Wow - learned something today - TI-58/58c/59 Pause key behavior

[Gene]

I really don't think I knew this already, and I don't think of myself as an expert here, but I was surprised.

Background: The SR-56 (100 step TI AOS programmable from 1976-1977) had a Pause instruction that served two purposes. During a running program, if the Pause instruction were encountered, the SR-56 would pause and display the X-register. Or, if the key for Pause (which was the shifted function of the divide key) was pressed while a program was running, even if no pause instructions were in the program, execution would display the program running step by step. So simply press the divide key while a program is running and the step by step results in the display are shown. Handy dual-function capability for the pause. This is demonstrated in the SR-56 presentation that was made at HHC 2016.

Current: Somehow, was not aware that this same functionality is also present in the TI-58/58c/59. While a program is running, pressing the Pause key (pause is the GTO key on these models), and you will see the step by step results of the display shown. In fact, in the SR-56 HHC 2016 presentation, I actually state that I was unaware of another machine that did this...despite owning a handful of TI-58c models and a couple of TI-59 machines... I like the TI-58c better than the TI-59 because most TI card readers no longer work, but the TI-58c constant memory usually does!

Oh well. If everyone else knew this, then shame on me. :-) If not, now you know.

Now if only I had an SR-56 emulator for iOS to go with the TI-59 emulator for iOS...

[toml_12953]

(01-02-2020 09:55 PM)Gene Wrote:  I really don't think I knew this already, and I don't think of myself as an expert here, but I was surprised.

Current: Somehow, was not aware that this same functionality is also present in the TI-58/58c/59. While a program is running, pressing the Pause key (pause is the GTO key on these models), and you will see the step by step results of the display shown. In fact, in the SR-56 HHC 2016 presentation, I actually state that I was unaware of another machine that did this...despite owning a handful of TI-58c models and a couple of TI-59 machines... I like the TI-58c better than the TI-59 because most TI card readers no longer work, but the TI-58c constant memory usually does!

Oh well. If everyone else knew this, then shame on me. :-) If not, now you know.

Look on page V-44 of the Personal Programming manual that came with the 58/59. It lists the uses of the Pause key. If you don't have a copy, you can get it at

TI-58c/TI-59 Personal Programming Manual

[Gene]

Yep, that's where I went earlier today after I just tried pressing the Pause key to see what would happen...and there it was in section V page 44.

I really have done a lot of TI-58/59 AOS style programming and have gone through the TI PPC Notes collection many times, but somehow missed this. Just found it funny and encouraging. There is always something to learn and be surprised about!