Using PIL-BOX & ILPer to Transfer Programmes from PC to HP41CX?

[Michael Lopez]

Hi all,

I've owned HP41's for a long time but am a complete novice when it comes to HP-IL. Recently I decided to purchase a PIL-BOX from Jean-Francois & have been pleasantly surprised at how simple it is to get the communication going with my PC & how reliable the link is via ILPer.

With Jean-Francois' instructions I was quickly able to "print" to ILPer, perform a complete back-up of the calculator to HDRIVE1 & then re-create everything I have in the real calculators within EMU41.

Where I am struggling & would appreciate your advice, is in finding a simple way to transfer new programme files from my PC to the calculators. Have had some success in using DOSLINK to add these programmes to EMU41, then to the calculators, but it seems like a rather awkward way of doing things.

From what I have read, I believe it should be possible to transfer a programme without using EMU41 by converting the file into .LIF then "pointing to it" with ILPer.

I am using WIN41UC/HP41UC to convert programme files I have downloaded in .RAW format to .LIF without any issues. Then I select the .LIF file in ILPer (where it you normally select the HDRIVE.DAT file) + XEQ READP on the 41CX calculator to transfer the file but it doesn’t seem to work. Have checked that the correct file name is in the ALPHA register on the calculator quite a number of times but consistently get the error message: “FL NOT FOUND” on the calculator. Maybe I am missing something so if any of you have any suggestions I’d appreciate them.

Many thanks,

Michael

[Marcus von Cube, Germany]

I guess that you need to incorporate the .LIF file into the existing (or a new) HDRIVE1 disk image file by use of a lif utility. It should then appear in the drive directory as seen by the HP 41.

Edited: 24 June 2012, 10:38 a.m.

[J-F Garnier]

Hi Michael, did you check what the DIR command give?

[Michael Lopez]

Hi Jean-Francois,

Tried the DIR command after I "pointed" ILPer to the programme file post conversion to .LIF format & the following was displayed:

Name: INFILE
Type: PR
Regs: 33

In view of the different file name from what I was expecting, I changed the ALPHA register to: "INFILE" then executed READP & this appeared to work. I now have the programme I was aiming to transfer on my HP41CX calculator.

Will do some more tests but it seems this "shortcut" works if "INFILE" is used as the file name with READP instead of the actual programme's name.

Thanks again for all your help.

Cheers,

Michael

[J-F Garnier]

From the HP41UC documentation here:

Quote:

---

 RAW file(s) to LIF file ( LIF name = <name> or [infile] )

   /r=infile<.raw>  /l<=outfile.lif>  <name>

---

You can even transfer a whole group of programs:

Quote:

---

  If output file is specified, [infile] can be a directory of RAW files.

  For example: hp41uc /r=\rawdir\*.raw /l=hpil.lif

---

[Michael Lopez]

Jean-Francois,

Read some of that last week but I didn't realize the implications when using xeq READP on the calculator :-(.

However, the good news is that within 1 week of receiving your PIL-BOX I am now able to achieve all the HP-IL functionality I was after with my HP41 calculators.

Thanks again for all your help.

Cheers,

Michael