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 109109 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 take the bus w/o qualification to drive it.)

Edit: link to NutEmPC.htm updated.

[mike-stgt]

Recently Andrew published a Dumper for the M3780 microcontroller family, also what he ripped from a device out of an HP82143 printer. By browsing the hp82143.hex dump I found the "fonts" or character bitmaps.
Since I do not know how to do similar on a PC I used following pipe under z/VM to extract it and convert to BLDSPEC "special characgters" format:

Code: Select all

    0 * * * Top of File * * *                                                 
    1 /* GEPRIFO  EXEC: get printer font from M3780 microcontroller         */
    2 "PIPE < HP82143  HEX",                /* read file                    */
    3  '!frlabel 0580:',                    /* don't mind prologue          */
    4  '!substr w2-*',                      /* keep hex values only         */
    5  '!space 0',                          /* remove blanks                */
    6  '!fblock 10',                        /* 5 colums make one character  */
    7  '!take 128',                         /* it's a 7 bit CP only         */
    8  '!spec w1 x2c',                      /* convert to binary            */
    9  '!reverse',                          /* left to right sequence now   */
   10  '!fblock 1',                         /* slice to columns             */
   11  '!spec 1 c2b',                       /* convert to 0/1 only          */
   12  '!substr 2-*',                       /* get rid of MSB               */
   13  '!join 4',                           /* 5 colums = 1 character       */
   14  '!insert /0000000/ after',           /* append a 6th empty column    */
   15  '!insert /00010000000000/',          /* should be BLDSPEC format     */
   16  '!spec w1 b2x',                      /* prepare for safe transfer    */
   17  '!> prchrset hex a'                                                     
   18 exit rc                                                                 
   19 * * * End of File * * *                                                 

The resulting file I used with V41 and following routine:

Code: Select all

 01▶LBL "INSPECF"
"DOSLINK"  FINDID 
SELECT  "PRCHRST"  CLFL

 07▶LBL 01
INA  CODE  SF 25  SAVEX
FS?C 25  GTO 01  STOP 

 15▶LBL "PRCRST"
CLX  SEEKPT  8 

 19▶LBL 02
16 

 21▶LBL 03
GETX  ACSPEC  RDN  DSE X
GTO 03  PRBUF  RDN 
DSE X  GTO 02  .END. 

First part loads the intermediate file prepared on (emulated) mainframe to a data file of 128 records in XMem, then, after replacing IL module by a 82143A printer, the 2nd part prints the "font".
Result:

PR charset from M3780 dump.jpg (15.16 KiB) Viewed 108681 times

Compared by image processing It shows no difference vs the "fonts" built-in Christoph's 82143A, an extra mode of the HP82240B simulation.

[amenjet]

Excellent idea. So that confirms the dump is probably correct, which is good news.

Andrew

[DorothyDangelo]

This update on Christoph's printer simulation is impressive! The ability to utilize the PPC ROM program for high-resolution plotting on virtual equipment truly enhances the nostalgia for HP41 enthusiasts. It's interesting how the unidirectional nature of the connection mirrors the real IR printer module experience. By the way, if you're looking for a fun distraction, check out the Slope Game—it's a great way to take a break while exploring tech!

[mike-stgt]

The ability to utilize the PPC ROM program for high-resolution plotting on virtual equipment truly enhances the nostalgia for HP41 enthusiasts.

Exactly this is the reason why I'm so fascinated about it. For a looong time there was no chance to make use of PPCROM's HP routine when running a simulated/emulated/virtual HP41.
BTW, due to the persistence of several stakeholders (me, myself and I), 82143A mode of Christoph's printer simulation passes even the test of the Printer Service ROM, an achievement worth to mention me think, because not many HP41 enthusiasts will check this.

It's interesting how the unidirectional nature of the connection mirrors the real IR printer module experience.

Well, that depends which "emulator" you use. NutEm/PC offers the printer's front panel (except the intensity slider), its PRT and ADV buttons work for programming.

NutEm/PC comes with several more features other emulators still miss: Card Reader also apt to take HP67/97 cards (plus RAW files, plus LIF disk dumps, plus programs print-out), Wand enabling a virtual paper keyboard and to scan barcodes, Time passing the Service ROM test. Moreover, first simulation of IR Printer Module aka "Blinky", now reverse-engineered a second time by Thomas Fänge. But it requires an UTF-8 enabled Windows-PC, thus it's not for everybody.

By the way, if you're looking for a fun distraction, check out the Slope Game—it's a great way to take a break while exploring tech!

Slope Game? Is it on Warren's DVD?