SandMath_44 4x4 on the NoV64

[quantalume]

In the SandMath_44 4x4 manual, it says:

Quote:Plugging the SandMath 4x4 module requires using the bank-switching configuration options on the 41-CL (as well as on Clonix/NoVRAM, or the MLDL-2k).

This suggest that it's possible to run this module on a NoV device. However, the NoV64, the largest device, only has 32K flash available if the HEPAX capability is used. This will hold the 32K of SandMath 4x4, but there is no room left over for the Library 4 dependency. Will this work if I disable HEPAX (and access to RAM)? Is there any way to put a module in RAM and keep HEPAX?

Also, I'm not clear how one takes a module like SandMath that comes as a .MOD file and translates it to what ClonixConfig requires, a .ROM file. Is this something Diego has to do? His latest CD, from 9 March 2015, has SMATH44L and SMATH44U ROMS. Which version of SandMath exactly do these correspond to?

[Ángel Martin]

Yes it can be configured disabling as you say the HEPAX configuration. The latest versions of ClonixConfig.exe already implement an option in the GUI to do this, I think it's called "Join Blocks" .

There are MOD2ROM routines available at TOS to extract the ROM files from the MOD containers. You can also use the ROM files available at the systemyde.com web site/ - check the "File Area" page on the 41CL section.

[quantalume]

Thanks for the speedy reply, Ángel. The MOD-to-ROM converter makes everything make sense. (It's called "Module File Utility," should someone else go looking for it). I see that I can fit SandMath 3x3 and still have room for HEPAX. Does this look like the correct configuration?

   

[Ángel Martin]

(12-21-2015 11:33 PM)quantalume Wrote:  Thanks for the speedy reply, Ángel. The MOD-to-ROM converter makes everything make sense. (It's called "Module File Utility," should someone else go looking for it). I see that I can fit SandMath 3x3 and still have room for HEPAX. Does this look like the correct configuration?

That looks just fine, but having the HEPAX ROM without any RAM may not be what you want - only can use the MCODE-related functions as there's no flashRAM available if I'm not mistaken. Just deselect the checkbox "HEPAX" in the GUI to make it go away .

Also if at all possible (despite it takes two more blocks) you should use the 4x4 revision of the SandMath - that's the one with better maintained code and more features as well.

Cheers,
'AM

[floppy]

Can the sandmath4x4 be placed in page 5&6 or 6&7 or 7&8.. ? (assumption: these pages are not busy with any CX or other printer/hpil).
Or is there any limitation?

[Sylvain Cote]

(09-19-2022 04:27 PM)floppy Wrote:  Can the sandmath4x4 be placed in page 5&6 or 6&7 or 7&8.. ? (assumption: these pages are not busy with any CX or other printer/hpil).
Or is there any limitation?

Bank switching is peripheral specific and can have different behavior. (41CL, DM41X, Clonix-D, MLDL, etc.)
Normally you can expect (but not assume) that page 4, 6, & 7 will be switched individually and that port pages (8&9, 10&11, 12&13, 14&15) are linked,
this means that both pages (even & odd) are switched at the same time.
If you have multiple hardware plugged in that support bank switching, each one is responsible to manage its own pages and can have different behavior.
More information can be found in the HP-41C Bank Switching Schemes article.

FYI, HP-41CX uses page 5 bank 1 for the CX Time module and page 5 bank 2 for the CX extra functions.

As for the sandmath4x4, my understanding is that it need one page over four banks and that library4 is in page 4.
I am not aware of any restriction regarding the page, so if am correct, pages 6 to 15 are valid, but remember that port pages are most often linked.
Ángel is the best person to answer this question.

Sylvain

[Ángel Martin]

(09-19-2022 04:27 PM)floppy Wrote:  Can the sandmath4x4 be placed in page 5&6 or 6&7 or 7&8.. ? (assumption: these pages are not busy with any CX or other printer/hpil).
Or is there any limitation?

The SandMath uses 2 pages, with 4 banks in each one for a total of 8 banks in an 8k-footprint factor.

I know for a fact that on the CL it can be installed straddling the outside ports, but I'm not 100% sure on a NovRAM, so better to use the "natural" ports i.e. Port1 = pages 8 and 9; page 2 = pages A and B, etc.

Finally no, it cannot use internal pages like page 6,7.

Cheers,
ÁM

[floppy]

"Finally no, it cannot use internal pages like page 6,7."

Is it a limitation from sandmath only?

= or are other MODs (for Nov64d) which cannot be placed in the "internal" pages 3, 5, 6 or 7? (we could read from the warpcore manual it cannot be placed in 6; so, at least one exists. More exists?).

(for example a "nacked" HP41CV could accept an HP16C ROM in page 3? if not, why? I created another post for such type of questions https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-18861.html perhaps better to answer there because this is a generic question and in fact not fully sandmath related anymore since the answer in this post is straight and clear)

[Ángel Martin]

(09-23-2022 07:50 AM)floppy Wrote:  "Finally no, it cannot use internal pages like page 6,7."

Is it a limitation from sandmath only?

= or are other MODs (for Nov64d) which cannot be placed in the "internal" pages 3, 5, 6 or 7? (we could read from the warpcore manual it cannot be placed in 6; so, at least one exists. More exists?).

(for example a "nacked" HP41CV could accept an HP16C ROM in page 3? if not, why? I created another post for such type of questions https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-18861.html perhaps better to answer there because this is a generic question and in fact not fully sandmath related anymore since the answer in this post is straight and clear)

This should help/
https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-18453.html