Instructions for building WP-34s loads.

[Dominic Richens]

Is this documented somewhere?

I figured it out by reading the source and perusing forum postings since January, and then a lot of trial and error.

Should I document what I did and what free tools I used? Where would be the best place to put it? Is wiki4hp.com the best place?

I haven't tried to cross-compile an actual firmware load yet, but I will get to that eventually when my 20b shows up and I get a cable.

cheers!

wp32sII anyone?

Edited: 20 Sept 2011, 2:32 p.m. after one or more responses were posted

[Bart (UK)]

See article 1060.

[Dominic Richens]

Thanks Bart, but I don't have permission to add the windows build instructions to your article. If you want, this is what I wanted to add:


Building the wp43s windows emulator from source

First you need to get and install some tools:

1. SVN client: I used Silk's subversion client http://www.sliksvn.com/en/download - I did a custom install of only the svn command line tool.
   
2. Perl: I used ActivePerl's package for windows http://www.activestate.com/activeperl/downloads
   
3. MS Visual C++ Express: thanks to Pauli's inclusion of libraries, MS's basic free C++ development environment will work - this is the latest 2010 version: http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/en-us/products/2010-editions/visual-cpp-express
   

Building a windows binary

Bring up a windows console (Run->cmd) and change to a directory path that doesn't have any spaces in the name.

1. Run the subversion command to get the latest software:
   

   Quote:

   ---

   svn co https://wp34s.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/wp34s wp34s
   
   

   ---

2. Change to "wp34s" directory and run makewin.cmd
   
3. In windows explorer, find and double cilck on wp34s\trunk\windows\wp34s_express.sln to startup Visual C++ Express.
   
4. In the "Solution Explorer" sub-window, click on wp34s_express and hit "F7" to build.
   

If all goes well, you should have a wp34sgui_d.exe in the bin directory.

Edited: 20 Sept 2011, 4:04 p.m.

[Marcus von Cube, Germany]

Steps 3. and 4. repeat what step 2 does: They build the executable. I've put some effort into splitting the emulator GUI from the rest because the GUI is MFC based and cannot be built using the free VC Express. The subversion windows/bin directory contains all files necessary to build and even debug the rest of the code.

Makewin.cmd just calls the command line build engine that comes with the VC installation. It's essentially the same process that is triggered by pressing F7 in the VC IDE.

I've setup a build system for Pauli which is a Windows XP box with just the tools you mention: SVN, Perl, VC++. In order to build the flash file you will need some tools from MinGW and the Yagarto.de ARM toolchain. Good luck!

BTW, I don't like the shifted arrow keys on your picture. ;-)

[Dominic Richens]

Quote:

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Steps 3. and 4. repeat what step 2 does

---

That's what I tried at first, but SvnRevision was undefined. I'll wipe it out and see what happens if I try again.

Quote:

---

BTW, I don't like the shifted arrow keys on your picture. ;-)

---

Yeah - I'm not going for a true replica, I'll be "improving" a few things :-)

[Marcus von Cube, Germany]

Quote:

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That's what I tried at first, but SvnRevision was undefined. I'll wipe it out and see what happens if I try again.

---

That's a problem with your SVN client. SVNVERSION is used during the build to determine the revision number for the VERS screen. If it is not found a blank revision number should be created.

Edited: 21 Sept 2011, 12:37 a.m.

[Bart (UK)]

Sorry, I mis-read the post, I thought it was about programming a physical 34s :(


I will add your instructions :-)

Edit: could you just confirm steps 2, 3 & 4 as discussed with Marcus? Thanks.

Edited: 21 Sept 2011, 5:28 a.m.

[Dominic Richens]

I figured out the missed step.

Change step 2 to say:

2. Make sure the solution configuration is set to "Release" and not "Debug" in the toolbar drop down menu.

Debug seems to be the default when I open the solution and it doesn't run create_version.exe properly...it creates an empty revision.h file.

Also, just running the old step 2 builds everything - I thought it wasn't because I was looking in the wrong place for the binaries.

[Bart (UK)]

OK, I have updated the article. Can you check I have got it right?

Thanks
Bart

[Dominic Richens]

Bart,

you did exactly what I told you to - but it's wrong :-/

Building a windows binary

Bring up a windows console (Run->cmd) and change to a directory path that doesn't have any spaces in the name.

1. Run the subversion command to get the latest software:
   

   Quote:

   ---

   svn co https://wp34s.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/wp34s wp34s
   
   

   ---

2. To build from the command line, change to "wp34s" directory and run makewin.cmd.
   
3. To build from the GUI, do the next 3 steps:
   
   1. In windows explorer, find and double cilck on wp34s\trunk\windows\wp34s_express.sln to startup Visual C++ Express.
      
   2. Make sure the solution configuration is set to "Release" and not "Debug" in the toolbar drop down menu.
      
   3. In the "Solution Explorer" sub-window, click on wp34s_express and hit "F7" to build.
      

If all goes well, you should have a new wp34sgui.exe in the trunk\windows\bin directory.

[Bart (UK)]

That's OK, got it updated now ;-)

[Marcus von Cube, Germany]

I changed the default for the VC Express solution file to Release.

[Paul Dale]

Doesn't the 34S do everything the 32sii does already?

This was one of the model we wanted a feature super set of. Hence the fraction modes.

- Pauli

[Dominic Richens]

Absolutely, and I don't intend to add any features. My impression of the very good keyboard layout of the wp-34s is that it is aimed at power users that do a lot of programming and use the calculator mostly to run those programs. Also, it puts most functions visible on the face-plate through multiple shift keys.

I tend to use my HP-48SX and HP-15C (before I lost it) mostly as a plain scientific calculator: trig, logs, stats. I usually have about 5 programs that I use occasionally (optical power/OSNR stuff). As a result I want most of the scientific and stack functions on un-shifted keys and I don't mind shifting or scrolling through catalogs for everything else.

When I get my cable and (hopefully) overlay I'll convert my 20b to a wp34s and use it for a while. Meanwhile I'll work on an alternate "scientific" layout on the emulator if it doesn't grow on me :-)

[Paul Dale]

I find the opposite, there are many programming functions missing from the keyboard. The number of programming functions on the keyboard isn't great: XEQ, GTO, LBL, RTN, ISG, DSE, R/S, x=, x!=, PSE and all but two are shifted. There are a few more keys with support stuff P/R, CLP, P.FCN, TEST, all of these are shifted. Solve, integrate, product and sum are programming related I guess but I tend to think of them more as maths functions. Likewise, up and down arrow have a programming meaning but aren't really programming keys. In all about an eighth of the stuff on the keyboard is programming related and nearly all of it is shifted. No doubt I've missed a few but the number is in the right ball park at least.

I agree it would be nice for some scientific keys to be unshifted but we couldn't figure out where to put them -- what loses the unshifted position to make way? I don't see anything less important. As an aside, integer mode fared far worse, most of its special functions are in a catalogue and much of the keyboard stops working.

I'd also hazard a guess that there are more functions in the various catalogues than are on the keyboard. We've packed a lot of functionality into the 34S :-)

- Pauli

[Walter B]

Quote:

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Meanwhile I'll work on an alternate "scientific" layout on the emulator if it doesn't grow on me :-)

---

Enjoy! :-)

[Dominic Richens]

Don't hold your breath :-)

I was enjoying myself for about 45 minutes, editing keys.h and keys.c to remap all the primary keys (include f and g) to match the 32sII. Then it came time to decide which shifted keys to ditch and I wasn't enjoying myself anymore :-)

I did figure out that for scrolling through the menus, I could put the up/down keys as un-shifted modal keys on "X" and "/", since that column of keys doesn't do anything when in a menu. Of course these would have to be shifted keys to SST and BST :-(

[Walter B]

Tja, it looks so easy when it's done ;-)

[Paul Dale]

Far better to figure the layout out on paper or in a cad package and then start coding.

- Pauli

[Dominic Richens]

...powerpoint - I can move the little keys and labels around without them falling on the floor :-)

[megarat]

I've been reading so much about the 34s that I decided to join the fun and ordered a 30b today.

(On Amazon, the 30b is less expensive than the 20b. How strange, this world of retail.)

I already have a cable from Gene, so the only obstacles are my own time and effort. Well ... that, and an overlay. As an only occasional visitor to the forum, is there anyway I can be notified (mailing list, &c.) when the next batch of overlays are available?

Thanks!

Edited: 26 Sept 2011, 1:14 p.m.

[Jurrie Lulofs]

All I could suggest is to send an email to Eric.
See this page for contact info.

I did that last month but have not heard back yet.

[Dan M (Vermont, USA)]

I did the same as you (inexpensive calculator from Amazon, cable from Gene), and am quite pleased with the operation of the WP-34s.

Don't get me started on the intermittent operation of the keys that came with the hardware platform or the as-designed built-in applications and operation of the hardware platform.

That would just tend to generate random useless opinions from me :-)

For overlay, I printed out the actual-size PNG in color on ordinary paper, aligned it over the keys, then wrapped it around the hardware body and secured it in place with tape on the back of the calculator. Not the most elegant, but it works for me and it works for now. I should be able to repeat this process indefinitely when the paper wrapper gets worn out. I think I saw somewhere that somebody did this with printing on plastic or laminating a printed paper, but I am content with my plain paper version. I can feel the keys under it well enough.

Someday soon, I believe that there will be "commercially available" nicely-produced stick-on overlays again.

Good luck, and happy calculating!

Dan M.

[Walter B]

So far, I've only heard that Eric distributed overlays at HHC recently. So there must have been some ;-) though I've no idea how to get them - besides what my preposters said already.

[Eric Rechlin]

Yes, last week I made another 50 or so, all of which went to HHC 2011 attendees.

I will be making more in the coming weeks. My plan is to first offer them to people on this forum (I will make a post), and once demand is satisfied there, I will make them available on my web site.

Eric

[Cristian Arezzini]

Hi Eric,
Did you read my email of several weeks ago about the wear I'm starting to see? Do you have an idea why it's happening and how to prevent it?

Cristian

[Eric Rechlin]

Yes, and I may have a solution. Hopefully I will get some feedback from HHC attendees as to whether it is better now.

Eric

[Walter B]

Hope you gave Marcus two extra overlays for the other team members ...