m48+ iOS Source Code and Permission to use: Ideas how to make this a community project?

[Angry Bird]

I have talked to Markus Gonser over the past few years regarding his iPhone app m48+ (m48 was the free version but without the ability to pass files to the app via network).

I don't know how many on here have used the app (no longer on the iOS app store), but it is still running on my iPhone 11 Pro. I have two programs that solve double and triple integrands that I rely upon. What takes my real deal 48GX minutes (10+ in some cases) to solve, takes m48+ less than a second.

I have source code and permission from Markus to go forward with it.

My goals are as follows for the app:

-Develop a path forward so this app (It truly is the best 48G app I've used on the iPhone)
-Free to download. I do not want this app to charge a dime.
-One version of the app, m48+.
-Update so the app remains in good standing with Apple and remains in the App Store.
-Recruit volunteers who can program and accomplish this (I am not a programmer, but I did have an app in the app store many years ago). Maybe take the program to the next level. It's a great app with potential.

Anyone up for improving upon what I have wrote above? I am open to suggestions.

[DavidM]

I, too, still use m48+ on my iPhone. While I'm not capable of providing assistance with the programming aspects, I would like to suggest one more item for your list:

- Add the ability to store things in ports that persist beyond the current session

It appears to me that the current "rom image" that m48+ uses is treated as a read-only object, so that items stored in ports 1-2 don't last beyond the current session. This has long been one of my least favorite features of the product.

[Scott Chapin]

I would surely miss it, but I’m no programmer. I don’t have many issues with it, but now realize I don’t dare delete it, since I cannot retrieve it from the Apple store.

It never did retain Port 2 memory and imports files in ASCII, so I have to convert them to save them to port 2.

[Angry Bird]

On Monday, September 23, 2019 at 8:55:18 AM UTC-4, Scott Chapin wrote:
> I would surely miss it, but I’m no programmer. I don’t have many issues with it, but now realize I don’t dare delete it, since I cannot retrieve it from the Apple store.
>
> It never did retain Port 2 memory and imports files in ASCII, so I have to convert them to save them to port 2.

You can still download the app by going back through your "Purchased" apps on your iPhone. I had to delete the app and reinstall after getting a new iPhone Saturday.

[Angry Bird]

Thank you. This is the kind of feedback needed. I am not a programmer but very much want to see this project get off the ground. Losing this app would be a big loss to me because the 48GX has yet to be replaced with anything close to it, imho.

[Jack]

The Apple store does carry the 48+. It is full featured. Can enter and save equations and can have as many folders as wanted.

[optic...@mindspring.com]

On Sunday, September 22, 2019 at 9:49:45 AM UTC-4, Angry Bird wrote:

Marek Zima has written/ported a nice emulator for HP50g (Emu50G in Apple App Store). I've been using it for years. I don't believe he has a lot of interest in upgrading it, but I may be wrong and I'm copying him on an email with this post. The thing about not losing the contents of the non-core storage would be a great upgrade for Emu50G as well.
Regarding "free to download": I personally have zero problems with paying ten bucks for this tool!! And keeping it in the App Store is probably enough aggravation that expecting it to be free is kind of a hardship for the programmers.
BTW, Emu50G disappeared from the App Store for a while but it is back.

[er...@bargerprecast.net]

I wonder if there is any chance Mark would take this over? I’d $10/year to use it.

[mahi20...@gmail.com]

On Monday, September 23, 2019 at 16:11:45 UTC+2, Angry Bird wrote:

> You can still download the app by going back through your "Purchased"
> apps on your iPhone. I had to delete the app and reinstall after getting
> a new iPhone Saturday.

I just got a new iPhone and discovered m48+ is no longer in the App Store. Sadly it is now thoroughly removed from the App Store and does not even show up anymore in the purchases history. So the trick to restore the purchase no longer works. I'm really disappointed as m48+ has been my primary calculator for many years and before that I used the real HP48GX since the mid nineties...

I'm sad to read Markus stopped the project, yet relieved to see that he gave the sources to you, Angry Bird. So there's hope to see a new incarnation of m48+ in the App Store...

However, until then I'd love to get m48+ on my new iPhone.

If you have saved the IPA to your computer you can still install m48+ (see more info below).

Did anyone save the IPA for m48+?

If yes, would you be willing to upload the file for us? Thanks! Note that only apple IDs which purchased the app in the past will be able to install the IPA.

--------------------

If you used iTunes in the past to make app purchases or transferred purchases to iTunes, there's a chance you still have the IPA on your computer. Check following location:

MacOS: ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Mobile Applications/
Windows: C:\Users\<username>\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Mobile Applications\

The latest version of m48+ was 1.3.3

If you have an old iPhone or iPad that still runs iOS 8 or older and that has m48+ installed you should be able to retrieve the IPA from the device via an older version of iTunes (I tested this method successfully with iTunes 12.4.3): Start iTunes, connect the device to your computer, once the device is recognized in iTunes do File > Devices > Transfer Purchases. This will download all IPAs from your device to your computer to the folder mentioned above (if you get an error or nothing got downloaded to that folder, you may have to authorize your computer first: Account > Authorizations > Authorize This Computer).

Using this method I was able to get m48 1.3.6 (free version) from an old iPad 2 I had still lying around. Sadly it did not have m48+ installed but if anyone is interested in the free version I can provide the IPA.

I would like to get back the m48+ paid version (after all I paid for it) because I use several custom libraries for which the free version has no support.

Once you have the IPA you can install the app using the latest version of iTunes on any device (even iOS 13): Start iTunes, connect the device to your computer, once the device is recognized in iTunes click the device icon. Then simply drag the IPA file onto the iTunes window and release it over the "On My Device" group on the left. Note that you must have purchased the app in the past (and thus be an authorized owner of the app). Otherwise you will not be able to install the app.

[optic...@mindspring.com]

With the loss of functionality of iTunes, I looked around and found what seems to be a good replacement/augmentation: iMazing (site iMazing.com) I downloaded the free version (which is fully functional but just limits the total number of transfers and such; license is $50). I was able to copy my version of a closely related app, Emu50g, which I use all the time, to my Mac. That's not particularly relevant to your problem (unless you want to switch to the more recent calculator emulation), but if someone needs to extract their m48+.ipa from their calculator for upload, I think iMazing would do the job (for free).

[mahi20...@gmail.com]

On Friday, 18 October 2019 17:42:19 UTC+2, optic...@mindspring.com wrote:

> With the loss of functionality of iTunes, I looked around and found
> what seems to be a good replacement/augmentation: iMazing (site
> iMazing.com) I downloaded the free version (which is fully functional
> but just limits the total number of transfers and such; license is
> $50). I was able to copy my version of a closely related app, Emu50g,
> which I use all the time, to my Mac. That's not particularly relevant
> to your problem (unless you want to switch to the more recent
> calculator emulation), but if someone needs to extract their m48+.ipa
> from their calculator for upload, I think iMazing would do the job
> (for free).

I am (somewhat) familiar with iMazing but it's not of any help in this case I'm afraid. I do not know the technical details, but Apple made it impossible to download IPA files from iOS devices to your computer in iOS 9. There's nothing iMazing can do about that. And while you can use iMazing to download files from the app file systems, it does not create installable packages that you can use to install the app on another device. In fact for app installations iMazing simply relies on the App Store.

So, iMazing can't download the IPA from the device because it runs iOS 9+ and it also can't download the IPA from the App Store because it's not there anymore...

Up to iTunes 12.6, apps could be purchased and installed on your iOS devices via iTunes. Doing so stored the IPA files on your computer. Even upgrading to the latest iTunes version which removed support for app management does not remove any IPA files that may have been downloaded in the past. Sadly I did not use iTunes for app management so I don't have any IPA backups...

Our best hope (apart from an m48+ successor which I look forward to) is someone who still has the m48+ IPA on his computer or has an iOS 8 device (or older) with m48+ installed on. I'm not sure iMazing can download IPA packages from iOS 8 and older but it's worth a try if you don't have access to an older iTunes version.


I did look at Emu50g (I bought it) but I prefer m48. Mostly because of the HP48G(X) keyboard layout. The 48GX is the only calculator I've used in the last 23 years. The advantages of the 50G (performance, better screen, USB) do not really apply to the emulated versions so I'd rather go with the more familiar and (imo) better keyboard layout. I also found the keyboard input of Emu50g quite laggy. m48 has no issues keeping up.

[optic...@mindspring.com]

You are right, as far as I know. I had tried out iMazing, which kind of looked like it was doing the right thing, but the file it created (Emu50g.imazingapp) is, per emails today with imazing support, just the app's data, not the app. I was going to post that but you beat me to it!
BTW, I have also found that things like key repeats while in an INFORM are slow in Emu50g. I have enough apps for the HP50, though, that I need to use that instead of m48, I think.

[mahi20...@gmail.com]

Good and bad news...

The good news is that user FirkenFarm over at the Apple forums was able to retrieve the m48+ 1.3.3 IPA (latest version)! I have uploaded the files to my website:

<http://185.220.172.3/~mahi/m48/m48+%201.3.3.ipa> (62.8 MB) (m48+ 1.3.3 plus version)

<http://185.220.172.3/~mahi/m48/m48%201.3.6.ipa> (34.7 MB) (m48 1.3.6 free version)

The bad news is that I'm unable to install the app on my new iPhone. iTunes keeps saying my computer is not authorized while it is. I could install the m48 (free version) IPA I recovered just fine. I'm not really sure what's going on. I'm not an app expert but from what I understood and found with Google IPA packages are device and account independent. So an IPA downloaded by someone else should work for me provided I purchased the app in the past (which I did - I'm using it on my old phone). Maybe I'm overlooking something?

Is anyone else able to install it?

(if you have a working m48+ DON'T uninstall it to test)

[optic...@mindspring.com]

I downloaded m48+ 1.3.3 using your link and used iMazing to install it. I got a pop-up "You are about to install m48+, which is linked to a different Apple ID ... m48+ Apple ID: <john_ and the rest I suppress for security reasons>". I clicked "Restore App" and it did go ahead and install. When I click on the app on my phone I see what I assume is its usual startup window with an Apple Store login prompt in front of it.
I wasn't sure how to do this with iTunes (12.8.2.3) and since I had iMazing that's what I did.

[mahi20...@gmail.com]

Yes, you are right.

I've unpacked the IPA file and unlike some forum discussions I had read earlier it does indeed seem the Apple ID that originally purchased the app is included in the "iTunesMetadata.plist" file. Obviously the entire package is signed so there's no way of changing that.

So it seems there's no way of getting m48+ installed again if you move to a new device or restore a backup, and you don't have a copy of the IPA for your Apple ID. That's a bummer...

Since the IPA files may reveal personal information, I've removed them from my website so the links posted earlier do no longer work. Sorry everyone for getting your hopes up.

It seems we'll have to wait for the m48+ successor by Angry Bird. I look very forward to it. My iPhone just doesn't feel complete without my trusty HP48GX on it.

Luckily I managed to retrieve the IPA of the free m48 so at least I can use an HP48GX but I miss my custom libraries.

To everyone else: If you are lucky enough to still have your m48(+) IPA files or have an older iOS device you can download them from, make backups! You will be able to reinstall m48(+) on any iOS device with the IPA file and your Apple ID.

This whole situation shows the downside of a closed ecosystem and app store... Makes you wonder about the investments you made in it.

[optic...@mindspring.com]

So, I tried the simplest possible hack but it failed: I edited the metadata.plist to put my Apple ID in place of the original one. iMazing didn't like it, "missing bundle ID, probably been tampered by user" Ouch. I haven't any idea what else to try, but maybe someone else on this forum is better at this stuff.

[er...@bargerprecast.net]

I got lucky. I reinstalled from the app store the day the iPhone 11 was released. I have to delete the app and reinstall every time I upgrade phones or restore from a back up for any reason. Yikes. I don't think I have the app but I am about to look.

In other news, I have sent an email to Marek Zima. Crossing my fingers for good news.

[Angry Bird]

I contacted Marek Zima, creator of Emu50G, and he has agreed to get m48 back up (hopefully m48+) and to strictly maintain it. Bug fixes, compatibility, etc. New feature development is off the table for reasons perfectly understandable. Maybe he will post here to give us the update from his point-of-view and timeline.

On Sunday, September 22, 2019 at 9:49:45 AM UTC-4, Angry Bird wrote:

[jmz...@gmail.com]

I have been using M48+ and love it. My iPhone crashed today during an iOS upgrade, and I was bummed to discover that M48+ has been completely pulled from the App Store. Reading through this thread, I have high hopes that Marek Zima will be able to restore M48+ to the App Store. Hopefully we'll get an update here when that happens.

Thank you, Marek, in advance.

[robs...@novabbs.i2p]

I also lost m48+ due to updating to new iphone.. apparently just a few days after it was pulled from the store (!!)

Looking forward to seeing a replacement come about, but am not experienced in appdevelopment so sadly cannot contribute to effort

-Rob

[jmz...@gmail.com]

I managed to figure out how to resurrect m48+ onto my iPhone, despite the fact that I did not have an IPA file from my phone, and the fact that it is no longer available for download from the My Purchases section of the App Store. Here's what I did, in case it will work for someone else that may have lost their version like I did, before Marek Zima can release a new version. Note that I think this will require that m48+ still "shows up" on your iPhone (when I restored my phone after it crashed, it couldn't download m48+ from the app store, but the icon stayed there, with a little cloud icon next to it). If you deleted it completely, then this method might not work (I don't know for certain... it's possible that iMazing is actually checking your App Store purchases)



1. Download and install iMazing from https://imazing.com/ (it's free)
2. Connect your iPhone to your PC, and wait for iMazing to detect it
3. Right Click on your iPhone on the left, and select Manage Apps
4. When asked, sign into your Apple ID account
5. In the Library tab, scroll down to or search for the m48+ app (note that this might require iMazing to perform a backup of your iPhone first)
6. Right click on the m48+ row and select Download to Library
7. When the download is complete, right click on the m48+ row again, and select Export IPA
8. Close iMazing and open iTunes
9. Find the IPA file that you exported in step 7, and drag it to iTunes and drop it on your device in the left hand pane. This should install m48+. I got an error that it wasn't installed because it already existed, so I had to delete m48+ from my iPhone to allow the install, but that wiped out all of the data I previously had there. I didn't have anything personal, but I assume that this might have included the ROM. That said, you might want to see if the ROM file still exists on your phone by going to the File Sharing option under your device in iTunes, and selecting the m48+ app. The only problem is that I couldn't figure out how to look inside the ROMs folder, nor could I figure out how to copy the entire ROMs folder off the iPhone. At any rate, you can find the ROM online if you can't get it off your phone
10. At this point, m48+ should be installed, but unconfigured. If you start it up, it will want to configure, but it won't be able to download the ROM from the old Markus server. Next, we'll transfer the ROM file to the iPhone.
11. If you don't already have a ROM file, you can download one from https://www.hpcalc.org/details/4524 for the HP48G/GX ROM. There may be others available elsewhere online.
12. Rename the ROM file to rom.48g
13. In iTunes, make sure the File Sharing screen is open for your iPhone, and the m48+ app is selected.
14. Drag the ROM file from Windows Explorer into iTunes and drop it on the m48+ Documents pane. This should put the ROM file at the top level of the m48+ folder structure
15. Open m48+ on the iPhone, and cancel out of the auto-setup feature. This should bring you to the app menu.
16. Select Filemanager...
17. If necessary, navigate to the top level folder, and find the ROM file
18. Press and hold the ROM file, and a menu should pop up... select Cut
19. Navigate to the ROMs folder, then to the HP48G folder (or the appropriate sub-folder corresponding to the ROM you're installing)
20. Press the --> Move Item Here option at the bottom of the file list
21. Close the Filemanager, and you should be able to run through the Auto-Setup function to select your skin and startup the m48+ app.


Good Luck!

[orag...@novabbs.i2p]

Hi @Angry Bird

I think I could give it a try doing what you are proposing.

Its the only calculator i have used since my times at school. Could I get a copy of those files and give it a good shot to revive the amazing m48+?

I've just upgrade to iphone 11 and already missing my calculator...

Hope for your answer...

[jmz...@gmail.com]

FYI, I just heard from Marek Zima that he just submitted the new m48+ app to the App Store. Hopefully the review will go well, and we'll soon have our beloved m48+ app back! Thank you so much, Marek!

[Scott Chapin]

That will be great. Mine hasn’t faltered yet and I’ve been dreading it.

[dtr...@novabbs.i2p]

This is the greatest news. Been using the HP48 for years, and M48+ for almost as long on my iPhone. Even though I no longer need either for work (retired) I would sorely miss not having them. No way I could ever go back to a non RPN calculator.

[jmz...@gmail.com]

Unfortunately, Marek tells me that the app was rejected with comments as to the reasons why. He said that he's going to need to think about it. Hopefully he can figure out how to fix what Apple didn't like, but I suspect it'll be at least a few weeks before we see anything.

[Alice Wyan]

It'd be awesome to have it back on the App Store. Will the code be open sourced?
I have never done iOS programming, but have done other types of coding, so there's a chance I might be able to contribute.

[er...@bargerprecast.net]

On Thursday, January 30, 2020 at 11:16:39 PM UTC-5, jmz...@gmail.com wrote:
> Unfortunately, Marek tells me that the app was rejected with comments as to the reasons why. He said that he's going to need to think about it. Hopefully he can figure out how to fix what Apple didn't like, but I suspect it'll be at least a few weeks before we see anything.

Any update on this?

[Alice Wyan]

I've been sent the code by another kind user, and it turns out it's GPLv2, which is both good and bad news. Good, because it means we're free to distribute it and modify it, and, assuming we install Xcode, run it on our own device.

But it's also bad because the GPL licence isn't compatible with the App Store T&C. This means the only way to be able to submit m48 back to the App Store is to get the original author (and any other copyright holders) to dual licence it. Which maybe isn't a problem, but it needs to happen.

So far I've uploaded the code to a github repo and have built the code myself. It requires a few modifications to get it running on current Xcode, and the autodownload bit isn't working, but hopefully all this can be fixed :) I'll wait to post the link to the repo, though, until I get a bit of clarification about the licensing issues.

[dcamer...@gmail.com]

I bet there are many more like me that would support this. Does anyone know what the status is?

[dlid...@gmail.com]

Hi Alice, since it’s GPL you should be fine with sharing the code. That is kind of the point of the license. I was kind of a power user 20 years back and did quite some programming, and I’d like a good app to replace the slow i48 I’m using now.
Some contributions: https://github.com/dlidstrom/hp48page?files=1

[John Zelno]

Good news... m48 has been resurrected on iOS as iHP48: https://thinkchile.com/iHP48/. This appears to be a clone of the free original m48 app. It doesn't appear to have the features of m48+, but maybe the developer will add those features.

[Angry Bird]

THANK YOU! My entire day, weekend, month, and year have been made! I will be donating this morning! Everyone have a great weekend!!