wp-34s command formatting

[Andrew Nikitin]

I tried to use 'TVM' app for wp-34s (32tT3382).
I started tracing it and after a few steps top line showed
1682:#013
1683:SDR 00
The result was 0.13, which was momentarily confusing. When I looked at it in P/R mode it was SDR 002

May I suggest format this kind of command so that leading zeroes are not shown? After all the sequence 002 represents number 2 (unlike, say, register 02, where 02 is pretty much the name of a register). Same thing for #013 -- #13 is what actually meant there anyway.
Also, if command shown during step does not fit, it would be nice to show some indication that what you see is not a complete command. small = annunciator, maybe? Or pattern of pixels in the last column of the display?

Another inconsistency during program entry: [RCL] [0] [<-] keeps RCL _ ready to accept corrected address but [RCL] [+] [<-] cancels RCL altogether.

I also noticed that VIEW[alpha] command disappears from P.FCN catalog in "input" mode. I had to read IOP to find that now it is on a shortcut ([h][view][-]). I kind of a see a logic of a shortkut ([h] [view] is VW&#945;+ and [-] "cancels" the +), but it was unpleasant surprise to not find a command where it used to be in a mode where it is a valid command.

(I've got my 34s less than a week ago and it takes me multiple attempts to enter certain commands. I am also full of other good suggestions which I am desperately trying to contain.)

[Walter B]

Hi Andrew,

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I've got my 34s less than a week ago and it takes me multiple attempts to enter certain commands. I am also full of other good suggestions which I am desperately trying to contain.

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Share them :-) Maybe you are the user who should have seen the WP 34S earlier.

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I tried to use 'TVM' app for wp-34s (3.2T3382).
I started tracing it and after a few steps top line showed

1682:#013

1683:SDR 00

The result was 0.13, which was momentarily confusing. When I looked at it in P/R mode it was SDR 002

May I suggest format this kind of command so that leading zeroes are not shown? After all the sequence 002 represents number 2 (unlike, say, register 02, where 02 is pretty much the name of a register). Same thing for #013 -- #13 is what actually meant there anyway.

Also, if command shown during step does not fit, it would be nice to show some indication that what you see is not a complete command. small = annunciator, maybe? Or pattern of pixels in the last column of the display?

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(I edited your post a bit for formatting.)
Good ideas.

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Another inconsistency during program entry: [RCL] [0] [<-] keeps RCL _ ready to accept corrected address but [RCL] [+] [<-] cancels RCL altogether.

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Please read p.34, footnote 21 of the printed manual.

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I also noticed that VIEW[alpha] command disappears from P.FCN catalog in "input" mode. I had to read IOP to find that now it is on a shortcut ([h][view][-]). I kind of a see a logic of a shortkut ([h] [view] is VW&#945;+ and [-] "cancels" the +), but it was unpleasant surprise to not find a command where it used to be in a mode where it is a valid command.

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Please see my second sentence above. Looking forward to more comments.

d:-)

[Andrew Nikitin]

Walter,

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Please read p.34, footnote 21 of the printed manual.

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Page 34 of a manual (edition 3.1) has footnotes 24 and 25. I looked around and found footnote 19 on page 27:

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Entering operator twice will remove it, e.g. RCL / / equal RCL

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This answers my question of how to correct erroneous operator.
Is it how it was in the predecessors? I ask because in HP-35S, in similar case, backspace works and repeating operator does not.
For people without prior exposure to old HPs (like myself) the backspace working in one case and not working in another is completely unintuitive.

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Please see my second sentence above.

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I tried counting for several various meanings of "second", "above" and "sentence". I am still not sure which one is that. The one about footnote?

BTW, I should, probably, say it to get out of the way: I think wp-34s is awesomest calculator ever. You all did a terrific job. It is true work of love, and it shows in almost every aspect of design. It is pleasure to handle, look at and program. I feel privileged to have one.

[Walter B]

Andrew,

thanks for your kind words.

Some explanations:

1. I tend to quote the printed manual since it is the latest published edition. As others have stated here, it's worth getting. I concur.
   
2. About said footnote: Look at f f or g g or h h equalling NOP (the back arrow <- won't work here). So RCL * * equals RCL. I admit <- would have worked here as well and don't remember the particular reason why we chose that way in this case. Pauli?
   
3. The "second sentence" I referred to was: Maybe you are the user who should have seen the WP 34S earlier. So I'm still looking forward to your further comments, remarks, etc.
   

d:-)

[Paul Dale]

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About said footnote: Look at f f or g g or h h equalling NOP (the back arrow <- won't work here). So RCL * * equals RCL. I admit <- would have worked here as well and don't remember the particular reason why we chose that way in this case. Pauli?

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The argument processing code doesn't remember the original command entered. This goes way way way back before the 34S was even an idea. RCL and RCL* are different commands. It would be possible to implement <- to cancel the * (or +, -, /, ^ or v). Some more bytes of code, that's all.

- Pauli