Do you use PSE?

[hth]

What do you think about the PSE function on the HP-41?

I can think of three ways of using it.

1. As a pause, to stop for a while (showing something) and continue
2. As a means of optional input, like press a key in a game
3. As a way of doing input, type a number or some alpha input (in alpha mode)

(1) could to be done with a DELAY function that does not allow input (or a delay loop), coupled with VIEW or AVIEW.
(2) is better done with something like GETKEY
(3) the few times I tried it has made me frustrated, sometimes I hesitate and then it is too late (it decides for me when I am done)

What do you think, is the ability to enter a number or a string during PSE really useful? How do you use it?

[Sylvain Cote]

1. you can use a TONE before PSE to warn user about the PSE coming in.
2. yes and no, you just need to press R/S, then you have plenty of time to do the input in X or ALPHA then press R/S again then use flag 22 or 23 to check if there was data input done
3. combine 1 & 2

Edit: The pinball game of the Games Pac is based around the PSE wait/input functionality.

[Garth Wilson]

The only thing I use PauSE for is in a looping program to get results like if I'm writing them in a table by hand and don't want to press a key a hundred times or more. Depending on the time required to calculate each result, I might be able to keep up with just VIEW or AVIEW and no pauses or stops, although I might use a short beep (like synthetic TONE 57) as an annunciator to help keep in step. If it's something I'll need enough to justify the extra programming time, I'd probably just have it print it instead. I never realized PSE could be used for inputting; but its short delay seems to make it rather useless for this. I do use GETKEY and GETKEYX quite a bit.

[hth]

(03-10-2020 10:49 PM)Sylvain Cote Wrote:  1. you can use a TONE before PSE to warn user about the PSE coming in.
2. yes and no, you just need to press R/S, then you have plenty of time to do the input in X or ALPHA then press R/S again then use flag 22 or 23 to check if there was data input done
3. combine 1 & 2

Edit: The pinball game of the Games Pac is based around the PSE wait/input functionality.

I know the pinball game uses PSE, do not remind me. I wore out my "1" key the first year due to that game, LOL.

If you need to press R/S to do the input, then there is no need to support the ability of entering a number during a PSE.

In some way PSE feels like a multi-way tool, a compromise that has some uses, but it falls short in many cases. Especially the ability to do input during the pause is somewhat hard to use in reality.

I understand that it is convenient to pause and show X (or ALPHA) for a while during execution. You can show something else with VIEW and a beep can alert that something new is to be shown. If during that time you press R/S, then you can enter a number without being interrupted. The automatic feature of doing input is somewhat unusable in reality.

What I am doing is an OS extension module which may alter the way X is shown. The built in PSE does not work anymore and implementing a new PSE that works is not all that simple on top of everything. Perhaps it is possible, but the cost in terms of code and complexity may outweigh the benefits of copying an old design that may not be what you want anyway. What I am thinking is that a PSE without the ability to do input (but still allow R/S, ON, and pressing another key could end it prematurely) would be almost as useful. That coupled with some better single key input, some menu dispatcher and you have the bases covered. (You still have the old PSE, which works in normal mode.)

What do you think?

[toml_12953]

(03-10-2020 06:47 AM)hth Wrote:  What do you think about the PSE function on the HP-41?

I can think of three ways of using it.

1. As a pause, to stop for a while (showing something) and continue
2. As a means of optional input, like press a key in a game
3. As a way of doing input, type a number or some alpha input (in alpha mode)

(1) could to be done with a DELAY function that does not allow input (or a delay loop), coupled with VIEW or AVIEW.
(2) is better done with something like GETKEY
(3) the few times I tried it has made me frustrated, sometimes I hesitate and then it is too late (it decides for me when I am done)

What do you think, is the ability to enter a number or a string during PSE really useful? How do you use it?

I've used it for stopwatch programs and descent velocities in lunar lander programs after I ran out of fuel.

[Gamo]

PSE is good when you need to see briefly the result of the iterative or recursive result on display in each steps through the loops.

Recently I make a program to generate the approximation of Pi for each [PSE] pause briefly to see the Pi value and keep incrementing on display.

Generate Pi using Nilakantha Series

Example: For HP-10C or 12C

Code:


2
STO 1
3
STO 0
STO 2
4
STO 3
RCL 0
4 
ENTER
RCL 1
RCL 2
x
RCL 3
x
÷
+
STO 0
PSE  <-----
GTO 35
RCL 0
4
ENTER
RCL 1
RCL 2
x
RCL 3
x
÷
-
STO 0
PSE   <-----
ENTER
-
2
STO+1
STO+2
STO+3
X<>Y
X=0
GTO 08
GTO 21

Formula Used:

3 + [4 ÷ (2+3+4)] - [4 ÷ (4+5+6)] +[4 ÷ (6+7+8)] - [4 ÷ (8+9+10)] + .........

Gamo

[Ángel Martin]

Like the other replies I also see some value in PSE as a poor-man data input mechanism. It is somewhat imperfect and limited (probably that's better done with GETKEY loops) but numerous games use it very effectively; so if you remove that it'll be a compatibility issue.