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WP-34S function execution speed ?
Message #1 Posted by gene wright on 3 Sept 2013, 4:05 p.m.

Is there a table somewhere that lists the functions and how long it takes for each to execute?

I know some are variable depending on the input arguments, but I didn't see such a table in the manual.

For example, something like this:

+ 5ms

- 11ms

SIN 200ms

etc

?

      
Re: WP-34S function execution speed ?
Message #2 Posted by Paul Dale on 4 Sept 2013, 2:37 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by gene wright

No.

Fast or slow mode? With or without crystal? Which firmware version?

- Pauli

            
Re: WP-34S function execution speed ?
Message #3 Posted by gene wright on 4 Sept 2013, 10:34 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Paul Dale

Pauli, that's an answer I would expect from HP! :-) I think several versions should be available.

At the very least, non-crystal, slow mode, version 2 and version 3 firmware.

I would suspect a very small percentage of units have the crystal.

Fast mode could be generalized as X% faster than slow mode.

It seems to me :-) that *some* list should be available...or else how will non-developers know which instructions slow down their programming contest entries this year at HHC 2013?

                  
Re: WP-34S function execution speed ?
Message #4 Posted by Steve Simpkin on 4 Sept 2013, 12:59 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by gene wright

Quote:
It seems to me :-) that *some* list should be available...or else how will non-developers know which instructions slow down their programming contest entries this year at HHC 2013?

Some mysteries are better left discovered. The fun is in the journey, the destination is the reward.
                  
Re: WP-34S function execution speed ?
Message #5 Posted by Paul Dale on 4 Sept 2013, 5:40 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by gene wright

Quote:
At the very least, non-crystal, slow mode, version 2 and version 3 firmware.

Non crystal timings are quite variable. That is the point of having a crystal.

Firmware versions would ideally have to be more finely grained than just 2 and 3. Marcus and I made a lot of space/time tradeoffs during the development of 3. The obvious way to deal with this is to benchmark the latest version 2 and version 3 revisions. Firmware version 3 is unlikely to change significantly now so it wouldn't need regular major revisions anymore.

Quote:
It seems to me :-) that *some* list should be available...or else how will non-developers know which instructions slow down their programming contest entries this year at HHC 2013?

Sounds like you've found a project :-)

It is straightforward to write timing loops using the TICKS command and check each instruction as required. That's what I've done in the past when performance was an issue (re-implementing LN mostly). Something along the lines of:

        LBL A
        EEX
        3
        STO 00
        TICKS
        STO 01
        LBL 00
                [<->] ZZZZ
                function
        DSZ 00
        GTO 00
        TICKS
        RCL- 01
        RTN

I don't believe anyone knows the instruction timings -- I certainly don't. For most instructions I don't even have a feel as to their relative timings.

One thing I am confident about, however, is that Version 2 firmware will be faster than version 3 pretty much across the board. Many space for time tradeoffs were made in version 3 to squeeze the significant extra functionality in.

- Pauli

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