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webmasterpdx · 08-26-2017, 09:32 AM

I like the programming tools on the prime as they are efficient using the menus, but sometimes a function name may not be in the menu or only in the catalog.
Now, first I gotta say, using the menu is way faster than trying to type the function name, which is what is so nice about the prime menu system.
I can get quickly to the area in the catalog usually by typing the first letter once the catalog menu is up. E.g. Lets say I want to get to purge, so I just type alpha p, and it'll usually get me to the start of the p functions and it's just a quick scroll and tap and I've got the purge function on the screen.
HOWEVER, typing the first letter doesn't often work....like I may have to type shift alpha p or exit the toolbox and enter it again and try again. Sometimes, i can't get it to go to the letter I want at all. There doesnt' seem to be a hard and fast rule on how to get it to always work.
Is there some trick I dont' know about to get this to work reliably?
Thanks in advance
-Donald

webmasterpdx · 08-26-2017, 09:53 AM

I think I have an answer for this already....you don't need to type the alpha key first....when I do that, it seems to work reliably so far....I'll use this for a while and report if it works reliably.
I did a search in google and found an article where it describes this.
Here is the document I found. Note it's a useful document to read in it's own right. Has quite a few tips if your not intimate with the calculator yet...you might learn something from this.
http://www.hpgraphingcalc.org/uploads/9/..._prime.pdf

Joe Horn · 08-26-2017, 12:15 PM

The "trick" is to type QUICKLY enough. If you delay too long (more than a second or so) between keystrokes, the search resets and starts all over again. But if you keep typing, it'll search for the word that starts with all the letters you type.

Example in the Toolbox Catalog menu:

Press Toolbox, then WITHOUT DELAYS between keystrokes, press V E R, and you'll land on VERSION. If you delay between the V and E, it'll jump to the entries that start with E. (By the way, that example works exactly the same way on the HP 50g in the CATalog with Alpha mode locked on).

If you have any recent firmware version, pressing Toolbox automatically locks Alpha mode on, to save you a few key presses. If pressing Toolbox does not turn your Alpha annunciator on, you have an ancient firmware version and you should update ASAP.

Tim Wessman · 08-27-2017, 04:39 PM

(08-26-2017 09:53 AM)webmasterpdx Wrote: I think I have an answer for this already....you don't need to type the alpha key first....when I do that, it seems to work reliably so far....I'll use this for a while and report if it works reliably.

Yes, in most places when you have a larger choose, the ALPHA indicator will be automatically on when you enter. Just check if the alpha indicator is on and then you are ok to type.

Robert Graulich · 08-28-2017, 02:26 PM

Is it possible to increase the timeout? I have one of these first Primes with the grey number keys, where I can hardly read the alpha labels. I would prefer to have no timeout. The backspace key could reset the search in a controlled way. Whatever the timeout is, it will be wrong for somebody.

webmasterpdx · (This post was last modified: 08-28-2017 10:35 PM by webmasterpdx.)

The keypads are the same for most primes. It's only the newest primes that have the new keypads. I bought mine this year and it had the old keypad. There is no hardware number for the new keypads, so it's just a matter of luck as to where you buy it and if they have new ones in stock. I use a booklight on the keypad so I can see what to type.

Tim Wessman · (This post was last modified: 08-29-2017 04:36 PM by Tim Wessman.)

I tried it with no timeout, but it really felt a bit wrong. Previously, the time was 2.5 secs. I've lengthened it to 5s and I think that is better. You also see a search icon that can be tapped and also the text you are searching (up to 7 chars or something like that). Here's some screenshots of that in action in the catalog - also showing in dark theme. Smile

Robert Graulich · 08-30-2017, 11:19 AM

Thank you for the enhancements! I have just two things to add.

1. Is it possible to have some kind of filter to remove e.g. the CAS functions from the list? For me, they are most of the time just in the way. Of course, this depends on the kind of program you are writing.

2. To have kind of an auto select, if the character sequence sufficiently matches one entry? Now you have to always press ENTER.

Of course, the choices (filter and auto select) should be applied to the next search, too. Otherwise these selections would be needed over and over again.

Hans S. · 08-31-2017, 04:40 AM

(08-30-2017 11:19 AM)Robert Graulich Wrote: 2. To have kind of an auto select, if the character sequence sufficiently matches one entry? Now you have to always press ENTER.

Or you may wish to use the "Help" button. Wouldn't an autoselect function provoce a conflict?

Hans

Joe Horn · 08-31-2017, 06:22 AM

(08-31-2017 04:40 AM)Hans S. Wrote:
(08-30-2017 11:19 AM)Robert Graulich Wrote: 2. To have kind of an auto select, if the character sequence sufficiently matches one entry? Now you have to always press ENTER.

Or you may wish to use the "Help" button. Wouldn't an autoselect function provoke a conflict?

I totally agree. Auto-executing a command as soon as a "sufficient match" is found, would be a Bad Thing for many reasons, one of which is that I don't always know exactly what I'm looking for (there are so many commands!), and this proposed misfeature would make it impossible to go hunting for things in the catalog.

Robert Graulich · 09-01-2017, 11:50 AM

I agree with you. We should not hijack the catalog for fast program entry. Bad idea from my side. Especially, as I already wrote a small utility, assigned to K_Abc, that solves part of this problem.

I will put this small utility under the program section, once it is finished and polished. It allows to enter often used text without explicitly switching to alpha mode. But I still need an efficient way to provide local variables. Global variables are already handled by the Prime. Perhaps the menu can present these in an alphabetically sorted way?

The real issue I am fighting with is the constant switching between normal and alpha mode, when editing a program. I very often forget to switch back to normal mode. Then I forget to double tap the alpha key. Then I am already in alpha mode, thinking about something, continue by pressing alpha twice, and messing around with non alpha key strokes. Some of this confusion might go away, if it is possible to have permanent alpha mode with a single key press as with the HP48. Did I miss a flag in the preferences to select this mode?

BTW, I am aware that the connectivity kit is very helpful. But I like to write small programs, if I am not at my PC. For this the Prime is very nice.

Tyann · 09-01-2017, 04:39 PM

Bonjour

Ces petits icônes dans le catalogue n'apparaissent pas sur ma machine (version 10637)
Est-ce une nouveauté de la version 12066 ?

Hello

These small icons in the catalog do not appear on my machine (version 10637)
Is this new in version 12066?

Tim Wessman · 09-01-2017, 07:25 PM

(09-01-2017 04:39 PM)Tyann Wrote: Is this new in version 12066?

Nope. Not yet... Smile

toml_12953 · (This post was last modified: 09-02-2017 09:31 AM by toml_12953.)

(08-29-2017 04:36 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote: I tried it with no timeout, but it really felt a bit wrong. Previously, the time was 2.5 secs. I've lengthened it to 5s and I think that is better. You also see a search icon that can be tapped and also the text you are searching (up to 7 chars or something like that). Here's some screenshots of that in action in the catalog - also showing in dark theme.

All I'm getting are a number of black boxes with an X in them and the word image rather than images.

Stevetuc · (This post was last modified: 09-06-2017 08:04 AM by Stevetuc.)

(08-29-2017 04:36 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote: I tried it with no timeout, but it really felt a bit wrong. Previously, the time was 2.5 secs. I've lengthened it to 5s and I think that is better. You also see a search icon that can be tapped and also the text you are searching (up to 7 chars or something like that). Here's some screenshots of that in action in the catalog - also showing in dark theme.

Hi Tim

Could you add a hold function - tap somewhere to disable timeout , then reinstate timeout after search selection is made ( or a similar tap to enable timeout)

maybe also a long press on a key could flush the search so one doesn't have to wait for timeout to end- it starts new search immediately with the long pressed character

Tim Wessman · 09-06-2017, 02:27 PM

BKSP clears it. Then you can begin typing something else.

toml_12953 · 09-06-2017, 02:34 PM

(09-01-2017 07:25 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote:
(09-01-2017 04:39 PM)Tyann Wrote: Is this new in version 12066?

Nope. Not yet...

We want!

Tyann · 09-06-2017, 04:52 PM

Bonjour , Hello

Quote:Tim Wrote
BKSP clears it. Then you can begin typing something else.

Selon moi BKSP devrait supprimer le dernier caractère entré et repositionner la recherche
en arrière et SHIFT BKSP effacer tous les caractères pour une nouvelle recherche.
Qu'en pensez-vous ?

In my opinion BKSP should delete the last character entered and reposition the search
back and SHIFT BKSP delete all characters for a new search.
What do you think ?