So, the ti83+ can now do something that the ti86 can do much more efficiently. On the ti86 you can do exactly the same thing and it takes up no memory. Before you all say I'm spraffing let me explain. The loader program is about 300 bytes. It copies a bit of code somewhere and then deletes itself. This bit of code is copied into a 200 byte area on RAM page 1. This is then executed every time the calculator is turned on if a certain flag is set. You could easily fit a program that executes another program into that area of memory (and you could also change the program using the program executed if necessary). Alternatively you could quite easily put a password program in 200 bytes (or an RLE image displayer) and not use external programs at all. No memory used up.

BTW, you can also password the memory being reset / files being deleted / self tests (ROM 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6? only), again with zero bytes of 'real' memory used up.

Ciaran McCreesh
ti86 assembly tutorial: http://www.asm86.cwc.net/

Yes, Property86 and/or Security86 and/or On86 have done this for quite some time. But what _is_ different about this FLASH application is that it will allow you to run a BASIC program... such a feat has not yet been paralled on the 86, mainly because we can't figure out how to execute a BASIC program perfectly from an ASM program, not to mention that running BASIC programs on startup by whatever means seems to cause a memory error...

<complicated>The memory error is because of ROM pages and what happens when a BASIC program is exited. I've got a BASIC program to be executed from a normal Assembly program (ROM 1.5, doesn't work on any other ROM image because I took shortcuts). I reckon the trick might be to install a user interrupt routine from the startup routine that removes itself then runs a BASIC program. Haven't tried this but it might work if you jam the interrupt exit code.</complicated>

But why would anyone want BASIC anyway? We've been through this not long ago with BASMIC, please don't say that some misguided in-duh-viduals are still trying to claim equal rights for inferior goods (looking upon Bill Gate$ as a role model is baaaad). There's no way of writing a secure BASIC program on the ti83+, if you just want to display text or a picture it takes less memory to use assembly.

One other thing, could someone with a ti86 ROM version other than 1.5 or 1.6 please check the code on the uri (no that wasn't a mistake) above? Thanks :)

Ciaran McCreesh
http://www.asm86.cwc.net/ for a ti86 tutorial.

Um, actually, the problem doesn't have much at all to do with ROM pages... the problem lies in the temporary memory being improperly allocated when the calculator is turned on (improperly for a BASIC program to be run, that is). Pat posted some code a while ago to help fix that, but the problem of _exec_basic still remains; that is, BASIC programs with "Stop" will not function properly.

Why would you want BASIC? Very simple... I very much prefer programming in assembly language, but when I want to change what happens on startup, I want to be able to do it quickly, easily, and on the calculator. Having it be a BASIC program is just so much easier.

Okay, look. I'm sick of everybody saying the TI-86 is better. We all KNOW that! The TI-86 has a higher number, for heaven's sakes!
The point of this article was that those of us who already bought a TI-83 plus and can't afford to buy a TI-86, -89, or 92/+. Keep that in mind, okay?
It's too bad that this is an app by TI and not an ASM prog by a third party, because apps have to be 16 Kb in size, but at least somebody made it.
Now, please, stop flaming each other about the TI-85's and above, because that's not the point! Argue with each other in a chat room or on ICQ or, <sarcasm> heaven forbid, e-mail or telephone. </sarcasm>