What has the DM41 extra over the HP42s?

[johanw]

(11-06-2020 04:30 PM)Werner Wrote:  Shift-EXIT is OK. R/S would be ok too.. as long as I can catch EXIT ;-)
I certainly prefer to have a key to break out, instead of having to 'exit the app' or so.
(how would that work on a DM42 then?)
Werner

On a DM42 there is that little hole in the back. And if all else fails you can always remove the battery, no software solution can withstand that.

[Dave Britten]

(11-06-2020 06:07 PM)Thomas Okken Wrote:  

(11-06-2020 03:24 PM)Dave Britten Wrote:  How about just holding EXIT or R/S for one second or so to halt the program when GETKEY1 (or whatever it ends up being called) is waiting for input? It would be sort of like holding a key until NULL is displayed.

I kind of like the idea, but that would be a royal pain to implement...

Yeah, the new GETKEY function would need to respond to at least those keys on key up rather than key down.

[rawi]

Dear all,

one thing concerning the topic of this thread: What has the DM 41 extra over the HP 42S?

Using the DM42 and the DM41X I had from beginning the feeling that it takes more typing effort to put in programs in the DM42 compared to the DM41X. I tried with one program (please see attached file. The program is explained under the following link: https://forum.swissmicros.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=2710).

The result: DM 42 needs 646 key strokes for typing in the program, DM41X only 568 which is 11.5% less.

Of course this is only a hint. Other programs will deliver other results. But to my impression especially having a Alpha-Key saves a lot of typing compared with the DM42.

Best

Raimund

[Logan]

(11-10-2020 08:38 PM)rawi Wrote:  The result: DM 42 needs 646 key strokes for typing in the program, DM41X only 568 which is 11.5% less.

But the DM42 does have the alpha keyboard. Shift + up or shift + down to cycle through the options and once it's set, you don't have to do the menu option. So wouldn't the keystrokes be greatly reduced? By my count, reduced by about 90 keystrokes which puts the DM42 at 556...which is less than the 568 on the DM41X?

By the way, I don't think this is a great measure. I only have to input a program once and can do it off the calculator so I'm not worried about one-time keystrokes. I'm more concerned with day to day use.

[rawi]

Quote:But the DM42 does have the alpha keyboard. Shift + up or shift + down to cycle through the options and once it's set, you don't have to do the menu option. So wouldn't the keystrokes be greatly reduced? By my count, reduced by about 90 keystrokes which puts the DM42 at 556...which is less than the 568 on the DM41X?

You are right, there are possibilities for adjusting the keyboard of the DM42. But the thread was about the HP42S and as far as I know this is not possible there. And of course you can put commands to every key of the DM41X which would safe a lot of typing as well. So I thought a fair comparison is using the calculators as they are without any adjustments.

Quote: By the way, I don't think this is a great measure. I only have to input a program once and can do it off the calculator so I'm not worried about one-time keystrokes. I'm more concerned with day to day use.

Well, I agree it is not so relevant when you type in a ready program you get from another source. But when programming and trying different ways to come to a solution I think it is relevant. As well when testing a program using SST you have just one key stroke at the DM 41X and two at the DM42. In toral I find the keyboard of the DM41X more user friendly.

[Logan]

(11-10-2020 09:24 PM)rawi Wrote:  You are right, there are possibilities for adjusting the keyboard of the DM42. But the thread was about the HP42S and as far as I know this is not possible there. And of course you can put commands to every key of the DM41X which would safe a lot of typing as well. So I thought a fair comparison is using the calculators as they are without any adjustments.

I think it's fair to point out that you specifically compared the DM42 to the DM41x keystrokes though

[Massimo Gnerucci]

But you can shave 1 keystroke on every 41 for each STO, RCL, CF, SF, LBL, GTO, XEQ... etc, followed by 01-10, by using the keys on the first two rows, rather than the digits (i.e. STO TAN rather than STO 10).

And I see a lot of them in your listing.

[rawi]

Logan wrote:

Quote:I think it's fair to point out that you specifically compared the DM42 to the DM41x keystrokes though Smile

Fair point, Logan. But then it is fair as well to assign the PROMPT command to a key what I did in a new version of the comparison.

Massimo Gnerucci wrote:

Quote:But you can shave 1 keystroke on every 41 for each STO, RCL, CF, SF, LBL, GTO, XEQ... etc, followed by 01-10, by using the keys on the first two rows, rather than the digits (i.e. STO TAN rather than STO 10).

Thank you Massimo. I did not know about that possibility. This will save me some time in the future. I have included it.

Attached you will find a new version using these shortenings. The result is 449 Keystrokes for DM41X and 542 for DM 42.

Best

Raimund

[Logan]

(11-11-2020 09:41 AM)rawi Wrote:  Attached you will find a new version using these shortenings. The result is 449 Keystrokes for DM41X and 542 for DM 42.

If you set up the custom menu on the DM42, you could shorten things like PROMPT by at least a keystroke, maybe more if you "fix" it. I'm sure some of the other commands could benefit from being put on the custom menu as well.

But I'm not sure what the utility of optimizing the number of keystrokes for a given program is, unless it's for our own entertainment!