(Free42) tips & tricks: local flags

[Thomas Okken]

(07-25-2020 07:07 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  You're right, it ignores flag-21, much to my surprise.

Sample output attached.

Though, if you're going to implement it, I'd still say it should honor flag-21 so the user has more control. I get that the 'why not?' answer of 'because the original doesn't' is true to the spirit of Free42, but it seems small improvements, when they don't break programs/code behavior, have been rightly made in the past and I'd say this is an example of when it should.

What is the downside of doing so?

I think the idea is that if you don't want TRACE output, you can always use MAN or NORM mode, while TRACE mode should work even if flag 21 is clear. Some programs are designed to work with flag 21 set or clear, and you should be able to debug such programs using TRACE with either setting. Of course there is an assumption that programs will not change PRON/PROFF and MAN/NORM/TRACE modes by themselves.

(07-25-2020 06:22 PM)Vincent Weber Wrote:  

(07-24-2020 09:39 AM)Werner Wrote:  BTW Free42 doesn't do a 'trace with stack print' when both flag 15 and 16 are set - I have no idea (and no means to find out) if a 42S does that or not. The flags doc mentions this is a 'HP-IL' printer behaviour, which of course doesn't apply to a 42S.
Werner

As far as I know, the "TRACE WITH A STACK" mode is not meant for the HP-IL printer, but for the video interface.
Could be useful for the free42 printer, though.

(07-25-2020 07:07 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  Update: Added sample from a genuine 42S.

Bob: Thanks!

I was under the impression the 'trace with stack print' mode was supported by the 82242, but apparently not. I would be interested to see what it looks like with the video interface, but I guess at the end of the day, it's up to me to decide how to implement that mode in Free42, since compatibility is not a concern and it's just an added convenience for user code debugging.