ProCalc™   Scientific Calculator
 Copyright © 1994 John Brochu    Version 1.2.0,  September 1994

Reference Guide

About the Menus

Apple Menu

About ProCalc™...
Brings up the About dialog which displays copyright and registration information, along with the Register... and Help... buttons, which allow you to fill out and print your registration form, and open either of the ProCalc help windows, respectively. To open the ProCalc User's Manual, just click the Help... button. To open the ProCalc Reference Guide, option-click the Help... button.

File Menu

Open Tape...
Allows you to open a tape document into the tape window. You cannot open more than one tape document at a time as the current version of ProCalc supports only a single tape window. This may be changed in future versions. This command is disabled when either of the ProCalc help windows is opened and front-most.

Close
Closes or hides the currently active window. If the main calculator or minimized display window is front-most, ProCalc will also quit. This performs the same function as the close box in the window's title bar.

Save Tape
Allows you to save the calculations in the tape window as a ProCalc tape document, allowing you to save calculations in progress and reopen them later to continue exactly where you left off. This command is disabled when the tape window is empty or you have not made any changes to the tape since the last time it was saved. If you have already saved and made changes, this command simply updates the tape document with your changes. If you have not yet saved, the Save Tape As... command is invoked instead. When a ProCalc help window is in front, this command is disabled. 

Save Tape As... / Save as TeachText...
Same as Save Tape, except this command allows you to save the current tape under a different name, and also updates the tape window with the new name. This command is disabled when the tape window is empty. When a ProCalc help window is in front, this command changes to Save as TeachText..., which allows you to save the help text as a TeachText document, complete with’styl’  information. See “About the ProCalc User's Manual and Reference Guide” in the ProCalc User's Manual.

Page Setup...
Displays the current printer's Page Setup dialog.

Print Tape... / Print Manual... / Print Reference...
Displays the current printer's Print dialog, and allows you to print out the current tape window's calculations in columnar format, similar to a printing calculator or adding machine. When a ProCalc help window is open and in front, this command changes to Print Manual...  or Print Reference..., which allows you to print out a formatted copy of the manual and/or reference. If a help window is not in front and the tape is empty, this command is disabled. See “About the ProCalc User's Manual and Reference Guide” in the ProCalc User's Manual.

Preferences...
Brings up the Preferences dialog, which allows you to change several operating and display characteristics of ProCalc. See “The Preferences Dialog” below.

Quit
Quits ProCalc.

Edit Menu

Undo
Not available in this version of ProCalc.

Cut
Copies the currently displayed value to the clipboard as text, and clears the calculator.

Copy
Copies the currently displayed value to the clipboard as text. Does not effect the display.

Paste
Replaces the currently displayed value with ProCalc's numeric interpretation of the text currently in the clipboard. If the text cannot be interpreted as a number, ProCalc assumes a zero value.

Clear
Clears the calculator (same function as the [CE/C] button).

Clear Tape
Clears all calculations in the paper tape window. If the Prompt to save changes option is selected in Preferences, you will be asked if you would like to save the calculations before clearing. This command does not effect the main calculator. All operations, completed or in progress, remain in effect after the tape is cleared.

Advance Tape
Advances the paper tape one line, placing a blank line in the tape window. Use this command to separate subsequent calculations on the tape. The tape is automatically advanced one line whenever the calculator is cleared (and tape logging is turned on).

Options Menu

Switch to “---”
Allows you to conveniently switch back to the application in use when you switched to or launched ProCalc. The name of that application is shown in place of “---”. This is also the application that will be switched to when ProCalc is iconized or minimized if those options are enabled in Preferences.

Minimize
Reduces the full or 4-function calculator windows to a display-only window. See “Iconizing and Minimizing” in the ProCalc User's Manual.

Iconize
Reduces the full or 4-function calculator windows, or the minimized display window, to an icon on the desktop. See “Iconizing and Minimizing” in the ProCalc User's Manual.

Show / Hide Tape Window
Shows the tape window if it is currently hidden, or hides it if it's showing. If Automatic tape logging is turned on in Preferences, then calculations will not be logged to tape when the tape window is hidden.

Turn Logging On / Off
Turns logging on if it is currently off, or off if it is currently on. When tape logging is turned on, all calculations are logged to the tape window. This command is disabled if Automatic tape logging is turned on in Preferences, as in this case tape logging is automatically enabled when the tape window is shown, and disabled when is is hidden. In any case, the state of this command always reflects the current logging state.

Set Number Format...
Displays the Number Format dialog, allowing you to set the number display format. See “The Number Format Dialog” below.

Key Assignments...
Displays the Key Assignments dialog, allowing you to assign keys to calculator functions. See “Key Assignments” in the ProCalc User's Manual.

Sequential 
Algebraic 
RPN 
These three commands allow you to set the operating logic used by ProCalc. Sequential is the logic used by earlier versions of ProCalc, and evaluates all operations in the order entered (ie. 1+2*3 is evaluated as (1+2)*3, and the result is 9). Algebraic ordering evaluates operations in the order dictated by standard algebraic rules, delaying operations as necessary (ie. 1+2*3 is evaluated as 1+(2*3), and the result in this case is 7). The algebraic order used by ProCalc in evaluating expressions is shown below. RPN, or Reverse Polish Notation, is a special operating logic used in some HP calculators, in which the operands are entered first, separated by [Enter], and the operator is entered after the operands (ie. 1+2*3 would be entered as 2 [Enter] 3 [ x ] 1 [ + ]).

When switching to RPN mode, several buttons change to support the standard features of RPN-based calculators. The [ = ] button changes to [Enter], and shifted-[Enter] changes to [Last], the LAST X feature of RPN. The parenthesis open and close buttons change to the stack roll up and down buttons, which shift the stack up or down one register at a time. ProCalc implements a variable-sized stack, using the RPN-standard X, Y, Z, and T registers. When the calculator is cleared with [CE/C], the stack is reduced to a single entry, the X, or display, register, which is also cleared to zero. As numbers are entered, the stack fills up, and as calculations are performed, the stack may grow or shrink, depending on the calculation. The current stack size is shown in the display as the stack indicator, which replaces the parenthesis level indicator. Since there is always at least one register in the stack (the X register), the indicator shows the status of the Y, Z, and T registers only. One solid bar indicates the Y register contains a value, two solid bars indicate Y and Z contain values, and three bars indicate Y, Z, and T contain values (the stack is full). When the stack drops and the stack is full, the T register is correctly copied down into the Z register, allowing calculations with a constant. Note that when the stack is ‘empty’, ProCalc still allows the use of the value in the Y register in subsequent calculations, since it may contain a constant copied down from the Z register.

There are many references available if you wish to learn RPN, as it will not be covered here in depth. It is included in ProCalc for those who are proficient in its use, and prefer it to ‘standard’ entry logic.

Following is the order of algebraic precedence used in ProCalc's Algebraic entry mode (an operation with a higher precedence automatically completes a preceding operation with a lower precedence):

   1   delta percent
   2   universal power, universal root
   3   multiplication, division, modulus
   4   addition, subtraction
   5   and
   6   or, exclusive or
   7   equals (competes all pending operations)

Automatic Constant
Checking this command enables ProCalc's automatic constant, unchecking it disables it. See “Automatic Constant” in the ProCalc User's Manual for more information on the effect of the automatic constant on calculations.

Keypad Emulation
Checking this command automatically maps the keyboard keys M, J, K, L, U, I, and O  to the calculator numeric buttons 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 respectively. The use of these keys in conjunction with the 7, 8, and 9 keys directly above them, simulates a numeric keypad on those systems that do not have one (such as PowerBooks).

The Preferences Dialog

The Preferences dialog allows you to configure several aspects of ProCalc. Select Preferences... from the File menu to access the dialog. All options are explained below, and are also summarized in Balloon Help.

Use 3D-style buttons - this option affects how buttons are drawn when they are depressed. Selecting this option will offset them one pixel down and to the right, with appropriate shading, to produce a more enhanced 3D appearance. If this option is left unchecked, the buttons will be not be offset when depressed, only the shading will be changed. This option is not available on non-color monitors.

Show minimized status - select this option to display the status line in the minimized display window. If this option is not selected, an error condition will be indicated by a dot in the upper right of the display.

Show background clock - this option determines whether the minimized display window will switch to a time and date display when ProCalc is in the background. The time and date is displayed in the format selected in the Date & Time control panel.

Display Font 
   LED - this option determines the font used in the main and minimized displays. If this option is selected, an LED-style font is used, otherwise a Helvetica-style font is used.
   Small - this option determines not only the size of the display font, but also the maximum number of digits that can be displayed in the scientific and basic 4-function modes. See “Numeric Display and Entry” in the ProCalc User's Manual.

Display color 
   Main, Mini - these buttons allow you to change the background and text color of the main ProCalc display or minimized display window. Clicking either button will display the standard Apple Color Picker, from which you can select a new color for the display background. Option-click either button to change the text color. The new background and text colors are saved with preferences. These options are disabled and unavailable if Color QuickDraw is not detected (on pre-System 7 systems without CQD installed, and on all 68000-based Macs).

Show title bar when:
   Iconized, Minimized - draw the title bar on the iconized and/or minimized window. If the title bars are not shown, you can still drag the windows around by clicking on and dragging the display or icon itself.

Save with preferences:
   Display register - save the currently displayed value with preferences.
   Memory registers - save all memory contents with preferences.
   Key assignments - save currently defined key assignments with preferences.
   Button arrangement - save current button layout with preferences.

NOTE:  The preceding four options, as well as saving color preferences, are only available in the registered version of ProCalc.

Iconize button minimizes - this option determines the function of the iconize button. If this option is checked, the button reduces ProCalc to the minimized display window. If unchecked, it iconizes (reduces ProCalc to its iconized state). The alternate function can be performed by pressing the [2nd] button first. This option also determines the function of the following option.

Iconize (Minimize) on context switch - this option, when enabled, automatically iconizes (minimizes) ProCalc when it is switched to the background, and de-iconizes (maximizes) when switched back to the foreground. The text and function of this button changes depending on the setting of the “Iconize button minimizes” option above.

Switch to previous app on:
   Iconize, Minimize - automatically switch the previous application to the foreground when ProCalc is iconized and/or minimized.

SwitchBack keys...  the four options relating to this option allow you to set the key combination that will activate the SwitchBack feature of ProCalc, bringing the calculator immediately to the front if it is in the background. You can select any combination of the shift, control, option, and command keys. Select the keys carefully to avoid conflicts with your other applications. You should select at least two keys to avoid inadvertent switching. You can deselect all four options to disable SwitchBack.

Automatic tape logging - selecting this option automatically turns tape logging on while the tape window is shown, and turns logging off when it is hidden. If this option is not selected, you can turn logging on and off manually from the Options menu.

Log intermediate results - selecting this option will log intermediate calculation results to the tape window. For instance, entering 1 + 2 + 3 shows the result of “1 + 2” when the second ‘+’ is entered.

Prompt to save changes - selecting this option tells ProCalc to warn you when you are about to erase unsaved changes to a tape document, with the option to save changes or cancel.

The status of all options in this dialog are saved to the ProCalc Preferences file in the System folder when you quit ProCalc. Other options saved are window position and status, calculator display settings, and all calculator mode settings. These settings and options are then restored when ProCalc is next started up. If you wish to bypass these saved settings and restore ProCalc to its default condition, press and hold option as ProCalc starts up.

The Number Format Dialog

The Number Format dialog allows you to configure the display of numbers in ProCalc's Scientific [Sci] mode. Select Set Number Format... from the Options menu to access the dialog. All options are explained below, and are also summarized in Balloon Help.

Notation 
   Automatic - select this option to let ProCalc select the notation that best represents the displayed number. Decimal-only notation will be used if the decimal representation of the number will fit in the display, otherwise scientific notation will be used.
   Scientific - select this option to display numbers using scientific notation. Scientific notation expresses the number as a base number greater than or equal to 1 and less than 10, the mantissa, multiplied by a power of 10, the exponent (ex. 1.23456E11 or 1.23456 x 100,000,000,000).
   Engineering - select this option to display numbers using engineering notation, a notation similar to scientific notation, except that the exponent is always a multiple of 3 (ex. 123.456E09 or 123.456 x 1,000,000,000).
   Decimal-only - select this option to force ProCalc to express numbers as a decimal, with no exponent. Note that this limits the display to numbers that can be expressed in 12 or 16 digits. (For a 12 digit display the range would be ±.000000000001 to 999,999,999,999.)

Decimal point 
   Floating - select this option to allow the decimal point to float in displayed numbers.
   Fixed - select this option to fix the decimal point, and force ProCalc to display a fixed number of places (selected from the popup menu) after the decimal point. If there are less than the specified number of digits after the decimal point, the number is padded with zeros. If there are more, the number is rounded.
   Places - this popup menu allows you to set the number of decimal places to display after the decimal point.

Thous. separators 
   Display - select this option to display thousands separators in the main and minimized displays. The display will be updated to reflect the new setting.
   Tape window - select this option to display thousands separators in subsequent entries in the tape window. This does not effect previous entries on the tape.
   Cut/copied - select this option to include thousands separators in numbers cut and copied from ProCalc to the clipboard. This effects numbers pasted into other applications.

The preceding three options allow you to specify whether to show thousands separators, characters that separate every three places in a number, in the display, tape, or clipboard. These options use the current setting selected in the Numbers control panel, and do not override these settings. If thousands separators are turned off in the control panel, they will not be shown in ProCalc, regardless of the setting of these three options.