HP97 questions

[teenix]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone knows what happens if the printer is active printing (say) a program listing and a card is put into the card reader. I don't think the calculator ROM code can handle the two operations simultaneously, so I'm guessing the card is either ignored until printing completes or it is just passed through the reader.

Also, not sure if the PIK chip key buffer still receives a key press while printing. If it does, then after pressing (say) 'the 1 2 and 3' keys, that number would appear on the display when printing completes.

I have seen references to replacing batteries, but no mention if it is possible to open the plastic carrier without breaking it. Anyone done this?

cheers

Tony

[Valentin Albillo]

.
Hi, Tony:

(12-22-2018 12:01 PM)teenix Wrote:  Also, not sure if the PIK chip key buffer still receives a key press while printing. If it does, then after pressing (say) 'the 1 2 and 3' keys, that number would appear on the display when printing completes

It's been many decades since I last used an HP-97 but if my memory serves me right, yes, you could type a number while printing, no problem at all and it was quite useful, this capability of typing ahead.

Indeed, kesytroke buffering while printing was utterly needed because there was one printing mode ("Trace", probably) which had the HP-97 immediately printing every number you entered and every function/operation you executed (for trace purposes, of course) and this would require buffering or else it would mean having to wait all the time for the printer to finish, thus completely disrupting the flow of the computation.

Alas, I don't remember exactly how many keystrokes would be accepted before the keyboard buffer filled up.

V.
.

[Raymond Del Tondo]

(12-22-2018 12:01 PM)teenix Wrote:  Just wondering if anyone knows what happens if the printer is active printing (say) a program listing and a card is put into the card reader. I don't think the calculator ROM code can handle the two operations simultaneously, so I'm guessing the card is either ignored until printing completes or it is just passed through the reader.

That would be printing a program while you overwrite it with another program:-)
Not too useful IMHO.
However if you want to know what happens just try;-)

[Thomas Okken]

(12-22-2018 10:00 PM)Raymond Del Tondo Wrote:  

(12-22-2018 12:01 PM)teenix Wrote:  Just wondering if anyone knows what happens if the printer is active printing (say) a program listing and a card is put into the card reader. I don't think the calculator ROM code can handle the two operations simultaneously, so I'm guessing the card is either ignored until printing completes or it is just passed through the reader.

That would be printing a program while you overwrite it with another program:-)
Not too useful IMHO.
However if you want to know what happens just try;-)

I assume if Tony had an HP-97, he would have tried instead of asking here!

[Paul Dale]

(12-22-2018 10:00 PM)Raymond Del Tondo Wrote:  However if you want to know what happens just try;-)

Which would require a 97 that has a working printer and card reader.


Pauli

[teenix]

(12-22-2018 12:01 PM)teenix Wrote:  Also, not sure if the PIK chip key buffer still receives a key press while printing. If it does, then after pressing (say) 'the 1 2 and 3' keys, that number would appear on the display when printing completes.

As always - Read The Flippin' Manual :-)

Keystrokes are captured by the PIK chip (7 deep buffer)
The Print Prgm and Print Regs processes can be stopped by a keypress.
Thus while printing these and you press 1 2 3, the "1" will stop the print, and then display "23".

Print Stack is not stopped by a keypress, so "123" would be displayed.

Makes sense as you might not want to finish the long prints.

cheers

Tony

[rprosperi]

As for the original question, if you insert a card while the 97 is printing a program, the machine ignores the card and the printout continues uninterrupted.

(took a while to charge the 97 battery)

[Thomas Okken]

I guess this is handled the same as a card being inserted while a program is running. I don't have a 97, but I tested that scenario on my 67, and the same thing happens: the card is ignored and the program keeps running; once the program stops, the card is pulled through and read normally.

[teenix]

(12-22-2018 11:25 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  As for the original question, if you insert a card while the 97 is printing a program, the machine ignores the card and the printout continues uninterrupted.

(took a while to charge the 97 battery)

Thanks Bob,

Sorry to be a pest, did it pass the card through the reader or does the card just sit there?

cheers

Tony

[teenix]

(12-23-2018 01:47 AM)Thomas Okken Wrote:  I guess this is handled the same as a card being inserted while a program is running. I don't have a 97, but I tested that scenario on my 67, and the same thing happens: the card is ignored and the program keeps running; once the program stops, the card is pulled through and read normally.

Thanks Thomas,

That makes sense. The 67 and 97 have the option to read a new program/data card while a program is running. If a card is sitting ready in the reader it will be read automatically when a "pause" instruction executes and the program stops.

cheers

Tony