HP-IL a summary QRG/top 10 commands

[Geir Isene]

Many modules, lots of functions, little storage space (in my mind).

Having reached a target with the ICEBOX, it's time for me to move over to doing more HP-IL stuff. Never been doing much of that and I wonder if any of you would care to give your top 10 useful HP-IL functions. There are plenty of useful functions across modules like Extended IO, Extended IL, Paname, CCD OS/X, HP-IL Devel as well as the HP-IL module itself. It would be good to have a shortlist of the best functions... Anyone?

[Egan Ford]

CCD OS/X Cat 0 is a must for me. I wish it existed outside of CCD OS/X.

[Raymond Del Tondo]

Hi,

the CCD OS/X already _is_ the extremely compacted version;-)

In the original CCD module, the UI code ran across (back and forth) both 4K pages.

@Geir:

I once assembled a ROM for Christoph Klug called the "Extended IL Plus" or "-EXT IL+" ,

which includes many interesting functions of various other ROMs.

Cheers

Raymond

[Geir Isene]

Is it available somewhere?

Otherwise, the Paname module is a real kicker...

[Raymond Del Tondo]

Christoph Klug distributes it. Please drop him a mail:-)

Raymond

[Ángel Martin]

I'm not certain but I believe it's not for free - a shame, it'd be an excellent source to learn more MCODE tricks...

[J-F Garnier]

Hi Geir,

For serious HP-IL usage, the Extended I/O ROM is highly recommended. Then the Extended IL ROM (Skwid) can be considered.
I do not recommend the HP-IL Devpt ROM, except for HP-IL low level investigations. The Paname ROM also has many HP-IL interesting functions but is more dedicated for use with the HP82162 and HP82905 printers, and HP82163 video interface.

For the top 10 commands, it really depends on what you plan to do with HP-IL.
If you are using only mass storage and printer operations, then the most used functions will likely be:

** Mass Storage Operations:

- NEWM, WRTP/READP, WRTA/READA, DIR (CAT 4), PURGE for mass storage.

- If you have several mass storage units, the COPYFL and MCOPY functions of the Ext I/O ROM will be useful.

- if you have a drive with capacity > 128KB (for instance the HP9114), then the SNEWM, SWRTP, SDIR and SCOPYFL variants from Ext-IL ROM are interesting, plus the WRTXM/READXM, WRTCAL/READCAL.

** Printer Operations:

- PRP and LIST for program listing.

- the MCPRP and MCLIST multi-colomn variants from the Ext-IL ROM.

- PRX, PRA, ACA, PRBUF, ADV for general purpose printing operations.

Then if you plan to use HP-IL for instrument control, the Extended I/O ROM is a must with many useful functions. The most important functions (from HP-IL module or Ext I/O) could be: NLOOP, FINDID/FINDAID, SELECT/RCLSEL, ID/AID, SPOLL, TRIGGER, CLRDEV/CLRLOOP, REMOTE/LOCAL/NOTREM, plus all the INA/OUTA variants, plus the low level HP-IL commands...

Finally, let me mention the 44468A Data Acq/Ctrl ROM if you have a HP3421 Data logger.

J-F

[Ángel Martin]

Good luck with this new project Geir, it's a tall order! (I wouldn't touch the IL world with a 12-foot pole!)

[Garth Wilson]

I just looked through a test program I used in the 80's when I used the 41 the most, which was for controlling equipment. Here are the top HPIL commands used, in order of frequency:

SELECT (32 times)

OUTA (24 times)

IND (13 times)

ACA (10 times)

ACX (10 times)

MANIO, REMOTE, CLRDEV, INSTAT (one time each)

Some of these were in subroutines that would have gotten run multiple times per set of tests.

A program used to control an EPROM programmer used:

ACA (13 times)

OUTXB, OUTA, SELECT, and ADV (12 times each)

REMOTE and NOTREM (2 times each)

A program used to check battery life on many units at once used:

OUTA (5 times)

ACA (4 times)

SELECT (3 times)

IND (2 times)

MANIO, ACX, and REMOTE (one time each)

There's also an AIP, and at the moment I can't figure out what it is, although it may not be and IL function.

[Geir Isene]

Nice. Thanks for this. It's exactly what I was looking for.

Now that I am diving more into the HP-IL, I have the idea that the combo CCD OS/X + Paname would do most anything (except low level debugging as in the DEVIL rom). Paname has a bunch of the Ext IO type of functionality as well as the printer/plotter/video functions.

[Christoph Klug]

Dear HP-41 & HP-IL enthusiasts..

A lot of helpfully commands and routines for controlling HP-IL with HP-41 handhelcomputer for real world interface applications, you find in my two books HP41 Input/Output Board & IL2000 Interface System.

Beside the IL-Module the EXT-I/O module has a key function. And of course the CCD-Module. And the best extension for this advanced module configuration is the EXT-IL-PLUS module - which is described in detail in my book, mentioned above.

If you are interested to get the EXT-IL-PLUS please contact me...

Best regtards - Christoph Klug