New ! HP-IL : Mass Storage ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ The HP-IL Mass Storage virtual device emulates the original 82161A Digital Cassette Drive and adds more capacity, fun as well as “light speed” response time on it. The format used for the virtual disks is as it was in the 80‘s : the HP LIF format. The DOS liffutil can be used to convert older floppy disks to raw files which then can be directly imported into Genesis-41. Several LIF archives are also available for download on the Internet. How to use the Mass Storage peripheral, a step by step example : 1. Load the HP-IL ROM “ILModule-1bH.ROM” into page 7 via the ROM Layout Manager. Attach a new mass storage peripheral as shown below. This will simply add or “attach” a new device on the HP-IL emulated loop : 2. Now open the Directory window. It will indicate that the media is not formatted. 3. From the calculator : The quick reference for all HP-IL functions is available here : 82160A HPIL Module Quick Ref.pdf. After importing a LIF disk, the directory might look like this : 4. Now, open the controller... This tool is an advanced user interface allowing a more detailed control on virtual disks or “medias” when created with the mass storage HP-IL device. Each attached mass storage device can have at one point of time one single media inserted, which must be formatted at least once, or imported from an external file prior to be used with the calculator. Note: Genesis-41 is released with a modified HP-IL ROM module called “ILModule-1bH.ROM”, do not try to load the standard HP-IL ROM because it contains several flaws which have been corrected in the provided HP-IL ROM module. When chaining several mass storage devices on the virtual HP-IL loop, make sure all run with the same media size. This is an absolute must in order to ensure than the HP-IL module is able to check sizes and limits prior to write data on the media. A single file cannot span over several mass storage devices, it must fit entirely on a single media. Nevertheless, it is still today exiting to watch in real-time a file being searched among several media when being loaded or written.ROM_Layout_Manager.htmlHPIL_Mass_Storage_files/82160A%20HPIL%20Module%20Quick%20Ref.pdfshapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1
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Interface loop details and device console

Click to detach this device instance. The virtual disk will be lost if not saved before detaching the peripheral

Select to display details from the HP-IL loop

displays HP-IL address

Click to open the controller

Click to open the real-time LIF directory display

This sign means that the disk has not been saved yet since the last write operation on the media

Media access indicators :

read : writing

green : reading

blue : R/W directory

Empty LIF structure. The header is shown once the media has been formatted

displays nothing : directory is empty. The printer can also be used to display the  directory listing

writes the program TEST onto media, if existing on RAM

writes all calculator RAM onto media

writes all key assignments onto media

creates a data file with 1000 empty registers on media

writes the status flags onto the media

positions on register 1 in the saved data file

writes all registers on the created file from current position

loads the calculator RAM with the file “NAME” being respectively  a user program, status registers, ram snapshot

displays directory on printer as well as on calculator display

Click to validate the new media size (lower of higher), a new formatting with NEWM is not required

Media size can be changed with the number of tracks between 1 and 16 (131’072 to max 1‘048‘576 bytes)


Higher track values are allowed up to 256, tracks higher than 256 make no sense on a 41CX calculator. The default value of 2 tracks was used for the 82161A Digital Cassette Tape Drive


If you chose to use medias with tracks numbers higher than 16, be aware that the ROM will no longer be able to test when the file is too large to fit on the media during a write operation. So better not going further that 16

the ROM is automatically patched when using track numbers higher than 2 ie. number of records higher than 512. This is needed to check max sizes before writing files on media


512 was a hardcoded constant adapted to the digital cassette tapes. Today no longer a constant but a variable !


4096 records is the absolute maximum under which the HP-IL module is still able to check file size against tape size prior to start a write operation on the media, and insure that the file fits entirely on the media. This size is coded in the ROM on 12 bits = maximum 0xFFF = 4096

Use knobs and sliders to display the media records and patch them if needed. Values are updated in real time when the calculator writes / reads new data

Click to import a new LIF file, or export the current media into a flat raw file

Media size in bytes and 41C registers

Click to assign a volume label to this media

The bytes within a record in details. Here a single file entry in the LIF directory structure


If empty, means the media is not formatted  and  the attention sign appears under  Size

formats the current media with default attributes and creates a directory for 254-1 file entries

The attention sign under Size means the media is not formatted

Directory entry in record 3 (start counting with 0), and its located at index entry 0 (the first entry)

It’s a user program, non 41C files  are also recognized

record where the first data byte is located

number of records used

size in bytes and  41C registers

file options:

P: private

S: secure

 
 
 
 
 

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