Keeping track of Keystroke Programs

[workspace]

Hi all,

as I am from the "HP48" generation with menues and directories, I am wondering how to keep track of the programs typed into a "keystroke" RPN calc, like the WP34s or the HP41 I acquired a few days ago :-)

I think the easiest is to keep kind of a journal on paper or txt file on the personal computer.

Lets start showing you ideas ....

Best regards
Ralf

[Bob Patton]

Since HP-65 days I have kept paper/computer-text files of keystroke programs. You can format as desired and add enough comments and notes to make the program clear. A binary back up for restoring is also strongly recommended where it is possible.

[Paul Dale]

(11-16-2014 08:46 PM)workspace Wrote:  as I am from the "HP48" generation with menues and directories, I am wondering how to keep track of the programs typed into a "keystroke" RPN calc, like the WP34s or the HP41 I acquired a few days ago :-)

The 34S can save programs in its internal flash, although the space is fairly limited. Once you are happy with a keystroke program, you can PSTO it into flash and execute it from there (via a three character alpha label or CAT). This is how the standard library routines are provided.

Beyond that, get a serial cable and save programs via that. You can transfer programs between two 34Ss or a 34S and an emulator (and between two emulators if you like taking the difficult path).


The HP41 can also save things but it requires additional hardware.


Pauli

[Dave Britten]

Generally, you either get a few characters to name your program (42S, 41C, TI-95, WP-34S), or the calculator has such limited storage space, that anything you've keyed in was probably done fairly recently, or is used very often, and thus is easy to remember (32S, 20S). Or like the Sinclair Cambridge Programmable, it's too limited to do anything useful anyway.

The LED TIs are a different matter, since you can label a program with nearly any key on the keyboard (except digits, and a couple others). So SBR* 1/x is perfectly valid. Either stick to the hotkeys you can label with a card below the display, or use those weird labels for internal branching.

*The TI equivalent to XEQ.

[workspace]

I think I got myself a small Moleskine type notebook, should look pretty good beside an WP34s or my "new" HP41 ;-).

Pauli thanks for your hint, to save the Programs to Flash, but this helps me not to remember what I have saved a view month ago (ok I can use the catalog function ...) and furthermore, which key I assigned to it eventually :-)

Best regards
Ralf

[Les Bell]

(11-17-2014 06:19 PM)workspace Wrote:  I think I got myself a small Moleskine type notebook, should look pretty good beside an WP34s or my "new" HP41 ;-).

That's what I use. In my experience, programs for the 11C, 15C, 41C, etc. aren't so long that keying them in now and again is a major imposition; rather, the issue is remembering what the heck a program identified by a 4-character label actually does, if you haven't used it for a few years. I like to write out my short programs in a small notebook, along with explanatory notes and comments. I insert printed listings (for the 41C) in the back, just in case of errors.

[Dave Britten]

(11-18-2014 07:14 AM)Les Bell Wrote:  

(11-17-2014 06:19 PM)workspace Wrote:  I think I got myself a small Moleskine type notebook, should look pretty good beside an WP34s or my "new" HP41 ;-).

That's what I use. In my experience, programs for the 11C, 15C, 41C, etc. aren't so long that keying them in now and again is a major imposition; rather, the issue is remembering what the heck a program identified by a 4-character label actually does, if you haven't used it for a few years. I like to write out my short programs in a small notebook, along with explanatory notes and comments. I insert printed listings (for the 41C) in the back, just in case of errors.

I also keep a small (about 2.5" x 4") Moleskine on my desk next to my 48SX. I can easily tell what the programs are meant to do based on name, but I get sick of having to reread the code whenever I forget what parameters they expect.

If it were just a little bit smaller, I could even fit it inside the unused second card slot.

[workspace]

It seems that my idea is not that uncommon as well as forgetting what all this TBAs for the programs have meant :-)

Thanks for sharing

Regards
Ralf