TI-83+ File format

[Flip]

can any one tell me the file format for TI-83+ BASIC programs or, even better, how to create them from text in VB? Or do you know where i can learn about it? Im making an application similar to TI-Graph Link, only much better. It already includes syntax highlighting, a real TI image to click on and insert commands, and many useful options. But it is kinda useless unless you can actually send the progs to the TI.

Another question- do you know how to send data through the serial port and if there is any extra neccesary things to do to send data to a TI (like do you have to wait for some kind of signal to send the next piece of data)?

All ideas or solutions are welcome. Thanks!

[sql_lall]

Have you actually got a ti83+?? If you have, then you probably have a book with all the detail about Ti BASIC programming. If not, go to www.ticalc.org (i think) - plenty of stuff there.

About the serial port - there is a computer cable you can get (it came free with my Ti 83+) that hooks up your calc with the computer, and it comes with a program u can use to send and receive stuff from it.

This program also comes with a window set up exactly like the calculator, so you can write your programs there (no need for VB)

If you have any more queries just e-mail me:
[email protected]

[Flip]

yeah, i know all that about the GraphLink, ticalc.org, the handbook. And there is a need for VB because GraphLink SUCKS! The app im making is MUCH, MUCH better and if i finish it, it will actually be useful to people. And yes, i have one. So, anyone have any more info?

[bugzpodder]

VB6 executables needs VB run time files, which needs Windows OS
VB .NET needs .NET framework, which needs Windows NT 2000 or XP. so you gotta have these things before you can run your executables on your TI83. of course, to install Windows you need at least a CD-Rom drive. also its processor power and memory capacities needs to be increased in order for fast performance. I don't know if you can do these things or not but i won't recommend it.

[Destined Soul]

What VeryConfused is trying to do, BugZ, is create a Windoze program that is a replacement for the one that talks to a TI-83+, not a program that runs on it. I think (s)he's asking, essentially, the format in which to send data to the calculator.

I did a search, which took a while, actually, and found one decent site (may be more):

http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~tsinge...83+/index.html

It looks like a fair bit of work, but I imagine it's not too hard.

Best of luck.

Destined

[Flip]

Destined Soul has got it right. Thanks for your time and the site, it's just what i need

[Flip]

Ok, that site gave me all the "Tokens" for TI-BASIC, but im not quite sure how to write them to a file. For anyone who know's TI-BASIC, here's an example program:

ClrHome
Disp "Hello"

How would i get all the values for those commands (which i already know) and combine them into a TI-83 prog? I would be more than happy which just a link or idea.

[markman]

do it in assembly

[Flip]

I want to do it in VB 6, this a Visual Basic App. It doesn't run on the TI, it makes TI-BASIC programs that run on the calc.

What i need to do now is compile all the tokens for the TI-BASIC program into a 8XP program.

[Sastraxi]

Ok, here's a sample. This is what is contained in the 8xp file for my example program KG2LB:

**TI83F*
 Program file 09/01/02, 16:19              . 
  KG2LB       ÝN?N2:204623X?Þ*POUNDS>*+Xu

And this is the code of it:

PROGRAM:KG2LB
:Prompt N
:N2.204623->X
:Disp "POUNDS:",X

Of course the -> is merged, but I don't have that kind of thing on my keyboard From this, we can determine that the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th bytes contain the type of calculation (TI83F = TI83 Plus I suppose). Then, the description and date. We then have the Ý which I suppose is the Prompt, and the ? which stands for newline (I'd suppose). Then the next line is 2:204623 (meaning 2.204623), then a null char, then X. We can determine the box (null) is the store command. Simply run it through VB and look up the ASCII value. Then, you've got a new line, and then that weird p-looking thing. That must be the Disp keyword. Then, * means ", POUNDS means POUNDS, > means :, + means comma (,), and a small u means end of program I think. I hope you learn something from that

[Flip]

I really don't have a clue, but i doubt that's right (unless you're sure it is). The 8XP file format just shows up that way in Notepad because thats the only way it can represent it - the file doesn't contain text (or not all text, anyway). Everything in the file except the strings in quotes is represented in some kind of number format, like hex or something. But im new in this sort of programming, so i don't really have a good idea of what i need to do.

If you look on http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~tsinge...3+/tokens.html, you'll see a table of TI-86 tokens (which are the same for 83+). Those are representations of all the commands in the calc. What I'm not sure about is if that is code created before the program runs or code that the program is made up of. Any thoughts? This is a tuffie.

[gwdash]

The format sasitrax was using is a text representation of the file format. You can view it in a hex editor to view the actual bytes, or you can simply figure out the ascii codes of those commands. For example, the ascii code for "Þ" is 222, the same as 0xDE, which is the token for the Disp Command. So, what you do is, put at the beginning of you file:

**TI83F*
 Program file 09/01/02, 16:19              .

and then the commands, as per the format that sasitrax gave, but insearting the correct tokens. Depending on how the interface is setup, it may or may not be easy to parse the commands and tokenize them. Writing the file can be done using the binary write options in VB. As for serial communication, you use the MSComm control, the protocol is included at that webiste

However, i would build my own cable and link through the a parallel port, the serial comm can become complicated

[Sastraxi]

Yes, that was only meant as a starter reference Even though it should be right, at least most of the commands (unless I've done something to my calculator, my link cable, my computer, or all 3! )

[Flip]

Ok, thats all great, thanks for the help! I understand the process but im still a tad confused.

On the chart, Disp is D-E. Why did gwdash say 0XDE? I don't undestant this concept of Hex.

Once i have the hex, how do i write it to a file (the commands)?

What is the process of opening a hex file?

The file format is hex, right?

[gwdash]

That was a table of the codes with the first and second places as the axese(sp?). "0x" is just to denote Hexidecimal thus, "0xDE" means "D(or 14 * 16 (sixteens place)) + E(or 15 * 1 (ones place)), which is 222 decimal. The file format is binary, just like all files. Hex 0xDE is just easiry to write in than binary "11011110" Sastraxi showed a ASCII representation of the data. You can write the specific bits into the file to create it. The specific file format still eludes me, but i'm still looking for it.

[Flip]

Should i re-submit this question or do any of you wish to continue the conversation here?

[gwdash]

Keep talking here. No reason to recreate the thread and lose the auto email capability

Any Questions?

[Flip]

i dont mean to be making my app all off of others' knowlage, but could comeone please give me on doing what gwdwash is saying? Like make it take a command, like Disp or Output( and print the hex value on the form.

And what is a hex file viewer i can use to look at the TI83 files?

[Flip]

OK, it's been a while. I just came back and re-read all the posts, and i UNDERSTAND! The file is ASCII and you get that by taking the ascii value, translating to hex, and looking the hex value on that chart from the link.

The only things i need to know:
> how do you get the hex value from the ASCII
> how do you get the ASCII value from the hex

Thanks a million, and sorry for my slowness

[Kagey]

hey,

just read your last question and you can find tons of conversion tables on the net. just go to google and search for hex ascii table.

alternativly, the text editor called ultra edit has a character conversion table in it.

[Flip]

Thanks! Got a table.

Another thing: on gladstone, the system variables have more than 2 characters in the hex value.

For example: "[B]" is 01-5C. Is this 0X015C or 01X5C or what?

And another thing , up at the top of the table from gladstone, it says 0X11 is ")", towards the bottom in the "BB XX" section, it says 0X11 is "invNorm". There are repeated values throughout the entire table. The titles say something about significant digits, first bytes, and second bytes. Can someone please translate into simpler and smaller words ?

[Flip]

I just realized that you dont need a table. Just convert the decimal ASCII value to hex using the Hex() function.

But is this the most efficiant way to convert hex to dec?

Function HexToDec(HexVal as string) as integer
 
Dim D as Integer
 
For D = 1 to 255
    If Hex(D) = HexVal Then
        HexToDec = D
        Exit function
    End If
Next D
 
End Function

(my previous question still stands)

[sql_lall]

1) If you are going to use that code, it would be best to use a loop from 0 to 255, that way "00" is not missed.

2) It may be better to use this:

Function HexToDec(HexVal as string) as integer
 
dim D as integer
dim S as string
 
for a = 1 to 2
  S = mid$(HexVal,a)
  if val(S) = 0 then
  D = D+ (CHR$(S)-86) * (16 ^ (a-1)) 'use 54 if uppercase letters 
  Else D = D+ val(S) *(16 ^ (a-1))
Next a
HexToDec = D
 
End Function

[Flip]

I don't know what that does (does it work?). All my function does is convert every number from 1 (or 0, as you pointed out) to 255 to hex and checks to see if thats the number you gave it. Maybe not the most efficiant, but not so time-consuming that i would change it. The simpler the better

[Hitoshi]

Oh wow, I too fiddle around with ports in VB for my TI. You see, I wanted to make a VB based application that allowed basic programmers to execute any wav/midi from the computer thru simple TI-basic command(s). To do this, it needs valid connection between your calc and your computer. Then use simple commands like Send() to execute various sounds.

My program allowed up to 20 different wav sounds and 6 different midi's. To function this, you need to download/get a wav or midi file. You assign what number they are going to be . For example, using my VB application, you assign Sound #1 as Laugh.wav. Then assign Midi music #1 as Theme01.mid and so on. So in order to execute this you need this on your calculator

:Clrhome
:Send(A 'Execute soundFX #1
:Send(V 'Execute MidiMusic #1
:Stop

You get it? For awhile it worked great. Using this VB application I've made, I was able to have computer wav/midi music during the opertion of the game. Unfortunately, my tester revealed that this didn't work on his computer. That's where I need help. I know that when you use a command "Send(A)", it sends weird variable to the PC. And that variable is read gibberish. So how do I receive a variable to the computer and transulate that gibberish to more readable format... like HEX or something.

[Flip]

I'm not sure what your question is, but i wouldn't be able to answer it anyway.

Can you post the code for your app (if it works)? That would be awsome! I need to know how to send data through the Graph Link.

[347Studboy]

Hello,

Has anyone been able to answer this question? About sending and receiving data, and/or constructing TI programs from within Visual Basic (or preferably VB.Net)? I've been looking into doing this myself.