Virtual 82143A "plots" graphics

[mike-stgt]

Christoph published version 1.14 of his 82240A/B printer simulation supplemented by a 82143A option. This is a milestone with regard to emulation and HP41 nostalgia, me think, since it enables for the first time on virtual "equipment" (AFAIK) to get useful output from PPC ROM program HP (High resolution Plot).

Due to the unidirectional nature of the connection, the printer simulation is rather an output display "only" (in fact, it correctly interprets the received data). But this is why part of the printer simulation remains duty of the calculator emulator/simulation. It is similar to the real IR printer module, for the average users a printer inks/stains paper while seen from the HP41 the IR printer module is the printer, with no chance to detect, if and how the sent out data is used.

The virtual printer includes also the controls of the 82143A, the printer front panel offered by NutEm/PC looks like this:

Simulated front panel of the 82143A

tepcopan.jpg (9.83 KiB) Viewed 103 times

Like the role model 'Print' and 'Advance' insert PRX or PRA and ADV when the HP41 is in program mode. More details here.

NutEm/PC self-acting starts and stops the external 82143A if requested so in the CFG file, section THPR:

Code: Select all

[THPR]
/port/5026
/dip/127.0.0.1
/IrPrIPa/C:\PRGM\HP-Emulators\HP82240B   ; IR Printer Installation Path
/inifile/port 5026
/qxp/1      ; at shutdown also quit external printer if NutEm/PC started it

W/o this section, including the printer ROM 1E starts the internal, text-only output display, which is part of NutEm since the mainframe times. (BTW, there is no need to know REXX to run NutEm/PC, you may enjoy pulled pork w/o knowledge how to breed pigs.)