Heads-Up: Console Programmable RPN Calculator

[Namir]

Hello All,

I started a few weeks ago writing an RPN calculator emulator using Visual Basic 2015 Community Edition as an exercise. I made the application as a console app running in a DOS-like box. Consequently, it is command-line oriented. My first iteration supported typing RPN expressions on one line, with the ability to store and recall data in indexed memory registers.

The second iteration added the ability to process programs stored in text files. I added commands to support labels, GTOs, GSBs, tests for X and Y, tests for X and 0, flag tests, and so on. The model I used is the HP-41C. I also added the ability to use named variables that you can access with VSTO and VRCL commands (with support for register arithmetic for both VSTO and VRCL). I finally added named arrays that you can create and specify the dimensions. I offer the sets of ARSTO and ARRCL (with support for register arithmetic). I also added error handling mechanism that is based on pre.Net Visual Basic. This mechanism allows you to jump to a label when a run-time error occurs, or even ignore the run time error.

The application allows you to load programs from text files and then select which label to execute. This feature mimics the ability to execute code after labels A through J on the HP-41C.

I wrote a short document which lists the commands and provide a few sample programs. I will post the software and documentation as a ZIP file on my web site in the next few days (maybe a fe weeks). I am in the process of going over the source code to catch possible bugs.

I will post another notice when the software is available on the Internet.

Namir