Programming
The HP 49 series of calculators support both algebraic (HP-Basic) and a stack-based programming language named RPL (ROM Procedural Language or Reverse Polish Lisp), a combination of Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) and Lisp. RPL adds the concepts of lists and functions to stack-based programming, allowing the programmer to pass unevaluated code as arguments to functions, or return unevaluated code from a function by leaving it on the stack.
The highest level language is User RPL, consisting of sequences of built-in postfix operations, optionally including loops and conditionals. Every User RPL command checks the stack for its particular arguments and returns an error if they are incorrect or not present. Below User RPL is System RPL (SysRPL). Most System RPL commands lack argument checking and are defined only for specific argument types (e.g. short integer vs. long integer), making System RPL programs run dramatically faster than equivalent User RPL ones. In addition, System RPL includes many advanced functions that are not available in User RPL. System RPL programs can be created without the use of PC software (although it is available), thanks to the calculator's builtin compiler, MASD. MASD also can compile Saturn assembly language and, with the latest ROM revision for the 49g+/50g, ARM assembly language on the calculator itself. Many tools exist to assist programmers and make the calculator a powerful programming environment.
Saturn assembly, and, on the 49g+/50g, ARM assembly and C, are also programmable using desktop based compilers. See also the programs available for the HP-48 series.
Read more about this topic: HP-49 Series
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