Precision Software Applications Silver Collection 4

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CAF 2.0 Resident Floating Point Scientific Calculator by Bob Eyer [73230,2620] Jan 1, 1991 ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ WARNING: THIS SOFTWARE MAY NOT WORK PROPERLY WITH CERTAIN │ │ APPLICATIONS. SEE CAUTION BELOW. │ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ** SHAREWARE NOTICE ** This program is shareware: if you think it's a worthy addition to your personal software, you should register with the author. Register this one, and you get a disk full of some of the best utilities in the business FOR FREE!! The registered version of CAF has hour/degree-minute-second conversions, factorials, extra save registers, and more! Simply make out a money order in the amount of $20 US to Bob Eyer and send with your return address to: Bob Eyer 1100 Bloor Street West Suite 16 Toronto, Canada M6H 1M8 Please mention in your accompanying note whether you wish 5.25" or 3.5" diskette format, and state the name in which you wish registration-only utilities to be registered. [Certain of the most important items have never been posted and are distributed only through the registration.] Enquiries may be placed by writing directly to the author at Compuserve userid [73230,2620]. Warranty and Disclaimer: ----------------------- The author, Bob Eyer, guarantees the physical integrity of the diskette covering the points above, and will replace free of charge, if it is received defective. However, in no case will the author be responsible for any damages due to loss of data or any other reason. In no event does the author's liability for any damages exceed the price paid for the buyer's order of this software, regardless of the form of the claim. The person using the software bears all risk as to the quality and performance of the software. See Program Listing at end of documentation for the primary benefits of registering. Help screen ----------- Syntax: CAF [/U] /U = unload from memory Hotkey: Rightshift-/ Binary operations: + - * / ^ Unary operations: SQ SQRT EXP LOG SIN ASN COS ACS TAN ATN SINH COSH TANH Constant operations: E PI A B C Special Accumulator: ADD [E to exit accumulator] Modes: x PLACES COLOR y RAD DEG TWO NAP TEN N D Review: ST See the note about Errors below. INTRODUCTORY NOTE: CAF is a floating point companion alternative to CA (see program listing at end of this doc file), which is restricted to four function fixed point arithmetic. CAF supports a minimum of 18 functions. Registered versions of CA use less than 10K of memory; CAF uses about 26K. This is comparable to some of the simpler floating point calculators, such as FFC, but, unlike these (which are usually restricted to the standard four arithmetic functions), CAF offers far more functionality. CAF is not a general formula evaluator. If you need to do many different kinds of calculations on the same text in one shot, it may be more appropriate to use Lotus 1-2-3 or similar, print results as a file, edit, and then insert into your text. CAF, however, does provide a simple means of re-using input data for subsequent calculations (see section below about Automatic Store/Recall and also the discussion about Constant Operations). Also, CAF provides a method of adding many numbers before injecting the sum to text (See Special Accumulator section below). CAF's floating point emulator will take advantage of the coprocessor, if one is installed. This advantage is noticeable primarily on XT's and slow AT's, and primarily with regard to the transcendental functions. Except for SQ, all Unary operations and the power function are directly or indirectly based on infinite series and/or the use of Newton's Method. The accuracy of this range of functions is about 12 significant figures, rather than the usual 15 for ordinary arithmetic. CAF's real number range, apart from sign, is roughly between 1e-294 and 1.7e+308. This is much larger than is possible in the companion program CA, and is also larger than the usual range for many scientific calculators. IMPORTANT: This program does not provide a menu or picture of a calculator - so as to avoid obscuring portions of the underlying editing application, and to avoid requiring the user to employ only 25 x 80 screens (some TSR calculators require this, to make use of Line 25 for calculator monitoring). CAF responds equally well in 50 x 80 or 44 x 132 video environments; generally, it is indifferent to the manner in which the video raster is defined. CAF is designed to respond just to the hotkey, which provides merely a 'calculation window', in which the user enters his calculations or mode changes. Hitting ENTER after supplying a calculation or mode change to the window, simply executes the job and returns to the application. Where a result is generated, it is pasted directly to the underlying application where the cursor was last located. In examples seen below, EACH calculation or mode change is preceded by invoking the hotkey. This, however, does not apply to the Special Accumulator (see below). CAF is also designed to return the cursor to the initial position in the same window, to permit making mode adjustments without line skipping. Once a task is completed, you may exit the window merely by hitting ENTER one additional time or by using the spacebar to delete the window. The old window always disappears in an editing environment after the result is injected to the text, but mode change information will, in general, remain. Modes/review ------------ CAF provides five groups of mode selections - number of decimal places to which to round results, colour of calculation window, whether to use Radian or Degree measure, what base to use for the EXP and LOG operations, and whether to echo the result to display or paste to text. The current mode situation may be viewed simply by entering ST in the calculation window (ST is short for 'status'). Mode changes are entered directly in the calculation window and the new mode specs are resummarised in the calculation window, just as though ST had been issued. x PLACES: Entry of '5 places' in the calculation window will cause CAF to operate so as to round all results to five decimal places. Entry of 0 places means that no formatting will occur; that is, that results will appear with the maximum precision stuffable into the keyboard buffer at one pass. The default value for Places is 0. Exception: Where the resulting number contains exponential ('scientific') notation, CAF automatically rounds the mantissa to 7 decimal places, unless PLACES was previously set to a different number. The maximum number of formatted decimal places is 7, so a different number would have to be less than 7. The reason why CAF does this is to prevent overflowing the capacity of the keyboard buffer, the standard value of which is 15 characters. Exceeding the capacity of the keyboard buffer will always cause a system crash, requiring reboot. However, this should never happen, unless the user's computer has a non-standard keyboard buffer. See CAUTION below about keyboard buffer changing programs. Please inform me of the brand and type of computer as well as other resident TSR's in your system, if you wish to report problems of this type. COLOR y: Entry of 'COLOR 30' will cause the calculation window to have a bright yellow foreground and a blue background. For colour details see below. The default colour scheme is black on white (112). Color 0 automatically converts to 112, so as to avoid black on black. RAD/DEG: Entry of RAD in the window causes CAF to assume all angles entered as arguments in trig functions are in radian measure. Entry of DEG puts CAF into Degree mode. The default is Degree mode. TWO/NAP/TEN: CAF supports three bases for use with the LOG or EXP functions. TWO means use Base 2; NAP is short for the Napierian base (2.718 ...) and means Base e; and TEN means use Base 10. The default is Base e. N/D: N means normal, and D means display. N is the default. Normal mode injects results to the underlying application; display mode echoes results to the screen without pasting to the application. Display mode may be useful where you may wish to see every digit of some kinds of numbers which occupy more than 15 characters. Formatting to a given number of decimal places does not apply to Display mode. (See 'Exception' above in the discussion of PLACES). Constant operations ------------------- CAF supports pasting two constants direct to text, E and PI. For example, after invoking the hotkey, we simply enter e [= 2.7182818284590 (the use of the left bracket here merely signifies that the result appears at the underlying application, not at TSR level) In addition, the user may simply enter A, B, or C to examine the last value stored in CAF's "store/recall" facilities (see below). Binary operations ----------------- CAF supports five two-variable ('binary') operations: + - * / ^, or add, subtract, multiply, divide, and raise to a power, respectively. For example, 1991-1917 [= 74 7e-6+3e-4 [= 0.000307 3.33e+1+4.56e-3 [= 33.30456 When entering exponentially formatted numbers one must specify a sign (+ or -) immediately after the 'e' symbol. Additional examples: 35/34 [= 1.0294117647058 35*34 [= 1190 35^34 [= 3.1500214e+52 Unary operations ---------------- CAF also supports 10 unary transcendental functions, grouped by inverses, as well as three hyperbolic functions. Here, a blank must separate the name of the operation and the number which the operation takes as its argument. Examples, SIN 45 [= 0.7071067811865 COS 1 [= 0.9998476951563 LOG 2 [= 0.6931471805599 EXP 1 [= 2.7182818284590 SQRT 2 [= 1.4142135623731 If you wish to use Base 10 logarithms, just enter TEN in the window, and then LOG 2 [= 0.3010299956639 Note: the EXP function is in fact an antilog function, since it is subject to the same range of base changes as is the LOG function. This may be inconvenient to some users who assume that the exponential function must always have base e, but implementing a separate antilog function seemed, in the circumstances, merely to be useless duplication of what is, essentially, a quite flexible function. The internal setup for the hyperbolic functions is the same as for the trig functions. If you select DEGree mode, CAF will convert your degree measure into the radian equivalent before calculating the function. If you select RADian mode, CAF will do no such conversion, but will inject your argument directly to the function. Automatic store/recall ---------------------- If you are doing several calculations which involve use of the same term, you may reduce typing further by using variables. Calculation window variables are A, B, and C. The first time you execute a calculation with numbers, the first number is always stored into A, the second number into B, and the result into C. These values can be re-used, simply by employing these variables in subsequent calculations [except, of course, for the fact that, as each new calculation is done, the value of C will be updated with the new result]. Example (after entering '3 PLACES' in the window): Suppose we wish to perform the following calculations - 34.21102 x 435, and 34.21102 / 355.5 Here, each calculation uses the same initial term. We proceed as follows, each time by hitting Rightshift-slash, and entering the calculation shown: 34.21102 * 435 [= 1.488e+4 a/355.5 [= 9.623e-2 The second calculation above could be repeated merely by entering a/b The user may also proceed to obtain results for the other three operations, using the same numbers, as follows: a*b [= 12162.018 a+b [= 389.711 a-b [= -321.289 The output C-variable can also be used in calculations. For example, we may first calculate with no scientific notation 2/3 [= 0.667 ] Here, A = 2, B = 3, and C is the result in brackets. Now, if we multiply the result C by 3, we should get back the numerator A: C * 3 [= 2.000 This example illustrates the fact that CAF, like handheld calculators with the store/recall function, stores results in a separate register before rounding. It is this separate register that is used for input, when the user employs C in a calculation. [otherwise, the user might get back 2.001]. This type of 'result protection' on use of a previous result is not, however, found in most TSR calculators. All these remarks apply also to CAF's trig functions. For example (using 5 decimal places), SIN 89 [= 0.99985 We may now get back the value of the argument, simply by performing the inverse (ARCSINE or ASN) on the result: ASN C [= 89.00000 The same principle also works with squares and squareroots, as well as logs and exponentials. For example, LOG 2 [= 0.69315 but the argument '2' may be had by performing the inverse on the result: EXP C [= 2.00000 Special Accumulator ------------------- Entry of the keyword ADD in the calculation window, will transfer control to a special area of CAF, which displays the following type of prompt: E> The purpose of the 'E' is to remind you how to exit and inject your result to the underlying application. To exit and inject, just enter E. [If, however, you had placed CAF into D, or Display, mode, the result will merely be echoed to CAF's window. See discussion above about Modes.] Numbers entered at this prompt are totalled, each total being echoed in the right half of the display. Entry of E finishes the operation, wipes the special window from the screen (if you're in an editing environment), and injects the result to the underlying application. This accumulator function, in future versions, may become the basis of providing new functions, such as the Standard Deviation, making possible addition of statistics functions. Don't forget: E means exit! Prompt Colour ------------- As stated above, to change the colour of the calculation window, simply enter COLOR x in the window, where x is a COLOR number. The default is 112, which describes black foreground on a white background. 0 is impossible (black on black), and so CAF converts that number to 112 automatically. Foreground and Background colours may be determined by using the following table: Back Fore Bright Fore ---- ---- ----------- Black 0 0 8 Blue 16 1 9 Green 32 2 10 Cyan 48 3 11 Red 64 4 12 Magenta 80 5 13 Brown 96 6 14 White 112 7 15 The correct COLOR number is found merely by adding the Foreground number to the Background number desired. For example, Bright Green on Blue background is 10 + 16 = 26. Avoid setting COLOR above 127. Values above that limit will produce blinking displays. In my estimation the COLORs best for the eye are 10, 11, 14, 15, 26, 27, 30, 31, 74, 75, 78, 79 and 112. But you may have other ideas. Example, COLOR 75 sets the window to Bright Cyan on a Red background. Errors ------ CAF supports four error reports - xyz: illegal (see docs) - This message occurs where your entered instruction, 'xyz', is not recognised by CAF. For example, 'TAN89' is illegal; should be 'TAN 89'. Read examples in documentation above to be sure you understand how to enter expressions. Zero divide error - Attempt to divide by zero. This can be an explicit mistake, like '5 / 0', or it may be an attempt to calculate the value of a unary function which divides two other functions to obtain its result. For example, the TAN, or Tangent of an angle, is really the ratio of the Sine and the Cosine of that angle; but the Cosine of 90 degrees is zero, so trying to find the Tangent of 90 will generate this error. Negative base error - You tried raising a negative number to a power (cannot be done on real numbers). Negative argument error - You tried taking the LOG of a negative number (cannot be done on real numbers). CAUTION ------- Certain types of editors will not work consistently with CAF - in particular, editors which simulate the Macintosh console environment, such as the Microsoft DOS 5.0 Editor. Like Microsoft Windows, these environments do certain tricks with video display - and, so I understand, certain tricks to redefine one or more interrupt functions - which lead to machine hangs when CAF and other similar TSR's are run concurrently with them. (The problem here is not unique to CAF, as collateral testing of other TSR calculators has shown). If you're serious about computing, don't use graphics user interfaces (GUI's)! Further, like all memory resident programs, CAF is vulnerable to compatibility problems which may arise from its use with other TSR's. If you find you must reboot, try removing other memory resident programs from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, or try changing the sequence in which they are loaded until you find the best combination. However, tests have shown that CAF is much less vulnerable to interrupt collisions and other compatibility problems than other resident floating point calculators. One category of TSR which is almost guaranteed to cause trouble for CAF (and for any program which stuffs keystrokes into the keyboard buffer) are programs like 128KEY.COM, which lengthen or change the effective size of the keyboard buffer. Don't use such programs with CAF. CAF is primarily intended to work with editors and wordprocessors, and has been tested on Wordperfect 5.0, Galaxy 2.42, Captain Blackbeard 1.13, SLED 1.1, QEDIT 2.08, pEDIT 2.10, and a number of other editors/wordprocessors, with no confirmed problem or abnormality. CAF is recommended for use as the last memory resident program loaded, so as to permit the use of the /U commandline option to unload it from memory, and only in standard text-editing or wordprocessing applications. Unless you have found that CAF works with your non-standard application, it is recommended that you take the precaution of unloading CAF before you invoke such an application. DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAMS YOU WILL RECEIVE FREE WITH YOUR REGISTRATION ******************************************************** Many of the programs in the following list have not been publicly posted, and those which have been posted previously are unlikely to be posted in new updates, except in rare cases. Certain programs are registered-only, which means that the user must not post copies on bulletin boards. Nearly all file-processing programs take full advantage of wildcard logic, including DOS shortcuts, keeping keystrokes to absolute minimum. Total size in compressed form for all of below: about 320K. MG -- Moving average ASCII graphing program. Especially designed for obtaining graphic updates on stock-market activity in practical trading environments, in which it is essential that the user get a quick graph immediately, with points of the graph directly associated with the numerical and other text information which these points represent (a feat impractical in Lotus graphics). Designed to be used with SETV below. SPC --- Multidrive columnar drive report, with fairly complete description of your machine including communications, important chips, printer, BIOS, memory, processor and coprocessor speed, multitasking, networking, and so on, all in one single snapshot. SETV ---- Sets seven VGA text video modes. Enables Multisync or VGA user to make use of seven major video text modes at DOS level, including 132 column modes. AL -- Best and most flexible TSR alarm program with clock option. Has time-locking and a full range of options. 7K of memory. CA -- Four-function TSR calculator with formatted displays and scientific notation for direct paste to text. About 10K of memory. CAF --- TSR floating point calculator with formatted displays and direct paste to text. 18 functions, and an accumulation area. Five types of modes. Number formatting. CAF is the most sophisticated calculator in the business, for its size. 25K of memory. No need to swap to disk or EMS. PAUZ ---- Replacement for DOS PAUSE, allows specification of seconds to wait or target [<=] time, as well as what key to use for pause interruption. User triggering of error levels 1 to 9. MV -- Fast file mover. Preserves date/time/attribute stamp for all moves. Allows moving Read Only and Hidden files, source files opened in SHAREd mode for network users. Wildcards. None faster or safer. SPLT ---- ASCII file splitter which, for the first time, offers the ability to prevent the split from resulting in split messages or other defined text blocks. Works with DIV and REV, below. OTL --- Makes it possible to apply any set of operations, say, as specified in a batch file, to every file in an ASCII list, without having to specify the path information for each file. For Sysops. KALL ---- For users of DOS 3.0-3.2 who would like batch file control like that offered in the more advanced DOS versions. Allows redirection of batch file output, unlike DOS 4/5 CALL. SS -- Secure shell, protects your system from keyboard redefinition resulting from ANSI codes read in remote message areas. Maintains default DOS colour scheme, but requires use of NANSI.SYS. DIV --- Generalisation of FGREP-type programs to include blocks of text. A single string defines a block in most kinds of blockable text. DIV handles almost any kind. Returns blocks containing one or more of up to 64 different strings from large ASCII files. Useful in extracting messages or extended file descriptions containing a range of strings without manual cut and paste. Can prepare a file containing every block EXCEPT the ones selection, and simultaneously. See REV in short list below. COMB ---- Sorts and combines wildcard text files in specified order into first file found in that order. Primarily for eliminating the tedium and error involved in accumulating messages into one file for easy reference. ADD --- Adds very lengthy columns of numbers found in ASCII text, such as byte counts in BBS listings. (Capable of handling the addition of up to 1 billion numbers in one pass). CITM ---- Counts similar items in formatted ASCII lists, where the similarity is based on a fixed string field found at one position in each line of text, and all lines have been previously sorted, based on the contents of that string field. Perfect as a companion utility for Baker's QSORT. FVER ---- Compares a file list, like a BBS listing, to the actual files found anywhere in the BBS's download path. Operates in FAST or SLOW mode, depending on your safety requirements. Can be operated remotely through a door. MVA --- Moves files, even if set to read only status, from anywhere in a specified download path to a given location. Operates directly on ASCII lists, like directories or BBS listings. Can be operated remotely through a door. RNF --- Minimises keystrokes and keystroke error on renaming files with date or time info or special flags. plus: ---- ELIM - Advanced replacement for DEL. LCNT - Very fast linecounter; formatted output. ESRT - Element sorter. User specified delimiter. TYME - Program execution timer. CHG - Attribute file/directory/date/time file changer/reader. CBRO - Compuserve Browse converter. Old/new formats. REV - Reverses order of blocks of text (messages, etc). DTR - Toggles modem DTR line. RTS - Toggles RTS line. ENV - Environment statistics CFIX - Fix cursor to normal, block or off. EL - Converts number to error level, for batch files. WD - Gives wildcard support to any program. SWP - Fast single-level sweep program. TSTF - Floppy disk status tester. ---------------------- End of documentation