Connecting

Connecting to your Calculator

Connecting to a USB based HP calculator is straightforward. (Connecting to older RS232 based calculators is not supported):

Preparing the calculator

Turn on the HP calculator.
Press MODE
Select FLAGS from the soft menu (F1)
Make sure flag #33 is clear. Message should read "Transfer via wire" IR is not supported.
Connect the HP to the Mac via the USB cable.
On the HP calculator, press right-shift, release it, then press right arrow (the scroll key, not shift-zero), to start the XSERV communication program. The display should read "Xmodem Server Waiting for command"li>

Preparing the Mac

Start the HPConnect program.
Press the "Connect" button in the HPConnect button panel.

If the connection was made correctly, a directory list will appear in the left side of the HPConnect window.

Troubleshooting Connection Problems

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If you can't connect to the HP on the first try, there are several things you should check.

Occasionally, the USB chip on the HP calculator locks up. This can happen if you disconnect the calculator without quitting HPConnect. Once this happens, the calculator will continue working correctly, but it won't connect to the Mac again. To solve this problem you just turn the calculator off and then turn it back on.
Are you sure XSERV is running on the HP? Modern HP calculators actually have two different communications programs, XSERV and Kermit. When XSERV is running, the HP will display the message "Xmodem Server Waiting for command". If this message is not visible, XSERV isn't running. If you see the message "Awaiting Server Cmd." you accidentally started Kermit instead of XSERV. Press ON/CANCEL to exit Kermit and start XSERV.
Are you sure the calculator is configured for "Transfer by Wire" To check this setting, press ON/CANCEL to turn off XSERV (if needed) then press the MODE button, then press F1. Scroll through the list till you find flag #33. If it says "Transfer via IR" press F3 to change the setting, then press OK twice. Restart XSERV and try again.
Are you sure the calculator is properly plugged into the Mac? Check the connections to make sure they are secure. Next, go to the Apple menu and select "About This Mac". When the dialog box appears, select "More Info..." This will start the System Profile tool. On the left of the tool is a panel listing various Mac components. Select USB. The Mac should report seeing the HP, as in this picture:

If you don't see this, the HP is not properly connecting to the Mac. Try plugging it into a different USB port or try a different USB cable.

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