Texas Instruments TI-89 Tip List page 16

The basic steps are:
1. Import the matrix data in the spreadsheet.
2. Enter the spreadsheet formulas which create an ASCII program in a spreadsheet column.
3. Cut and paste the ASCII program to a text editor, and save it as a text file.
4. Use GraphLink to import the ASCII program and send it to the calculator.
5. Run the program to create the matrix.
I will first describe the method for an Excel spreadsheet, then show how it is done with Lotus 123.
First, put the matrix data in the spreadsheet starting at column A, row 7. If your matrix has more than
one column, put the remaining matrix columns in spreadsheet columns B, C and so on.
Enter the ASCII program in an empty column. I will use column E as an example. Spreadsheet column
E will contain the matrix creating program, in text form. Start by entering these text strings:
cell E1: \start92\
cell E2: \comment=
cell E3: \name=prgm_name
cell E4: \file=prgm_name.TXT
cell E5: ()
cell E6: Prgm
Cell E7 is a spreadsheet formula that creates a TI-Basic instruction, which in turn creates the first
matrix row. If the matrix has three columns, contents of cell E7 are
+="["&TEXT(A7,"###.######")&","&TEXT(B7,"###.######")&","&TEXT(C7,"###.######")&"]"
&"/->/matrix_name"
The formula is entered as one line, not two as shown. Replace matrix_name with the name of the
matrix variable you want to create on the calculator. The three TEXT functions convert the contents of
cells A7, B7 and C7 to text strings. The "###.######" strings convert the cell contents to numeric
strings, with six fixed decimal places. The string "/->/" is the ASCII TI-Basic equivalent for the store
operator. For example, if matrix_name is mat1, and the contents of cells A7, Bu and C7 are 10, 20 and
30, then this formula creates the string
[10.000000,20.000000,30.000000]/->/mat1
Cells E8 and subsequent cells (one for each matrix row) define a formula which augments each
additional matrix row. For a three-column matrix, cell E8 is
+="augment(matrix_name;"
&"["&TEXT(A8,"###.######")&","&TEXT(B8,"###.######")&","&TEXT(C8,"###.######")
&"]"&")/->/matrix_name"
If A8, B8 and C8 are 40, 50 and 60, then this formula creates the string
augment(mat1;[40.000000,50.000000,60.000000])/->/mat1
which augments the row [40,50,60] to mat1.
(replace prgm_name with the program name)
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