WP34s: date functions and negative years

[Paul Dale]

(01-24-2015 10:16 PM)Dieter Wrote:  So another fix will be required that sets the limit from year –4799 to –4712. That's the year starting with JDN 0. If I got it right, it seems to be line 120 in date.c. ;-)

Oops, got the start date for the JDN incorrect. For some reason I thought it was -4799. Oh well, fixed now.

Quote:BTW, I see there is a compiler option INCLUDE_EASTER with code for calculating the easter date. Great! Why is this useful function missing in the current releases?

Walter was adamant that this function was not useful.

Quote:The code also shows that the LEAP? test accepts either an integer year in X or a date in the currently set format. I always thought that the former was required while the manual says the latter is needed ("Takes x as a date in the format selected, extracts the year, and tests for a leap year"). Actually LEAP? works in both cases. Walter?

Just a case of being more useful where possible.


- Pauli

[Dieter]

(01-24-2015 10:51 PM)Paul Dale Wrote:  Oops, got the start date for the JDN incorrect. For some reason I thought it was -4799. Oh well, fixed now.

Thank you.

(01-24-2015 10:51 PM)Paul Dale Wrote:  [ easter date ]
Walter was adamant that this function was not useful.

What? I hardly can believe it. Also answering Bob's question...

(01-24-2015 10:43 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  Rather than "why is this useful function missing?" I would ask "why is this missing function useful?".

...it's because at least over here in Europe there are many easter-related holidays, some of which even on a Thursday so that they may be used for long weekends. Finding out these dates between February and June is a common task not only while planning your vacation. I would love to have this in my 34s. Simply because it's a helpful function in everyday life. Much more so than the one or other advanced high level math function.

Apart from that, determining the Easter date is a classic task for programmable calculators. My first HP solution book ("Calendars" for the HP41 – you guessed it ;-)) of course included such a program, including all related holidays. Recently I even found an Easter program for the 19C/29C.

(01-24-2015 10:51 PM)Paul Dale Wrote:  Just a case of being more useful where possible.

Fine. In this case the manual should be updated. And if Walter can be convinced of the usefulness, he might add the same note at the new Easter function – as far as I can see it would also accept a plain year as well as a date within that year.

Dieter