HP BASIC for HP86B

[Bill Lafferty]

Can anyone help me by re-writing two small BASIC programs written for a very old IBM PC into HP BASIC language, suitable for the HP86B computer?

The full text of the two programs can be seen at the following links:

http://www.lacegumnuts.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=190&Itemid=2

http://www.lacegumnuts.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=189&Itemid=2

I am a retired surveyor, trying to get some old Kern electronic survey instruments linked to a HP86B computer, and am stuck for the programs required for the PC.

Bill Lafferty in Cooma, Australiahttp://www.lacegumnuts.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=190&Itemid=2 and following page

[Marcus von Cube, Germany]

Bill, to make things a little more clear: what is your equipment? Does your HP86B have HP-IL? Which HP-IL devices are connected to your 41C?

[Bill Lafferty]

Marcus, the HP41-CV/CX sits in a unit called a DIF41. This is connected to the electronic theodolite, and also to the computer by an RS232 interface. The electronic theodolite takes the readings, they are stored via the DIF41 in the HP41-CV/CX for later transfer in the office to the computer. It also works in reverse - data in the form of co-ordinates can be typed into the HP86B in the office, and transferred into the HP41-CV/CX in its DIF41 holder via the serial link.

I have the programs to go into the HP41-CV/CX to transfer the data, they was in the handbook for the DIF41 as well as the Basic program for the IBM-PC. I also have the serial interface module plugged into the back of the HP86B, and a unit called a DL40 Data Link which plugs in between the DIF41 and the serial interface module.

I can add a typed up version of the HP41 programs to the web site if anyone is interested. (Incidentally, the website is my wife's site for her lacemaking friends).
....Bill

[Tony de Groot]

Hi Bill,
Did you get some help on this yet?
A couple of comments - the REM should be replaced by the ! character, and the print command to print messages to the screen should be replaced by the DISP command for clarity, though the printer is directed to the screen by default if I remember correctly - it has been about 20 years since I played with an 86 ..
Tony.

[Bill Lafferty]

No Tony, no response at all. Thanks for the tips. My wife, who has some BASIC programming skills from many years ago, is attempting to re-write the programs, but is making very slow progress, as so many of the commands are completely different.
...Bill

[Mark Edmonds]

Bill - have you at least got the documentation for the 86 and serial port? If not (and you probably already know this), you can get it at hpmuseum.net. I am hoping to get a serial interface for my 85A in the near future but I'm afraid I have no practical knowledge of programming the interfaces in these machines.

Mark

[Bill Lafferty]

Thanks Mark, but I have all the documentation from the hpmuseum site. I'm about to give up, and try connecting the whole thing to a modern computer, instead of trying to utilise the 86B, but I'll still need someone to write a program to receive the data.
...Bill

[Mark Edmonds]

Bill - I am sure that somewhere I saw in one of the official HP manuals, example programs for communicating between an 80 series and a 41 series. I am completely stuck trying to find it now but if I can, I'll post the details. Whether it helps or not, I can't tell but it might be a lead - it is out there in one of the manuals.

Mark

[Jeff Davis]

Hi, I have extra serial interfaces. Qty.(2) w/.001 option and Qty. (2) regular. I do not have any documentation though. Please see my add on the items for sale page on this web site.