WP WP-34S User manual
Edition 2.2
Page 1 of 103
This file is part of WP 34S.
WP 34S is free software: you can redistribute it and / or modify it un-
der the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your
option) any later version.
WP 34S is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but without any
warranty; without even the implied warranty of merchantability or fit-
ness for a particular purpose. See the GNU General Public License
for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with WP 34S. If not, please see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/ .
First aid for those complaining about getting trapped in an unexpected
or unwanted calculator mode while playing around before reading:
(i.e. ) will bring you back to floating point mode.
Edition 2.2
Page 2 of 103
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome..................................................................................................................... 4
Print Conventions....................................................................................................... 6
Getting Started ........................................................................................................... 6
oard and How to Access it?......................................................... 7
Real and Integer Operations..................................................................................... 14
Statistical Distributions, Probabilities etc. ................................................................. 15
Matrices.................................................................................................................... 16
Complex Operations................................................................................................. 17
Memory..................................................................................................................... 18
Stack Mechanics ...................................................................................................... 20
Comparing and Addressing Real Numbers .............................................................. 22
Comparing and Addressing Complex Numbers........................................................ 23
Addressing Labels.................................................................................................... 24
Display and Modes................................................................................................... 25
Fonts......................................................................................................................... 32
Index of Operations.................................................................................................. 33
A - C..................................................................................................................................34
D - F..................................................................................................................................37
G - I...................................................................................................................................41
J - L...................................................................................................................................43
M - O.................................................................................................................................46
P - R..................................................................................................................................49
S - U..................................................................................................................................54
V - Z..................................................................................................................................58
- ..................................................................................................................................61
- the End........................................................................................................................64
Alphanumeric input:...........................................................................................................67
Non-programmable Control, Clearing and Information Commands ...................................69
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Catalogs ................................................................................................................... 71
Catalog Contents in Detail:................................................................................................74
Addressing Catalog Items .................................................................................................77
Constants..........................................................................................................................78
Unit Conversions...............................................................................................................82
Predefined Global Alpha Labels........................................................................................86
Messages................................................................................................................. 86
Programmed Input and Output................................................................................. 89
Interactive Programming........................................................................................... 90
Interrupting a Program for Display of Information ..............................................................90
Temporary Displays ..........................................................................................................91
Data Input .........................................................................................................................91
Hotkeys.............................................................................................................................91
Keyboard Codes ...............................................................................................................92
Direct Keyboard Access....................................................................................................93
Appendix A: Support for Flashing, Serial I/O etc. ..................................................... 94
How to Flash Your HP 20b or 30b.....................................................................................94
Commands for Handling Flash Memory on Your WP 34S.................................................95
Mapping of Memory Regions to Emulator State Files........................................................96
Data Transfer Between Your WP 34S and Your PC (SAM-BA).........................................96
Data Transfer Between Your WP 34S and Your PC (Serial I/O)........................................97
More Keyboard Commands Employing ON.......................................................................98
Appendix B: More Routines and Commands............................................................ 99
Library Routines................................................................................................................99
Internal Commands (Use at Your Own Risk).....................................................................99
Appendix C: Release Notes.................................................................................... 102
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... you still have your HP-20b Business Consultant or your HP-30b Business Professional sitting on
your desk unchanged as produced by HP, please turn to Appendix A for some instructions how to
convert it into a full fledge WP 34S yourselfcables on
your desk connecting it to your computer, with flashing the calculator firmware and attaching a sticky
overlay, you may purchase e.g. a HP-30b-based WP 34S readily in the internet:
http://www.thecalculatorstore.com/epages/eb9376.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/eb9376/Products/%22WP34s%20Pack%22
(We apologize for the small font it allows this hyperlink fitting into one print line).
The first way may just cost your time, the second will cost you some money at the store. If you choose
buying your WP 34S at the address mentioned, we (the developers) will get a modest fraction of the
price. Both ways, however, are proven to work it is your choice.
For the following, we assume the flashing is done and you hold a WP 34S in your hands.
WELCOME
Dear user, now you have got it: your own WP 34S. It uses the mechanics and hard-
ware of the HP-20b Business Consultant or the new HP-30b Business Professional,
so you benefit from their unexcelled processor speed. And with the HP-30b you get
the famous rotate-and-click keys in addition, giving the tactile feedback appreciated
in vintage Hewlett-Packard calculators for decades.
On the other hand, the firmware and user interface of the WP 34S were thoroughly
thought through and discussed by us, newly designed and written from scratch,
loaded with functions, pressed into the little memory provided, and tested over and
over again to give you a fast and compact scientific calculator like you have
never had before.
The WP 34S function set is based on the famous HP-42S RPN Scientific, the most
powerful programmable RPN calculator built so far 1. We expanded this set, incorpo-
rating the functionality of the renowned HP-16C, the fraction
mode of the HP-32SII, probability distributions as featured by the HP-21S, and added
many more useful functions for mathematics, statistics, physics, engineering,
programming etc. like
+s, (all of these in real and
complex domains), the error function, incomplete regularized Beta and Gamma,
testing for primality,
+many statistical distributions and their inverses like Poisson, Binomial, Geome-
tric as well as Cauchy-Lorentz, Exponential, Logistic, Weibull for reliability anal-
ysis, Lognormal and Gaussian with arbitrary means and standard deviations,
+programmable sums and products, first and second derivatives,
+extended date and time calculations based on a real time clock,
1Though the HP-42S was sold in 1988 already, this statement holds still. Due to hardware restric-
tions, the matrix math of the HP-42S cannot be supported by the WP 34S. Matrices are covered,
however, by a package of basic commands.
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+integer computing in arbitrary bases from binary to hexadecimal,
+financial operations like mean rate of return and margin calculations,
+80 conversions, mainly between universal SI and old Imperial units,
+50 fundamental physical constants as precise as known today by national stan-
dards institutes like NIST or PTB, plus some more out of mathematics, astro-
nomy, and surveying,
+complete Greek and extended Latin letter fonts covering many languages on
this planet (upper and lower case in two font sizes each).
The WP 34S is the first RPN calculator overcoming the limits of a 4-level stack
forget worries about stack overflow in calculations. It features a choice of two stack
sizes expanded by a complex LASTx register: traditional four stack levels for HP
compatibility, eight levels for convenient calculations in complex domain, advanced
real calculus, vector algebra, or for whatever application you have in your mind. You
find a full set of commands for stack handling and navigation in either size.
Furthermore, your WP 34S features over 100 general purpose registers, 104 user
flags, 506 program steps in working memory, more than 2500 in flash, a 31 byte al-
pha register for message generation, and 4 programmable hotkeys for your favorite
functions or routines. And you may backup your work in battery-fail-safe memory.
Your WP 34S is the result of a long range collaboration of two individuals, an Austral-
ian and a German. We did this in our free time, so you may call it our hobby (though
some people close to us found different names for this). From its very beginning, our
project was discussed on the forum of the Museum of HP Calculators
(www.hpmuseum.org), so we want to express our gratitude to all the international
contributors there who taught us a lot and brought their ideas and support in several
stages of our project. Special thanks go to Marcus von Cube (Germany) supporting
us in bringing the WP 34S to life, starting with an emulator for v1.14, allowing wide-
spread use and convenient testing. From v1.17 on, the software runs on the real
hardware as well. A very useful assembler / disassembler is supplied by Neil Hamil-
ton (Canada) since v1.18 and even a symbolic preprocessor was added with v2.1.
We baptized our baby WP 34S in honor of one of the most powerful LED pocket cal-
culators, the HP-34C of 1979. The WP 34S is our humble approach with the hard-
ware given to a future 43S we can only dream of becoming the successor of the
HP-42S once. May the WP 34S help in convincing those having access to more re-
sources than us: covering the market of serious scientific instruments is worthwhile.
Firmware-wise, we have carefully checked everything we could think of to our best
knowledge, so our hope may be justified the WP 34S is free of bugs. Anyway, we
promise we will continue improving the WP 34S whenever it turns out being neces-
sary so if you discover any strange result, please report it to us, and if it is revealed
to be an internal error we will provide you with an update as soon as we have got one
ourselves. We did show short response times so far, and we will continue this way.
Enjoy!
Paul Dale and Walter Bonin
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PRINT CONVENTIONS
Please note:
Throughout this manual, standard font is Arial. Specific terms, names or titles are
printed in italics. Hyperlinks are underlined. Bold italic letters like nare used for va-
riables. Calculator commands e.g. ENTER are generally called by their names,
printed in capitals for easy recognition. Each and every command featured is listed in
the Index of Operations below.
This font is taken for explicit references to keys.
Register addresses are printed using bold Times New Roman, while lower case italic
letters of this font are employed for register contents. So, for example, ylives in stack
level Y,r45 in general purpose register R45, and alpha in the alpha register, re-
spectively. Overall stack contents are quoted in the order [ x, y, z,
All this holds unless stated otherwise explicitly.
GETTING STARTED
If you know how to deal with a good old HP RPN scientific calculator, you can
start with your WP 34S right away. Use the following as a reference manual.
Else we recommend you get an HP-42S Owner’s Manual. It is available at low
cost on the DVD distributed by the Museum of Hewlett-Packard Calculators
(www.hpmuseum.org). There are also other sources in the internet.
Please read Part 1 of said manual as a starter. This part includes an excellent
introduction to RPN. This RPN is a very effective method making , , , ,
, and keys obsolete in calculations. Once you got used to it you will
most probably never employ a calculator featuring again.
Part 2 of said manual will support you when you are heading for programming
your WP 34S for easy handling of repeated or iterative computations. Further
documentation, also about the other calculators mentioned above and in the fol-
lowing text, will add valuable information it is all readily accessible on a single
DVD from said source.
Most commands on your WP 34S will work as they did on the HP-42S. This little
manual here is meant as a supplement showing you all the new features. It contains
all the necessary information including some formulas and technical explanations but
is not intended to replace textbooks about mathematics, statistics, physics, pro-
gramming, or the like.
The following text starts presenting the keyboard as it will be active in various modes,
so you know where to find what you are looking for. It continues explaining the mem-
ory, addressing items therein, the display and indicators used to give you feedback
what is going on. Then the major part of this booklet is taken by the index of all the
operations, catalog contents, constants and conversions featured. It closes with a list
of messages the WP 34S will display if special conditions prevent it from executing
your command as expected.
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KEYBOARD AND HOW TO ACCESS IT?
Let us investigate your WP 34S in default state. Take off the battery cover, locate the
little RESET hole between the batteries, and use a paper clip to reset. This will erase
all user contents and give you a fresh start.
As usual, white labels execute the default primary function of the respective key.
There are further
(secondary) func-
tions provided for
almost all keys.
Their labels are
printed next to the
white ones in gol-
den, blue, green or
grey color.
Green labels are
placed on the
slanted faces of
most keys. Golden
and blue labels are
printed below of
the respective key
on the top face of
the WP 34S, i.e. on
the key plate. Grey
letters are put bot-
tom left of most
keys.
Labels underlined
open catalogs.
To access a gol-
den, blue, or green
label, use the prefix
, , or , re-
spectively.
E.g. the key preceded by
will calculate the arithmetic mean values of the data accumulated in the sta-
tistic registers via ,
will return the standard deviations for the same data via ,
will open a catalog of supplementary statistic functions via .
The grey letter Rwill become relevant in alpha mode.
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These prefixes allow for easily accessing a multiple of the 37 primary functions the
keyboard can take. You may keep the respective prefix pressed if you want to call
several functions in sequence showing the same label color. Any numeric entry will
just fill the display and is interpreted when completed, not earlier.
Time for a small example. Please take your WP 34S and press
(i.e. the bottom left key) to turn your calculator on. You will get
Unless specified otherwise, we shall quote the numeric results only in the fol-
lowing, i.e. here.
Now let us assume you want to fence a little patch of land 40 feet long and 30
feet wide. You have set the first corner post (A) already, and also the second
(B) in a distance of 30 feet from A. Where do you place the third post (C) to be
sure setting up the fence forming a proper rectangle? Simply enter:
(this key is for separating two numbers in input here)
( is reached via and )
So, just take a 90 feet rope, nail its one end on post A and the other one on B,
fetch the loose loop and walk 40 feet away. As soon as both parts of the rope
are tightly stretched, stop and place post C there. You may set the fourth post
the same way.
This method works for arbitrary rectangles. Your WP 34S does the calculation
of (or whatever lengths apply for you) automatically. You just care
for the land, the rope, hammer and nails. And it will be up to you to set the
posts!
As in this example, we will generally refer to shifted functions like by just printing
the colored label in this text and omit the prefix key of corresponding color, since re-
dundant.
By the way, by pressing the function POL is called, converting rectangular to
polar coordinates. Most labels printed on your WP 34S simply call operations carry-
ing the same name as the respective label. There are, however, also a number of
cases like . Thus, let us introduce them, starting top left on the keyboard:
, , , and are called hotkeys, since they immediately call the user
programs carrying these labels if defined. If the respective labels are not (yet)
defined, these keys act as , , , or , respectively.
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is the prefix for hyperbolic functions, as is for their inverses (see
SINH, COSH, TANH, ASINH, ACOSH, and ATANH). In analogy, stands
for ASIN, etc.
is the prefix for five immediate conversions: trailed by , ,
, , or will convert x, i.e. the value currently displayed. The
respective function names all begin with . And furthermore, is employed
for indirect addressing.
calls REC, converting polar to rectangular coordinates in 2d. So the pair
takes care of the two classic coordinate transformations.
is mainly employed as a prefix for calling complex operations. See the re-
spective paragraph below for more.
and enter the fraction mode for proper and improper fractions, re-
spectively (see PROFRC and IMPFRC).
and represent the two time modes, where stands for decim-
al hours, but also for floating point numbers in general (see DECM).
enters alpha mode, while , , , or will enter integer modes for
calculating with binary, octal, decimal, or hexadecimal numbers ).
calls xx, respectively.
calls x! in default floating point mode, toggles radix marks by calling
RDX,or RDX., toggles programming mode, and calls ABS.
These were all the special labels featured. You will find each and every command
provided on your WP 34S below in the index of operations for your reference, to-
gether with the necessary individual explanation.
In four decades of pocket calculators, a wealth of nice to sophisticated application
examples were invented and described by different authors more and better than
we can ever create ourselves. Also it is not our intention to copy these old examples.
Instead, we recommend the DVD mentioned above once more: it contains all the us-
er guides, handbooks, and manuals of vintage Hewlett Packard calculators. Be as-
sured that almost everything described there for any scientific calculator can be done
on your WP 34S as well, just significantly faster.
Let us return to our introductory example for two remarks:
1. There is no need to enter any units. The example will work with meters as
well, for example.
2. Although we entered integer numbers only for both sides of our little ground,
the calculation was executed in default floating point mode of your WP 34S.
This calculator mode allows for decimal fractions of e.g. feet in input and out-
put as well. Another mode lets you key in proper fractions like e.g. 6 ¼.
Before you suffer from feet fractions, however, we want to briefly show you some ad-
ditional modes your WP 34S features (you will find a complete list of all modes pro-
vided in a separate chapter further below).
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Integer modes are meant to deal with integers only in input, output, and calcula-
tions. This is useful for computer logic and similar applications. Your WP 34S allows
for binary, ternary, etc. through hexadecimal computing. In these modes, operations
top row of keys on your WP 34S will effectively work as shown here:
yX
√
x
A
B
C
D
MODE
In hexadecimal integer mode, primary functions of these top keys will change to be-
come numeric input, so will be used for accessing their default primary functions:
yX
√
x
A
B
C
D
MODE
A
B
C
D
E
F
The dark red background is used to highlight changed key functionality here. Prefix
will access the default primary functions
Calculating in bases , those keys not needed for numeric input will work as
shown in the first picture above. In any integer base, attempts to enter an illegal digit
like e.g. 4 in binary will be blocked.
Alpha mode is designed for text entry, e.g. for prompts. In this mode, the alpha reg-
ister is displayed in the upper part of the LCD, and the numeric line (kept from your
last calculation) is accessible by commands only. The display may look like this:
In alpha mode, almost all the mathematical operations are neither needed nor appli-
cable. So the keyboard is redefined automatically when you enter alpha mode, as
shown overleaf.
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1/x
A
B
C
D
E
F
STO
RCL
f
g
h
VIEW
G
H
I
ENTER
CLx
J
x
K
L
CL
XEQ
7
8
9
/
M
N
O
P
4
5
6
×
!
STATUS
Q
R
S
T
1
2
3
X.FCN
TEST
(
)
U
V
W
EXIT
0
+
PSE
OFF
X
Y
Z
All labels printed on dark red background in this picture append characters to alpha
immediately or via alpha catalogs. Alpha mode starts with capitals, and toggles
upper and lower case. appends a space. Primary function of most keys is ap-
pending the letter printed bottom left of this key grey on the key plate. Prefix will
access the default primary functions there 2.
Looking at the standard labels on the keyboard, we can safely offer more:
2 The digits 0 and 1 may also be called using or , respectively.
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1/x
√
_
_
CPX
A
B
C
D
E
F
STO
RCL
R
f
g
h
VIEW
R
G
H
I
ENTER
±
\
CLx
J
x
K
L
CL
XEQ
7
8
9
/
&
|
£
M
N
O
P
4
5
6
×
!
?
$
STATUS
Q
R
S
T
1
2
3
X.FCN
TEST
(
)
U
V
W
EXIT
0
+
PSE
./,
¥
OFF
X
Y
Z
All labels printed on dark blue background here append characters to alpha as well,
but deviate from the labels printed on your WP 34S keyboard at these locations.
Prefix leads to homonymic Greek letters where applicable 3. And gives
access to logic symbols via the Boolean operations, to as well
3 according to ancient Greek pronunciation. And we assigned Gamma also to Cdue to
the alphabet, and Chi to Hsince this letter comes next in pronunciation. Three Greek letters require
special handling: Psi is accessed via (below ), Theta via (below and
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as four currency symbols located next to the %-command as follows: $at the letter S,
at U for Euro, £at P, ¥at Y for Yen or Yuan and % at .
The catalogs , , , , , and feature even more
characters (see below). See the index of operations for STO, RCL, and more al-
pha commands.
When alpha exceeds 31 characters, the leftmost character(s) are discarded.
A temporary alpha mode is entered during input processing in comparisons and in
memory addressing, e.g. during storing. See the respective virtual keyboard here:
MODE
A
B
C
D
I
ENTER
J
K
L
This mode is
left automati-
cally when suf-
ficient charac-
ters are put in
for the respec-
tive command.
Examples are
shown below.
Special rules
apply for T and
Z see below.
7
8
9
/
4
5
6
×
T *
1
2
3
0
+
X
Y
Z *
following T), and Eta via . Omicron is not featured since looking exactly like the Latin
letter Oin either case. Where we printed Greek capitals with lower contrast, they look like the re-
spective Latin letters in our fonts. Greek professors, we count on your understanding.
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REAL AND INTEGER OPERATIONS
Most of the commands your WP34S features are mathematical operations or func-
2.34 or or 5.6E-7, and work with them. Please note integer numbers like 8, 9, 10, or
-1 are just a subset of real numbers.
Most real number functions provided operate on one number only the number cur-
rently displayed. For example, key in
and press
since 0.72= 0.49
Generally, such functions replace x(i.e. the number currently displayed) by the result
f(x).
Some of the most popular mathematical functions, however, operate on two num-
bers. Think of + and , for example. On your WP 34S, such a two-number real func-
tion replaces xby the result f(x,y). Now the stack enters the game. Think of it like a
pile of numbers. For subtracting two numbers, you need to know them first, then you
So having an account of 1,234 US$ and taking 56.7 US$ from it is solved as follows:
enter first number
separates the two numbers in input as in the
very first example above
enter second number
subtract it from the first
By , the first number so a second separate number
can be entered in sequence. The operation takes its input from the lowest two
stack levels Xand Ybut needs only Xto put its result in. Knowing your WP 34S fea-
tures more than only two stack levels, level Yis then filled with the content of the next
higher level, i.e. z. This goes on for higher levels, as shown below. Please note the
top stack level content is repeated then (since there is nothing else available for fill-
ing). You may use this top level repetition for some nice tricks.
There are also a few three-number real functions included e.g. Iand %MRR re-
placing xby the result f(x, y, z). Then Yis filled with tand so on, and the content of
the top level is repeated twice.
Some real functions (e.g. DECOMP) operate on one number but return two. Other
operations (like RCL or SUM) do not consume any stack input at all but just return
one or two numbers. Then these extra number(s) will be pushed on the stack, taking
one level per real number.
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STATISTICAL DISTRIBUTIONS, PROBABILITIES ETC.
You will find a lot of statistics in your WP 34S, going far beyond the Gaussian distri-
bution. Many preprogrammed functions are implemented here for the first time in an
RPN calculator we packed all in what we always had missed. All of these functions
have a few features in common:
Discrete statistical distributions (e.g. Poisson, Binomial) are confined to integers.
Whenever we sum up a probability mass function (pmf4) to get a cumulated
distribution function (cdf) we start at . Thus,
mPnpmF m
n
0)()(
.
Whenever we integrate a function, we start at the left end of the integration inter-
val. Thus, integrating a continuous probability density function (pdf) to get a
cdf typically works as
xPdfxF x
)(
.
Typically, Fstarts with a very shallow slope, becomes steeper then, and runs out
with a decreasing slope while slowly approaching 100%. Obviously you get the
most precise results on the left side of the cdf using P. On its right side, howev-
Q = 1 –P is more precise: since Pcomes very close
to 100% there, you may see 1.0000 displayed while e.g. P = 0.99996 in reality.
On your WP 34S, with an arbitrary cdf named XYZ you find the name XYZ-1 for its
inverse and XYZPfor the pdf or pmf, unless stated otherwise explicitly.
a-
tion, employing a particular confidence level (e.g. 95%), you must know your ob-
jective:
oDo you want to know the upper limit, under which the
probability of 95%? Then take 0.95 as the argument of the inverse cdf to get
said limit, and remember there is an inevitable chance of 100% 95% = 5%
oDo you want an upper and
is an inevitable chance of 5% /2 = 2.5% for said value being less than the
4In a nutshell, discrete
model. The pmf then tells the probability to observe a certain number of such events, e.g. 7. And the
cdf tells the probability to observe up to 7 such events, but not more.
For doing statistics with continuous statistical variables e.g. the heights of three-year-old toddlers
similar rules apply: Assume we know the applicable mathematical model. Then the respective cdf
tells the probability for their heights being less than an arbitrary limit value, for example less than 1m.
And the corresponding pdf l-
dren of this age.
WARNING: This is a very coarse sketch of this topic only please turn to textbooks about statis-
tics to learn dealing with it properly.
The terms pmf and pdf cdf to
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lower limit and an equal chance for it being greater than the upper limit. So
you shall use 0.025 and 0.975 as arguments in two subsequent calculations
using the inverse cdf to get both limits.
If you cannot live with these chances, inevitable as they are, employ an higher
confidence level.
Turn to a good statistics textbook for more information, also about the terminology
used and the particular distributions provided.
MATRICES
Numbers arranged in a flat grid like in a table are called matrices by the mathemati-
cians. If you do not know matrices, feel free to leave them aside you can use your
WP 34S perfectly without them.
Else please note your WP 34S features a set of operations for adding, multiplying,
inverting and transposing matrices, as well as for manipulating rows in such matrices.
In general, the respective commands are building blocks designed to provide the low
level support routines for creating more useful matrix functions as keystroke pro-
grams. I.e. they represent the basic linear algebra subprograms of the WP 34S ma-
trix support. There are, however, also functions featured for computing determinants
as well as for solving systems of linear equations.
A matrix is represented within your WP 34S by its descriptor, formatted bb.rrcc
with rr being the number of its rows and
cc the number of its columns. Thus the matrix has rr × cc elements.
These elements are stored in consecutive registers starting at base address
|bb| . See below to learn about the registers of your WP34S.
Example: A descriptor 7.0203 represents a 2×3 matrix let us call it (M). As you
know, its six elements are arranged in two rows and three columns, and are num-
bered as follows:
The descriptor tells us now where to find the values of these elements:
m11 = r07 , m12 = r08 , m13 = r09 , m21 = r10 , m22 = r11 , and m23 = r12 .
If cc is omitted in a descriptor, it is set to rr so a square matrix is assumed. The max-
imum number of matrix elements is 100 it is the number of general purpose regis-
ters available. A vector descriptor looks like bb.01cc or bb.rr01 .
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COMPLEX OPERATIONS
Mathematicians know more complicated items than real numbers. The next step are
complex numbers. If you do not know them, leave them aside you can use your
WP34S perfectly without them.
Else please note your WP 34S supports many operations in complex domain as well.
The key is employed as a prefix for calling complex functions. E.g.
calls the complex cosine, and it is displayed and listed as CCOS (the
elevated C is the signature for complex functions on your WP 34S). All such functions
operating on complex numbers do so in Cartesian coordinates exclusively. Each
complex number occupies two adjacent registers: the lower one for its real part and
the higher one for its imaginary part.
Generally, if an arbitrary real function f
x only, then its complex sibling Cfwill operate on the
complex number xc= x + i y.
one register, e.g. R12, then Cfwill operate on R12 and R13.
x and y,then Cfwill operate on x, y, z and t.
Where one-number real functions replace xby the result f(x), one-argument com-
plex functions replace xby the real part and yby the imaginary part of the complex
result Cf(xc). Higher stack levels remain unchanged. Such functions are C1/x, CABS,
CANGLE, CCUBE, CCUBERT, CFIB, CFP, CIP, CRND, CSIGN, CW, CW-1, Cx!, Cx2, C√‾,
C+/–,Cthe logarithmic and exponential functions with bases 10, 2 and e, as well
as hyperbolic, trigonometric, and their inverses.
Two-number real functions replace xby the result f(x, y). Analogously, two-
argument complex functions replace xby the real part and yby the imaginary part of
the complex result Cf(xc,yc). The next stack levels are filled with the complex con-
tents of higher levels, and the complex number contained in the top two stack levels
is repeated as shown below. Such complex functions are CLOGX, Cyx, CC// ,
and the basic arithmetic operations in complex domain.
Where complex operations (like CRCL) do not consume any stack input at all but just
return a complex number, this will be pushed on the stack taking two levels.
Edition 2.2
Page 18 of 103
MEMORY
Stack registers
General purpose
registers
User flags
Program steps
D *
R00
00
000
C *
R01
01
001
B *
R02
02
002
Mode
A *
T
Alpha (31 bytes)
Z
Y
R85
97
504
Display
X
R86 x2y)
98
505
R87 x
99
506
L
I **
R88 x²
A
For the first time ever in a calculator, your WP 34S offers a
choice of 4 or 8 stack levels. So either T or D will be the top level.
Registers A- Dwill be allocated as stack registers if required.
Please see below for top level repetition and stack contents in
complex calculations. While register Ltakes the real part of the
last argument, Itakes the imaginary part when a complex func-
tion was executed (see CLASTx).
Using , registers R86 -R99 will contain statistical sums as
indicated. Jand Kmay be taken for parameters of statistical dis-
tributions.
Unless required for the purposes just mentioned, A- D, I, J, and
Kare available as additional general purpose registers. For indi-
rect addressing, the stack levels and named registers carry the
numbers as shown at right.
For information about the flags, please turn overleaf.
R89 y
B Big, overflow
R90 y²
C Carry
R91 x y)
D Danger
X = R100
R92 n
Y = R101
R93 x)
Z = R102
R94 x)
T = R103
R95 y)
A = R104
R96 y)
B = R105
R97 xlny)
C = R106
R98 xln y)
D = R107
R99 yln x)
L = R108
I = R109
J ***
J = R110
K ***
K = R111
Edition 2.2
Page 19 of 103
Flags
Flags A, B, C and D may be used the same way, but the sys-
tem checks them, too. s-
play. In integer modes, flags B and C will be set by the system
in analogy to the overflow and carry bits of the HP-16C. Some
integer operations (like shift and rotate) also read flag C. Flag D
may be set by the user to allow special results (infinities and
non-numeric results) without getting an error. The system only
reads D.
For indirect addressing
103.
In addition to the RAM provided, your WP 34S allows you to
access flash memory for voltage-fail safe storage of user pro-
grams and data. Flash memory features up to ten segments
(regions, banks) of 1 kB each. Segment 0 is the backup region,
holding the image of the entire program memory, registers and
calculator state as soon as you completed a SAVE. The other
segments hold programs only. Alphanumeric labels (see below)
in flash can be called via XEQ like in RAM. This allows creating
program libraries in flash. Use CAT to see the labels defined
already.
Flash memory is ideal for backups or other long-living data, but
shall not be used for repeated transient storage like in pro-
grammed loops (since it will not survive more than some 10,000
flashes). Registers and standard user program memory, resid-
ing in RAM on the opposite, are designed for frequent data
changes but will not hold data with the batteries removed. So
both kinds of memory have specific advantages and disadvan-
tages you shall take into account for optimum benefit and long
lasting joy with your WP 34S.
Find more about flash memory in Appendix A below.
Furthermore, there is a memory section called XROM x-
, where some additional routines live. Though
written in user code, these are read only and thus can be
called, executed, but not edited. For you, it shall make no dif-
ference whether a preprogrammed routine executes in ROM or
XROM.
Structuring program memory and jumping around in it is eased
by labels you may tag to any program steps as known from
previous programmable pocket calculators. Your WP 34S fea-
tures a full set of alphanumeric labels as described below.
When a command like e.g. GTO xy is encountered, with xy
representing one, two or three characters (like A, BC, 12, Tst,
Pg3, x1µ, etc.), your WP 34S will search this label xy using the
following method:
1. If xy is purely numeric, it will be searched forward from the
current position of the program pointer. When the end of
the program space is reached without finding xy, the quest
will continue at the start of the current segment. No other
segments will be searched. This is as known from vintage
HP calculators.
2. Else, i.e. if xy is an alpha label of up to three characters of
arbitrary case, searching will start at program step 000 and
cover the entire memory in the order RAM, flash segments
, 1, 0, and XROM, independent of the position of the
program pointer.
Edition 2.2
Page 20 of 103
STACK MECHANICS
The following assumes you are familiar with RPN else please turn to the HP-42S Owner’s Manual first.
The fate of particular stack register contents depends on the operation executed, its domain (real or complex) and the stack size cho-
sen. Real functions in a 4-level stack work as known for decades. In a larger stack, everything works alike on your WP 34S just with
more levels for intermediate results. Please note only the contents of Xare displayed in any case. See below for details of the stack
mechanics:
Level
Assumed
stack contents
at the begin-
ning:
Stack contents after
real functions of
real stack register operations
one
number
like x2
two
numbers
like /
ENTER
FILL
DROP
xy
R
R
LASTx
With 4
stack
levels
T
t
z
x
t
t
x
z
z
t
t
Z
z
y
x
t
z
t
y
y
z
t
Y
y
x
x
z
x
z
x
x
y
z
X
x
x
x
y
y
y
t
last x
x2
y / x
With 8
stack
levels
D
d
c
x
d
d
x
c
c
d
d
C
c
b
x
d
c
d
b
b
c
d
B
b
a
x
c
b
c
a
a
b
c
A
a
t
x
b
a
b
t
t
a
b
T
t
z
x
a
t
a
z
z
t
a
Z
z
y
x
t
z
t
y
y
z
t
Y
y
x
x
z
x
z
x
x
y
z
X
x
x
x
y
y
y
d
last x
x2
y / x
Calculating formulas from inside out stays a wise strategy in either stack. With more levels, however, stack overflow will hardly ever
happen, even with the most advanced formulas you compute in your life as a scientist or engineer.
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