Search code examples
assemblytexas-instrumentsti-basic

Is it possible to port .8xk apps to work for the TI 84 Plus CE?

I'd like to be try this calculus app (or the "fixed version") on my new TI 84 Plus CE. However, the PrettyPt and Symbolic apps, which must be installed prior to use, are given in .8xk format, which means they are not usable in the TI 84 Plus CE (as it uses .8ek). A separate Symbolic download can be found that includes Assembly source code, but the PrettyPt download does not have such. Is there some other possible solution or work-around in order to get the Ultimate Calculus Collection to run? Or, for that matter, is there any general way to port .8xk's to the TI 84 Plus CE?

Solution

  • The TI-BASIC source for the calculus app is for most purposes compatible with the TI-84+ CE. Even so, there are a number of obstacles to porting this tool.

    • BasicBuilder, the tool used to convert from a collection of programs to an app, is not available for the TI-84+ CE. This is partly because:
    • It is not currently possible to create apps for the TI-84+ CE, because TI has not released the app signing key. The calculator community does not expect this key soon.
    • As for the assembly portions, including PrettyPt and Symbolic, the TI-84+ CE uses an ez80 CPU, which is compatible with the z80. Rewriting the code completely is unnecessary; however, all system calls are now different, which will require assembly skills and significant amounts of effort to fix.

    In conclusion, it is not possible to port the tool as an app, and even if it were, it would probably be easier to rewrite than port.