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Frequently
Asked Questions: ZipTest Pro2™ Software
for the Texas Instruments TI-86
How do I adjust the TI-86 screen
contrast?
Where did the programs go in my TI-86?
How did these extra programs get into my TI-86?
What is the right way to exit a ZipTest Pro program?
Can I print from my TI-86?
Does my TI-86 have built-in conversion factors?
Is ZipTest Pro software available for other formats?
Is it OK to write or store additional programs on my TI-86?
How will I know when the batteries in my TI-86 are weak?
What is the best way to change the batteries in my TI-86?
Are there ways I can lose some or all of the programs from
memory?
How do I adjust the TI-86 screen contrast?
Make sure you have an almost clear screen with a solid blinking cursor in
the upper left corner of the screen. Find the 2nd key
and the up and down cursor keys. Notice that between
the up and down cursor keys there is a symbol indicating contrast
adjustment.
Now, to give the screen more contrast, first push the 2nd
key. Notice that the cursor is now a blinking rectangle with an up arrow
inside, indicating that the 2nd function is engaged. Press
the up cursor key once for a one-step increase in contrast, or hold
it down for a continuous increase in contrast (stop pressing when the contrast
is satisfactory).
To reduce the contrast, perform a similar operation by pressing the 2nd
key and then pressing the down cursor key.
For those of you in cold climates, the voltage from the batteries is reduced
when they are cold. As the batteries warm up, the voltage increases. This
change in battery voltage output will affect the screen contrast, so you
might have to adjust it accordingly. If your TI-86 is cold, you might not
see anything on the screen at all. Try increasing the contrast; you might
find that something is happening inside.
See the TI-86 Guidebook (you got this with your calculator), page
17, for more information.
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Where did the programs go in my TI-86?
There are a number of ways to delete all or some of the programs.
If your four AAA batteries go dead at the same time your lithium back-up
battery is dead, you will lose all programming. The RAM memory in the TI-86
is volatile, meaning it requires electricity – no electricity, no RAM memory.
Of course, if you remove the four AAA batteries and the lithium battery
at the same time, you will lose all the programs.
In addition, individual programs can be deleted in the MEM section
(second function of the 3 key) of the calculator. Best advice we
have to offer: Don’t go there!
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How did these extra programs get into in my TI-86!
Misguided or curious fingers probably cause this common problem. First,
let me explain the problem: When you push the PRGM (Program) key
and then F1 for “NAMES,” you will see a menu at the bottom
of the screen. For most of you, the order of names in this menu will be
“BTL1, BTUDD, DTL, Financ, PRESS” If you now press the MORE
key, talking you to the second menu set, you will see “finexe”
(Note to most of you in Wisconsin: you will see “CEG, finexe”).
If you see strange looking program names as part of this menu structure,
someone has mistakenly or intentionally added a program or, more likely,
just added a program name. This usually happens when a user presses the
F2 key for “EDIT” rather than the F1 key for “NAMES”
after pressing the PRGM key. Chances
are high that this extra “program” will not affect the proper
functioning of other programs or features of the ZipTest Pro2™
software. Best to just ignore it, or them. When you get to the point where
these extras are driving you mad, call 207-725-6723 and we will guide
you through the elimination of the extra programs. It just takes a few
minutes.
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What is the right way to exit a ZipTest Pro2™ program?
Always exit a ZipTest Pro2™ program in the TI-86 calculator
by pressing the F5 key. Notice that on all the program home screens,
the word “QUIT” is the menu item above the F5 key.
When you exit by pressing F5 for “QUIT” the program
advances to the last line of code where the calculator decimal place is
set back to “floating.” If you don’t exit in this way,
the decimal place will remain set for the program in question (either
zero or one decimal place).
The problem here is this: If you want to perform a calculation with the
TI-86 that requires one or more decimal places, you might find that you
have no decimal places. To fix this temporary problem, merely enter the
same program again, but exit properly this time by pressing the F5
key, representing “QUIT”
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Can I print from my TI-86?
You cannot print directly to a printer from the TI-86. This is not an
issue with the ZipTest Pro2™ software; it is an issue with
the calculator itself. We suppose Texas Instruments is not all that interested
in printing capabilities because their major market for this calculator
is high school and college math students.
However, you can print screens in a rather clumsy fashion, but you need
to buy the TI Graph-Link cable and software (the software is free on the
Texas Instrument web site: http://www.ti.com/calc/docs/link.htm).
You can buy the special cable and software from WxWare Diagnostics for
$24.95.
The cable connects your TI-86 to you PC. You can save calculator screens
or print calculator screens to your PC printer. The ZipTest Pro2™
software is written so that all your input values and the resulting answers
are included on the last program screen. This was done with the thought
that some of you will print this information once you get back to you
office.
Some users have put together a boiler plate” report in Microsoft Word
or another word processing program. They save the calculator screens as
graphic tif” files on their PC. They then import these tif files into
the appropriate places on their boiler plate” report. This makes a professional
looking report to give to a client or put in a file. However, the process
is, as we said above, clumsy.
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Does my TI-86
have built-in conversion factors?
Yes, it has a library of over ninety conversion factors. These are programmed
into the calculator chip; we did not put them there. See the TI-86
Guidebook (you got this with your calculator), pages 61 - 64 for more
information.
By the way, the unit of pressure difference called a Pascal, used often
in building diagnostics procedures, is expressed in the conversion section
of the TI-86 as N/m/2 (Newtons per square meter).
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Is ZipTest Pro2™ software available for other formats?
Unofficially, yes. We have been working on ZipTest Pro2™ for
Microsoft Excel, preferably version 2000, and for the Palm hand-held computer.
As of March 2001, both of these formats for the ZipTest Pro2™
software are in beta testing version and are not being distributed or
marketed. We intend to develop these two products and will announce their
release on this web site. If you have questions, give us a call.
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Is it OK to write or store additional programs on my TI-86?
The ZipTest Pro2™ software uses just over one-half of the TI-86
memory, so there is room for more programs. However, there is a potential
hazard to adding programs. If your added program uses a variable that
is already assigned in one of the ZipTest Pro2™ programs, your
program and/or the ZipTest Pro2™ program might not work properly.
You can avoid this problem by pressing the 2nd key and then
the CATLG-VARS key (the second function of the CUSTOM key).
Now press F2 for ALL.” With the up and down cursor keys you can
now look at all the variable names that are already in the TI-86. If you
write a new program, make sure you do not use any of these variable names.
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How will I know when the batteries in my TI-86 are weak?
If the batteries are dead, you will not see anything on the screen, even
if you adjust the contrast to its highest possible level (see How
do I adjust the TI-86 screen contrast?).
If the batteries are weak, a low-battery message will be displayed on
your screen when you turn on the calculator. If you get this message,
change the batteries. See page 16 of the TI-86 Guidebook for more
information.
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What is the best way to change the batteries in my TI-86?
Four AAA batteries and one lithium back-up battery power the TI-86. The
lithium back-up supplies power when you replace the four AAA batteries.
If the lithium battery is dead when you replace the four AAA batteries,
you will lose the ZipTest Pro2™ software from the RAM memory.
See page 16 of the TI-86 Guidebook for more information.
Generally, replace the four AAA batteries once a year or more often. The
lithium back-up battery should be replaced approximately once every two
years.
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Are there ways I can lose some or all of the programs from memory?
Yes! If your four AAA batteries go dead at the same time your lithium
back-up battery is dead, you will lose all programming. The RAM memory
in the TI-86 is volatile, meaning it requires electricity – no electricity,
no RAM memory. Of course, if you remove the four AAA batteries and the
lithium battery at the same time, you will lose all the programs.
In addition, individual programs can be deleted in the MEM section
(second function of the 3 key) of the calculator. Best advice we
have to offer: Don’t go there!
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