HP Prime Beta Firmware Version 2.2 Revision 15008

[KlaasKuperus]

Hello all!

I know it's been quiet for a while, but rest assure we're still supporting Prime and are coming with several new things in the near future. First of them: a new release of the firmware for G1 and G2.

This firmware doesn’t include the CAS changes Prof. Parisse has been working on. The beta.html page only lists firmware. We will get a matching Virtual Calculator beta (for Windows) out fairly soon. Plan is to have at least one more public beta release of 2.2 by the end of the summer.

The timeline for this is to have 2.2 beta tested for a week (by you!) and then release via the Connectivity Kit. At that moment, we will release another public beta testing for the next version in the same way. (One that includes the CAS changes.) That one will go live end of the summer so we have a new one before the start of the new school year. And of course, we will continue to work on improvements. The beta-team is getting bigger and bigger so we can go faster and faster!

For the software, go to https://www.moravia-parts.com/hp-prime/beta.html. Download the files and replace your existing FW folders with the content of the .ZIP files. After this, update your handheld via the CK.

Looking forward getting your feedback.

[KlaasKuperus]

Date Released: 2024/07/09

Internal Versions
-----------------
Firmware Version: 2.2 BETA (revision 15008)

Description
-----------
1. Memory leaks have been addressed in the Vars and Toolbox catalog menus.
[PBT134,PBT135,PBT136,PBT137,PBT138,PBT139,PBT140,PBT141]
2. Function: The main program now starts out as a PPL program. [PBT164]
3. AFilesB no longer crashes when attempting to read a file of more than 10000 bytes.
[PBT154]
4. PPL: Using store with a negative index to insert well past the end of a list no longer
causes a crash. [PBT168]
5. RECT_P now uses the bottom right corner as the default for the x2 and y2 parameters.
[PBT175]
6. RECT_P will no longer silently not be fulfilled for large coordinates. [PBT176]
7. Statistics 1Var, 2Var: Delete Row with Clear or Del now deletes the entire row rather
than a single cell. [PBT183]
8. Statistics 1Var, 2Var: Delete Row with Del from a column header no longer deletes the
column. [PBT186]
9. Entering a date in shortened format in Home Settings no longer causes undesirable
behaviour. [PBT193]
10. Entering a date in shortened format in the initial configuration screen no longer
causes crashes. [PBT196]
11. Calendar: Attempting to move the cursor beyond the bounds of defined dates no longer
causes a crash. [PBT199]
12. Hexadecimal code points of Unicode code points in the Chars palette are no longer
truncated. [PBT146]
13. Home: Calling LINE or LINE_P with two or more empty lists no longer causes a crash.
[PBT223]
14. Home: Calling LINE_P with three lists no longer causes a crash. [PBT224]
15. Home: GET now behaves consistently on inputs which are outputs of QPI. [PBT228]
16. Deleting a variable in Memory Manager now always deletes the chosen variable rather
than a different variable defined based on the chosen variable instead. [PBT213]
17. Attempting to delete a list variable with a younger copy via Memory Manager no longer
deletes the younger copy instead. [PBT230]
18. Attempting to delete a matrix variable with a younger copy via Memory Manager no
longer deletes the younger copy instead. [PBT231]
19. Conversion of numbers to text format via STRING now follows the number format
parameter over HDigits. [PBT205]
20. The output of STRING no longer diverges from the number formatting used elsewhere when
the formatting is STANDARD and the precision is something other than 11 (or -1).
[PBT232]
21. Names of built-in functions containing Greek letters, and pi, are now case sensitive
with regards to their Greek letters. [PBT229]
22. PPL: Passing empty lists as coordinates to RECT now returns Error: Invalid Input
rather than causing a crash. [PBT174]
23. PPL: Passing STRING an invalid separator argument no longer results in a garbled text
output. [PBT243]
24. Dismissing the Edit Integer window in the equation editor no longer leaks memory.
[PBT244]
25. Home: Pressing the Base key when the last value on the history stack is not an integer
no longer results in # appearing in place of the Edit Integer window. [PBT238]
26. Geometry: Deleting the last Num view entry via the Plot view no longer causes a crash.
[PBT256]
27. PPL: A bug in which using PageDown/PageUp to certain target lines causes a crash has
been fixed. [PBT267]
28. The Home/CAS command line height no longer remains short after returning from a search
in the Help tree view. [PBT300]
29. The Statistics 1Var horizontal lines in a control chart brought up on the first boot
of a fresh calculator are no longer miscoloured. [PBT358]
30. Home: Complex numbers with infinite real components now accurately report their
imaginary components. [PBT402]
31. PPL: Multiplication by i no longer differs from multiplication by 0+i. [PBT403]
32. Function: The calculator no longer becomes unresponsive when attempting to plot a
function with a doubly-parenthesized exponent. [PBT404]
33. Home: Copying a value with nested exponents no longer rearranges the parentheses.
[PBT17]

1. Virtual Calculator and Connectivity Kit: the EULA shown to the user no longer includes
garbled text. [PBT120,PBT121]
2. Plot view equation displays now compute properly for trigonometric and hyperbolic
functions. [PBT34]
3. Geometry: The equation() command now better formats plotimplicit as text. [PBT20]
4. The calculator will no longer crash on boot if there is an app program that would
bring up the Terminal. [PBT45]

Release Notes
-------------
The release notes have been reformatted: spaces are now used for indentation (rather than
a mixture of tabs and spaces) and lines are now wrapped. A few minor changes have been
made to the notes for previous versions:
1. a few spelling corrections were made,
2. a few items had their indentation levels changed,
3. some minor changes were made to increase uniformity ("Version" is now included in
the line for the Connectivity Kit in the "Internal Versions" section and "Virtual
Calculator Version" is now used instead of "Emulator Version" in the release notes
for the 2013/11/25 release; some applications of underlining in various places
were also changed; all releases now state the "Date Released" as year/month/day),
4. a separator was added between the notes for different releases, and
5. numbering was added to sections of the release notes for the 2014/12/03 and
2013/11/25 releases;
6. for continuity,
(a) the 2018/10/16 release still has its versions listed in the release notes as
"2.1.14091 (2018 10 16)" (within the user interfaces, "2.1.14181 (2018 10 16)" is
shown),
(b) item 6 is still omitted from a section in the release notes for the 2016/04/14
release, and
(c) numbering begins at 0 for a section in the release notes for the 2014/12/03
release.
In the release notes for the 2018/01/24 release, however, "M" is no longer used for two
items in one list.

[TheLastMillennial]

Very happy to see a new update! I will try it as soon as I get the chance.

[Guenter Schink]

I've successfully updated one of my G2s. First glance shows some changes in the PYTHON environment.

Günter

[compsystems]

In the following link I report problems not only with CAS but also with Grapher and the functioning of the user interface. I hope you will read it and try to correct it.

https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-21548.html

[8031Brown]

Good news. I hope the user base gets behind this release and gives support and only constructive criticism.
Going forward, I hope not too much time is wasted on Python. I don't use Python. I didn't buy my Prime as a Python device. Indeed, it didn't originally have the Python app. Please do focus on refining PPL.
If other people feel differently I suggest they go and use their PC, tablet, etc. instead.

[komame]

(07-11-2024 09:27 AM)8031Brown Wrote:  Going forward, I hope not too much time is wasted on Python. I don't use Python. I didn't buy my Prime as a Python device. Indeed, it didn't originally have the Python app. Please do focus on refining PPL.
If other people feel differently I suggest they go and use their PC, tablet, etc. instead.

Well, in some aspects PPL is better, while in others Python is superior. I couldn't do without either of them on Prime. And the best situation is when you can combine these two languages in one program and extract the best from each. Python excels in areas where performance is required. It can perform certain tasks even 20-30 times faster than PPL and doesn't have such strict limitations regarding the length of lists or the size of arrays (in PPL the maximum list size is only 10,000 elements). Python also operates on much larger integers than PPL. On the other hand, PPL handles graphics better and has more advanced mathematical capabilities. Both are necessary.

[toml_12953]

(07-11-2024 09:27 AM)8031Brown Wrote:  Good news. I hope the user base gets behind this release and gives support and only constructive criticism.
Going forward, I hope not too much time is wasted on Python. I don't use Python. I didn't buy my Prime as a Python device. Indeed, it didn't originally have the Python app. Please do focus on refining PPL.
If other people feel differently I suggest they go and use their PC, tablet, etc. instead.

So YOU don't use Python. Many of us do and it's becoming a selling point for new customers.

[8031Brown]

The point being I bought a device without Python.

There are so very many devices out there with Python. I wanted one without. And, as I said, I would prefer that Moravia concentrate their limited resources on other aspects of what is a fabulous machine.

Also, please DON'T shout, it isn't polite!

[chromos]

If someone bought a calculator without Python because he doesn't want python in his calculator, no one is forcing him to update his calculator with firmware that has python in it.

[8031Brown]

But then someone doesn't get the rest of the features and fixes of the updates!

[Alder Statesman]

Sounds like my job. You work hard on project that many of your clients want, you complete the project, briefly are proud for getting something accomplished and then the criticisms roll in.

Some folks just hate change.

Thanks for the update that is provided to us at no cost. I am installing it now.

[8031Brown]

(07-11-2024 01:35 PM)Alder Statesman Wrote:  Sounds like my job. You work hard on project that many of your clients want, you complete the project, briefly are proud for getting something accomplished and then the criticisms roll in.

Some folks just hate change.

Thanks for the update that is provided to us at no cost. I am installing it now.

Not sure if your snark is aimed at me. (By the way, did you see that meme that you can tell if a politician is lying because they use the word "folks"?)

Regardless. I will go back to my first position. I am all for improvements, change is good. Not so much for adding bloat. Don't want Python, don't want a jacuzzi, don't want a shiny disco ball!

Very much want to support Moravia in it's efforts to fix bugs and improve the core product.

[Eddie W. Shore]

Thank you.

[Albert Chan]

(07-11-2024 12:54 PM)8031Brown Wrote:  But then someone doesn't get the rest of the features and fixes of the updates!

It is not a zero sum game.

Python in HP Prime may get more sales, which get more resources for "free" updates.

Also, Python is an open-source project, I doubt firmware devoted too much time on it.
Looking from list of changes (post #2), there was no mention of Python related bugs at all.

[bxparks]

(07-11-2024 09:27 AM)8031Brown Wrote:  If other people feel differently I suggest they go and use their PC, tablet, etc. instead.

You are not winning friends with this unfortunate choice of words. Those other people can tell YOU to go use another calculator if you don't like Python. (FYI, the use of capitalized words is a common substitute for BOLD or ITALICS in ascii-formatted text, because it's too difficult to remember which markup language is used for which websites. It does not mean that they are shouting at you.)

[gehakte_bits]

Back to the beta firmware testing feedback:

Many thanks, all my USB-HID functionality still works on a real Prime-G2 with 15008!

When you get ready for the emulator, please validate the USB-HID functionality that loses the first byte/reports incorrect HID size (63,63) vs (64,64) in the emulator.

[8031Brown]

(07-11-2024 05:25 PM)bxparks Wrote:  

(07-11-2024 09:27 AM)8031Brown Wrote:  If other people feel differently I suggest they go and use their PC, tablet, etc. instead.

You are not winning friends with this unfortunate choice of words. Those other people can tell YOU to go use another calculator if you don't like Python. (FYI, the use of capitalized words is a common substitute for BOLD or ITALICS in ascii-formatted text, because it's too difficult to remember which markup language is used for which websites. It does not mean that they are shouting at you.)

Once again. The Prime started out without Python. If I had wanted a calculator with Python, I would have bought a TI or a Casio, or even a NumWorks. First position wins.

[8031Brown]

(07-11-2024 03:10 PM)Albert Chan Wrote:  

(07-11-2024 12:54 PM)8031Brown Wrote:  But then someone doesn't get the rest of the features and fixes of the updates!

It is not a zero sum game.

Python in HP Prime may get more sales, which get more resources for "free" updates.

Also, Python is an open-source project, I doubt firmware devoted too much time on it.
Looking from list of changes (post #2), there was no mention of Python related bugs at all.

You make a good point about the possibility of increased sales bringing more resources. I also acknowledge your last point about there being no mention of Python in the 2nd post. I was triggered by another comment.

[Raymond Del Tondo]

(07-11-2024 09:27 AM)8031Brown Wrote:  I don't use Python.

Problem solved.