Lua print restored in OS 3.1

[critor]

Cross-posting from TI-Planet.

When Nspire OS 3.1.0.392 was released in september, we discovered that the  standard Lua print() function had been removed.

This function made it possible to output data to the RS232 port of the Nspire, thereby enabling control of external peripherals, sound output, or whatever you see fit. It was already used in the wild when TI removed it...






This mis-feature of TI-Nspire OS 3.1.0.392 can now be fixed, thanks to fixprint. Fixprint hot-patches the OS in RAM to restore the funtionnality which was removed by TI, and can be launched automatically on boot by Ndless 3.1


This program is yet another compelling showcase of the endless possibilities offered by native code - including hotfixes to TI's OS (fixprint can be considered as such).
Sadly, TI is dead set on shutting the door to native code on the Nspire platform...



Download from the TI-Planet news:
http://tiplanet.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8931

[Stefan Bauwens]

Awesome!
Well done to the maker of that utitlity.

[Lionel Debroux]

It's a team of makers, actually

[Chockosta]

Nice work !
The RS232 port is quite fun to play with

[Jim Bauwens]

Very nice

[Nick]

do you just have to put fixprint.tns on your calc and nothing else? since i was that runprint.tns too, and i'm confused

[Lionel Debroux]

Oh yeah, I should have put a note about runprint
fixprint is the Ndless program, and runprint is the Lua testcase.

fixprint ought to be launched interactively, the first time, to check whether you have the appropriate version of Ndless 3.1 beta (SVN r568 and later). If you don't, the calculator will reboot, and you'll have to upgrade your Ndless version. In my testing with SVN r568, I hadn't noticed a problem.

[renatose]

this is realy nice! In a month or so I'll start playing with it, I've got everything to start playing a nspire, an arduino, an rs232 usb adapter, wires, an LCD screen and imagination! this is gonna be great!

Good job, thanks to the team of makers!

[Juju]

Yay cool serial stuff is back

[Dingus]

Was eliminating this functionality another effort on ti's part to indicate clearly that they don't want our business?  Or just another one of their stupid mistakes. 

[Nick]

Was eliminating this functionality another effort on ti's part to indicate clearly that they don't want our business?  Or just another one of their stupid mistakes. 

i guess the first. They really don't want to make us do things with it that don't fit with the needs for school and other "serious" stuff.
So everything that might be used to make it function more than it should gets removed

[Lionel Debroux]

And the problem is, serial communication definitely has valid uses for classrooms, so by crippling their Lua (intentionally or not) and by fighting native code, they're doubly hurting themselves...
See, for instance, two projects aimed at drawing curves for math functions:
* the ToyoBot, made by critor's students and himself: a TI-Robot controlled by a TI-Z80, http://tiplanet.org/forum/archives_voir.php?id=1859 ;
* TDF89, using a different drawing hardware controlled by a TI-68k: http://tiplanet.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=102589#p102589 , http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/video/xgj6rx
Such projects are always great learning experiences for pupils...

Besides expanding functionality, patching the OS in RAM allows third parties to prevent TI's bugs from striking (I think that the boot2 reflashing code contained in OS 3.0.1.1753, which bricked thousands of calculators beyond repair with standard hardware and software last year, could be prevented from striking), or fix them (e.g. fixprint), without TI having to deploy new OS versions !
The possibilities are endless

[DJ Omnimaga]

This is cool. A few weeks ago I remember people telling me they wished more sound games existed in Lua for OS 3.1, but I had to tell them that sound was no longer possible via Lua.

@Lionel, could they be preventing actual stuff such as TI-Robot from being done in order to prevent people from making money with such device? Not that this would affect them at all if people made money by creating a third-party add-in for the TI-Nspire, but we never know what TI thinks, sometimes. >.>

[Dingus]

And the problem is, serial communication definitely has valid uses for classrooms, so by crippling their Lua (intentionally or not) and by fighting native code, they're doubly hurting themselves...

Why do I keep thinking that the only effective way to deal with TI is to hurt them financially such as a boycott on buying new nspires (used is ok because ti doesn't get that money) and pressure on teachers to put the toys away and go back to teaching/learning math again? 

[apcalc]

Great News!