It's been a while since I've posted any sort of update, but I've been insanely busy lately.

I suffered a hard drive crash and lost a lot of stuff, but it turned out to not be so bad. I recovered a recent version of periph8x, and that's back on track.

I finally got a hold of TI-SmartView and was able to test SmView to make sure it actually works. It turns out...it didn't. But I fixed it, and now it does! So now there's no need for that ginormous SmartPad Flash application anymore.

I've also uploaded an OS patch for the 84+/SE called PatchPTT. It renders Press-to-Test, Testguard2, and the ON+[8]+[2]/[5] key combinations useless. And even better, it works on the Nspire 84+SE keypad! So now there's no reason why anyone shouldn't upgrade to the latest OS, which is 2.43.

I'm also still working on documenting the remaining BCALLs...we're down to 144! I haven't updated the BCALL of the Day page, but rest assured, I am working on it.

Happy birthday to me! In other news...

Like this post suggests, I was suppose to release an alpha of periph8x last week, but I didn't do it. Unfortunately, I've just been too busy. But I AM working on it, and it's close!

Uh-oh, look out -- the BCALL of the Day is back! With only 167 BCALLs left (it was 430 when I started, and there are 1635 total), we can't afford to have this sitting around any longer.

The remaining BCALLs are all very deeply embedded in the OS. Some have potential to be useful, others not. Regardless, we need to understand what they do so we can have a complete list. Full documentation of this calculator's OS is a reality, people! Something to rival even that of their internal documentation! And this kind of information can spread to all the z80 series calculators.

I'm going to dive in and pick apart major pieces of the OS if only to explain one or two BCALLs at a time, which is what it's going to take to finish it and why I've hestitated until now.

I'm all ears for suggestions on how to make this more exciting for us all and keep this thing going, like people picking their favorite mystery BCALL for me to do next, because it's not just me doing this, it's for the good of the community!

I've also added another 83+ puzzle, although I don't expect it'll be solved anytime soon. :) I'm throwing it out there in the hopes that some poor soul got his hands on TI-SmartView and can help us all out here.

Amazed at how simple it is to turn an OS 2.40+ equipped calculator into a TI-SmartView Input Pad, I wondered how TI gets people to activate it. So I scoured education.ti.com for the accompanying Flash application, and I found SmartPad. I was curious how TI was handling USB connections/disconnections, so I disassembled it. And I found a small, yet horrible, mess.

I was so tempted to come up with a "Stupid Disassembly of the Week" section, but I know I'm not going to keep it up-to-date.

For starters, the whole application is 2.3KB, including the header (which is at 4070h, not 4080h, so they're not following their own examples, probably just to screw us), validation data, and who knows how many different language localization strings, I couldn't even count them.

They have code in there which would fail if they ever came out with a 3.x OS, which is fine, I guess...we know they'll never get that far in updates without also updating this application. It irks me that they check the OS version and THEN the hardware version...because the minimum OS version they check for won't run on hardware versions below what they need. Just more stupidity about them not knowing their own calculators.

They also duplicated the code to _GetCSC. That was completely unnecessary. You just have to wonder sometimes...

But anyway, disgusted by this, I wrote a 427 byte program to replace it, called SmView. Just run it and it does the same thing SmartPad does. So that saves you about 15.5KB, which, if you have an 84+/SE, you probably weren't that desperate for anyway.

I also uploaded the corresponding documentation and their cryptic key codes here.

I've uploaded a small remote control program for the 83+/84+ series called remote8x...which supports both the I/O and direct USB links, which makes it the first of its kind.

The source is included, of course, which has simple, documented routines for sending and receiving bytes over direct USB. Now anyone can make calc<->calc or PC<->calc programs with very little overhead and memory (the entire program is ~826 bytes). Dig into it and make something useful, already, people!

I'm finally out of my code writer's block with periph8x (there was a partition issue that was plaguing me for weeks/months), and I'm making real progress on it!

The 84+/SE is now showing up as a 2MB FAT16 USB mass storage device when you plug it into a PC, complete with drive letter and "RAM" and "FLASH" subdirectories, which is where you'll see listings of 8x* files that represent your calculator variables.

You'll be able to copy, move, and delete files on and off the calculator, completely eliminating the need for linking software, and enabling you to take your calculator anywhere with an internet connection and do what you need to do with it.

It also includes a USB keyboard driver so you can take your calculator anywhere and use it to type on any PC, and a calculator driver to replace the current silent link functionality built into the OS. The only thing I haven't really touched is the mouse/gamepad driver, which I think should be pretty trivial, so I'm putting it off for later.

I'm working on getting RAM variables to show up in the "RAM" subdirectory, and then I think I'll be at a point where I can start releasing public betas, and we can all get involved in this really exciting project that I'm sure is going to change things for the 84+/SE.

I also ordered a desktop USB missile launcher, because it turns out that it would be really easy to write a driver for it (in fact, it wouldn't even need to be a Flash application). And...who wouldn't want to set their 84+/SE to use the clock and launch a missile from a hidden corner of the office or classroom at a specific time?

I've uploaded a new Flash application for the 84+ and 84+SE called UnivOS. It's a signed/unsigned OS receiver...but for the direct USB link!

Yes, now anyone can install a third-party OS, regardless of cable type or calculator model. If you have an 83+ or 83+SE, simply send a carefully-modified OS and pull a battery during validation, or if you have an 84+ or 84+SE, you can use LinkMan for an I/O graph link cable, or UnivOS for the direct USB cable.

I'm also pretty sure this is the first calculator program/application released to support the direct USB link protocol.

This also works when transferring an OS between two calculators. So play around with it...run PongOS, or write your own OS!

I added a new section on solving 83+ puzzles. I'll post mysteries about 83+ oddities, and it's up to you guys to find out the answer and post about it.

You don't win anything, it's just something to do if you're bored.

And you know I must be bored to come up with it, but I think there should be more of an interest in these kinds of things. And if you're not a programmer...browse through it, you might learn something you didn't know before.

I joined Detached Solutions! Yay! I remember way back when this was THE programming group to pay attention to (it still is), hoping that one day I'd join it, and here we are!

I'm also working on an 84+/SE USB peripheral driver, so that the calculator can pretend to be a USB keyboard and mass storage device (but not at the same time, obviously). You'll be able to use it as a USB keyboard, and also hook it up to any PC and have it show up as a FAT16 USB flash drive, with the ability to copy 8x* files directly to it, and copy variables off it as 8x* files. Definitely a huge project, and one that'll take a long time.

I have a video of it acting as an unformatted USB mass storage device, which is worth watching if you're bored.

TI-73 owners, rejoice...I wrote a certificate patcher for the TI-73 so that it can accept freeware Flash applications that we sign ourselves. I've called it Free73, and it's located here.

It's a one time only program you run once and then forget about! Then you can run all the user-created 73 Flash applications you want.

It also paves the way for third-party 73 and 83+ series OSes that we sign ourselves. Even TI's software would be able to send PongOS (or whatever) to your 84+/SE! Imagine that!

That's not much news in itself unless there's a 73 Flash application to go along with it...and you're in luck! I created a shell called Tortoise which will launch all Mallard-compatible programs.

For later releases, I intend to add all sorts of hooks to Tortoise and a pseudo user archive where you can embed variables directly into the application itself, immune to RAM resets. You'll be able to move them back and forth between RAM and the application.

The goal is to make it like MirageOS on steroids. Hopefully we can finally make the 73 what we want it to be, and get it in the game with the rest of the z80 calculators.

Yes, now you too can semi-permanently brick your 73 or 83+/84+ series calculator!

Seriously, though, don't run this. I just created it because I could.

It DOES have the capability to mess up your calculator permanently, and almost certainly will if you have an 84+/SE!

You might also notice there's a TI-73 assembly program in there...that's right, no shell! The TI-73 has built-in assembly support, and it always has. I didn't find it, but I wrote some dev tools so that others can use it. You can run them as you would BASIC programs, and even embed assembly inline within BASIC programs! And now you can destroy your 73 with this newfound knowledge.

It seems Hank and Steve, two people who helped write the 84+/SE OS, had a little too much fun with their USB printer.

Click to find out what I mean.

I finally managed to find an old HP printer which uses PCL and would print straight ASCII text, but it's being fussy with me right now (quits printing after ~20 characters, number varies). Odd. But anyway, I'm hoping I can have a semi-useful release of print8x really soon.

After receiving death threats about it (no, really) I put up another BCALL of the Day entry. Don't worry, I haven't given up...just busy.

I've also come up with an idea for another Flash application called RAMHooks (for now)...it's basically a library where small RAM programs can call it and embed their hooks INTO the application (by writing them to the archive), which allows for lots of small RAM programs to keep their hooks protected in the archive, and no wasting ~15KB just for a simple hook. Who knows how useful it'll be, but, yeah.

I've been pretty busy with work, and Summer of Code is coming to a close, so who knows when I'll get around to stuff.

I've decided to expand on LinkMan so I can have a reason to upload it to ticalc.org. If you don't know, LinkMan is a TI-83/84 Plus Flash application which controls all aspects of linking and silent linking. You can:

• Log what and when link stuff happens (to RAM page of your choice on SEs and 84+, AppVar on original 83+)


• Receive unsigned OSes on both 83+ and 84+ series (with your own prgmUNLOCK which unlocks Flash, not included)


• Send unsigned OSes to 73, 83+, and 84+ series (even if the other calculator cannot run it)


• Receive variables from other model calculators (85, 86, 89, 92, 92+, Voyage 200) and store them in AppVars (compatible with X-Link)


• Send other-model variables back to the original calculator (85, 86, 89, 92, 92+, Voyage 200) (compatible with X-Link)


• View contents of other calculator on your own screen and request any variable


• Send any variable to connected 83+/84+ series calculator through silent linking


• Remote control of connected 83+/84+ series calculator


• Ignore all silent link communication


• Actively reject all silent link packets


• "Stealth" mode, which receives and accepts all variables and commands, but will NOT store or act on them (including Testguard2/Press-to-Test)


• Choose another program to run when receiving "remote program/application execution" packet


• Run a BASIC/assembly program when any communication is detected


• Remotely view any address and page of the other calculator's memory


• Remotely execute any code on the other calculator

This supports both the serial I/O link and USB SilverLink cable (84+/84+SE only) through the usb8x driver.

So, I guess you could say it's Calcsys for linking. Or something. Anyway, it's about halfway done (the currently-uploaded one is a very old version that pretty much just receives unsigned OSes).

I finished FlashDrv.

It's a very controversial application and so I'll just let you download it (if you want) and see what you think. DO NOT do anything stupid with it, and have fun.

I'm proud to announce that I've officially lost half of my sanity, which of course means that I'm halfway through all the BCALLs!

I'm currently at 212, and I started at 430. There are many, many more clumped together that once I figure out, I can knock out all at once, so expect that number to keep falling!

Also, there are many OS routines that appear to be simple, but the logic behind them just boggles my mind. For example, there are lots of math routines that I just do not understand, so I'm thinking of starting a page with challenges, where you try to understand what the code's supposed to do. And the prize, of course, is that you get all the credit for it.

I'm well aware that no one actually visits this site or wants to disassemble BCALLs, but bear with me on this, I just told you I'm halfway insane. :)

I've written an 83+/84+ shell-like thingy (Flash application) called Noshell. It installs a parser hook which allows you to run any program (that's BASIC, assembly, MirageOS, and Ion, regardless of being in RAM or archive) as if it were BASIC (meaning without Asm( or a shell such as MirageOS).

It also supports program writeback (as an option) and chaining with other parser hooks (such as xLIB). I highly suggest you check it out.

The BCALL of the Day is back on a regular schedule, and the number is currently down to 264 BCALLs! Go check it out.

And what's more, I now have notes to every single BCALL that's left. So, I'm proud to say that these two resources combined get you at least a hint about every single BCALL on the 83+ series:

ti83plus.inc with known BCALLs
Notes and details on all the remaining BCALLs

Yay!

I've uploaded more BCALL documenting progress, namely notes on the BCALLs I don't feel I know well enough to officially document or give a name.

There are ~30 OS 2.30 BCALLs (of the 155 that were added) which still have no notes, and of course many of the originals (though I'm sure that almost all of them are related to one or two things (list editor and mouse routines)).

Anyway, I've at least skimmed through every unknown BCALL, so there are no more real surprises. :( But that doesn't mean it's over.

Also, I've uploaded a library I'm working on for assembly (and BASIC?) programmers to allow easy writing to Flash. This is almost certainly illegal, so I'll probably get a cease-and-desist order or something.

Anyway, the intention is to allow for safe and easy methods of doing things like creating large variables directly in the archive.

It's nowhere near completion, but it does do some interesting things, so it might be worth checking out.

I've written a fake memory clear application for the 83+/84+ called Fake.

I made a nice separate page about it here, so Google and all kinds of cheaters can find their way to it. As far as I know, it's the best and most flexible out there.

Check it out, or just laugh at the source or something.

As you may or may not have noticed, I fell behind on maintaining the BCALL of the Day page...I missed so much time that I'm just going to add new ones from here on out.

But don't worry, I haven't been slacking...I cut the incomplete list down to 284 BCALLs! We're well on our way to full 83+ documentation.

I've put up a BCALL of the Day page!

Every day, a new BCALL will be documented, explained, and added to that page as well as WikiTI, unless it's so dumb I don't even feel like putting it there.

There are currently 365 unnamed BCALLs; we are close to finding them all...we can and we will succeed!

If you want to help out, check out the incomplete list as well as the other documents that can help.

I'm on a calculator programming rampage.

I've been documenting and disassembling lots of BCALLs and finding silly exploits on the 83+ series. I've uploaded almost all of them to /calcstuff/ in one form or another. A few things inside:

• Universal Flash-writing method


• Semi-universal calculator ID-retrieving method


• OS 2.41 Flash-unlocking exploit


• Oncalc Flash application creator

...and other stuff. These things are kind of scary (and illegal), so that's about all I'll say about it.

On other fronts, I've created an oncalc OS receiver for the 83+ series (requires Flash to be unlocked first)...the implications of this being able to install third-party operating systems on any calculator, not just the 83+/SE.

The receiver is embedded with another application I've created called LinkMan which lets you control all aspects of silent linking, such as remote program execution, ignoring or rejecting all commands, "stealth" mode, and so on. It's supposed to do more and work better, but I'm tired of working on it. There's enough there already to be semi-useful. Download it to find out more.

And using all of the above, I'm going to work on msd8x some more and add Flash application and group file importing/exporting...if I find the time, anyway.

The 84+/SE USB drivers I've been toying with now have their own project pages.

Time8x (get it? Timex...Time8x...) will communicate with the Timex USB Data Link watch and allow uploading/downloading of watch data and WristApps.

And wifi8x will let you connect your 84+/SE to a wireless access point by way of a wireless ethernet adapter. The intent is to only support the Atmel AT76C5XX and Ralink rt2500 chipsets, though. Still, this'll be huge, assuming it gets off the ground.

These pages are probably the only reason you'd want to be here (except Scar the Shoals), so check back often.

The mystery of MirageOS' Save the Whales has been solved.

Rejoice.

Check out the new 84+/SE printer driver, or rather the pre-alpha version of it.

This driver's going to require a lot of help from other people and their printers. If you're able to try it, please do!

The logging in/out and forum are written, so that means this site's done and I can go back to not touching the site for a really, really long time.

Maybe I'll throw up an RSS feed so people don't even have to bother coming here.

Lots of updates...

The Xbox project page has been updated with the current status, and the calculators page has been updated for the >100mA USB power circuit.

And...the forum/registration/logging in is broken. Actually, they're not written yet, so that's understandable.

The pi search page has been improved to search through 50 million digits! It also tells you the time it takes to search it and delivers some depressing news (maybe).

Just to demonstrate how warped my priorities are, click here to search through 4 million digits of pi for whatever string or group of numbers you like.

Why did I do this instead of getting the news script up? I don't know.