DB48X: HP48-like RPL implementation for DM42

[raprism]

(10-17-2024 06:43 PM)c3d Wrote:  Please be aware that, based on various feedback plus personal experience, I am likely to do one last major keyboard layout change (the primary changes being to put y^x and MTH as primary keys, but also to group things more logically even if it means deviating more from the HP42/DM42). Before I do that, I will put features in that let you customize the keyboard layout, and ship two configuration files for old and new overlays.

For now I would probably go on with the old design. Because I try to avoid key stickers, and 2 more keys that does not show the primary action, might be hard (recognizing that I still forget that LOG label is indeed e^x ...). Therefore it's good to get customization of keyboard layout.

If one wants to change DM42 more radically (because key stickers are needed): It might be interesting to note that in the SwissMicros forum it turns out that for some R47 proposals (which exist as simulators for a desired future hardware design with 2 shift keys like WP43), other mathematical functions were preferred as primary keys. That is TRG instead of SIN/COS/TAN, and LOG and LN are still there.

These decisions are quite dependent on use cases. Sure HP42s tried to expose 1/x, sqrt, log, ln, sin, cos and tan as important, i.e. primary, functions. R47 shifts trigonometric functions away (partially because of the primary goal to have a second shift key), and in the presented new db48x layout e^x and ln are at least single-shifted actions. This might be a working compromise also for me (if having proper overlay).

Your new design looks reasonable for me - in particular the more consistent ordering of menu items (CPLX, REAL) and (MEM,LIB) are fine.