Re: Can we talk about your 41's emulator? Message #4 Posted by HrastProgrammer on 18 Apr 2002, 10:18 a.m., in response to message #3 by Vieira, Luiz C. (Brazil)
Hi Luiz,
I can answer to your questions here (but you can find more information on my homepage):
Q: Did you use a 41's ROM image or you build the emulator's resources yourself?
A: Yes, the emulator interprets microcode instructions from real HP-41 ROM images (HP-41 firmware and other modules like XF/XM, CCD ROM, Printer, HEPAX, ZENROM, Advantage, ...). So, it behaves like the real HP-41 meaning that synthetic and machine code programs work as on the real calculator. But, in order to implement new features and extensions I rewrote some parts of the HP-41 firmware (and other modules) in native HP-49G machine language.
Q: Did you build the emulator as part of the 49's OS? Say, did you open the OS and incorporate it as part of the basic system?
A: No, I didn't. About 1% of the emulator is written in System RPL, everything else is pure machine code including display and keyboard handling.
Q: OR it runs as a LIB attachment or the like?
A: As explained on my homepage, the emulator consists of three regular libraries: HP41X, HP42X and HP43X as well as one variable called MEM41. Total size is about 360K because all modules are compiled. I am now testing some techniques which will give me the ability to have about 488K of (linear) memory available for my programs at the same time. I need additional space because I have some plans with the emulator for the future ...
Q: Is there any possibility you will allow it to become available?
A: We could talk about this in private when the emulator will be finished. Currently I have on my mind some more features which had to be implemented (like card reader support).
Q: Does the emulator belong to you, say, is there anyone else involved on it's creation?
A: HP-41X is my personal project. Nobody else isn't involved but people like J-F Garnier and Mike (Stgt) helped me by providing some information about HP-41 internals (bank switching, peripheral instructions and printer) when I started to build my first HP-41 emulator for Windows somewhere in 1998/9.
Q: Any ACO's wizard participation?
A: No ACO, no HP, ... I tried to contact them but they aren't interested at all. I only got one letter from JYA regarding my older emulator called HP-41E and this was about two years ago. And only "help" from HP are in the form of two VASM listings and ROM modules which I found on the Internet.
Best regards.
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