Once you have your cable and linking software correctly installed, you're ready to start building your collection of calculator programs. A good place to start is our File Archives section.

.ZIP Files

Most files you will download from our site end in ".ZIP". These files actually contain several individual files packaged together for easier downloading. You cannot send ZIP files directly to your calculator; you must first "unzip" them to get the files they contain, and then send those files to your calculator. If you don't already have an unzipper, try WinZip or 7-Zip (for Windows users) or StuffIt Expander (for MacOS users).

Inside ZIP files you'll find the following types of files, which are the actual calculator programs and data files.

Group Files

Typical filenames: file.73g, file.82g, file.83g, file.8xg, file.85g, file.86g, file.89g, file.92g, file.9xg, file.v2g

Group files are similar to ZIP files, but they contain only calculator data files (such as programs and formulas). Unlike ZIP files, group files can be sent to the calculator without being "ungrouped" first. If you want to get at the contents, however (one reason might be to open the program file and read the code), the easiest way to do this is using the TI-Graph Link software for Windows or MacOS. Once you have extracted your group file from the ZIP file you downloaded, open the TI-Graph Link software and choose Ungroup from the File menu. Find the group file on your system and the software will extract any program files and other data from inside.

Calculator Data Files

Typical filenames: file.89i, file.89p, file.89s, file.89z, etc.
(instead of '89' you will also see '73', '82', '83', '85', '86', and '92', corresponding to files for each calculator; .8xp indicates 83 Plus)

Once you've downloaded a file and unzipped it (if necessary), you'll have one or more of these files, which you will send to your calculator. Use your favorite linking software to transfer all of the necessary files to your calculator, then read below for help running your new programs.

BASIC Programs

Typical filenames: file.73p, file.82p, file.83p, file.8xp, file.85p, file.86p, file.89p, file.92p, file.9xp, file.v2p

Many of the programs in our archives are written in the calculator's built-in, BASIC-like language. After these programs are sent to your calculator, running them is as easy as accessing them from the PRGM menu or typing the program's name in the home screen.

Assembly Programs

Typical filenames: file.82p, file.83p, file.8xp, file.85s, file.86p, file.89z, file.92p, file.9xz, file.v2z

If you downloaded a program from an "asm" folder in our file archives, you downloaded what's called an assembly program. Unlike BASIC programs, which can be typed directly into the calculator, assembly programs are normally written on a computer and are more difficult to program, but run much faster on the calculator.

If you downloaded assembly programs for your TI-83, TI-83 Plus, TI-86, TI-89, TI-92 Plus, or Voyage 200, you probably will not have to do anything special to run these programs (follow the BASIC instructions above). These calculators have built-in assembly ability; that is, the calculator was made with running assembly programs in mind.

If you are trying to run an assembly program for your TI-82, TI-85, or TI-92, you will need an assembly "shell" first. Since these calculators weren't intended to support assembly programs, it's only possible by using a loophole which allows you to run the shell program, which in turn presents a menu to allow you to run other assembly programs on your calculator. Determine which shell your program requires, then download and send it to your calculator first before you can use other assembly programs.

If you have a TI-83 or TI-83 Plus and find that an assembly program doesn't run, you may need a shell. While one is not required by the calculator itself, most games require a shell such as Ion (83 or 83 Plus) or MirageOS (83 Plus/84 Plus). You can find these shells in our file archives.