HP Prime Programming Tutorial

Edward Shore

Hardware Rev. 13441

All original content copyright, © 2013, 2018. Edward Shore. Unauthorized use and/or
unauthorized distribution for commercial purposes without express and written permission from
the author is strictly prohibited. This tutorial may be distributed for noncommercial purposes,
provided that full credit is given to the author. This document is provided “as-is”. Please contact
the author at ews31415@gmail.com if you have questions.

Calculator screen shots are generated with the HP Prime Virtual Calculator, © 2018 HP
Development Company, L.P. The author is not an employee of Hewlett Packard.

0
HP Prime Programming Tutorial
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 4
Tutorial #1: Help Key, LOCAL, RETURN ................................................................................... 5
The Help Key.......................................................................................................................... 5
How To Start Writing a HP Prime Program ............................................................................. 5
Structure of an HP Prime Program ......................................................................................... 5
The RETURN Command ........................................................................................................ 6
The Program SQIN ............................................................................................................. 6
Checking Programs ................................................................................................................ 6
Running Programs.................................................................................................................. 6
Storing Values to Variables .................................................................................................... 7
The LOCAL Command ........................................................................................................... 7
The Program MOPMT ......................................................................................................... 8
Tutorial #2: MSGBOX, IF-THEN-ELSE, PRINT, when, FOR ...................................................... 9
The Command MSGBOX ....................................................................................................... 9
Program Structure .................................................................................................................. 9
The PRINT ............................................................................................................................10
The when Function ................................................................................................................11
The Program DOESTAX ....................................................................................................11
The Basic FOR Loop .............................................................................................................11
The Program DISPCUBES ................................................................................................11
The Program SUMDIV .......................................................................................................12
The FOR Loop with STEP .....................................................................................................13
The Program PRINTEVENS ..............................................................................................13
Tutorial #3: WHILE, INPUT, KILL, REPEAT, GETKEY..............................................................15
The WHILE Structure ............................................................................................................15
The INPUT Command (Basic) ...............................................................................................15
The KILL................................................................................................................................15
The Program TARGET.......................................................................................................16
INPUT with a List of Choices .................................................................................................16
The Program EARTHCOORD ............................................................................................16
INPUT with Checkboxes ........................................................................................................17
The Program DOESTAX2 ..................................................................................................17

1
 The REPEAT Structure .........................................................................................................19
The Program ULAM ...........................................................................................................19
The GETKEY Command .......................................................................................................20
The Program KEYNO.........................................................................................................20
The Program MOVEM........................................................................................................21
Tutorial #4: CHOOSE and CASE ..............................................................................................22
The CHOOSE Command ......................................................................................................22
The Program TERMVEL ....................................................................................................22
The CASE Structure ..............................................................................................................23
The Program AREAC .........................................................................................................23
Tutorial #5: STARTAPP, STARTVIEW, CHECK, UNCHECK, RGB, HAngle .............................25
System Equation Variables....................................................................................................25
Defining Equations from Home and Inside Programs ............................................................25
The STARTAPP Command ...................................................................................................25
The CHECK and UNCHECK Commands ..............................................................................26
The STARTVIEW Command .................................................................................................26
Designating Colors with RGB and Hex Codes .......................................................................27
The Color of a Graph .............................................................................................................28
The System Variable HAngle.................................................................................................28
The Program CONIC .........................................................................................................28
The Program PROJ13........................................................................................................30
Tutorial #6: Subroutines ............................................................................................................32
How Subroutines Work ..........................................................................................................32
The Program SUBEXAM....................................................................................................32
Tutorial #7: Drawing Graphics, FREEZE, WAIT, TEXTOUT ......................................................34
The Graphics Screen: Cartesian vs Pixel .............................................................................34
The Drawing Commands .......................................................................................................36
Clearing the GROB screen ....................................................................................................36
Displaying the Graphics Screen with FREEZE ......................................................................37
The Commands TEXTOUT and TEXTOUT_P .......................................................................37
The Program SNOWFLAKE ...............................................................................................38
Tutorial #8: LINE, FILLPOLY, ARC ..........................................................................................40
The LINE Command ..............................................................................................................40
The Program DRAWHOUSE..............................................................................................40
Drawing Polygons with the FILLPOLY Command ..................................................................41
The Program PENT ...........................................................................................................41

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 The ARC Command ..............................................................................................................42
Drawing Circles with ARC......................................................................................................42
Drawing Ellipses with ARC ....................................................................................................42
Drawing Partial Arcs with ARC ..............................................................................................43
The Program DRAWARCS ................................................................................................43
Tutorial #9: Numerical Calculus with the Template Key.............................................................45
Numerical Derivatives ............................................................................................................45
Definite Integrals ...................................................................................................................45
Double Definite Integrals .......................................................................................................45
Summation ............................................................................................................................45
Substitution ...........................................................................................................................45
The Program CALCDEMO .................................................................................................46
Tutorial #10: Using App Functions ...........................................................................................47
Function App Functions .........................................................................................................47
Solve App Functions..............................................................................................................48
Statistics 2Var Functions (2 Variable Statistics) .....................................................................48
Finance App Functions ..........................................................................................................49
Tutorial #11: DRAWMENU and MOUSE ...................................................................................51
The DRAWMENU Command ................................................................................................51
The MOUSE Command .........................................................................................................51
Using a Soft Menu until an Exit Condition is Reached ...........................................................52
The Program BLOTCH.......................................................................................................52
The Program TALLY ..........................................................................................................54
Tutorial #12: Introduction to Creating Custom Apps .................................................................57
Creating the App ...................................................................................................................57
How to Access the App’s Program: Where the Magic Happens .............................................58
The App’s Program................................................................................................................58
The Custom App TrigPlot ...................................................................................................59
HP Prime Program: TrigPlot (in app TrigPlot) ....................................................................61
Index .........................................................................................................................................66

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Introduction
This is an in-depth tutorial of the HP Prime HP PPL, which is the primary programming
language for the HP Prime. In late 2013, I posted a series of tutorials on my blog, Eddie’s Math
and Calculator Blog, https://edspi31415.blogspot.com/, which covered many basic programming
topics.

Most of the text will be coming from these blog entries, with some additional information added
to this document.

I hope you enjoy this tutorial and allows you to get a firm foundation of the programming
language of the HP Prime.

For this tutorial, the current firmware, 13441 (2/12/2018) will be used.

Key Conventions:

Physical Keys: [ enclosed in brackets ]

Soft Touch Menu Keys: ( enclosed in parenthesis )

Happy Programming,

Eddie Shore

4
Tutorial #1: Help Key, LOCAL, RETURN
Let’s get started! By the end of this tutorial session, you will be making programs and learning
how to run them.

The Help Key

One key that I really want you to know about is the [Help] key. If you are stuck, or need
additional information, call up the menu, use the arrow keys to scroll to the command in
question, and press [Help]. (Don’t touch the screen or press [Enter]).

The Help screen will give you the syntax for most commands and functions, plus give an
explanation how the command or function works. I use the Help facility on the HP Prime all the
time. Definitely, learn and get familiar with the [Help] key.

How To Start Writing a HP Prime Program

How to start writing a program:

1. Press the [Shift] key, then the [ 1 ] key.

2. You will see a list of all the programs that have already been entered in memory. To start a
new program, press the soft ( New ) key.

3. Enter the name of the program. To enter a letter, press the [ALPHA] key and corresponding
letter that goes with the key. Pressing the [ALPHA] key twice will turn on UPPERCASE ΑLPHA-
LOCK. If you want to type lower case letters, press [ALPHA], [Shift], [ALPHA] to turn on
lowercase alpha-lock. To exit any lock, press the ALPHA key one more time. When happy with
the name, press [Enter].

Rules for Program Names:

1. The only characters allowed in a program name are: letters, Greek letters, numbers, and the
underscore character (_).

2. The program name must start with a letter. For example: TEST123 is a valid name,
TEST_123 is also a valid name, but neither 123TEST or 123_TEST are not valid program
names.

Structure of an HP Prime Program

A HP PPL program is encased in an EXPORT - BEGIN - END structure. The layout is generally
like this:

EXPORT program_name(arguments)
BEGIN
commands and comments go here
END;

Each line containing a command generally must end with a semicolon (;). A semicolon can by

5
type by pressing [ALPHA], [ + ].

Comments are statements included in the program to give the user and the programmer useful
notes and reminders while looking over the program. Comments can also divide and name
sections. To type a comment, you will need two forward slashes ( / / ), which can be generated
by pressing the divide key [ ÷ ]. Anything in the line following the two slashes is ignored in
running the program.

Now let’s look at our first program, SQIN. This program will first square a number, then take the
reciprocal of it.

The RETURN Command

The Program SQIN

SQIN takes a number, squares it, then calculates the reciprocal. In short we are defining a
custom function:

SQIN(x) = 1/x^2

Commands:

RETURN: returns a result to the stack (home page). You can return numbers, lists, vectors,
matrices, strings, or a combination of these times.

Access: ( Tmplt ), 1. Block, 2. RETURN

All the program code in this tutorial series will be shown in Courier font.

EXPORT SQIN(X)
BEGIN
RETURN 1/X^2;
END;

Checking Programs
You can check the syntax of the program just by pressing the Check soft key in the program
editor. HP Prime will inform you if there is a syntax error and attempt to point you to the error. If
there are no syntax errors, the Prime states "No errors in the program". I use the Check
command all the time.

Caution: checking programs does not check whether the arguments used by the commands are
valid. However, it is still a good way to check your progress.

Running Programs
Home Mode - Textbook Entry,
Home Mode - Algebraic Entry,
CAS Mode:

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Type the program name. Follow the name with parentheses and enclose the required
arguments.

Or use the Toolbox (top row of white keys, 2nd key from the left, it looks like a tool box, in this
tutorial I will type the key as [Toolbox]), select the User touch key, select the program, and input
the required arguments.

Home Mode - RPN Entry:

Enter each argument, separate each entry by pressing the Enter key. Type the name, and in the
parenthesis state the number of arguments.

For example, if the program TEST has four arguments, the RPN stack would like this:

4: argument_1
3: argument_2
2: argument_3
1: argument_4
TEST(4) to run the program.

Examples to try with SQIN:

SQIN(5) returns .04

SQIN(36) returns .000771604938

Storing Values to Variables

There are two ways to store values to variables. First is to use the [Shift], [EEX] (Sto>) method:

4 > A

The other is to use the equals then colon method ( ≔ ), like so:

A≔4

The programs listed in this tutorial will use the latter method.

The next program will demonstrate the concept of local variables.

The LOCAL Command

Local variables are variables that are belong to the program or subroutine. When the program
ends, local variables are deleted.

There are two methods of declaring local variables: using variables as pass-through
arguments, or using the LOCAL command. Variables using the LOCAL command can be any
type: real numbers, complex numbers, strings, lists, matrices, integers, etc.

Tip: When variables are declared using LOCAL, the default value given to these variables is 0.

7
The other type of variable are global variables, which can be defined inside or outside a
program and retain their value. Global variables include system variables, and some global
variables have restrictions.

Here we will focus on local variables.

Access: (Tmplt), 4. Variable, 1. LOCAL

Tip: You can declare local variables and assign an initial value at the same time. For example: LOCAL
K:=1; stores 1 in K and makes K a local variable.

The Program MOPMT

MOPMT calculates the monthly payment of a loan. The arguments are: the loan amount (L), the
interest rate (R), and the number of months (M).

EXPORT MOPMT(L,R,M)
BEGIN
LOCAL K:=R/1200;
K:=L*K/(1-(1+K)^-M);
RETURN "Payment ="+K;
END;

Since L, R, and M are pass-through arguments, they are automatically local variables. K is
declared a local variable. When MOPMT finishes, nothing globally is stored to L, R, M, or K.

Tip: Use RETURN, TEXTOUT_P, and PRINT to return custom strings, which combine results,
messages, and calculations. Strings are connected with a plus sign.

Examples:
MOPMT(4000, 9.5, 30) returns 150.317437565
MOPMT(370000, 3.5, 360) returns 1661.46534383

8
Tutorial #2: MSGBOX, IF-THEN-ELSE, PRINT, when, FOR
The Command MSGBOX
MSGBOX takes a string a makes a pop-up message box. Program execution stops until you
press a key to acknowledge the message. The pop-up message is a singular string.

Access: (Cmds), 6. I/O, 8. MSGBOX

The Program COMLOCK

Imagine that you are in charge of setting the combinations for the good, old-school combination
locks. This program gives three digit combinations of integers 0 through 39, and uses MSGBOX
to return the combination.

EXPORT COMLOCK()
BEGIN
LOCAL L0;
L0:=RANDINT(3,0,39);
MSGBOX("SECRET: "+L0(1)+","
+L0(2)+","+L0(3));
END;

Featured command: RANDINT(n, a, b) generates a list of n integers between a and b. You can
leave n out if you desire a single random integer. Picks may be repeated.

Access: [Toolbox], (Math), 5. Probability, 4. Random, 2. Integer

The IF-THEN-ELSE Program Structure

IF-THEN-ELSE: Program structure:
IF condition THEN
do if the condition is true;
ELSE
do if the condition is false;
END;

Access: (Tmplt), 2. Branch, 2. IF THEN ELSE

Tip: You can leave out the ELSE part if you only want to test to see if a condition is true. Access
the simple IF-THEN structure by pressing (Tmplt), 2. Branch, 1. IF THEN.

Access the testing symbols <, ≤, ==, ≠, ≥, and >; along with AND, OR, by pressing [Shift], [ 6 ].
Note that the double equals sign is needed to check equality.

Comparison tests result in either 1 for true, or 0 for false. AND, along with OR, can be used to
combine to conditions. For example, if you want to test whether X is within the range of 1000
and 1999 inclusive, use the testing condition (X ≤ 1000) AND (X ≤ 1999).

9
The PRINT Command
The PRINT command prints a sting, result, or a combination of both on to the Prime's Terminal
screen. If PRINT is used, the program will end on the terminal (text output) screen. Press any
button to exit.

Access: (Cmds), 6. I/O, 9. PRINT

To clear the terminal screen, insert a blank print command: PRINT(). I usually use this at the
beginning of any program when I plan to use the PRINT is going to be used later in the
program.

You can access the terminal screen at any time by pressing and holding the [ ON ], then press
[ ÷ ].

The Program QROOTS

The program QROOTS (yet one more quadratic solver, sorry for not being original guys and
gals), demonstrates the use of IF-THEN-ELSE and PRINT.

Here I set the setting variable HComplex to 1, which allows for complex number results.

EXPORT QROOTS(A,B,C)
BEGIN
LOCAL D;
PRINT();
HComplex:=1;
D:=B^2-4*A*C;
IF D≥0 THEN
PRINT("Roots are real.");
ELSE
PRINT("Roots are complex.");
END;
PRINT((-B+√D)/(2*A));
PRINT((-B-√D)/(2*A));
END;

Examples:

QROOTS(1,5,8) returns:

Roots are complex.

-2.5+1.32287565553*i
-2.5-1.32287565553*i

QROOTS(2,-4,-8) returns:

Roots are real.

3.2360679775
-1.2360679775

10
The when Function

The when function is a short version of an IF-THEN-ELSE structure. Be aware the when
command requires lower case spelling. The command is treated as a function. Access the
when function in the general catalog.

Syntax:

when(condition, do this command if true, do this command if false)

The Program DOESTAX

The DOESTAX program tests whether sales tax applies to an item given its price. Assume that
there is an 8.5% sales tax when the item’s price exceeds $10.00, otherwise no sales tax
applies.

EXPORT DOESTAX(N)
BEGIN
N≔when(N>10,N*1.085,N);
RETURN N;
END;

Examples:
DOESTAX(8) returns 8
DOESTAX(12) returns 13.02

The Basic FOR Loop

This section will explore the basic FOR structure:

FOR variable FROM start TO end DO

commands;
END;

All the commands in the loop will be executed a set number of times. Each time a loop finishes,
the value of the variable increases by one. The loop terminates when variable=end.

Access: (Tmplt), 3. LOOP, 1. FOR

The Program DISPCUBES

The program DISCUBES prints out all the cubes (x^3) for integers 1 to N.

EXPORT DISPCUBES(N)
BEGIN
LOCAL I;
// clear terminal
PRINT();

11
// basic FOR loop
FOR I FROM 1 TO N DO
PRINT(I^3);
END;
END;

Example: DISPCUBES(5) returns on the terminal:

1
8
27
64
125

The Program SUMDIV

The program SUMDIV takes any integer and adds up the sum of its divisors. For example, the
divisors of 12 are 1, 12, 2, 3, 4, and 6. The sum is 28.

EXPORT SUMDIV(N)
BEGIN
LOCAL S:=0,K,mdiv,ldiv;
mdiv:=CAS.idivis(N);
ldiv:=DIM(mdiv);
FOR K FROM 1 TO ldiv(1) DO
S:=S+mdiv(K);
END;
RETURN S;
END;

Examples:
SUMDIV(12) returns 28.
SUMDIV(24) returns 60.
SUMDIV(85) returns 108.

Featured Commands in SUMDIV:

idivis: idivis(integer) returns a sequence of all of the divisors if integer.

Access: [Toolbox], (CAS), 5. Integer, 1. Divisors

Any CAS command used in programming will be preceded by "CAS."

DIM: returns the dimensions of a sequence, string, or matrix. The DIM command does not cover
lists. To find the dimension of a list, used SIZE instead.

For sequences or vectors, DIM returns the length in a list of dimensions.

For strings, DIM returns length as a number.
For matrices, DIM returns the list {number of rows, number of columns}.

12
Access: (Cmds), 1. Strings, 9. DIM

The FOR Loop with STEP

The basic FOR loop has increments of 1. You can make the increment (or decrement) any
amount you want.

FOR variable FROM start TO end STEP increment DO

commands;
END;

All the commands in the loop will be executed a set number of times. Each time a loop finishes,
the variable increases by one. The loop terminates when variable ≥ end.

Access: (Tmplt), 3. LOOP, 2. FOR STEP

If you want any FOR loops with decrements, use the FOR DOWN(TO) and FOR DOWN(TO)
STEP structures.

The Program PRINTEVENS

The program PRINTEVENS will print all even integers between A and B. A and B can have
non-integer input. In this program, a FOR loop with increment 2 (STEP 2) is used.

EXPORT PRINTEVENS(A,B)
BEGIN
// Print all even numbers between
// A and B
LOCAL I;
// Clear terminal screen
PRINT();
// Check if A is even
// Take A to the next integer
A:=CEILING(A);
// Test to see if A is even
A:=when(FP(A/2)==0,A,A+1);
// For loop with step increment 2
FOR I FROM A TO B STEP 2 DO
PRINT(I);
END;
END;

Example:

PRINTEVENS(3,10)

Result:
4
6

13
8
10

14
Tutorial #3: WHILE, INPUT, KILL, REPEAT, GETKEY

The WHILE Structure

The WHILE loop repeats a set of instructions while a condition is met. Once it isn’t met, the loop
is.

WHILE condition is true DO

commands
END;

Access: (Tmplt), 3. Loop, 5. WHILE

Caution: Watch your ENDs! Make sure an END is with each loop and the program itself. Press
the soft key Check to check your work.

The INPUT Command (Basic)

INPUT: Creates an input screen for variables. On the HP Prime, the input can asked for more
than one input. TARGET demonstrates INPUT with one prompt.

One Variable:

INPUT(variable, "title", "label", "help text", reset value, initial

value)

Multi-Variable:

INPUT(list of variables, "title", list of "labels", list of "help

text", list of reset values, list of initial values)

Note: Everything after the variable is optional. However, the order of arguments must be
maintained. For example, if you want a list of initial values but no reset values, leave a blank list
{ } for reset values.

Note: Pressing Cancel will store a 0 in variable. You may include code of what to do if the user
presses Cancel, but it is not required.

Access: (Cmds), 6. I/O, B. INPUT

There are a lot of things we can do the INPUT command.

The KILL Command

KILL: Terminates program execution. Nothing dies, I promise.

Access: (Tmplt), 1. Block, 3. KILL

15
The Program TARGET

HP Prime Program: TARGET. TARGET is a game where you provide a guess to get a desired
number. If you miss, the calculator will tell you if number is higher and lower. At the end of the
game, the calculator gives you how may picks you needed to get the target number.

EXPORT TARGET()
BEGIN
LOCAL C:=0, N:=RANDINT(1,20), G:=-1;
WHILE G≠N DO
C:=C+1;
INPUT(G,"Guess?","GUESS:","1 - 20");
// Guess of 0 terminates program
IF G==0 THEN
KILL;
END;
// Guess is lower than N
IF G < N THEN
MSGBOX("Higher");
END;
// Guess is higher than N
IF G > N THEN
MSGBOX("Lower");
END;

END;
// Display player’s score
MSGBOX("Correct! Score: "+C);

END;

INPUT with a List of Choices

We can include a series of choices in INPUT box. The variable represents the slot where the choice
belongs. For example, variable = 1 if the first choice is selected, variable = 2 if the second is selected,
and so on. For one variable, the general syntax is:

One Variable:
INPUT({{variable, list of choices}}, "title", "label", "help text",
reset value, initial value)

Note that you will need two sets of list brackets! Also keep in mind, everything after the variable
is optional.

The Program EARTHCOORD

The program EARTHCOORD gives the user a choice of four cities. Once that is selected, you
get the approximate latitude and longitude.

EXPORT EARTHCOORD()
BEGIN

16
// Localize variables
LOCAL L1,L2,L3,I;

// Store latitdues
L1:={34.2166666667,41.9,-33.8599722222,
35.6895055556};

// Store Longitudes
L2:={-118.25,12.5,151.211111111,
139.708366667};

// Store list of locations

L3:={"Los Angeles","Rome","Sydney",
"Tokyo"};

// Input
INPUT({{I,L3}},"Lat/Long","City:");

// Display coordinates
RETURN {→HMS(L1(I)),→HMS(L2(I))};

END;

INPUT with Checkboxes

We can include make a checkbox with the INPUT command. The variable associated with the
checkbox returns a value of either 0 (unchecked) or 1 (checked). For one variable, the basic
general syntax is:

One Variable:
INPUT({{variable, 1}}, "title", "label", "help text", reset value,
initial value)

Note that you will need two sets of list brackets! Also keep in mind, everything after the variable
is optional.

The Program DOESTAX2

Remember DOESTAX in Tutorial 2? In this version, DOESTAX2 will analyze up to three items
and ask for the sales tax rate. The checkboxes below will indicate whether the tax applies.

EXPORT DOESTAX2()
BEGIN

// Localize variables
LOCAL item1, item2, item3;
LOCAL ck1, ck2, ck3;
LOCAL rate,total;

// Input Command
INPUT({item1,{ck1,1},item2,{ck2,1},

17
item3,{ck3,1},rate},
"Check Out",
{"Item1:","Tax1:","Item2:","Tax2:",
"Item3:","Tax3:","Rate:"});

// Calculation
rate:=rate/100;
total:=item1*(1+ck1*rate)
+item2*(1+ck2*rate)
+item3*(1+ck3*rate);

// Display total
RETURN total;

END;

Example: Analyze the total of three items: $59.99 subject to sales tax, $9.99 subject to sales
tax, and $10.00 not subject to sales tax. The sales tax rate is 9%. Turn the first two
checkboxes on while leave the last check box unchecked.

18
Result: $86.28

REPEAT

ULAM Algorithm: take an integer n. If n is even, divide it by 2. If n is odd, multiply it by 3 and add
1. ULAM counts how many steps it takes to get n to 1.

The REPEAT Structure

The REPEAT loop repeats a set of instructions until a condition is met. Once it is met, the loop
is.

REPEAT
commands
UNTIL condition;

Access: (Tmplt), 3. Loop, 6. REPEAT

The Program ULAM

The ULAM algorithm takes an integer n and tests whether n is divisible by 2 (even). If n is even,
divide it by 2. If n is odd, multiply it by 3 and add 1. ULAM counts how many steps it takes to get
n to 1.

EXPORT ULAM(N)
BEGIN
LOCAL C:=1, L0:={N};

REPEAT

IF FP(N/2)==0 THEN
N:=N/2;
ELSE
N:=3*N+1;
END;

C:=C+1;
L0:=CONCAT(L0,{N});
UNTIL N==1;

MSGBOX("NO. OF STEPS="+C);
RETURN L0;
END;

Examples:

ULAM(5) returns:
Message Box: "NO. OF STEPS=6"
List: {5, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1}

19
ULAM(22) returns:
Message Box: "NO. OF STEPS=16"
List: {22, 11, 34, 17, 52, 26, 13, 40, 20, 10, 5, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1}

The GETKEY Command

The next section will introduce a super-important command, GETKEY. The GETKEY command
returns the key code of last key pressed. The key codes are displayed on the table below.

Access: (Cmds), 6. I/O, 5. GETKEY

KEY Apps Symb Plot Num Home Help

Key Code 0 1 6 11 5 3
KEY View Menu Esc CAS
Key Code 9 13 4 10
KEY ↑ ← → ↓
Key Code 2 7 8 12
KEY Vars Toolbox Template xtθn a b/c Backspace
Key Code 14 15 16 17 18 19
KEY x^y SIN COS TAN LN LOG
Key Code 20 21 22 23 24 25
KEY x^2 +/- () , Enter
Key Code 26 27 28 29 30
KEY EEX 7 8 9 ÷
Key Code 31 32 33 34 35
KEY ALPHA 4 5 6 ×
Key Code 36 37 38 39 40
KEY Shift 1 2 3 -
Key Code 41 42 43 44 45
KEY On 0 . (space) +
Key Code 46 47 48 49 50

The Program KEYNO

The person presses key presses. Which each key press, the code returns to the terminal
screen. The program terminates when the Enter key is pressed.

EXPORT KEYNO()
BEGIN
LOCAL K;
PRINT();
PRINT("Press any key to get its code.");
PRINT("Press Enter to exit.");

REPEAT
K:=GETKEY;
IF K ≥ 0 THEN
PRINT(K);
END;
UNTIL K==30;

20
END;

The Program MOVEM

This program allows the user to move the character “M” using the arrow keys. Exit the program
by pressing the plus button [+].

EXPORT MOVEM()
BEGIN

// clear the screen

RECT();

// set up the character

A:=100;
B:=60;
TEXTOUT_P("M",A,B,2);

// Start the main loop

REPEAT
K:=GETKEY;
// Move Left
IF K==7 AND A>0 THEN
RECT_P(A,B,A+10,B+12);
A:=A-10;
END;
// Move Right
IF K==8 AND A<320 THEN
RECT_P(A,B,A+10,B+12);
A:=A+10;
END;
// Move Down
IF K==12 AND B<240 THEN
RECT_P(A,B,A+10,B+12);
B:=B+12;
END;
// Move Up
IF K==2 AND B>0 THEN
RECT_P(A,B,A+10,B+12);
B:=B-12;
END;
TEXTOUT_P("M",A,B,2);
// Exit using the Plus Key
UNTIL K==50;

END;

21
Tutorial #4: CHOOSE and CASE

The CHOOSE Command

The CHOOSE command Creates a pop up choose box, similar to what you see when you click
on a soft menu. There are two syntaxes for CHOOSE:

Simple Syntax (up to 14 options):

CHOOSE(var, "title string", "item 1", "item 2", ... , "item n");

List syntax (infinite amount of items):

CHOOSE(var, "title string", {"item 1", "item 2"});

Choosing item 1 assigns the value of 1 to var, choosing item 2 assigns the value of 2 to var, and
so on.

Access: (Cmds), 6. I/O, 9. CHOOSE

The Program TERMVEL

The Program TERVEL calculates the terminal velocity of an object given its shape and the units
to be used (kilograms/meters/seconds or pounds/feet/seconds). Lists are created to store the
necessary data.

EXPORT TERMVEL()
BEGIN

LOCAL L0:={9.80665,32.174},
L1:={1.225,.0765},
L2:={.47,1.05,1.15,.04},C,K,M,A,T;

CHOOSE(C,"Units","SI","English");

CHOOSE(K,"Type of Object","Sphere","Cube",
"Cylinder","Tear-Shaped");

INPUT({M,A},"Object",
{"M=","A="},{"Mass","Surface Area"});

T:=√((2*M*L0(C))/(L1(C)*A*L2(K)));

MSGBOX("Terminal Velocity="+T);
RETURN T;
END;

Examples:

Sphere, SI Units, M = .05 kg, A = .0028 m^2

Terminal Velocity: T = 24.6640475387 m/s

22
Cube, US Units, M = 1.2 lb, A = .3403 ft^2
Terminal Velocity: T = 53.149821209 ft/s

The CASE Structure

The command CASE allows for a group of conditions to test. Think of it as a bunch of “IT-
THEN-ELSE” structures, but for that one variable. What CASE also allows is a set of
commands if none of the conditions are true, which is the default. The syntax structure:

CASE
IF test 1 THEN do if true END;
IF test 2 THEN do if true END;
...
DEFAULT commands END;

Access: (Cmds), 2. Branch, 3. CASE

The program AREAC (Area of Circles, Rings, and Sectors) demonstrates the use of a CASE
structure.

The Program AREAC

EXPORT AREAC()
BEGIN
LOCAL C,R,S,θ,A;
CHOOSE(C,"Areas","1. Circle","2. Ring","3. Sector");

INPUT(R, "Input Radius", "R =");

// Case structure begins

CASE
IF C==1 THEN A:=π*R^2; END;

IF C==2 THEN
INPUT(S,"Small Radius","r=");
A:=π*(R^2-S^2);
END;

IF C==3 THEN
INPUT(θ, "Angle", "θ=");
// Assume you are in the correct angle mode
IF HAngle==1 THEN
// Test Angle Mode
θ:=θ*π/180;
END;
A:=θ*R^2/2;
END;

END;

MSGBOX("Area is "+A);

23
RETURN A;
END;

Examples:

R = 2.5, r = 1.5, θ = π/4 radians or 45°

Circle: 19.6349540849
Ring: 12.5663706144
Sector: 2.45436926062

24
Tutorial #5: STARTAPP, STARTVIEW, CHECK, UNCHECK,
RGB, HAngle
We can use the HP Prime’s PPL to work with different Applications and use their functions. In
this tutorial, we will work with switching the HP Prime to different apps.

System Equation Variables

The HP Prime designates system equation variables for certain types of equations. They are:

Type (App Name) Designation: # is from 0 to 9 Independent Variable

Function F# X
Polar R# θ
Parametric X#, Y# T
Sequence U# N, N-1, N-2
Advanced Graphing V# X, Y
Graph 3D FZ# X, Y
Solve E# user designates (A-Z, θ)

For example F1 refers to Function F1(X), V2 refers to open statement V2(X,Y), and so on.
Solve equations are used with the Solve.SOLVE function.

Defining Equations from Home and Inside Programs

Defining equations this way leaves them unchecked. If you want them plotted or accessed in
Num View, you will need to check them.

Examples:

F1:="2*X^3" stores the function f(x) = 2*x^3 in Function 1.

R5:="A*SIN(θ)" stores the polar function r(θ) = A*sin(θ) in Polar Function 5, with A being what
value stored in it.

The STARTAPP Command

Syntax:

STARTAPP(application name in quotes);

Starts the named App. The calculator points the screen to the default view (Plot, Symb, Num).

Access: (Cmds), 4. App Functions, 2. STARTAPP

For example, STARTAPP(“Polar”) starts the Polar app.

25
The CHECK and UNCHECK Commands
Checks and unchecks specific equation or function (0-9) in the current app. For example, if you
are in the Function app, CHECK(1) activates F1. As you should expect, UNCHECK(1) turns F1
off.

What does CHECK and UNCHECK affect?

1. Whether a function is plotted in Plot view.

2. Whether a function is analyzed in Num view.

Please note that CHECK and UNCHECK are App Specific functions. App specific functions are
functions that belong to a specific app. Unless you are working the current app, CHECK and
UNCHECK will proceed the syntax:

Appname.CHECK(n)

Appname.UNCHECK(n)

It is always safer to use the CHECK and UNCHECK commands with the Appname. (include the
period) prefix.

Access: [Toolbox], (App), select your app (CHECK and UNCHECK, if available, are in various
places in the menu)

Examples:

Function.CHECK(1) checks and turns function F1(X) on.

Solve.UNCHECK(0) unchecks solve equation E0.

The STARTVIEW Command

The STARTVIEW command instructs the HP Prime to go to a certain view. It has two
arguments, the view number and a redraw number.

Common view numbers include (not all inclusive):

-2 = Modes screen
-1 = Home
0 = Symbolic (Symb)
1 = Plot
2 = Numeric (Num)
3 = Symbolic Setup
4 = Plot Setup
5 = Numeric Setup
6 = App Information
7 = The Views Key
8 = first special view
9 = second special view

26
Etc..

The redraw number is either 0 or non-zero. 0 does not redraw the screen, anything else does.
The redraw number is optional.

Syntax: STARTVIEW(view number, [redraw number])

Access: (Cmds), 4. App Functions, 1. STARTVIEW

Designating Colors with RGB and Hex Codes

Returns an integer code pertaining to a color's RGB code. This is super useful for drawing and
text writing.

Syntax: RGB(red, green, blue, alpha)

Red: Intensity of Red, 0-255

Green: Intensity of Green, 0-255
Blue: Intensity of Blue, 0-255
Alpha: (optional) Opacity (up to 128).

Access: (Cmds), 2. Drawing, 4. RGB

You can also designate colors by hexadecimal code using the format #RRGGBBh. RR is for red
(00 – FF), green (00 – FF), and blue (00 – FF). The # prefix and h suffix tells the HP Prime that
this is a hexadecimal integer.

Red: #FF0000h
Green: #00FF00h
Blue: #0000FFh

Here is a list of colors with a hex conversion table. White, silver, black, red, magenta, violet,
blue, lime green, cyan, teal, gray, maroon, and yellow are exact values. Others are
approximate values.

White 255/255/255 Pacific Blue 0/160/192 DEC:HEX

Silver 192/192/192 Teal 0/128/128 08: 08
Gray 128/128/128 Cyan/Aqua 0/255/255 16: 10
Black 0/0/0 Fir Green 0/48/0 32: 20
Red 255/0/0 Office Green 0/128/0 48: 30
Magenta 255/0/255 Shamrock 0/160/96 64: 40
Cardinal 208/48/32 Apple 80/176/64 80: 50
Coral 240/128/112 Lime Green 0/255/0 96: 60
Pink 255/192/192 Chocolate 64/8/8 112: 70
Indigo 64/0/128 Brown 144/80/0 128: 80
Purple 128/0/128 Orange 255/128/0 144: 90
Violet 128/0/255 Olive 128/128/0 160: A0
Lavender 192/192/255 Tangerine 255/208/0 176: B0
Navy Blue 0/0/128 Yellow 255/255/0 192: C0
Blue 0/0/255 Khaki 240/224/144 208: D0
Denim 16/96/192 Tan 208/176/144 224: E0
Lochmara 0/112/192 Maroon 128/0/0 240: F0
Sky Blue 128/208/255 Snow White 255/240/240 255: FF

27
The Color of a Graph
Check the color of a graph by using the syntax:

F#(COLOR)**

This returns a hexadecimal value for the color. This applies to any of the equation variables F#,
R#, (X# and Y# will have the same value), U#, V#, and E#. There is a list of two colors for FZ#
(3D Graphing).

To change the color of a graph, use the syntax:

F#(COLOR):=RGB(red,blue,green,[alpha]) **

F#(COLOR)≔#RRGGBBh **

Example:

F8(COLOR):=RGB(0,0,255) makes the function F8 plot in blue.

The System Variable HAngle

The system variable HAngle (Home Angle mode) has three values:

HAngle = 0 for Radians mode

HAngle = 1 for Degrees mode
HAngle = 2 for Gradians mode

The value of HAngle can be recalled and values can be stored in HAngle.

Access: [ Vars ], (Home), 6. Settings, 1. HAngle

The Program CONIC

The program CONIC draws the general equation

Ax^2 + By^2 + Cxy + Dx + Ey + F = 0

You can choose the color how the conic section is plotted, from red, blue, orange, and green.
(Game show enthusiasts, I hope you note the order of the colors I listed... ;) ).

EXPORT CONIC()
BEGIN

// Initialize varaibles
LOCAL cr, cg, cb, I;

// Input box with default and reset

// values set at 0, help text is an
// empty list

28
INPUT({A,B,C,D,E,F},
"Ax^2+By^2+Cxy+Dx+Ey+F", { },
{0,0,0,0,0,0},{0,0,0,0,0,0});

// Colors
CHOOSE(I, "Choose a Color",
"Red","Blue","Orange","Green");
// Red values list
cr:={255,0,255,0};
// Green values list
cg:={0,0,127,255};
// Blue values list
cb:={0,255,0,0};

// Switch to Advanced Graphing app

STARTAPP("Advanced Graphing");

// Set equation V1, colors, check

// Here we are in the Advanced Graphing
// app, so no designation is necessary
// for CHECK
V1:="A*X^2+B*Y^2+C*X*Y+D*X+E*Y+F=0";
V1(COLOR):=RGB(cr(I),cg(I),cb(I));
CHECK(1);

// Plot View
STARTVIEW(1,1);
END;

An example:

29
The Program PROJ13

The program PROJ13 calculates range and height of a projectile, and plots its path. The
program sets the mode into Degrees (HAngle=1) and the calculator to the Parametric app.

Equations:
x = V * cos θ * t
y = V * sin θ * t - .5 * g * t^2

Where:
V = initial velocity
θ = initial degree of flight
g = Earth gravitation constant (9.80665 m/s^2, ≈32.17404 ft/s^2)

Air resistance is not factored, so we are dealing with ideal conditions. How much the projectile
represents reality varies, where factors include the object being projected, the temperate and
pressure of the air, and the weather.

EXPORT PROJ13()
BEGIN

30
LOCAL M, str;
// V, G, θ are global
// Degrees
HAngle:=1;

CHOOSE(M, "Units", "SI", "US");

IF M==1 THEN
str:="m";
G:=9.80665;
ELSE
str:="ft";
G:=32.17404;
END;

INPUT({V, θ}, "Data",

{"V:","θ:"},
{"Initial Velocity in "+str+"/s",
"Initial Angle in Degrees"});

X1:="V*COS(θ)*T";
Y1:="V*SIN(θ)*T-.5*G*T^2";

STARTAPP("Parametric");
CHECK(1);
// Adjust Window
Xmin:=0;
// Range
Xmax:=V^2/G*SIN(2*θ);
Ymin:=0;
// Height
Ymax:=(V^2*SIN(θ)^2)/(2*G);
MSGBOX("Range: "+Xmax+" "+str+", "
+", Height: "+Ymax+" "+str);
// Plot View
STARTVIEW(1,1);
END;

31
Tutorial #6: Subroutines

How Subroutines Work

This session will show how routines work in PPL. Generally, subroutines have be
declared before the main program. Declaration is important. The details of the subroutines
are after the main program.

Definitely take a look at the example programs to get a better understanding.

SUB Routines for HP Prime

General Syntax:

sub(); //declare subroutines

EXPORT main()
BEGIN
commands go here, including sub()
END;

sub()
BEGIN
commands go here
END;

The Program SUBEXAM

This is just a demonstration of how sub routines work. This program calculates one of two
values:

If A is positive, then the program evaluates A. If not, the program values B instead. Where:

A = 2(x-y)/Φ + x*y
B = Φ^2

and Φ = 2*e^(x+y) - e^(x-y) - e^(y-x)

We will use Φ as the subroutine.

SUB1();

EXPORT SUBEXAM(X,Y)
BEGIN
LOCAL A, B;
A:=(2*(Y-X))/SUB1(X,Y)+X*Y;
B:=(SUB1(X,Y))^2;
IF A>B THEN
RETURN A;
ELSE

32
RETURN B;
END;
END;

SUB1(X,Y)
BEGIN
RETURN 2*e^(X+Y)-e^(X-Y)-e^(Y-X);
END;

Examples:

SUBEXAM(-4, 1) returns 21998.918189

SUBEXAM(2,3) returns 86283.2797974

SUBEXAM(-5,-6) returns 30.648061288

SUBEXAM(2,-3) returns 21810.6046664

33
Tutorial #7: Drawing Graphics, FREEZE, WAIT, TEXTOUT
The Graphics Screen: Cartesian vs Pixel
OK this section we will start covering some of the graphics features of the HP Prime
Programming Language. We touched on graphics a bit when we used STARTAPP and
STARTVIEW to call up the Plot screen of certain apps (Function, Parametric, Polar, Sequence,
Advanced Graphing, Graph 3D).

This time we are going to use drawing commands that can be used in any HP Prime app. In a
sense we are creating a graphic object (GROB). The HP Prime allows for ten graphic objects,
named G0 - G9. For this tutorial series, (unless specified) I am always going to use the default
GROB, G0. This makes typing commands much easier.

Each graphic object operates in either one of two coordinate systems: Cartesian and pixel.

The features of the Cartesian system (x,y) are these:

1. The end points depend on the Plot variables Xmin, Xmax, Ymin, and Ymax.

2. The system is familiar, having x increasing as we move to the right and y increasing as we
move up.

3. The trade is that some (very few) drawing commands don't accommodate the Cartesian
system. An example is the ARC command, which requires the radius to be in pixels.

Next is a map of the Cartesian system:

34
The Pixel System (x,y):

1. The boundaries are fixed. The pixel (0,0) is the top left hand corner, the pixel (319, 239) is
the lower right hand corner.

2. The value of x still increases as we go to the right. However, y increases as we go down,

opposite of the Cartesian system. On the other hand, x and y are always non-negative.

35
Note that the y pixels from 219 to 239 are allocated for the soft touch menu.

The Drawing Commands

The HP Prime has two sets of drawing commands: one for the Cartesian system and one for the
Pixel system. All commands for the Pixel system will have a "_P" suffix attached. For example:

LINE draws a line using Cartesian coordinates, while LINE_P draws a line using Pixel
coordinates.

General Access: (in the Programming Editor)

Drawing Commands for the Pixel system: (Cmds), 2. Drawing, 6. Pixels

Drawing Commands for the Cartesian system: (Cmds), 2. Drawing, 7. Cartésian

Clearing the GROB screen

To clear the GROB screen, we will simply type RECT(). The wipes the screen, leaving it white.
It is necessary to do this at least at the beginning of each program containing drawing
commands. In a sense, RECT() is similar to PRINT().

Hint: To paint an entire screen a specific color, use RECT(color).

36
Displaying the Graphics Screen with FREEZE and WAIT
It is not enough to type the drawing commands. We need a command to tell the HP Prime to
show the graphics. Two ways to do it are:

FREEZE: This does exactly what it says, freezes the screen. To exit, tap the screen or press
ESC. Pressing Enter will re-execute the program.

Access: (Cmds), 2. Drawing, 1. FREEZE

WAIT(0): This freezes the screen for an indefinite amount of time. However, pressing any button
will cause the program to continue. Of course, if the last END is followed by WAIT(0), the
program terminates.

If you want the calculator to pause for a certain amount of time, the WAIT command is also
used. Use WAIT(n) to make the calculator wait n seconds before executing the next step. This
is useful if you are working an amination.

Access: (Cmds), 6. I/O, 3. WAIT

The Commands TEXTOUT and TEXTOUT_P

TEXTOUT and TEXTOUT_P inserts text on a graphics object using Cartesian and Pixel
coordinates, respectively. They are also at the bottom of the Cartesian and Pixel Drawing sub
menus, respectively.

Coordinate version of TEXTOUT:

Access: (Cmds), 2. Drawing, 7. Cartésian, D. TEXTOUT

Pixel version of TEXTOUT_P:

Access: (Cmds), 2. Drawing, 6. Pixels, D. TEXTOUT_P

Full Syntax (starred commands are optional):

Cartesian:
TEXTOUT(text, GROB*, x, y, font size*, text color*, width*, background
color*)

Pixel:
TEXTOUT_P(text, GROB*, x, y, font size*, text color*, width*,
background color*)

text: The text to be written. It can be a string, results, calculations, or any combination.

GROB*: Graphic Object G0 through G9 to be used. If left out, G0 is used.

x: x coordinate

37
y: y coordinate

font size*: The text font's size code. Must be used if you want text to be a color other than black.
Optional. Default is the current size set by Home Settings.

0: Current font size as set by Home Settings screen.

1: Size 10 font
2: Size 12 font
3: Size 14 font
4: Size 16 font
5: Size 18 font
6: Size 20 font
7: Size 22 font

text color*: The color of the text. Use of the RGB command is advised. Optional. Default color is
black.

width*: Length of the background box of the text. Optional. I usually don't use this argument.

background color*: Color of the background box. Optional. I usually don't use this argument.

Simplified Syntaxes:

Black text at default font size:

TEXTOUT(text, x, y)
TEXTOUT_P(text, x, y)

Colored text at a set font size:

TEXTOUT(text, x, y, size code, color)
TEXTOUT_P(text, x, y, size code, color)

The Program SNOWFLAKE

With all this, we finally get to some programming. Typically during winter, it snows a lot. Let's
use TEXTOUT_P to draw snowflakes. I am going to use symbolize the snowflake by the
asterisk, the symbol of multiplication in programming. The times key [ × ] types the asterisk
character, *.

SNOWFLAKE takes one argument, which is the number of snowflakes to be drawn.

EXPORT SNOWFLAKE(N)
BEGIN
LOCAL X,Y,Z,I,L0;
L0:={RGB(0,0,255),RGB(178,255,255),
RGB(30,144,255),RGB(0,255,255)};

// blue, light blue, dodger blue, cyan

RECT();

FOR I FROM 1 TO N DO

38
X:=RANDINT(0,304);
// save some room since text takes pixels
Y:=RANDINT(0,208);
Z:=RANDINT(1,4);
Z:=L0(Z);
TEXTOUT_P("*",X,Y,2,Z);
END;

FREEZE;
END;

An example output of SNOWFLAKE with 76 stars:

39
Tutorial #8: LINE, FILLPOLY, ARC
All the example programs shown will use pixel coordinates.

The LINE Command

The LINE command draws a line from one coordinate to the other. The general syntax is:

Cartesian:

LINE(x1, y1, x2, y2, color*)

Access: (Cmds), 2. Drawing, 7. Cartésian, 8. LINE

Pixels:

LINE_P(x1, y1, x2, y2, color*)

Access: (Cmds), 2. Drawing, 6. Pixels, 8. LINE_P

The Program DRAWHOUSE

DRAWHOUSE demonstrates the LINE_P command to draw a house. The base is brown
(#905000h), and the roof is maroon (#800000h).

EXPORT DRAWHOUSE()
BEGIN

// Clear the screen

RECT();

// Draw the house

LINE_P(20,100,20,200,#905000h);
LINE_P(20,200,240,200,#905000h);
LINE_P(240,200,240,100,#905000h);
LINE_P(240,100,20,100,#905000h);
LINE_P(20,100,130,50,#800000h);
LINE_P(130,50,240,100,#800000h);

// Show the screen

WAIT(0);

END;

40
Drawing Polygons with the FILLPOLY Command
The FILLPOLY command draws a filled polygon. The general syntax is:

Cartesian:

FILLPOLY(list of points, color, [alpha])

Access: (Cmds), 2. Drawing, 7. Cartésian, E. FILLPOLY

Pixels:

FILLPOLY_P(list of pixel pairs, colors, [alpha])

Access: (Cmds), 2. Drawing, 6. Pixels, E. FILLPOLY_P

The order of the points are important.

The Program PENT

The program DRAWPENT draws a five sided polygon in pink (#FFC0C0h) on an indigo screen
(#400080h).

EXPORT DRAWPENT()
BEGIN

// Clear the screen

// Indigo background
RECT(#400080h);

// Draw a five sided polygon in pink

FILLPOLY_P({(80,100),(160,20),(240,100),
(200,180),(120,180)},#FFC0C0h);

41
// Show the screen
WAIT(0);

END;

The ARC Command

The ARC command is used to draw arcs, ellipses, and circles. What is important to remember
is that the radius with the ARC command will be in pixels regardless of which version of the
ARC command that is used. The syntax for ARC_P will be presented here (the syntax for ARC
will be similar).

Access: (Cmds), 2. Drawing, 6. Pixels, 1. ARC_P

Drawing Circles with ARC

Draw a circle:

ARC_P(center x, center y, radius, color)

Draw a filled circle:

ARC_P(center x, center y, radius, {border color, filled color})

Drawing Ellipses with ARC

Draw a circle:

ARC_P(center x, center y, {x semi-axis radius, y semi-axis radius},

color)

42
Draw a filled circle:

ARC_P(center x, center y, {x semi-axis radius, y semi-axis radius},

{border color, filled color})

Drawing Partial Arcs with ARC

Draw a partial arc between two angles (think unit circle)

ARC_P(center x, center y, radius, angle 1, angle 2, color)

Filled arc:

ARC_P(center x, center y, radius, angle 1, angle 2, {border color,

filled color})

The Program DRAWARCS

EXPORT DRAWARCS()
BEGIN

// Clear the drawing screen

RECT();

// Draw a circle, office green

ARC_P(60,110,30,#008000h);

// Draw an ellipse, pacific blue

ARC_P(140,110,{30,50},#00A0C0h);

// Draw an arc from 30 to 150 degrees,

// indigo
HAngle:=1;
ARC_P(220,110,30,30,150,#400080h);

// Show the screen

WAIT(0);

END;

43
44
Tutorial #9: Numerical Calculus with the Template Key
We can use the template key, which is located on the top row of gray keys, third key from the
left (from here on in marked as [Template]).

Numerical Derivatives

Syntax: ∂ (f(variable), variable = value)

Access: [Template], 1st row, 4th column

Definite Integrals

Syntax: ∫(f(variable), variable, lower limit, upper limit)

Access: [Template], 2nd row, 4th column

Double Definite Integrals

Syntax: ∫ ( ∫ ( f(X,Y), X, A, B), Y, C, D)

This computes ∫ ∫ f(x,y) dx dy

Where X and Y represent the first and second variable, A and B are limits for the first variable,
and C and D are limits for the second variable.

Summation

Syntax: Σ (f(variable), variable, lower limit, upper limit)

Access: [Template], 3rd row, 3rd column

With this function, the step is assumed to be 1, with both the lower and upper limits being
integers.

Substitution
One variable:

Syntax: expression|variable = value

Multiple variables:

Syntax: expression|{variable 1 = value 1, variable 2 = value 2, and so

on}

Access: [Template], 1st row, 3 column

45
The Program CALCDEMO

The program CALCDEMO demonstrates the use of the five template functions as discussed in
this section. The terminal is used to print the results and the calculator is set to Radians mode.

EXPORT CALCDEMO()
BEGIN
// Demonstration of Template functions

// Clear Print Terminal

PRINT();

// Change angle to Radians

HAngle:=0;

// Derivatives
PRINT("d/dx sin x at x = π/4");
PRINT(∂(SIN(X),X=π/4));

// Integrals
PRINT("∫(sin x dx) from x=1 to x=3");
PRINT(∫(SIN(X),X,1,3));

// Double Integrals
PRINT("∫(∫(x^2*y dx)dy), x=[1,2], y=[0,4]");
PRINT(∫(∫(X^2*Y,X,1,2),Y,0,4));

// Summation
PRINT("Σ(n^3) from n=1 to n=12");
PRINT(Σ(N^3,N,1,12));

// Substitution
PRINT("Calculate 3*a+5 when a=-2");
PRINT(3*A+5|A=−2);

END;

Results should be:

0.707106781186
1.53029480247
18.6666666667
6084
-1

46
Tutorial #10: Using App Functions
The HP Prime holds a lot of useful app-specific functions, and I am going to highlight some of
them here. Like CHECK and UNCHECK in Tutorial #5, you are always safer to use the
Appname. prefix, which allow you to use the program no matter what app you are currently in.

Access (general): [Toolbox], (App), (choose your app function, as the order of the apps are
shuffled)

Function App Functions

The following functions will assume the independent variable to be the uppercase X.

Intersection – ISECT

Finds the intersection of two functions, a guess may be provided. I recommend that you provide
a guess.

Syntax: Function.ISECT( f(X), g(X), guess)

Root - ROOT

Find the root (zero) of a function that is closest the guess provided. ROOT does not find
complex roots.

Syntax: Function.ROOT( f(X), guess)

Definite Integral – AREA

Calculates the definite integral (area under the curve) of a function. If two functions are
provided, then the area between curves is calculated.

Singular function area:

Syntax: Function.AREA( f(x), lower limit, upper limit)

47
Area between Curves:

Syntax: Function.AREA( topfunction(X), bottomfunction(X), lower limit,

upper limit)

Numerical Derivative – SLOPE

The function SLOPE calculates the slope of a function at a given value.

Syntax: Function.SLOPE( f(X), value)

Solve App Functions

Solving a single equation – SOLVE

SOLVE solves a single equation or uses any of the equations stored under the variables E0 –
E9. A guess is recommended, but not required.

Syntax: Solve.SOLVE( equation, variable, guess)

Statistics 2Var Functions (2 Variable Statistics)

Setting Columns – SetDepend and SetIndep

Use SetDepend and SetIndep to set a column as the dependent y variable (C0 – C9), and
independent x variable (C0 – C9) for any of the five stat fit variables (S1 – S5).

Syntax:
Statistics_2Var.SetDepend(Statistics_2Var.S#, Statistics_2Var.C#)
Statistics_2Var.SetIndep(Statistics_2Var.S#, Statistics_2Var.C#)

Storing the Regression Type

Statistics_2Var.S#(4):=type number

Sets the stat regression type for stat fits S1 through S5. The regression types are:

1: Linear
2: Logarithmic
3: Exponential
4: Power
5: Exponent
6: Inverse
7: Logistic
8: Quadratic
9: Cubic
10: Quartic
11: Sinusoidal (Trigonometric)
12: Med-Med

48
For example, the following sets Stat Fit 1 to Linear Regression:

Statistics_2Var.S1(4):=1

Executing Regression Analysis – Do2VStats

Syntax: Statistics_2Var.Do2VStats(Statistics_2Var.S#)
For fits S1 – S5

The results store a list of results into S#:

{x-list, y-list, frequency list, fit type number, regression equation, scatter plot color, mark type, fit
plot color}

To extract the regression equation, use Statistics_2Var.S#(5) (element 5 of S1 – S5)

Predictive Values

Predict X Value: Statistics_2Var.PredX(y value)

Predict Y Value: Statistics_2Var.PredY(x value)

The first active fit is used with the prediction function, hence S1 takes priority over S2, S3, S4,
and S5, respectively.

Finance App Functions

Time Value of Money Functions

The following functions calculate various elements using Time Value of Money. Remember that
the cash flow convention is used, positive for inflows, negative for outflows.

Syntax – Number of Payments:

Finance.TvmNbPmt(I/YR, PV, PMT, FV, P/YR, C/YR, BEG)

Syntax – Annual Interest:

Finance.TvmIPYR(N, PV, PMT, FV, P/YR, C/YR, BEG)

Syntax – Present Value:

Finance.TvmPV(N, I/YR, PMT, FV, P/YR, C/YR, BEG)

Syntax – Payment:
Finance.TvmPMT(N, I/YR, PV, FV, P/YR, C/YR, BEG)

Syntax – Future Value:

Finance.TvmFV(N, I/YR, PV, PMT, P/YR, C/YR, BEG)

Variables:
N = number of payments
I/YR = annual interest rate

49
PV = present value
PMT = periodic payment
FV = future value
P/YR = payments per year
C/YR = compound periods per year, optional, default P/YR = C/YR
BEG = 1 for beginning of period payments, 0 for end of period payments, optional, default BEG
=0

50
Tutorial #11: DRAWMENU and MOUSE
I find DRAWMENU and MOUSE to be truly advanced commands. For this series, I present the
basic use of these commands.

The DRAWMENU Command

The DRAWMENU command draws a soft menu key, with each label consisting of a graphic
object (G0-G9) or a text string. Six soft menu buttons will always be present, and whatever
buttons do not get labeled get left blank. I will focus on text strings as labels in this tutorial.

Syntax:

DRAWMENU(string1, string2, string3, string4, string5, string6)

Access: (Cmds), 2. Drawing, 5. DRAWMENU

However, if we want the soft menu to actually work, we are going to need the command
MOUSE.

The MOUSE Command

The MOUSE command is a complex command. MOUSE returns two lists describe the pointer
(how you touched the screen). The list consists of five elements: {x, y, original x, original y,
type} where x and y are in pixels.

For the purpose of type, MOUSE has the following type designations:

0 for new (touched the screen like a mouse click)

1 for completed
2 for drag (touched the screen and dragged your finger)
3 for stretch motion (stretch your fingers)
4 for rotate motion (rotate your fingers)
5 for long click (touched the screen and held your finger at the same spot for some time)

For this tutorial, we are only going to focus on the MOUSE command as long as pertains to the
DRAWMENU command. The pixels associated with the soft menu are:

Soft Menu Key Pixel x range: Pixel y range:

1st (leftmost) 0 – 51 220 – 239
2nd 53 – 104 220 – 239
3rd 106 – 157 220 – 239
4th 159 – 210 220 – 239
5th 212 – 263 220 – 239
6th (rightmost) 266 – 319 220 – 239

51
Using a Soft Menu until an Exit Condition is Reached
One way to use DRAWMENU is keep the menu active until an exit condition is reached. In this
case, the longer you press the soft key, and touch the screen, the more the key repeats. This is
different from the use of GETKEY, which each physical key stroke executes the command once
per key stroke.

The Program BLOTCH

The program BLOTCH allows the user to draw a randomized blotches on the screen, with the
menu keys serving as adjustment parameters.

EXPORT BLOTCH()
BEGIN
// EWS 04-20-2014

// Initialize
LOCAL m,m1,mx,my,j,k,r;
WHILE MOUSE(1)≥0 DO END;

// Clear Canvas
RECT;
LOCAL s:=50, d:=4;

// Menu - to be redrawn
DRAWMENU("Clear","S+5","S-5","D+2","D-2","Exit");

// Start main loop

REPEAT

// Get mouse data

REPEAT
m:=MOUSE; m1:=m(1);
UNTIL SIZE(m1)>0;
mx:=m1(1); my:=m1(2);

DRAWMENU("Clear","S+5","S-5","D+2","D-2","Exit");

// Clear Screen
IF (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥0 AND mx≤51) THEN
RECT;
END;

// Change Size
IF (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥53 AND mx≤104) THEN
IF s<80 THEN s:=s+5; END;
END;

IF (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥106 AND mx≤157) THEN

IF s>5 THEN s:=s-5; END;
END;

52
// Change Depth
IF (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥159 AND mx≤210) THEN
IF d<8 THEN d:=d+2; END;
END;

IF (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥212 AND mx≤263) THEN

IF d>2 THEN d:=d-2; END;
END;

// Exit Key
IF (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥256 AND mx≤319) THEN
BREAK;
END;

// Draw Blotch
FOR j FROM mx-s/2 TO mx+s/2 STEP d DO
FOR k FROM my-s/2 TO my+s/2 STEP d DO
r:=RANDINT(1677215);
RECT_P(j,k,j+d-1,k+d-1,r);
END; END;

// Close main loop

UNTIL (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥256 AND mx≤319);

RECT_P(0,220,319,239);
TEXTOUT_P("DONE!",146,220,4,#FF0000h);
WAIT(-1);

END;

Example screen shot:

If you want to slow down the timing between mouse clicks, a well-placed WAIT command is
useful after the coordinates of the mouse click is determined.

53
The Program TALLY

The program TALLY counts votes for up to five candidates. The first five soft keys allow to tally
votes, when the sixth key exits the loop.

Featured Command: %TOTAL. Returns the percentage of part of a whole.

Syntax: %TOTAL(whole, part)

Access: (Cmds), 7. More, D. %TOTAL

EXPORT TALLY()
BEGIN
// tally list
LOCAL tally:={0,0,0,0,0};
LOCAL total;

// Initialize
// Mouse coordinates
LOCAL m,m1,mx,my;
WHILE MOUSE(1)≥0 DO END;

// Clear Canvas
RECT;

// Menu - to be redrawn
DRAWMENU("Vote1","Vote2","Vote3","Vote4","Vote5","Exit");

// Start main loop

REPEAT

// Get mouse data

REPEAT
m:=MOUSE; m1:=m(1);
UNTIL SIZE(m1)>0;
mx:=m1(1); my:=m1(2);

// vote for candidate 1

IF (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥0 AND mx≤51) THEN
tally(1):=tally(1)+1;
END;

// vote for candidate 2

IF (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥53 AND mx≤104) THEN
tally(2):=tally(2)+1;
END;

// vote for candidate 3

IF (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥106 AND mx≤157) THEN
tally(3):=tally(3)+1;
END;

54
// vote for candidate 4
IF (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥159 AND mx≤210) THEN
tally(4):=tally(4)+1;
END;

// vote for candidate 5

IF (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥212 AND mx≤263) THEN
tally(5):=tally(5)+1;
END;

// Exit Key
IF (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥256 AND mx≤319) THEN
BREAK;
END;

// Update Results Screen

// Force a wait of 0.25 second
// after the click press
WAIT(0.25);

// clear and refresh the screen

RECT;

// results
total:=ΣLIST(tally);

TEXTOUT_P("Candidate 1: "+tally(1)+
", "+%TOTAL(total,tally(1))+"%",
0,10,4,#0000FFh); // blue
TEXTOUT_P("Candidate 2: "+tally(2)+
", "+%TOTAL(total,tally(2))+"%",
0,30,4,#FF0000h); // red
TEXTOUT_P("Candidate 3: "+tally(3)+
", "+%TOTAL(total,tally(3))+"%",
0,50,4,#008000h); // office green
TEXTOUT_P("Candidate 4: "+tally(4)+
", "+%TOTAL(total,tally(4))+"%",
0,70,4,#FF8000h); // orange
TEXTOUT_P("Candidate 5: "+tally(5)+
", "+%TOTAL(total,tally(5))+"%",
0,90,4,#000000h); // black

// redraw menu
DRAWMENU("Vote1","Vote2","Vote3",
"Vote4","Vote5","Exit");

// Close main loop

UNTIL (my≥220 AND my≤319) AND (mx≥256 AND mx≤319);

RECT_P(0,220,319,239);
TEXTOUT_P("FINAL RESULTS",146,220,4,#000000h);

55
WAIT(0);

END;

An example screen shot of a sample tally between five candidates in progress:

56
Tutorial #12: Introduction to Creating Custom Apps
With the new firmware (13441), we now have the ability to create customized apps, fresh from
scratch. This tutorial will show how the process generally works and a sample app.

Creating the App

1. Press the [Apps] key.

2. In the Application Library screen, select the soft (Save) key (furthest to the left).

3. On the Base App dropdown box, select None. Its icon is gold with a person in front of a
clipboard.

4. Name your app and press (OK). Your newly created app will be added to the end of the
applications in the Application Library.

57
How to Access the App’s Program: Where the Magic Happens

1. Select the new app by pressing the [Apps] key and selecting it.

2. Press [Shift], [ 1 ] (Program). The programs attached to the app is always at the top of the
program, regardless whether the other programs are sorted chronologically and alphabetically.

3. Select the app’s program by pressing [ ↑ ].

The App’s Program

The app’s program is a collection of programs, which are connected to the keys [Symb], [ Plot ],
[ Num ], and [ View ]. Thankfully, the new app program is provided with a template, which you
can uncomment (by removing the double forward slashes \\ on each line). The following
program structures are included, each within their own BEGIN-END structure.

Symb() – executed by pressing the [ Symb ] key

Plot() – executed by pressing the [ Plot ] key

Num() – executed by pressing the [ Num ] key

SymbSetup() – executed by pressing the [Shift] [ Symb ] key sequence

PlotSetup() – executed by pressing the [Shift] [ Plot ] key sequence

NumSetup() – executed by pressing the [Shift] [ Num ] key sequence

58
Info() – the note shown by pressing [Shift] [ Apps ] key sequence, only accepts PRINT
commands to display information

START() – the commands the app executes when the app is started

RESET() – the commands the app executes when the app is reset (through the Apps menu)

VIEW “title”, program() – Each of these are the options presented by pressing the [Views]
key. You can have more than one VIEW structure.

Notes:

1. This is a clean app. Everything must be programmed and all variables must be
created. Global and local rules still apply. That means there is no default plot apps Xmin,
Xmax, Ymin, Ymax, Xtick, Ytick, etc. We must completely program all of the graph screen
should plotting be involved.

2. The following app variables are included. Each value of setting determines the
mode. Unless noted, the value of 0 uses the same setting as home.

AAngle: The app’s angle setting. 1 = Radians, 2 = Degrees, 3 = Gradians

AFormat: Number display format. 1 = Standard, 2 = Fixed, 3 = Scientific, 4 = Engineering

ADigits: The number of digits from 0 to 11

AComplex: Complex number format. 1 = On, 2 = Off (Real numbers only)

AFiles deals with any additional files attached with the app, with AFilesB being the binary
version. Use the DelAFiles to delete associated files.

Storing a string to ANote can this information as the Info text.

AProgram and AVars deals with specific programs and variables associated with the
app. DelAVars deletes such variables.

The Custom App TrigPlot

The app TrigPlot plots the following equation:

y = A * sin(Bx + C) + D * cos(Ex + F) + G * sin(Hx + I)^2 + J * cos(Kx + L)^2

where all angles are in radians. The app uses the global variables A through L.

Keys

[ Num ]: The user enters values for A – L. They must be real (not complex or have a √(-1)
component)

[ Plot ]: Enter plot parameters and choose the color of the plot (purple, blue, green, gold,
red). The plot is against a black background.

59
[ View ], Erase A-L: Sets the variables A through L to 0 (zero).

[ Info ]: Displays information about the app

Notes

The Info section introduces the user to the app’s concept:

Info()
BEGIN
// This is when the user presses
// Shift+Apps (Info), use Print
// commands

PRINT();

PRINT("TrigPlot App");
PRINT("------------");
PRINT("By Edward Shore");
PRINT("------------");
PRINT("This app plots the equation");
PRINT("Y = A*SIN(B*X+C) + D*COS(E*X+F) +");
PRINT("G*SIN(H*X+I)^2 + J*COS(K*X+L)^2");
PRINT("------------");
PRINT("February 2018");

END;

60
To ensure the app always runs in Radians mode, I store the value 1 to AAngle during startup
(START). In addition, I added the Info(); to show the Info screen.

START()
BEGIN
// This happens when the app is started.

// Set the app to radians angle mode.

AAngle:=1;
// This is a specific app mode setting
// unlike HAngle

// Also run the Info screen

Info();

END;

The Plot portion of app is based on the Pixel Plot program

(see http://edspi31415.blogspot.com/2018/02/hp-prime-pixel-plot-how-to-change.html ) where
pixels are plotted.

HP Prime Program: TrigPlot (in app TrigPlot)

#pragma mode( separator(.,;) integer(h32) )

//Symb()
//BEGIN
// MSGBOX("Symb");
//END;

Plot()
BEGIN
// runs the Plot routine
// set color scheme
LOCAL col1;
col1:={#BF00FFh,#7DF9FFh,
#00FF00h,#D4AF37h,#FF0000h};

// Radians
HAngle:=0;

// localize variables
LOCAL xm,xn,ym,yn;
LOCAL xs,ys,xp,yp;
LOCAL x,y,ch;

// input screen
INPUT({
xm,xn,ym,yn,
{ch,
{"Purple","Blue","Green",

61
"Gold","Red"}}},
"TrigPlot Setup: Plot",
{"x-min: ","x-max: ",
"y-min: ","y-max: ",
"Color: "});

// set black background

RECT_P(0);

// calulate the scale

xs:=(xn-xm)/320;
ys:=(yn-ym)/−220;

// drawing

// color choice
LOCAL c1:=col1[ch];

// axis information
LOCAL st1,st2;
st1:="x:["+xm+","+xn+"]";
st2:="y:["+ym+","+yn+"]";
TEXTOUT_P(st1,0,0,2,#C0C0C0h);
TEXTOUT_P(st2,0,20,2,#C0C0C0h);

// function
FOR x FROM xm TO xn STEP xs DO

// function
y:=A*SIN(B*x+C)+D*COS(E*x+F)+
G*SIN(H*x+I)^2+J*COS(K*x+L)^2;

// point→pixel, plot
xp:=(x-xm)/xs;
yp:=(y-yn)/ys;
PIXON_P(xp,yp,c1);

END;
// freeze screen
FREEZE;

END;

Num()
BEGIN
// This is where all the variables are
// entered, in one easy spot. A-L are
// global in this application.
INPUT({A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L},
"TrigPlot Variables");
END;

62
//SymbSetup()
//BEGIN
// MSGBOX("SymbSetup");
//END;

//PlotSetup()
//BEGIN
// MSGBOX("PlotSetup");
//END;

//NumSetup()
//BEGIN
// MSGBOX("NumSetup");
//END;

Info()
BEGIN
// This is when the user presses
// Shift+Apps (Info), use Print
// commands

PRINT();

PRINT("TrigPlot App");
PRINT("------------");
PRINT("By Edward Shore");
PRINT("------------");
PRINT("This app plots the equation");
PRINT("Y = A*SIN(B*X+C) + D*COS(E*X+F) +");
PRINT("G*SIN(H*X+I)^2 + J*COS(K*X+L)^2");
PRINT("------------");
PRINT("February 2018");

END;

START()
BEGIN
// This happens when the app is started.

// Set the app to radians angle mode.

AAngle:=1;
// This is a specific app mode setting
// unlike HAngle

// Also run the Info screen

Info();

END;

//RESET()

63
//BEGIN
//MSGBOX("RESET");
//END;

//VIEW "Views", Views()

//BEGIN
// MSGBOX("Views");
//END;

VIEW "Erase A-L", ERASEAL()

BEGIN
A:=0; B:=0; C:=0; D:=0; E:=0; F:=0;
G:=0; H:=0; I:=0; J:=0; K:=0; L:=0;
END;

Examples

Example 1: y = 2 sin(x + 2) – 3 cos x

A = 2, B = 1, C = 2, D = -3, E = 1 (the rest are zero)

Example 2: y = 2 cos(2x) + 1.5 * cos^2 x

D = 2, E = 2, J = 1.5, K = 1 (the rest are zero)

64
65
Index
%TOTAL, 54 PredX, 49
ARC, 42 PredY, 49
AREA, 47 PRINT, 10
Area between Curves, 48 RANDINT, 9
Cartesian, 34 Regression Type, 48
CASE, 23 REPEAT, 19
CHECK, 26 RETURN, 6
CHOOSE, 22 RGB, 27
customized apps, 57 ROOT, 47
Definite Integrals, 45 SetDepend, 48
Designating Colors, 27 SetIndep, 48
DIM, 12 SIZE, 12
Do2VStats, 49 SLOPE, 48
DRAWMENU, 51 SOLVE, 48
FILLPOLY, 41 STARTAPP, 25
FOR, 11 STARTVIEW, 26
FOR Loop with STEP, 13 Storing Values to Variables, 7
FREEZE, 37 Subroutines, 32
GETKEY, 20 Substitution, 45
HAngle, 28 Summation, 45
HComplex, 10 System Equation Variables, 25
Help Key, 5 TEXTOUT, 37
idivis, 12 TEXTOUT_P, 37
IF-THEN-ELSE, 9 Time Value of Money Functions, 49
INPUT, 15, 16, 17 TvmFV, 49
ISECT, 47 TvmIPYR, 49
KILL, 15 TvmNbPmt, 49
LINE, 40 TvmPMT, 49
LOCAL, 7
TvmPV, 49
MOUSE, 51
UNCHECK, 26
MSGBOX, 9
WAIT, 37
Numerical Derivatives, 45
when, 11
Pixel, 34
WHILE, 15

66