Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!fseipel
From: fseipel@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Frank E Seipel)
Subject: Re: ML?
Message-ID: <1991Apr13.005106.4064@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
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Organization: The Ohio State University
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Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1991 00:51:06 GMT
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> Excuse my ignorance, but what's the difference between the Tetris versions?
> How is 'ML' Tetris special????

 By 'ML', people are referring to the language in which the program is
written. 'ML' is short for Saturn machine language. The vast majority of
HP calculator programs are written in RPN, or the user language. This is
the language documented in the manuals that come with your calculator.
The ML tetris is faster than other versions of tetris, and it is also a
library. This calls for a special procedure for downloading it to your
calculator. First, you must take the message and transfer it to your PC,
then chop off the message header up to the %%HP header. Download this to
the calculator and then run ASC->. This will convert the program to a
library. Then you can enter 0 and type ATTACH. The screen will go blank for
a second. From then on, you can access this version of tetris from the
LIBRAY menu (orange-shifted up arrow). The library (Tetris game) can be
removed from the calculator by using the DETACH command (see manual, page
653). If you don't have ASC->, you can download this from many ftp sites.
I think the original author uploaded a copy which was not ASC'ed, so you
might try this one also.
 BTW it would be nice if somebody would really detail downloading net
programs to the HP in the FAQ list. Getting them to work can be confusing and
frustrating, especially for a new user.
 Finally, the ml tetris is great. My only complaint is the keys used. How
about a modification to the program, have it examine a string variable and
take the first five characters in the string as the rotate left, rotate
right, move left, move right, and drop keys? That way everybody would be
pleased with the key assignments. And once the code for this is figured out,
it would be nice if everyone would adopt it in their ml/chip48 programs,
so as to allow for personal preferences.

