5. Operations

Note: the SilverLink cable must be plugged before starting TiLP!
Note: your USB hand-held must be ON before starting TiLP and before doing any operation! If the hand-held turns off while TiLP is running, you will have to turn it ON again and you may have to press the 'Ready' button in order to re-enable the device connection.

This section describes the different things you can do with your calculator and TiLP.

1) TiLP can perform the following operations:

Depending on the calculator type, some functions may be unavailable. The chart below sums up the available operations:  

  73 82 83 83+/84+ 85 86 89 (tm)
92 92+ V200
NSpire
Ready
*     *     * * * *
*
Screenshot * * * * * * * * * *
*
DirList *   * * * * * * * *
*
Variables * * * * * * * * * *
*
Backup  * * * * * * * * * *

ROM dump  * *
* * * * * * * *

FLASH apps *     *     *   * *

OS upgrades *     *     *   * *
*
ID-LIST  ?

*

*
* *
*
Remote control *
    *
   * * * * *

Clock


*


*

*
*

Version



*


*
*
*
*
*
Create folder / Delete variable



*


*
*
*
*

2) All operations are available from the toolbar or by Drag and Drop (DnD for short).
DnD works in 2 ways:
- from the calculator frame to the computer frame,
- from the computer frame to the calculator frame.

3) Summary:



- the top node (TI92+) and the others (Screen,Operating System, Variables, Applications, ID-LIST, Clock) can be double-clicked or dragged.
- dragging a folder selects all variables beneath the folder during the drag operation only.

- you can use mouse or keyboard for selecting one or more items.
- any number of elements may be selected. Clicks toggle the state of an item; the Ctrl key may be used to enlarge the selection, and Shift key to select between the focus and the child pointed to.
- Ctrl+A selects all items whereas Ctrl+Shift+A unselect them all.

Note: due to a specific GTK+ behaviour, if you want to drag several files, select them and keep the mouse button pressed while dragging. As stated above, clicks toggle the state of an item once released.

5.1 Ready ?

Click this icon to check whether your calculator is ready for transmission. Usually, you don't need to use it since TiLP automatically uses this operation whenever you do a transfer, but it may be useful to restore the connection after an error.
Note: this button has an add-on when using a DirectLink cable; it allows to reopen device connection without restarting TiLP2 (except for Titanium under Linux).

5.2 Folder listing

Get a list of folders, variables, and applications stored on the calculator. The resulting tree is displayed in the calculator frame.
Note: TiLP keeps track of variables and/or applications sent to the hand-held and automatically updates the left view consequently (caching).

5.3 Backup / Restore


Backup some calculator data.
On FLASH calculators: the backup is not a true backup, it's a group of all variables (83+/89/92+/V200PLT) but attributes are kept (locking/archiving) and FLASH applications are not saved. If you selected TiGroup as backup format, FLASH applications are saved.
On the other calculators, the backup is a memory copy and contains the whole calculator content. Alternate way: by double-clicking the Variables node.
Restore the calculator content by sending a previously received backup. Contrary to TI's software, variables will stay archived if they were archived before the backup.

5.4 Send / Receive variables or applications

5.4.1 Full GUI mode

The main window is splitted into 2 frames : the remote frame (calculator) and the local frame (computer).

1°) The calculator frame lists variables and applications stored onto your calculator. By clicking on an item, you can select one or more variables/applications.

Next, drag the selection to receive variables/applications if the calculator support directory listing. Else, use the Receive button (TI82/85).
If you have selected one or more variables,
they will be saved one by one (if Recv as group is unchecked) or grouped into a single file (if Recv as group is).

2°) The computer frame lists the files in your current folder like displayed at the bottom. You can change folder by double-clicking the dotdot button or by double-clicking a folder. You also can change the working drive (Windows) with the local popup menu.

You can send to hand-helds variables, applications or operating systems. Simply select one or more files (variables or FLASH applications only; no backup; TiGroup's are accepted) and drag them onto the remote view.

Note:
- if you drag to a folder, variables will be sent to this folder,
- if you drag to 'Variables', variables will be sent to default folder,
- if you drag to 'Applications', variables will be sent in archive memory.

5.4.2 Simplfified GUI mode

The main window only contains the remote view (calculator). You have to use the Send & Receive toolbar buttons for operations.

Open a file selector which lets you select one or more files to send. Allowed files are variables, applications or operating systems.
Same behaviour as explained in the full GUI mode (2°).

5.4.3 About variable overwriting

If you have enabled the confirm deleting/overwriting option, TiLP will do a directory list before sending your variables / applications.
Next, it will display the following window :


TiLP will display all variables which already exists on the calculator and will wait for an action. Select one or more items with mouse or keyboard and use one of the 3 buttons (Overwrite, Rename, Skip) to change the action. Note : you can also change the attribute (none, locked/protected, archived).

5.5 Version & Status

By double-clicking the top node (TI92+ for instance), TiLP will display OS version, BIOS version (boot-loader) and battery status.

5.6 Screen capture

- Double-click the Screen item of the calculator frame will open the Screen Capture window.
- Drag&Drop the Screen item to the computer frame will do a screenshot and will save it in a file.

5.7 ROM dumping

Beware: a backup should be done before doing a ROM dump because ROM dumping uses an assembly program which may corrupt or crash your calculator.

Copyright notice: ROM contents is copyrighted by Texas Instruments. You are not allowed to copy and/or distribute any ROM image! For more informations, see the License Agreement provided with any FLASH OS upgrade.

This operation will transfer a small assembly program to your calculator. This program will copy the contents of the calculator ROM onto the link cable. If your calculator model has remote control (83+/89/92/92+/V200), the program will be automatically launched and the ROM will be dumped. Otherwise, TiLP will wait for you to execute the assembly program.

With TiLP2, a new intelligent/universal ROM dumper protocol has been developped:
- more reliable,
- does not dump empty blocks thus dumping is faster (TI92+ => 40%, TI84+ => 85%).


It handles all calculators. But, for some of them, a shell may be required:
- TI73 : Mallard,
- TI82: SNG
- TI83 : Squish / Ion
- TI85 : ZShell
- TI92 : Fargo-II.

When the box display "Waiting for user's action", you will have to manually enter some commands for launching the dumper:
- TI73 : PRGM, EXEC, ROMDUMP,
- TI82 : you have to place the calculator in receive mode to receive the dumping program and next launch it by PRGM, EXEC, ROMDUMP,
- TI85 :
you have to place the calculator in receive mode to receive the dumping program and next launch it by CUSTOM, F1, scroll down to ROMDUMP, ENTER,
- TI86 : type ASM(ROMDump) to launch program.
- TI84+:
PRGM, EXEC, ROMDUMP
- TI84+ / USB : no dumper yet
- Titanium / USB : romdump(), ENTER

Note: Silver/DirectLink cables do not like timeouts. To avoid this, TiLP2 will display a dialog box so that you will have the time to enter the needed commands.

5.7 ID-LIST

Calculators based on FLASH technology (TI83+, TI84+, TI89, TI92+ and V200PLT) have a unique identifier in their memory. This identifier can be requested for subscription on the TI online store and is needed for buying/signing FLASH applications.

5.8 Clock

Double-click the Clock item to set/get clock:


5.9 Create folder

Use the remote popup menu to create a folder on calc.

5.10 Delete variable

Select one or more variables or applications and use the remote popup menu to delete them. Please note that Titanium does not support deleting of FLASH applications but IT84+ does.