Amiga Format 74/af074a.adf/archives/af74a2.lzx/ARcalcV2.0/Docs/English/Arcalc.doc

Text File | 1995-06-08 | 26.5 KB | 717 lines

Introduction
************

   `ARcalc' is a program, developed for the Amiga series of computers,
that emulates a scientific calculator. `ARcalc' can be used with any
Amiga model running a version of the operating system greater then 1.3.

   Version 2.1 of the operating system introduces a localization
feature which allows programmers to write programs that are able to
comunicate with the user in the language he chooses. `ARcalc' is able
to make use of this feature, and is distributed with the files needed
to localize the calculator menu items and error messages in a number of
languages.  I decided not to localize the button labels, because even
on a real calculator these are not usually localized.

   `ARcalc' provides almost every feature you might expect from a
scientific calculator, including binary, hexadecimal and octal base
calculation.  The trigonometric functions can be applied to values
measured in degrees, radians, or decimal degrees; numbers can be
rappresented in scientific notation, with fixed decimal point (allowing
you to choose the number of decimal digits), or as a combination of
formats. Every computation is performed with an internal double
precision.

   The current release of `ARcalc' is version 2.0.

   Version 1.0 was never released, and was not localized. Version 1.11
had some bugs fixed.  Versione 1.12 added iconization features (by
pressing the "Icn" button that replaces the "Inf" button of previous
versions). Version 2.0 adds the ability to cycle-jump over public
screens, an ARexx port, standard AmigaDOS argument parsing, the ability
to evaluate an expression specified on the command line without opening
its interface.

   Remember that `ARcalc' does not work with versions of the operating
system lower than 2.0; if you try to start it using an earlier version
of the operating system, nothing will happen.


Using ARcalc
************

   The program can be started from Workbench or Shell. It looks like a
standard calculator, sitting on a public screen screen, in which you
should recognise the display and the keyboard. To avoid confusion, the
word `keys' will be used to indicate the Amiga keyboard keys, while the
word `buttons' will be used to indicate the `ARcalc' keyboard keys.

   You may start `ARcalc' from shell with the following template:

   `ARcalc FONT/K,SIZE/K/N,SCREEN/K,EVAL/K'

   Note that the standard AmigaDOS argument parsing is a new feature of
`ARcalc' V2.0.

   You can vary the font and font size used to display `ARcalc'. The
font used, as many other initial characteristic that we will see later,
is defined in a configuration file called `ARcalc.config' that would
have to resides in the same directory as the `ARcalc' program. If this
file is not present `ARcalc' uses the same font as Workbench. Starting
from Shell, you can specify an alternate font by typing:

   `ARcalc FONT=<font name> SIZE=<Y dimension>'

   `ARcalc' will override the config file default, and will try to open
the specified font. The font chosen is used for the keyboard labels and
for the display, but not for the `ARcalc' menus.  It is also possible
to change the font after the calculator has been started, using the
`Set font ...' item in the `Settings' submenu of the `Project' menu.
(*Note ARcalc menus::.)

   You can open the calculator on a different public screen by using
the SCREEN parameter, as in the following example:

   `ARcalc SCREEN myscreen'

   If You just need to do a little shell calculation, you can use the
EVAL parameter. By typing

   `ARcalc EVAL <expression>'

   the result of the evaluation will be printed on the CLI without
opening `ARcalc' interface.

   `ARcalc' boot can fail for a number of reasons (not enough memory,
font chosen too big, errors opening libraries..); if this happens the
user is informed with an appropriate error message.

   The main feature of `ARcalc' is the ability to type complex
expressions in the same way they are usually written. This can be done
using either the Amiga keyboard or the `ARcalc' keyboard. You can see
the expression you are typing at the top of the display; this is called
the "edit area".  You can edit the expression using either the tipical
Amiga string gadget shortcuts or the special `ARcalc' editing buttons.

   To calculate the result of the given expression, you have only to
press the `RETURN' key, or to click the `=' button; the result will be
displayed on the right side of the bottom of the display. This is
called the "result area".  `ARcalc' uses the result area also to show
you its messages about syntax or miscalculation errors.

   Note that if a syntax error is found in the typed expression, the
cursor of the edit area indicates where the error is, while if a
miscalculation occurs (e.g. a division by zero) the cursor position is
meaningless.  For a complete list of the syntax/miscalculation errors,
*Note ARcalc menus::, of this manual.


Detailed description of ARcalc buttons
**************************************

   Let's now see the meaning of `ARcalc' buttons.  There are four
button types:


Editing buttons
===============

   You can find this kind of button in the upper right part of the
calculator.  They are:

`<='
     (left arrow): allows you to move the cursor of the edit area one
     character left.  You can do the same thing using the corresponding
     Amiga keybord key.

`=>'
     (right arrow): allows you to move the cursor of the edit area one
     character right.  You can do the same thing using the
     corresponding Amiga keybord key.

`Del'
     (Delete): allows you to delete the character the cursor is over in
     the edit area. You can do the same thing using the Amiga Del key.

`Bck'
     (Backspace): allows you to delete the character at the left of the
     cursor in the edit area. You can do the same thing using the Amiga
     <- (backspace) key.

`Clr'
     (Clear): allows you to clear the edit area, loosing the expression
     you was editing.  You can do the same thing with the Amiga-Left X
     shortcut.


Status buttons
==============

   This kind of button modifies the status of the calculator. The
status is showed as a set of abbreviations in the lower left part of
the display; this is called the "status area". Note that the global
state when you start `ARcalc' depends on the configuration file
`ARcalc.config'; if this file is not found, default values are assumed.

   The status buttons are the following:

`Bse'
     (numeric BaSE): allows you to choose the base in which you are
     going to work, between binary, octal, decimal or hexadecimal. The
     actual setting is shown in the status area, by one of the
     following abbreviations:

    `dec'
          decimal base

    `hex'
          hexadecimal base

    `oct'
          octal base

    `bin'
          binary base

     Pressing the `Bse' repeatedly cycles through the bases, in the
     following order:

     `... -> dec -> hex -> bin -> oct -> ...'

     When you change base, the actual expression is automatically
     cleared.  This is because every number in the expression would
     change it's value in the new base. When the base is not
     hexadecimal, certain buttons become redundant (e.g. the `A', `B',
     `C', `D', `E', `F' keys, if you are working with decimal base).

     Also note that `ARcalc' is able to use real numbers only in
     decimal base; if you work in a different base you must use only
     integer numbers. This implies that many functions, although still
     available, are meaningless (e.g. the `sin(X)' function still
     works, but X must be integer, and it returns only 0 or 1).  If the
     `ARcalc.config' file is not present when starting, the decimal
     base is used by default.

`Fse'
     (Fixed,Scientific,normal): this button allows you to choose the
     notation in which the results are shown. Pressing `Fse' repeatedly
     cycles through the following options:

     `Fixed': indicated by the `fix' abbreviation; the results are
     shown as numbers with a fixed number of decimal digits. You can
     fix the number of decimal digits using the `Fix' button.

     `Scientific': indicated by the `sci' abbreviation; the results are
     shown in the scientific form. Note that the number of digits fixed
     with the `Fix' button is not longer related to the number of
     decimal digits, instead it indicates the number of significant
     digits.

     `normal': indicated by the `nor' abbreviation; the results are
     shown using whichever of the above notations generates the
     shortest string.

     Note that by changing format, the result shown in the result area
     changes its format also. If the `ARcalc.config' file is not
     present when starting, the normal format is used by default.

`Drg'
     (Degrees, Radiant, Decimal Degrees (Grad)): this button allows you
     to choose the measuring system unit for arcs in trigonometrical
     functions.  Pressing `Drg' repeatedly cycles through the following
     options:

        * `Degrees': indicated by the `deg' abbreviation.

        * `Radians': indicated by the `rad' abbreviation.

        * `Decimal Degrees': indicated by the `grad' abbreviation.

     If the `ARcalc.config' file is not present when starting, radians
     are used by default.

`Fix'
     (fix significant digits): this button allows you to fix the number
     of significant digits or decimal digits, depending on the chosen
     format. When you press this button in the result area you will see
     the following display:

     `Set number of digits (0 - 9)'

     Now you should press one of the digit buttons of `ARcalc', from 0
     to 9, fixing in this way the number of digits; if you press a
     different button, nothing happen, the operation is aborted keeping
     the same number of digits as before. Note that it does not matter
     how many digits you fix: every calculation is performed in an
     internal double precision format. If the `ARcalc.config' file is
     not present when starting, the number of digits is fixed to 9 by
     default.

`Inv'
     (Inverse function): this button allows you to obtain the inverse
     functions. When you press it, the `inv' abbreviation is displayed
     in the status area: if the next button you press indicates a
     function, and if is possible to invert this function, then you
     will get it; otherwise the `Inv' press produces no effects.

`Hyp'
     (Hyperbolic function): this button allows you to obtain the
     hyperbolic functions.  When you press it, in the status area you
     can see the `Hyp' abbreviation: if the next button you press
     indicates a trigonometrical function, then you will get its
     corresponding hyperbolic function; otherwise the `Hyp' pression
     produces no effects.


Text buttons
============

   This kind of button allows you to insert digits, functions, etc. in
the expression. You can also do this using the Amiga keyboard, but
these buttons offer a convenient shortcut. Note that the expression
parser is not case sensitive, so you can type it in upper or lower
case. The text buttons are:

`log'
     if pressed alone produces the string `Log(', indicating the
     *logarithm* function (using base 10); if you press `Inv' before,
     you obtain the string `10^'.

`ln'
     if pressed alone produces the string `Ln(', indicating the *natural
     logarithm* function (using base e); if you press `Inv' before, you
     obtain the string `e^'.

`x2'
     if pressed alone produces the string `^2', indicating the square;
     if you press `Inv' before, you obtain the string `Sqrt('
     indicating the *squareroot* function.

`mod'
     when pressed, produces the string `Mod(' indicating the function
     *modulus*. `Mod(A,B)' is the remainder of the division A/B.

`sin'
     if pressed alone produces the string `Sin(' indicating the
     trigonometric function *sine*; if you press `Inv' before, you
     obtain the string `ArcSin(', indicating the *arcsine* function;
     note that result of these functions depends on the measuring
     system unit chosen. If you press `Hyp' before, you obtain the
     string `Sh(' or `ArcSh(', indicating the *hyperbolic sine* and its
     inverse function;

`cos'
     if pressed alone produces the string `Cos(', indicating the
     trigonometric function *cosine*; if you press `Inv' before, you
     obtain the string `ArcCos(' indicating the *arccosine* function;
     note that result of these functions depends on the measuring
     system unit chosen. If you press `Hyp' before, you obtain the
     string `Ch(' or `ArcCh(' indicating the *hyperbolic cosine* and
     its inverse function;

`tan'
     if pressed alone produces the string `Tan(', indicating the
     trigonometric function *tangent*; if you press `Inv' before, you
     obtain the string `ArcTan(' indicating the *arctangent* function;
     note that result of these functions depends on the measuring
     system unit chosen. If you press `Hyp' before, you obtain the
     string `Th(' or `ArcTh(' indicating the *hyperbolic tangent* and
     its inverse function;

`and'
     when pressed, produces the string `and' indicating the binary
     *and* operator. The operand are implicitely forced to 32-bit
     integers, before performing the operation.

`or'
     when pressed, produces the string `or' indicating the binary *or*
     operator. The operand are implicitely forced to 32-bit integers,
     before performing the operation.

`not'
     when pressed, produces the string `not' indicating the binary
     *not* pre-operator. The operand are implicitely forced to 32-bit
     integers, before performing the operation.

`xor'
     when pressed, produces the string `xor' indicating the binary
     *xor* operator. The operand are implicitely forced to 32-bit
     integers, before performing the operation.

`fct'
     when pressed, produces the string `Fact(' indicating the
     *factorial* function.

`rnd'
     when pressed, produces the string `Rnd(' indicating a
     *one-parameter* function, for the generation of a pseudo-random
     number. If x is the value of the parameter, the number will be
     generated in the range `[0,X]' if X`>0', in the range `[X,0]'
     otherwise.

`( & )'
     these buttons produce the corresponding character.

`pi'
     this button produces the string `Pi' indicating the symbolic
     constant `PI', whose internal value is `3.14159265358979323846'

`e'
     this button produces the string `e' indicating the symbolic
     constant `e' (Napier's constant), whose internal value is
     `2.718281828459045'.

`0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D,E,F'
     when pressed,these buttons produce the corresponding character,
     indicating a digit. Obviously, when you compose an expression, the
     number interpretation depend on the numeric base you have set.
     Note that all these keys will always work, even if in some bases
     they should not be used.

`Exp'
     this button produces the `E' character, that you have to use to
     type a number in exponential form. This character is not different
     from the e indicating the Napier's constant, or from the `E' digit
     in hexadecimal base; its interpretation depend on the context in
     which it is found.

`,'
     this button produces the corresponding character, needed to
     separate the arguments of a function. Only the `Mod(A,B)' function
     has more than one argument, so you may feel that using keyboard is
     sufficient, however this button has been included to preserve the
     ability to use the calculator only by mouse.

`+,-,*,/,^'
     these buttons produce the corresponding character, indicating the
     *sum*, *difference, product, ratio* and *power* operators. Note
     that the minus sign can also be used as a preoperator to modify
     the sign of an operator.

`v,w,x,y,z'
     these buttons produce the corresponding character, indicating one
     of the five `ARcalc' variables. If, during the expression
     evaluation, `ARcalc' finds one of this variables, it use its
     current value.  To learn how to assign a value to a variable, see
     the description of the `sto' button.


Special buttons
===============

   This class consist of the buttons with special functionalities.
These buttons are:

`sto'
     allows you to store the value of the expression currently beingin
     edited in a variable. When you press this button, the following
     message is shown in the value area:

     `choose var. to store:'

     You should now press one of the five variable buttons: if you do,
     the expression will be evaluated, and the result will be assigned
     to the variable you chose. If you press any other button, instead
     of a variable one, there is no effect.

`cpy'
     this button allows you to insert, in the expression you are
     editing, the value of the preceding evaluation, visible in the
     value area.

`get'
     this buttons allows you to copy a text from the Amiga clipboard, to
     the edit area. In this way you can cut an expression from an
     application, and inport it to `ARcalc', ready to be evaluated.
     You can do the same using the `Paste Expression' item in the
     `Clipboard' menu.

`put'
     this buttons allows you to copy the value visible in the value area
     to the Amiga clipboard (as a string). In this way you can cut the
     result of an evaluation from `ARcalc', and paste it in an other
     application.  You can do the same using the `Cut Result' item in
     the `Clipboard' menu.

`='
     by pressing this button, you start the expression evaluation. If no
     syntax/evaluation errors are encountered, the result will be shown
     in the value area, otherwise an error message will be shown in the
     same area.  Note that, depending on the `AutoCLR' flag, the
     expression text may or may not be cleared after the evaluation.
     The `AutoCLR' flag value can be changed using the `AutoCLR' item
     in the `Setting' submenu of the `Project' menu (*Note ARcalc
     menus::.)


ARcalc menus
************

   `ARcalc' has two menus, named as `Project' and `Clipboard' (using
english localization).

   The `Project' menu has the following items:

`Settings'
     this is a submenu with items as follows:

    `Set Font ...'
          allows you to modify the font actually used to show the
          calculator, using a standard Amiga font requester. If the
          font you choose is too big, an error requester appears,
          informing you about it. Note that the new font will not be
          used the next time you start `ARcalc' if you do not use the
          `Save defaults' option.

    `Use WB font'
          this allows you to use the Workbench font, instead of one
          chosen with the preceding item. Note that this is different
          from using the previous item and specifying the Workbench
          font. With this item, if you save the defaults, when the
          calculator is started it looks for the current Workbench
          font, that might have been changed from the last time you
          used `ARcalc'.

    `AutoCLR'
          this item acts like a switch, allowing to set the `AutoCLR'
          flag on or off. If the flag is on, after every evaluation,
          preformed with the `=' or `sto' buttons, or with the `RETURN'
          key, the text of the expression in the edit area is cleared.
          If this flag is off, the text is not cleared, allowing to
          make changes to it and evaluate again.

    `Save defaults'
          allows you to save some calculator settings in a file named
          `ARcalc.config'. When `ARcalc' is started, it looks for this
          file, and adopts the settings specified within it. The
          following settings are saved:

             * Position of the calculator on the screen

             * Font (and Y dimension) used.

             * `AutoCLR' flag status

             * `ARcalc' status (numeric base, arc measuring system unit,
               numeric format, number of significant digits).

`Jump'
     This item is has been added in V2.0 of `ARcalc'; when you select it
     `ARcalc' jumps on the next public screen available.

`About ...'
     it shows a requester with informations about the program and its
     author. The same function is performed by the `Inf' button in
     `ARcalc'.

`Quit'
     quits the program. The same effect is obtained pressing the
     `ARcalc' CloseWindow gadget.

   The `Clipboard' menu has the following items:

`Cut Result'
     copies the most recently evaluated result to the Amiga clipboard.
     The same effect is obtained pressing the `ARcalc' `put' button.

`Paste Expression'
     copies text from the Amiga clipboard to the edit area, skipping
     non-alphanumeric characters. The same function is performed by the
     `ARcalc' `get' button.


Syntax/evaluation errors
************************

   Here is a detailed description of `ARcalc' error messages, shown in
the result area of the display:


Syntax errors
=============

   * `Invalid Operator': after a valid operand, `ARcalc' found a
     sequence of symbols not recognised as a valid operator.

   * `Missing digits in number': there are no digits after a decimal
     point.

   * `Invalid Exponent': the exponent of a number written in the
     exponential format, is too big, is missing, or is incorrect.

   * `Missing parenthesis': opened parenthesis has not been closed.

   * `Unknown operand': where an operand is expected, an unknown
     sequence of symbols is found.

   * `Missing Operand': the expression is ended by an operator.

   * `Too many digits': in the numer there are too many digits.


Evalutation errors
==================

   * `Underflow': during the evaluation the value has become too small
     to be represented with a double precision format.

   * `Overflow' or `invalid number': during the evaluation the value
     has become too big to be rappresented with a double precision
     format.

   * `Division by zero': the divisor of a division must not be zero

   * `Division by zero in Modulus': the second argument of the Mod
     function must not to zero

   * `ArcSin() argument out of domain': the argument of this function
     must be in the range [-1,1]

   * `ArcCos() argument out of domain': the argument of this function
     must be in the range [-1,1]

   * `ArcCh() argument out of domain': the argument of this function
     must be >= 1

   * `ArcTh() argument out of domain': the argument of this function
     must be in the range (-1,1) (excluding the limits themselves)

   * `Logarithm argument must be positive': the Ln() and Log() functions
     are defined only for positive arguments.

   * `Sqrt() argument must not be negative': Sqrt() function is defined
     only for argument >= 0

   * `Fact() argument must not be negative' the factorial function is
     defined only for argument >= 0


AREXX support
*************

   Starting from version 2.0 `ARcalc' have a built in AREXX port called
"ARCALCPORT".  You may write AREXX scripts or programs (like function
plotters) using `ARcalc' as a function evaluation engine.

   `ARcalc' will ignore any command sent to its port if the OPTIONS
RESULT flag is not set.

   Some AREXX command may fail. You may know if the command failed
looking at the RC variable: if its value is 0 then the command didn't
fail. If RC is not zero then the command failed.  In such case, and
only from an AREXX script, a message explaining the problem may be found
in the `ARCALC_ERROR' variable.

   You may find some little script in the AREXX directory of the
distribution archive.

   Here follow the commands supported by `ARcalc':

   `EVAL' <expression>     Evaluate the given expression. The result will
be in the RESULT variable if RC is     not zero. Otherwise you will find
the error in the ARCALC_ERROR variable.

   `SETVAR' <variable> <expression>     Evaluate the given expression and
put the result value in the given <variable>. The variable     may
be one of the following: "u", "v", "w", "x", "y", "z". You may use
these variables     to store temporary values in a complex computation. As
for the previous command, in     case of error you may take a look
to the ARCALC_ERROR variable.

   `GETVAR' <variable>     Return the value of the given variable in the
RESULT variable of your script.

   `SETBASE' <base>     Set the given base. <base> can be "dec", "hex",
"oct" or "bin". After you set a base     all the numbers involved in the
expressions (and the results) are expressed in that base.

   `SETDRG' <drg>     Set the arc unit for trigonometric functions. <drg>
can be "deg","rad" or "grad".

   `SETFIX' <digits>     Set the number of decimal digit. <digits> can be a
number between 0 and 9.

   `SETFSE' <mode>     Set the notation in which the results are shown.
<mode> can be "nor","fix" or "sci".

   `QUIT'     Quit `ARcalc'


To do in the future
*******************

   Version 2.0 implements the AREXX port previously mentioned in this
chapter. Now...  any other suggestions are welcome.


Acknowledgements
****************

   I wish to thank some people, for the help they have given me:

   * Marco Caimi, Federica Colla, Paolo Silvera, Marco Zandonadi, for
     the beta testing of the program;

   * Steve McKinty for the english revision of this manual (I modified
     something after his revision, so maybe it is not still perfect);

   * Reinhard Spisser for converting the doc in TexInfo;

   * All my *official localizers*, that made possible to distribute
     `ARcalc' with so many languages:

        * Steve McKinty (english)

        * Reinhard Spisser (german)

        * Frank Bignone (french)

        * Fer de Jong (dutch)

        * Hannu Helminen (finnish)

        * Anders Hammarquist (swedish)

        * Soeren Berg Hansen (danish)

   * All the "Amiga comunity" of the Computer Science department,
     University of Milan for their entusiasm that helped me much to
     finish this project.


Program and distribution notes
******************************

   `ARcalc V2.0' is a shareware program, (C) 1994,1995 Roberto Attias.
You may freely distribute it as long as all of its files are included
in their original form without additions, deletions, or modifications
of any kind, and only a nominal fee is charged for its distribution; if
you like it and use it, please be kind enough to send me $10 for my
efforts. If you don't think this program is useful enough to pay for
it, please, at least e-mail (or mail) me to tell me what you think of
it, and suggest how can I improve it.

   This software is provided "AS IS" without any warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied. By using ``ARcalc'', you agree to accept
the entire risk as to the quality and performance of the program.

   Any suggestions, comments, or complaints are welcome.


How to reach the author
***********************

     e-mail: [e-mail]
     FIDO: 2:331/301.8

     Mail: Roberto Attias
     Via Lissoni, 5
     I-20162 Milano MI

     Phone: [phone]