lif_utils -- LIF Utilities for linux v1.4

Tony Duell

This tar achive contains utilities for handling HP LIF disks. There are 25 programs in the archive:

lifimageMake an image file from a physical LIF disk
lifdumpWrite an image file to a physical LIF disk
lifaddhdrAdd 'anadisk-style' headers to a LIF disk image
lifrmhdrRemove 'anadisk-style' headers from a LIF disk image
lifdirPrint a directory of a LIF disk or image
lifgetExtract a file from a LIF disk or image
hptextDecode an HP text (LIF1) file
sdataDisplay an SDATA file
prog41Display a listing of an HP41C program
text75Decode an HP75 text file
regs41Display an HP41 file as 'registers' (for analysis of unknown files)
outp41Translate an HP41 binary program into hex
inp41Translate an HP41 hex program into binary
stat41Display an HP41 'status' file
key41Display an HP41 key definition file
wall41Extract information from an HP41 Write-All file
wcat41Display a catalogue of the contents of an HP41 Write-All file
in71Read a file from an HP71 via (e.g.) an RS232 interface
out71Send a file to an HP71 via (e.g.) an RS232 interface
lifstat Display lif disk stats, and file containing a given block
sdatabar Convert an SDATA file into an HP41 barcode file
barprt Diagnostic dump of an HP41 barcode file
rom41 Unscramble an HP41 ROM dump file
rom41cat Display list of function names in an unscrambled HP41 ROM dump
prog41bar Produce HP41 program barcode from an HP41 binary program file

These programs should build on a standard linux system by simply unpacking the archive and typing 'make'. Porting to other unix-like OSes will be difficult owing to the direct access to the floppy disk controller. At least lif_phy.c will need major changes.

Manual pages are found in the manpages/ directory. XROM definition files (for prog41 and key41) are found in the xroms/ directory.

I disclaim any responsibility for damage due to errors in these programs, and am not responsible for loss of data or other damage caused by using them.

HP calculator enthusiasts may find interesting information in the comments at the start of some program files.

These programs are released under the GNU Public License version 2.0. Click here for further details

Revision History:

v1.0Initial Relase
v1.0.1Bug fixes: Directory length bug fixed for TEXT75 and DATA71 files; lifrmhdr made more tolerant of illegal sectors in the image
v1.1Directory entry types fixed for BASIC75 and added ROM75; Added text75 program; Added regs41 program; Split sdata.c into several files so functions can be used elsewhere
v1.2Fixed makefile problems; Added stat41 program; Added Directory entry type for HP75 Visicalc; Added inp41, outp41 programs; Added key41 program; Added hardware/ directory containing information on linking HPIL calculators and the PC.
v1.3Added wall41, wcat41 programs; Added in71 program; Added out71 program.
v1.3.1Added information and schematics for downloading files to calculators using a parallel interface Fixed bug in lifrmhdr. Now handles 'extra' sectors correctly.
v1.4Fixed file type for secure TEXT file in lif_dir_utils and lif_create_entry; Added lifstat program; Another bug in lifrmhdr fixed -- now reports correct sector number for missing sectors; Added sdatabar, barprt programs; Corrected typo in name of ADATE function in xroms/time.xrom; Added barps program; Added schematics and PIC source for a barcode download interface to the hardware directory; Added ROM41 filetype to lif_dir_utils; Added rom41, rom41cat programs; Elimnated unwanted spaces in octal escape sequence output; Added prog41bar program.


Tony Duell
Page last modified : 26th January 2005