer ROM (TIME-3A), and there the label ACT135 from TIME-1C and the failing call is removed all together.

First of all because it was wrong, then probably also because it was not a global entry point and since the call was not needed.
The call to wait for the printer is also explicitly called when OUTPCT (paper advance) is called at the beginning of each loop i.e. for each new alarm to be printed.

Code snippet from ALMCAT (starting at 0x5806) in TIME-3A:

Code:

        ...
        01b4  GOSUB 6DB3  IAUALL  Ok to print?
        007b  JNC     +15 ACT140  (P+1) Don't print
        0375  
        018c  GOSUB 63DD  OUTPCT  (P+2) Send paper advance
        02e0  DISOFF
        0065  
        0164  GOSUB 5919  TMSG    Print alarm time & date
        02e0  DISOFF              Turn display off
        0148  S6=     1           (P+2) Ok to print
        0271  
        0168  GOSUB 5AAC          Display reset interval
        002b  JNC     +5 ACT140   (P+1) No reset interval
        0065  
        0164  GOSUB 5919  TMSG    (P+2) Print reset interval
        0041  
        0164  GOSUB 5910  WAITK6  Waity 0.6 seconds
#
# This is were the failing call (wait for printer) was inserted in TIME-1C ROM - now removed
#
# ACT135  615 CON @615          GOSUB TO BECHK & PECHK
#        1474 CON @1474         *ILPRINTER: PL0, @1737
#
ACT140  02e0  DISOFF              Turn display off
        0245  
        0144  GOSUB 5191  DSAMS0  Show 1st 12 char of alm msg
        00eb  JNC +27 ACT175      (P+1) No message
        00b0  C=N
        0268  REGN=C 9            Save message reg in reg 9
        02cd  
        01b4  GOSUB 6DB3  IAUALL  Ok to print?
        002b  JNC +5  ACT150      (P+1) Don't print
        02e5  
        01ac  GOSUB 6BB9  PRTLCD  (P+2) Print content of LCD
        ...

Cheers,
Thomas