How to put your own notes on a TI-84 Plus CE Python

What it is

What you get, in plain terms

The Note Card Maker gives you one small file ending in .py. That file is a Python program whose only job is to show your notes: an opening screen, then your cards one at a time. You copy it to your calculator with TI Connect CE, Texas Instruments' free computer program for moving files over the USB cable, and run it from the calculator's Python App.

1. Make your cards on this site and download the .py file.
2. Transfer the file to the calculator with TI Connect CE.
3. Run it: open the Python App (press prgm and choose Python App, or find it under apps), pick your program from the file list, run it, and press ENTER to page through your cards.

You do not need to know Python or change any code.

Why bother

How note cards help you study

• Writing the card is studying. Fitting an idea into a heading and a few short lines makes you decide what actually matters, which is the same work as making a paper flash card.
• Your notes are where you already are. The calculator is on your desk for homework and practice problems, so a formula or definition is a few key presses away instead of buried in a notebook.
• Quick self-quizzing. Put the term on one card and the answer on the next. Read the term, say the answer, then press ENTER to check.
• One program per chapter. Sections and a menu keep a unit organized: formulas in one section, vocabulary in another, worked steps in a third.
• Steps you keep forgetting. A card that lists a method in order, such as the steps of synthetic division, is easy to follow next to a problem.
• Allowed-notes tests. When your instructor permits notes on the calculator, your cards are ready and readable. When they do not, clear them; see the note at the end of this guide.

Before you start

What you need

• A TI-84 Plus CE Python. The older TI-84 Plus CE without the Python App cannot run these programs.
• A computer with TI Connect CE and the calculator's USB cable.
• Your notes, in plain keyboard characters.

Step by step

Make your note cards

1. Give the program a title and a name

The title, up to 16 characters, appears on the opening screen. The program name, up to 8 letters and numbers starting with a letter, is what you pick from the calculator's Python file list, for example BIOCH4.

2. Write one idea per card

Each card is one calculator screen. Put a heading on the first line and the details underneath:

OSMOSIS
Water moves across a
membrane toward more
solute.

The maker wraps any line longer than 26 characters for you. Keep a card to about 9 lines so nothing scrolls off the top; if a card runs long, split it in two.

3. Use sections when you have a lot

With one section, the program simply pages through your cards. Add a second section, such as Cell parts and Key terms, and the program opens on a numbered menu so you can jump straight to the part you need.

4. Try it on the page

The calculator-screen preview next to your notes shows each card exactly as the program prints it. Step through every card once and fix anything that wraps badly.

5. Watch the space meter

The maker allows up to 6,000 bytes per program. Short cards go a long way: a heading and three lines is roughly 80 bytes. If you run out, make a second program for the next chapter.

6. Confirm, download, and transfer

Choose Confirm my program. Your notes lock, the full source code appears, and the Download button becomes available. Need a change? Choose Edit notes. After downloading, follow the transfer guide to send the .py file to the calculator's Python App. Run it once at home before you rely on it.

On the calculator

Moving through your cards

The line above the prompt shows where you are, such as 2/5 for the second of five cards.

Tips for cards that read well

• Lead with the term. Put the word you will look for in capitals on the first line.
• Write formulas the calculator way. Use ^ for powers and sqrt() for roots, for example x=(-b +/- sqrt(D))/2a.
• Line things up with a colon. Pairs such as Capital of Ohio: Columbus scan quickly.
• Skip special symbols. Curly quotes and long dashes are converted automatically; characters the calculator cannot show become ?, and the maker tells you how many.

Troubleshooting

I cannot confirm my program

Either no card has text yet, or the program is over the size limit. The message under the space meter says which.

A card is cut off

A card keeps at most 12 lines after wrapping. Split a long card into two.

The calculator says it is out of memory

The Python App holds 50 KB or 100 programs in total. Archive or delete programs you are not using, or make your note program shorter.

My notes show a question mark

That character is not one the calculator can display. Replace it with a plain keyboard character.

FAQ

Are my notes uploaded or saved?

No. The program is built in your browser. Your notes are not sent to Hidden Word Scanner and are not stored after you close the page, so download your file before leaving.

Can I edit the program later?

The download is ordinary Python you can read. To change it, return to the maker and build a new file, or edit the text between the quotation marks in the NOTES list.

Does it work on the TI-84 Plus or TI-83?

No. Those models do not have the Python App.

Is it free?

Yes, and the generated program is yours to use and share.