Installing Calculator Software

In the following sections I will attempt to explain how to install and remove software on an HP48G-series calculator or an HP49G in RPN mode, including libraries and variables, using the fewest keystrokes possible.

Transferring and Running Files

1. Connect your calculator to a serial port on your computer using a serial link cable.
2. Load your favorite communications program that supports either the Kermit or XModem protocol. If you use Windows, a suitable program is already supplied: either Terminal or HyperTerminal.
3. Set the communications program to use the serial port that you plugged your calculator into, and set it to 9600 bits per second, 8 data bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit. I'm not sure what flow control should be, but Xon/Xoff works just fine for me.
4. If you have an HP48 G-series calculator, press [RightShift] [1] on your HP48 and choose Transfer. If you have an HP49G calculator, press [APPS] [2] [ENTER] [5] [ENTER] to select "Transfer..." on your HP49.
5. Now you have to decide whether to use XModem or Kermit. XModem is by far the fastest, but it requires you to type in a filename to receive and only works with binary files. Kermit is much slower, but it automatically receives the file name and can receive ASCII files.
6. After you have selected a protocol on the calculator, type in the filename (if needed) or select Binary or ASCII (if needed). In most cases, you can leave the other settings as they are. Notice that the HP48 and HP49 incorrectly say "BAUD" when they mean "BPS" or bits per second.
7. In your communications program on your computer, choose the Send File command and choose the same protocol as you chose on your calculator. You may then select the file that you want to send.
8. Press either RECV or XRECV, depending on the protocol, on your calculator, and then tell your computer to start sending the file.
9. The file is now stored as a variable on your calculator.
10. In the VAR menu, press the softkey corresponding to the file that you just transferred to your calculator. If the file you transferred was a directory, it will change to the directory for that program and you should continue from there. If it is a variable, the program will load right away and no further installation is needed. If text that says "Library ###: ..." appears on stack level 1, proceed to the next section.

Installing Libraries

1. Now that the library is on the stack, you may want to purge the variable containing it. See the section Removing Variables for information on doing this. This may be necessary, to prevent a Not Enough Memory error message.
2. Record the library number for use when uninstalling the library, if needed.
3. With the library on level 1 of the stack, put a number on the stack corresponding to the port number you want to store the library in. If you have an HP48 and don't have a RAM card, or if you have an unmodified G series calculator, this will be 0. A RAM card in slot 1 is port 1, and a RAM card in slot 2 could possibly hold ports 2 through 33. On an HP49G, ports 0 and 1 are built in RAM, with port 0 being shared with the HOME directory, and port 2 is flash memory. If using an HP48 with a RAM card, make sure that the port that you want to install the library to is not write-protected.
4. Press the STO key to store the library on level 2 in the port on level 1.
5. With the HP48, turn your calculator on, then off again. On the HP49G, you must hold down [ON] and press [F3]. The calculator will "warm-start", which takes a few seconds, and the stack and PICT will be cleared.
6. Press [RightShift] [2] to bring up the library menu, press the softkey corresponding to the library (press NXT if needed), and press the softkey corresponding to the program.
7. If the program doesn't show up in the library menu, it needs to be attached. Type HOME libnum ATTACH to attach it to HOME, replacing libnum with the library number. You can then go back to step 5.
8. If the program still doesn't show up, on the HP48 press [LeftShift] [2], then |PORTS|, or on the HP49G press [RightShift] [2], and then choose the port number. Check to see if the library number is listed. If it is, the library is probably defective and won't work. If it isn't, start over.

Removing Libraries

1. Enter a tagged item with the port the library is stored into and the library number onto the stack. Use the [RightShift] [+] combination on the HP48 or the [LeftShift] [.] combination on the HP49 to put the :: in, so the command line looks like, for example, :0:924 and when entered on the stack it looks like 0: 924.
2. If you have forgotten the library number, or if you didn't write it down, you can attempt to figure it out by pressing [LeftShift] [2] and choosing |PORTS| (on the HP48) or [RightShift] [2] on the HP49, going through each of the ports, and pressing the softkeys to find the titles of the libraries until you find the one you are looking for.
3. Press ENTER again to duplicate the tagged item.
4. Type DETACH to detach it (remove it from the library menu), and then press [LeftShift] [EEX] (PURGE) (on the HP48) or press [ENTER] and type PURGE (on the HP48 or HP49) to purge it.
5. If the calculator says "ERROR: Object in Use", warm-start your calculator (with [ON]+[C] or [ON]+[F3]) and go back to step 1 and try again.

Removing Variables

On the HP48:

1. Go to the directory containing the variable that you would like to get rid of.
2. Press the ' key, followed by the softkey for the variable that you would like purged.
3. Press left-shift-EEX (PURGE). The variable should now be gone, using only 4 keystrokes.

On the HP49:

1. Go to the directory containing the variable that you would like to get rid of.
2. Press [RightShift] [EQW] ('), followed by the softkey for the variable that you would like purged, followed by [ENTER].
3. Type PURGE and press [ENTER]. The variable should now be gone.