From: chua@phage.cshl.org (Victor Chua in Krainer Lab - CSHL)
Subject: FAQ-HP48. By Clayton Tang, 4/1/92
Summary: Hewlett-Packard HP48/HP48SX FAQ
Keywords: Frequently asked questions on HP48 calculator
Organization: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 18:04:36 GMT


              Frequently Asked Questions for HP48sx and HP48s 
              (FAQ of comp.sys.hp48, 4/1/1992,  Clayton Tang) 
                         -=*> HP48 or Nothing <*=- 
 
 
     This is a monthly posting submitted on the 1st day of every month, I hope. 
A copy of this article can be found at seq.uncwil.edu named FAQ-HP48.  All the 
information here is related to HP48 unless otherwise noted. 
 
 
                           ** Please Notice ** 
 
     This FAQ was previously maintained by Jeremy Smith.  Most of this FAQ are 
comments made by many knowledgeable people; but since I have to keep the FAQ to 
a moderate size, I am forced to summarize and leave out the credits. Sorry. 
Also, there is another set of Q&A by Darryl Okahata that can be found at seq; 
it's quite good. 
 
 
Section #1: Useful Lists 
======================== 
 
1. List of anonymous ftp sites. 
 
   seq.uncwil.edu       128.109.221.20          The most complete archive. 
   hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com    15.255.72.16            The HP BBS by HP company. 
   hpcvaaz.cv.hp.com    15.255.72.15            /pub 
   wuarchive.wustl.edu  128.252.135.4           /systems/hp48sx 
   funic.funet.fi       128.214.6.100           /pub/misc/hp48sx 
   gmuvax2.gmu.edu      129.174.1.8             /new/hp48sx, very few files 
 
 
2. List of BBS and Telnet sites. 
 
   HP BBS via modem 
        (503) 750-4448          300-2400 baud, 8N1 
        (503) 750-3277          300-9600 baud, 8N1 
 
   Milwaukee HP48 BBS 
        (414) 362-2020          300-9600 baud, 8N1 
 
   Raisers of the Last Arg BBS 
        (416) 968-6633          1200/2400 baud, 8N1 
 
   HP BBS via telnet 
        hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com       15.255.72.16 
 
   * Connect to HP BBS via modem or telnet gives you access to mail, files, 
     and conferences. Ftp is for files only. 
         
 
3. List of mail order companies. 
 
   EduCalc - The biggest HP distributor, will ship over sea, slightly pricy 
        Phone Number:   1-800-677-7001  1-800-535-9650  1-714-582-2637 
        Fax:            1-714-582-1445 
        Address:        27953 Cabot Road, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677, USA 
        Some Prices:    48sx - $274.95, 48s - $194.95, HP128k - $124.95 
 
   Elek-Tek - Moderate selection, lower price, ship to U.S. and Canada 
        Phone Number:   1-800-395-1000  1-708-677-7660 
        Fax:            1-708-677-7168 
        Address:        7350 N. Linder Ave, Skokie, IL 60077 
        Some Prices:    48sx - $249.00, 48s - $175.00, HP128k - $119.00 
 
   * Both companies accept checks, money order, or credit card cashable at 
     a U.S. bank with U.S. currency only. Next day, 2nd day, ground, UPS or 
     postal service available. 
 
   Lewis & Lewis, Calculators, Surveyors Supply, and 47th Street Photo also 
   sell HP48, but I only have limited information on them. 
 
   Surveyors Supply 
        Phone Number:   1-800-334-0095  1-919-362-7000 
        Fax:            1-919-362-7077 
        Address:        Box 809, Apex, NC 27502 (Hwy 64 at Salem Street) 
 
   Calculators 
        Phone Number:   1-612-866-8908 
        Address:        Minneapolis (?) 
 
 
4. List of related news groups. 
 
   comp.sys.hp48 - the official group for HP48, with some HP28 stuff 
 
   comp.sources.hp48 - where the programs are, if you have a cable 
 
   comp.sys.handhelds - any system that can be held in a hand? 
 
   comp.sys.palmtops - any system that can be put on top of a palm? 
 
 
5. List of other related services. 
 
   comp.sys.hp48 & comp.sources.hp48 mailing list by Chris Spell 
        send any message to hp48-sub@seq.uncwil.edu 
 
   remove yourself from the mailing list (bad move) 
        send any message to hp48-unsub@seq.uncwil.edu 
 
   post to comp.sources.hp48 via mail to Chris Spell 
        send article to hp48@seq.uncwil.edu 
 
   Mail server for HP48 archives at seq.uncwil.edu 
   send a message to hp-mail-server@seq.uncwil.edu 
   with the contents: 
 
   send HELP  <- note uppercase 
   exit       <- needed to bypass signature 
 
   Bitnet return addresses are not currently supported.  Add this 
   line to the top of your request: 
        "PATH username%machine.bitnet@vxc.uncwil.edu" 
 
 
Section #2: Questions 
===================== 
 
1. Where can a novice get some answers? 
 
   First, read the manuals. 90% of all the questions can be answered by the 
   manual. At least read the first volume; don't post to the net without 
   doing some reading first. Second, you can call the HP support line or 
   the HP BBS. Dozens of operators are just itching to solve your problem. 
   Also, you can post to comp.sys.hp48 with your questions. 
 
 
2. What version is my calc? 
 
   Press <ON> and <D>, then "Backspace" key (not the left arrow), and <EVAL> 
   the display. It will say "Version HP48-<version letter>". The latest is E. 
   HP company denies a rumored version F, and do not plan to release F soon. 
   Press <ON> and <C> for normal operation. 
 
 
3. Why does my calc sometimes freeze up for a second? 
 
   The HP48 has to do "garbage collection" occasionally to free objects no 
   longer used. It will "freeze" longer if you have a ram card, but it will 
   "freeze" less often. Less stacks will also speed up "garbage collection". 
 
 
4. How accurate is the calc? 
 
   HP48 is very accurate, but not infinite. Don't expect "(square root 2)^2" 
   to be 2. This is not a bug, it is due to the fact that you want base-10 
   calculation on a binary machine.  In fact, if other calcs tell you that  
   (1/3)*3 = 1. They probably rounded the answer. 
 
 
5. Can I speed up HP48 like the HP28? 
 
   The 28 speed nibble has a value 0-f (default 7) which can be changed by 
   the software. The 48 is "hard wired" to top speed - about a 2MHz XT. 
 
 
6. How do I transfer data from 28 to 48? 
 
   Used the program INPRT that came with the Connection Kit or ftp to 
   an archive, such as seq. 
 
 
7. What is the difference between 48sx and 48s? 
 
   They are exactly the same, except the 48s does not have the expansion 
   ports. Therefore, 48s will not take additional ram cards or rom cards. 
   If you plan to heavily use your calc, a 48s will not have enough ram. 
 
 
8. Can I use non-HP ram cards for my calc? (512k cards?)
 
   Aside from HP, some companies also make cards for the 48sx; so if the 
   non-HP card is especially designed for the 48sx, then they are just as 
   good. But if it is just a card that happens to physically fit the slot, 
   but not meant for 48sx, then it may severely damage your calc. (Sparcom 
   makes cards for 48sx) 

   There are also 512K ram cards made by non-HP companies. The cards use a
   auto-banking system to address above 128K. They are safe to use, and 
   pretty cheap. But do you really need 512K? :)
    
 
9. What is CHIP, SCHIP, MLDL, RPL, Saturn, Voyager STAR and such? 
 
   CHIP and SCHIP are interpreters for some video games. Using CHIP or SCHIP 
   you can make or play simple games on 48. The popular games are Joust,  
   Blinky, PIPER, PONG and 3 or 4 more. 
 
   MLDL is a library that allows you to debug machine language on the 48. 
   Voyager is a program for IBM PCs to debug machine language for 48. 
 
   Saturn is the internal codes for the 48 and other HPs. 
   ASAP (written in pearl for unix), SASS (written in C for unix), and STAR 
   (written in C for many machine) are all Saturn machine language assemblers. 
 
   RPL is the programming language for 48 and 28 (ascii).  There is also the  
   System RPL which includes low level commands for cpu access.  
 
 
10. How do I build a home-made cable? 
 
   Well, you can get the HP cable by itself for about $26 now. You can also 
   buy the cable with a HP connector and an unterminated end for about $15. 
 
   If you really need to make one, here are the pin outs. (the pins on HP, as 
   you look at the calc) 
 
       ---------  
      | o o o o | 
       \_______/ 
        ^ ^ ^ ^ 
        | | | \-------4 Signal GND 
        | | \---------3 RX (input to HP) 
        | \-----------2 TX (output from HP) 
        \-------------1 Shield 
 
   The connector for HP is really hard to find. If you live in Montreal, 
   Addisons have a 6 pin connector ($.25) that will fit, if you chop off 
   2 pins and shape it with some glue gun glue. Or, buy some guzallion 
   pins for radio controlled toys at Radio Shack for $1, put them on the HP, 
   and tape them down. Be sure to pinch them a little, so they aren't loose.  
 
 
11. What do I do if my calc locks up? 
 
   <ON>-<C> is the first and the safest thing to do. It halts what ever the 
   48 is doing, and does not erase any files. 
 
   <ON>-<A>-<F> is the last thing to try and should be used carefully. It  
   dumps all the memory, and starts the system from scratch. Also try to 
   recovery memory when it asks you. 
 
   There is also a reset button under the upper right rubber foot. Remove 
   the foot, and insert a pin in the hole with a "R" next to it. I don't 
   know if the reset is equiv of on-c or on-a-f.  
 
    
12. What is ASC->, ->ASC, uuencode and uudecode? 
 
   ASC-> turns a ->ASC'ed string on stack 1 to binary code.  ->ASC turns 
   the object on stack 1 into a string.  If you don't have a copy, pick 
   up hp48/archive_utils/HP48_starter.txt at seq.uncwil.edu. 
 
   ->ASC is similar to uuencode on unix, but for and executed on 48. Like 
   uuencode, it takes a binary program and converts it to ascii, which can 
   be transferred via mail or posting. ASC-> is like uudecode, which turns
   the string on stack 1 into an object. 
 
   While using uudecode, if you experience problems extracting a uuencoded file
   because of the file name, edit the file and change the name in the line that
   has "begin" on it.  This is the name the binary file will be placed in when
   it is uudecoded.  You can change the name to anything you wish. 
 
   Pick up hp48/archive_utils/HP48_starter.txt at seq.uncwil.edu if you need 
   a uudecoder. 
 
 
13. Is there an easy way to extract the files from comp.sources.hp48? 
 
   Yes, pick up the program hp48/archive_utils/cshp48ex.Z at seq.uncwil.edu. 
   The DOS executable are included as well as C source code.  It also comes 
   with a DOS executable for brik. 
 
 
14. What is brik? 
 
   In all comp.sources.hp48 posts you will find a Checksum: XXXXXXXXXX header. 
   Brik uses this header to verify the file.  If brik says the file is okay,  
   then you know the file you have is exactly like the one that left seq when 
   it was posted.  If brik returns an error, please send a message to  
   spell@seq.uncwil.edu and let him know the post is corrupt.   
 
 
15. What is WSLOG? 
 
   It is an undocumented feature which stands for "Warm Start LOG". Type in 
   WSLOG in caps, and calc will list the time and cause of the last four WS. 
   This feature helps HP tech to fix your baby, in case it crashes. 
 
   0 - log cleared by <ON> <SPC> then <ON> 
   1 - low battery condition, auto deep sleep mode invoked to save battery 
   2 - hardware failed during IR (time out) 
   3 - run through address 0 
   4 - system time corrupt 
   5 - deep sleep mode wake up (alarm?) 
   6 - unused 
   7 - CMOS test word in ram was corrupted 
   8 - abnormality was detected about device config 
   9 - corrupt alarm list 
   A - unused 
   B - card module pulled 
   C - hardware reset 
   D - system RPL error handler not found in run stream 
   E - corrupt config table 
   F - system RASM card pulled 
 
  
Section 3: Misc Information 
=========================== 
 
o      The goodie disks containing many useful and fun programs are at seq. 
       Currently, volume 1-6. 
 
o      Display flickering caused by fluorescent lights. 
 
o      Little numbers on stat line <1-5> are user flags. To turn on a number, 
       "1 SF", or "2 CF" to clear a flag. 
 
o      Split a matrix in rows by using \Gs- 
 
o      Build a matrix from rows by using \Gs+ 
 
o      See manual (II) p627 for \Ga and other characters preceded by \. 
 
o      Vectored ENTER refers to \GaENTER and \GbENTER.  See 
       hp48/hardware/vector.ENTER.Z on seq.uncwil.edu (or to: 
       hp-mail-server@seq.uncwil.edu send message: send 
       hardware/vector.ENTER.Z). 
 
o      Alonzo's 48 internals: see hp48/hardware/innards.Z on 
       seq.uncwil.edu (or to: hp-mail-server@seq.uncwil.edu send message: 
       send hardware/innards.Z). 
 
o      PC is DTE, modem is DCE.  Use null modem &| gender bender. 
 
o      Archive sites/Ftp sites: (Lots of articles, information and neat 
       public domain HP 28 & HP 48 software) (type ftp site name (or IP 
       address), login as anonymous, password your return address, cd 
       directory, ls to see files, set binary, get filename to transfer 
       file to your system).  All files ending in ".Z" are compressed 
       using the Unix compress command.  If you need source code for 
       compress, look in hp48/archive_utils.  
 
o      BITftp - How to ftp through BITftp:  Send the message 'HELP' to 
       BITFTP@PUCC (Bitnet) or to BITFTP@PUCC.Princeton.edu (Internet).  
       It sends you everything you'll need. 
 
o      list of HP 48 accessories: see hp48/desc/educalc.51.Z on 
       seq.uncwil.edu (or to: hp-mail-server@seq.uncwil.edu send message: 
       send desc/educalc.51.Z). 
 
 
Section 4: Help Wanted 
====================== 
 
   I need some help with the following things. Your comments are needed :) 
 
1. What do the numbers from <RCLF> mean? How can you tell what flags are set 
   from those numbers? 
 
2. What exact is word size, and how does it effect my life? 
 
 
Section 5: Support 
================== 
 
   The 48sx is the first HP I ever had, so I am still learning. Please mail any 
corrections, and suggestions to me, at clayton@nye.nscee.edu. Folks, this is 
YOUR FAQ! So save a copy in your News directory, and if you see an eager novice
bouncing around the net, please send him a copy too. Thank you. 

   Until next time.... 
 
-- 
--Victor Chua
chua@cshl.org
vwtc1@phx.cam.ac.uk
vwtc1@mb1.bio.cam.ac.uk
From: akcs.mmorgan@hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com (Mike Morgan)
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 10:40:02 GMT
Subject: Easy stack operations in system RPL
Message-ID: <2aab2e40.1671comp.sys.hp48@hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com>