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WARNING: Do NOT convert your HP Prime programs into applications!

Started by Dream of Omnimaga, July 14, 2015, 02:04:07 AM

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Dream of Omnimaga

I am posting this because I notice that more and more HP programmers are switching from program to apps lately, and they might be doing so too early. If you are working on HP Prime programs and another member or even an HP staff suggests that you convert your program into an application, we highly advise you against doing so. Do NOT convert your HP Prime programs into applications! Otherwise, you will simply make it next to impossible for everyone else to use your softwares and reduce your audience in the process.

Two OSes ago, HP implemented support for custom icons and including images inside your applications, with the ability to send the folder containing the files into your applications library via the HP Connectivity Kit software. However, despite claims that it is supposed to make it easier to launch and distribute softwares (they show up in the application list), it is currently the complete opposite. Not only support for this new application format (.hpappdir) is completely broken in both firmwares that support it, but there is no official documentation on how to send such application to your calculator and once you know how to do it, there are about 90% chances that the game or software will not run at all: Instead, a spreadsheet or graph will show up, and that, even if this advice by Timwessman is followed. There are also chances that the calculator will freeze during application transfer, as I witnessed twice, requiring a paper clip to press the RESET button on the back of the device (since ON+Symb won't help you there).

Also, there is only one specific way to transfer an application to the calculator: Sending the ZIP file itself will not send the custom icon and going inside the folder then sending all files at once from there will not send them at all, so your solution is to send the folder, unzipped. And then, that's if it sends at all and if it does, then it's not guaranteed that the result will work as intended.

Until HP fixes all of this, we highly recommend everyone to stick to the .hpprgm format. This will allow you to keep your games and softwares into 1 file and if more than 1 file is required, then at least there won't be all the serious transfer issues that comes with .hpappdir transfers. In addition to that, it's easier to debug code on-calc.

HP, If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Or at least, don't replace it with something even more broken than the HP 39gII.

HP Museum topic: http://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-4354.html
TI-Planet topic: http://tiplanet.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=16955
  • Calculators owned: TI-82 Advanced Edition Python TI-84+ TI-84+CSE TI-84+CE TI-84+CEP TI-86 TI-89T cfx-9940GT fx-7400G+ fx 1.0+ fx-9750G+ fx-9860G fx-CG10 HP 49g+ HP 39g+ HP 39gs (bricked) HP 39gII HP Prime G1 HP Prime G2 Sharp EL-9600C
  • Consoles, mobile devices and vintage computers owned: Huawei P30 Lite, Moto G 5G, Nintendo 64 (broken), Playstation, Wii U

Unicorn

Are you sure its not a userside error? It is the same procces send applications to a real calc as well as the emu?If so try to figure out a way to transpher apps through trial and error.
  • Calculators owned: I own all of them: PICKACHUP TI 84+ CSE TI 83+ SE TI something something ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
  • Consoles, mobile devices and vintage computers owned: PICKACHUP ??? ??? ??? ??? ???



??? ??? ??? ??? ???

bb010g

I'm still wary of this. Can you provide examples of where the Prime has failed at the new Application-based structure?
  • Calculators owned: HP 50g, Prime, 28S, 35S, Casio Prizm, dead Nspire CX CAS

Dream of Omnimaga

Try the last two versions of MinePrime, for example, or earlier versions of S.I.F.S (the last one works).

I also had multiple instances where icons went missing, but that issue is usually solved by dragging the folder itself into the application library.

I also had multiple instances where the apps that I tried to send ended up empty on the calc.


UPDATE:

There is another method to send apps to your calc, as posted by Eried in the HP Museum thread. You have to copy the .hpappdir folder into My Documents/HP Connectivity Kit/Content , then hit Send in the Connectivity Kit. However, that method still gives me the spreadsheet error for Minecraft.
  • Calculators owned: TI-82 Advanced Edition Python TI-84+ TI-84+CSE TI-84+CE TI-84+CEP TI-86 TI-89T cfx-9940GT fx-7400G+ fx 1.0+ fx-9750G+ fx-9860G fx-CG10 HP 49g+ HP 39g+ HP 39gs (bricked) HP 39gII HP Prime G1 HP Prime G2 Sharp EL-9600C
  • Consoles, mobile devices and vintage computers owned: Huawei P30 Lite, Moto G 5G, Nintendo 64 (broken), Playstation, Wii U

alexgt

I have been trying to figure this out and I finally nailed it in the coffin, I had the pragma mode set like this:
#pragma mode( separator(.,;) integer(h64) )
But I should have had it like this:
#pragma mode( separator(.,;) integer(h32) )
I have tested this multiple times on the PC emulator and I had the same problem DJ did up until I changed it to h32 so I hope and pray that the problem is solved :) I will post an update here.
  • Calculators owned: Ti-84+, Ti-Nspire, Hp Prime, Broken HP Prime, HP 48SX

Dream of Omnimaga

How does one figure out when he needs h64 or 32, though?

Hp needs to make headers optional or have tools to generate them. Perhaps an app maker too for user-friendliness?

Also critor says that the 2 MB app transfer crashes are still not fixed. That's why he isn't releasing the .hpappdir version of MViewer GX yet.
  • Calculators owned: TI-82 Advanced Edition Python TI-84+ TI-84+CSE TI-84+CE TI-84+CEP TI-86 TI-89T cfx-9940GT fx-7400G+ fx 1.0+ fx-9750G+ fx-9860G fx-CG10 HP 49g+ HP 39g+ HP 39gs (bricked) HP 39gII HP Prime G1 HP Prime G2 Sharp EL-9600C
  • Consoles, mobile devices and vintage computers owned: Huawei P30 Lite, Moto G 5G, Nintendo 64 (broken), Playstation, Wii U

Unicorn

Ok, so hopefully HP is working on getting this fixed for the next firmware update. :)
  • Calculators owned: I own all of them: PICKACHUP TI 84+ CSE TI 83+ SE TI something something ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
  • Consoles, mobile devices and vintage computers owned: PICKACHUP ??? ??? ??? ??? ???



??? ??? ??? ??? ???

alexgt

Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on July 14, 2015, 01:32:18 PM
How does one figure out when he needs h64 or 32, though?
I have no idea all I know is I tested it when the pragma was at h32 and I had my settings at h16 and h64 and they all worked so I think it is the golden ticket so to speak.

Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on July 14, 2015, 01:32:18 PM
Hp needs to make headers optional or have tools to generate them. Perhaps an app maker too for user-friendliness?
I could make one  but the only difference from the App to a Program is that you need the START() function as your main function and the #pragma mode( separator(.,;) integer(h32) ) line of code.

Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on July 14, 2015, 01:32:18 PM
Also critor says that the 2 MB app transfer crashes are still not fixed. That's why he isn't releasing the .hpappdir version of MViewer GX yet.
I had that problem to when I originally was going to use the spread sheet for world storage but that became impractical and crashed like MViewer GX.

I still am going to stick with the App because all the files are stored into the archive which has 200mb of space which will be plenty but I don't know if there would be enough space in the RAM portion of the Prime's memory (~8mb). I need all that space because I have to store all the GUI (inventory, crafting, item spritesheet, block spritesheet) for use and the 256x256 block sprite sheet was the only picture in the old program version and because of that  it was >500kb and with the Item spritesheet and GUI's and everything it would be well over 8mb O.O
  • Calculators owned: Ti-84+, Ti-Nspire, Hp Prime, Broken HP Prime, HP 48SX

Dream of Omnimaga

Ok so I might have found the issue but I am unsure. See the Minecraft thread at  . http://codewalr.us/index.php?topic=404.msg18342;topicseen#new . For now, people who start new projects should wait before switching to apps until HP fixed all the issues that they have. I'm thinking a massive memory leak is occuring during app transfer. I know that the HP Prime often crashes when trying to send files that are over 2 MB large (see mViewer GX) so you need to reset it after every file.
  • Calculators owned: TI-82 Advanced Edition Python TI-84+ TI-84+CSE TI-84+CE TI-84+CEP TI-86 TI-89T cfx-9940GT fx-7400G+ fx 1.0+ fx-9750G+ fx-9860G fx-CG10 HP 49g+ HP 39g+ HP 39gs (bricked) HP 39gII HP Prime G1 HP Prime G2 Sharp EL-9600C
  • Consoles, mobile devices and vintage computers owned: Huawei P30 Lite, Moto G 5G, Nintendo 64 (broken), Playstation, Wii U

bb010g

  • Calculators owned: HP 50g, Prime, 28S, 35S, Casio Prizm, dead Nspire CX CAS

Osteen

Quote from: xlibman on July 14, 2015, 01:32:18 PMHow does one figure out when to use the best supplements for building muscle or 32, though?

That's what I'm trying to figure out.

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