Post Reply 
Any 42S Command to "Clear all variables" ?
10-03-2018, 03:51 PM (This post was last modified: 10-03-2018 03:54 PM by burkhard.)
Post: #1
Any 42S Command to "Clear all variables" ?
Hi all,
I thought I posted this yesterday, but checking now, I must have gotten distracted and closed first. Either that or (less likely), it has disappeared into the ether. :-)

I've got a number of HP calculators, both RPN and RPL. While I appreciate the RPL ones, I grew up on pure RPN and it took me through college as well and I think I just prefer them (and their lack of physical bulk) for how I work.

I've finally started fiddling with a really nice condition 42S I managed to pick up last autumn for a reasonable price (under $100). Until then, I'd been most familiar with the 41CX and 15C. So the 42S has some nice, new (for me!) functionality without going to RPL, which I was already familiar with.

One thing I really like about the 42S is the ability to have named variables (similar to RPL) rather than just numerical registers (but which it also supports). The named variables are great for soft menus and tend to be self-documenting in that I don't need to remember the register number for something or look it up in notes a month or two after I create a program.

But I do find that these created variables tend to "hang around" and create a lot of clutter in the CATALOG and in chooser menus long after they are needed. Is there a command to "Clear all variables" en masse WITHOUT also purging the programs? CLV does what I want, but only one variable at a time--tedious. CLRG does what I want to the numerical registers. Well, actually I guess CLRG is a little different in that the numerical registers still exist, but have been reset to values of 0. I want the named variables actually gone (not = 0), in the same manner CLV removes them one at a time.

Yes, I know I can add a "housekeeping on exit" routine to each of my programs that cleans up what has been created, but sometimes I use programs from others as well and don't really want to modify every program I use only occasionally. A generic solution, essentially a "CLVA" (Clear variables ALL) would be best.

Am I missing this somewhere, or perhaps there is a workaround? Thanks!
Find all posts by this user
Quote this message in a reply
10-03-2018, 06:25 PM
Post: #2
RE: Any 42S Command to "Clear all variables" ?
Lock the CLEAR menu: [Shift] [←] [Shift] [←]

Pound the keyboard: [√x] [Σ+] ad nauseam, or until only REGS is left.

That's the best you can do, I'm afraid!
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user
Quote this message in a reply
10-03-2018, 06:50 PM
Post: #3
RE: Any 42S Command to "Clear all variables" ?
(10-03-2018 06:25 PM)Thomas Okken Wrote:  Lock the CLEAR menu: [Shift] [←] [Shift] [←]

Pound the keyboard: [√x] [Σ+] ad nauseam, or until only REGS is left.

That's the best you can do, I'm afraid!

Thanks, Thomas. I appreciate the reply from a 42S expert such as yourself.
Yes, locking the menu is a big help which at first I had forgotten about. It's too bad the "CLV" selection itself can't be locked. I can do the "two-button-dance" of [√x] and [Σ+] though, if I need to.
Find all posts by this user
Quote this message in a reply
10-04-2018, 02:39 PM
Post: #4
RE: Any 42S Command to "Clear all variables" ?
(10-03-2018 06:50 PM)burkhard Wrote:  Thanks, Thomas. I appreciate the reply from a 42S expert such as yourself.
Yes, locking the menu is a big help which at first I had forgotten about. It's too bad the "CLV" selection itself can't be locked. I can do the "two-button-dance" of [√x] and [Σ+] though, if I need to.

Can you assign CLV to Custom menu position 1? Then you'd only have to ream on a single key.
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user
Quote this message in a reply
10-04-2018, 06:19 PM
Post: #5
RE: Any 42S Command to "Clear all variables" ?
(10-04-2018 02:39 PM)Dave Britten Wrote:  
(10-03-2018 06:50 PM)burkhard Wrote:  Thanks, Thomas. I appreciate the reply from a 42S expert such as yourself.
Yes, locking the menu is a big help which at first I had forgotten about. It's too bad the "CLV" selection itself can't be locked. I can do the "two-button-dance" of [√x] and [Σ+] though, if I need to.

Can you assign CLV to Custom menu position 1? Then you'd only have to ream on a single key.

Very good idea, Dave! I can just lock the Custom Menu and then just pound on the Σ+ key until everything is gone. I think that's a pretty good solution. Thanks!
Find all posts by this user
Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 




User(s) browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)