Barcode wand / mass storage for archive 41

[twdeckard]

Two questions; one post.

Any experience with bar code reader?

Opinions on long term program archives?
Programs make extensive use of extended memory
Programs will all but fill registers on a 41cx
I am resigned that restoring EM May mean small programs to rewrite desired files from scratch.

HP-IL to PIL-BOX/PC?
HP-IL to cassette?
Card reader?
Wand?
NOVRAM module?

Primary goal is sentimental (long term) archive of a dozen large programs. Don’t want to be too vulnerable to technology drift that obviates my system like Windows 12 or USB-D

Best

[J-F Garnier]

(03-03-2019 02:17 PM)twdeckard Wrote:  I am resigned that restoring EM May mean small programs to rewrite desired files from scratch.

There are some modules that have functions to save the X-memory in one go. Drawback is that you need that rom plugged in (and remember which module to use) to restore.

In the past I used to use a small synthetic program that makes the WRTA/READA functions to save/restore all the 41 memory (main+x-memory) in one file. drawback was that the file was larger than really needed, wasting a lot of space on the medium, but it's no more an issue with virtual drives.

J-F

[hth]

The wand is good. You store programs on paper and can read them fairly fast into the calculator. Not anything you want to do often, but it is a good long-term backup if you print your own barcodes on reasonable quality paper. (And you can reprint it from postscript files if needed.)

Long-term storage is good to have a printout (even hand written will work if no other means) and then try to find a way to store it on a computer, preferably in a source control system if you are familiar with those (perhaps use a source hosting service on the internet). Then migrate data as you change computer and keep backups of your valuable data. Luckily, calculator software and data is not so large.

So, PIL-Box is my advice, get it off the calculator and onto a computer and if it is really important, also paper (not thermo printed outputs).

If you type your program off manually, you can do that on a computer and then use one of the barcode generators to generate barcode from it.

[Thomas Klemm]

(03-03-2019 04:11 PM)hth Wrote:  If you type your program off manually, you can do that on a computer and then use one of the barcode generators to generate barcode from it.

E.g. HP41 Barcode Generator

[grsbanks]

(03-03-2019 04:32 PM)Thomas Klemm Wrote:  

(03-03-2019 04:11 PM)hth Wrote:  If you type your program off manually, you can do that on a computer and then use one of the barcode generators to generate barcode from it.

E.g. HP41 Barcode Generator

Or hp41uc

[hth]

Maybe you should also get a Clonix module and make your own ROM with your favourite collection of programs?

(Since everyone puts in barcode generators. I have one too that is part of Nutstudio tools, which has the additional benefit of making it easy to generate your own module images too, based on the same source file.)

[Thomas Klemm]

(03-03-2019 08:43 PM)hth Wrote:  I have one too that is part of Nutstudio tools …

Could you please provide a valid link?
I once had a link which meanwhile is broken.

TIA
Thomas

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(03-03-2019 11:37 PM)Thomas Klemm Wrote:  

(03-03-2019 08:43 PM)hth Wrote:  I have one too that is part of Nutstudio tools …

Could you please provide a valid link?
I once had a link which meanwhile is broken.

TIA
Thomas

I still have version 2.1.1 from 2011. Any update in the meanwhile? :)

[hth]

(03-04-2019 07:58 AM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  

(03-03-2019 11:37 PM)Thomas Klemm Wrote:  Could you please provide a valid link?
I once had a link which meanwhile is broken.

TIA
Thomas

I still have version 2.1.1 from 2011. Any update in the meanwhile?

Yes, version 3 is in beta, only for macOS and Linux Debian 64-bit at the moment.
Sadly no Windows yet, sigh...
(Drop me a PM if you want to try the beta)

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(03-04-2019 06:51 PM)hth Wrote:  

(03-04-2019 07:58 AM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  I still have version 2.1.1 from 2011. Any update in the meanwhile? :)

Yes, version 3 is in beta, only for macOS and Linux Debian 64-bit at the moment.
Sadly no Windows yet, sigh...
(Drop me a PM if you want to try the beta)

Thanks a lot, but I mainly am on Windows...
Surely I could readily put up a debian vm, but I can wait; unless there's some must-have new feature waiting there! ;)

[hth]

(03-04-2019 06:56 PM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  Thanks a lot, but I mainly am on Windows...
Surely I could readily put up a debian vm, but I can wait; unless there's some must-have new feature waiting there!

If you are into MCODE programming and especially the more advanced side of it, you will probably find this upgrade to be a must-have..