Panasonic HHC and SNAP

[Benoit Maag]

Does anyone know where to find a manual for the Panasonic HHC and for the SNAP language?

Thank you

[Paul Berger (Canada)]

The only soft copy I know of is at http://www.dantiques.com/computers/panas.../index.htm and it would seem you already know about that one based on another thread on this site.

The SNAP language is not really documented at all. It is apparently FORTH like, but has some significant differences. I do have in my possession a manual produced by the Friends Amis Inc. who did the programming for the HHC that does explain some of the internals of it. I suppose I could scan this manual but that will be some time down the road as I am still recovering from moving and have a large stack of documents I want to scan waiting already. While the built in SNAP interpreter is somewhat FORTH like it does not have any facility to add new words like a real FORTH interpreter. Programming was done using high level languages like BASIC and FORTH that compiled programs that would be executed by the snap interpreter. Apparently there was also a programming environment that ran on an APPLE II which would be really nice to find.

Using the programming languages that came in plug-in "capsules" has its own issues if you wish to make a permanent copy of your complied program as the HHC's only mass storage is the cassette interface or programs could be stored in battery backed RAM modules or burned into EPROMS.

It would seem that the biggest users of HHCs where insurance agents that used them to provide their customers with quotes, most of the HHCs that appear on eBay would seem to be ones that where used by insurance agents. Another user was GE had a system for programming industrial radios that all fit into a large suitcase. I have one of these and it does provide some useful things like a serial interface and a plug in module that will take standard EPROMs.

Paul.

[Benoit Maag]

Opened up the small side printer - not easy to change the batteries...they are all the way under