Omnimaga

Calculator Community => TI Calculators => TI-BASIC => Topic started by: blue_bear_94 on May 04, 2013, 08:07:22 pm

Title: Avoiding stress from writing TI-89 Basic
Post by: blue_bear_94 on May 04, 2013, 08:07:22 pm
About 1.25 years ago, I received a TI-89 Titanium, but even now, I can't create large programs on it without being stressed out by repeatedly pressing keys; the variable manager is cumbersome to use as well. Do you have any tips for reducing this stress (maybe using an external editor would work, but all of the installers I tried failed; is there a solution for that?). I really want to finish my relatively undeveloped RPG.

Thanks in advance!
Title: Re: Avoiding stress from writing TI-89 Basic
Post by: Stefan Bauwens on May 05, 2013, 06:59:16 am
Hm, I'm used to it so I don't have this problem really. You could use catalog instead of writing each command though.
Also, I think 2nd+APPS swaps between two things, but I hardly use it.
Title: Re: Avoiding stress from writing TI-89 Basic
Post by: blue_bear_94 on May 05, 2013, 08:42:58 am
Hm, I'm used to it so I don't have this problem really. You could use catalog instead of writing each command though.
Also, I think 2nd+APPS swaps between two things, but I hardly use it.

Using the Catalog often takes quite a while because of the key delay. And I do use 2nd + Apps. I'm working on a program to help solve these problems.
Title: Re: Avoiding stress from writing TI-89 Basic
Post by: Stefan Bauwens on May 05, 2013, 12:53:18 pm
Well, it actually never even came up in my mind that this was slow. I'm used to writing the commands, and that goes pretty quick. Imo faster than on a Z80. ;)
I think it's mainly a matter of getting used to it.
Title: Re: Re: Avoiding stress from writing TI-89 Basic
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on May 05, 2013, 05:28:30 pm
Is there any ASM program to remove or reduce key delay or enable quick key repeat on ticalc.org? I know MirageOS on the 83+ allowed us to do that.
Title: Re: Avoiding stress from writing TI-89 Basic
Post by: blue_bear_94 on May 05, 2013, 06:28:07 pm
Probably; it should be pretty trivial using functions from kbd.h. But the key delay is only one of the problems of the editor; another problem is the lack of quick access to key commands (drawing, when(), #, etc.) and the lack of use of the entire screen.
Title: Re: Avoiding stress from writing TI-89 Basic
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on May 05, 2013, 06:55:06 pm
You should maybe check the Ticalc.org features from 2010-11. I think there were a bunch of small ASM tools that modified the OS or added extra functions to the calc. Maybe one of them added such function. And there's no menu for Draw?? On the TI-83+ all you do is 2nd+PRGM and you end up in the DRAW menu. Special characters requires special programs to access, though.

I remember on 68K calcs that when you hold down the arrow keys, the delay between key repeat is much longer than on the 83+ (around 2 seconds instead of 0.5), so it took me a while to realize that there was even key repeat at all. It's annoying nonetheless since you still end up constantly mashing keys. >.<

I wonder if in the future Kerm or Merth will add TI-Nspire BASIC, Lua and 68K BASIC support to their program editors...
Title: Re: Avoiding stress from writing TI-89 Basic
Post by: blue_bear_94 on May 05, 2013, 08:30:46 pm
You should maybe check the Ticalc.org features from 2010-11. I think there were a bunch of small ASM tools that modified the OS or added extra functions to the calc. Maybe one of them added such function. And there's no menu for Draw?? On the TI-83+ all you do is 2nd+PRGM and you end up in the DRAW menu. Special characters requires special programs to access, though.

Nope, you need to use the catalog on the 89. I don't know why TI decided to do that. But special characters can be accessed with 2nd +.

Quote
I remember on 68K calcs that when you hold down the arrow keys, the delay between key repeat is much longer than on the 83+ (around 2 seconds instead of 0.5), so it took me a while to realize that there was even key repeat at all. It's annoying nonetheless since you still end up constantly mashing keys. >.<

I agree. Another problem is that some keypresses are ignored if you type too quickly (this bug is present to a greater extent on the CSE, by the way).

Quote
I wonder if in the future Kerm or Merth will add TI-Nspire BASIC, Lua and 68K BASIC support to their program editors...

I talked to Kerm about adding 68k Basic. IIRC, he said that he was working on it at one time but he doesn't plan on it.
Title: Re: Avoiding stress from writing TI-89 Basic
Post by: Stefan Bauwens on May 06, 2013, 03:00:28 am
I too use 2ND + for special characters, but honestly once you're used to your calculator it goes so quick. I too also write my commands letter by letter and that goes quick too.
I use the keyboard with ALPHA+key. I've written ALL my 89 programs like that. ;)
(I hardly use the catalog, except when I'm unsure of a name of a command).