synthetic programming post keyboard troubles

[oreooreo]

Is synthetic programming obsolete if you have a DM41X?

If I understand it, a big part of synthetic programming is doing things that can't be entered directly with the keyboard. The DM41X has a shortcut. It allows load and dump of memory. It's a big selling point, for me. Besides backup and restore functions, the load/dump function avoids the complications of entering synthetics.

For example, in this excellent write up "HP-41C Synthetic Programming", there's an entire section devoted to accessing the b and d registers. With the DM41X, it's drastically simplified. I type "RCL d" in the encoder and the hex file reads (among other things) "907e". That was easy! The encoder isn't magic, either. It translates the code directly into hex using the byte table.

Another example is entering strings with the extended character set. If you do it on the calculator, its a lot of work (for a n00b, at last) but if you are using the DM41 load memory feature, it's trivial. LBL "(TTT)" is encoded as 54290000c0002f c000f600285454. The part we're interested in is 28 54 54 54 29 because 0x54=T, 0x28=(, amd 0x29=)

So much of the literature is focused on the input process so I'm trying to tease out what remains if you're not limited by the keyboard. Is there any reference that isn't bogged down with detailed keyboard instructions? Has anyone else used the load/dump function to avoid synthetic techniques? I'm new-ish to HP41 programming so feel free to tell me what's what.

[Garth Wilson]

I don't have a DM41X; but doesn't it come with all the module images pre-loaded?  The ZENROM module is one I have that makes all the synthetics as if they were not synthetic at all (like your RCL d example), and you can also enter any character into a string from the keyboard, without a memory load or dump.  You can also put special characters in LBL, XEQ, or GTO lines, or even edit RAM directly, using RAMED (but you better know what you're doing for this one).

[rprosperi]

The DM41X does not come with all modules installed; the Flash area is not large enough to hold all 500 and many of them (e.g. Angel's modules) are updated frequently.

That said, it's quite easy and quick to copy the modules (in .mod file format) to the DM41X's flash and then install them. The ZENROM module has been tested and works and the 41X is totally compatible with Synthetics.

[dmh]

I have also used synthetic programming on the DM41X with the ZENROM module and it works as expected.

As per many emulators, synthetic programming the geese does not currently work which is detailed in the following thread:

https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-21506.html

Some emulators have been fixed since the thread above (px41c, V41) but not sure if/when this will be fixed on the DM41X.

(05-12-2024 05:51 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  The DM41X does not come with all modules installed; the Flash area is not large enough to hold all 500 and many of them (e.g. Angel's modules) are updated frequently.

That said, it's quite easy and quick to copy the modules (in .mod file format) to the DM41X's flash and then install them. The ZENROM module has been tested and works and the 41X is totally compatible with Synthetics.

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(05-16-2024 01:10 PM)dmh Wrote:  As per many emulators, synthetic programming the geese does not currently work

Just wait a little more... ;)

[dmh]

Is there a DM41X firmware update coming at last that you know about?!?

It's been a while and I see people asking about it here regularly.

(05-16-2024 01:39 PM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  

(05-16-2024 01:10 PM)dmh Wrote:  As per many emulators, synthetic programming the geese does not currently work

Just wait a little more...