Getting help with kCalculator

1  General

When started, kCalculator defaults to working in the calculator mode.  Toggle the radio buttons Calc and Text to toggle between text editor or calculator modes.  Or, to quickly switch from calculator mode to text editor mode, just click on the blue screen.  The intention is to quickly be able to paste simple paragraphs of text for storing or simple editing. 

2  Text Editor Mode

Text can be pasted into the yellow box and edited as required.  You can scroll vertically once the box is filled.  The display box will automatically resize  with the kCalculator window using the sizing grip in the bottom right corner of the status bar. Use Ctrl-X, Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V keyboard commands for Cut, Copy & Paste.

The lower right set of controls provide a text replace facility.  Enter the text you want to search for in the left hand box, the new text in the right hand box, and then select the Replace Allbutton.  To clear the search/replace boxes, select the Clear Replace button.  To undo changes, select the Undo Replace button.  It really is that simple….

Use the Open, Save or Save As buttons on the menu bar to open existing text files or save changes.

The Reload button is a fast way of reloading a specified text file, such as a log or note file used on a regular basis.  The preferred file for this is configured by editing the parameters file.  This is described at Section 3.3 below.  If no file is specified or the specified file does not exist, then nothing is loaded and you will see an error message. 

The Calendar button allows you to load a calendar into the text edit box for simple lookup of dates. 

The Hide KeyPad button allows you to hide and unhide the keypad below the text edit box.  For simple text editing where the replace functions are not required, this enables you to reduce the screen footprint needed by kCalculator.

3  Calculator Mode

The yellow display box displays the ongoing calculations.  You can scroll vertically once the box is filled.  The display box will automatically resize  with the kCalculator window using the sizing grip in the bottom right corner of the status bar.

The status bar is displayed at the bottom of the kCalculator window, displaying the following

Deg or Rad:  current trig preference set under the functions menu

RevC:  Reverse conversion is set on under the Convert menu, applying the inverse of the convert function.

3.1  Keys

Buttons 0 - 9, ".", +, x, -, ÷, =

These buttons perform standard calculator functions, with calculation order of x or ÷ being performed at a higher priority than + or -.

Your computer keyboard can also be used to enter data.  On the keyboard, the <#> key can also be used to perform the + function for faster data input.  The <return> key will perform the equals <=> function. The <x> key will perform the * or multiply function.

Specific function keys:

1/x returns the reciprocal of the current stored value

+/- reverses the sign of the current stored value

x^y calculates x to the power of y;  eg.  2 x^y 3 returns 8.

Decimal Places drop down box (bottom right) will round the current stored value to the number of selected decimal places, from 0 to 6.  The "-" setting leaves decimal places to the default of 15.

Clear:  Clears the display screen of all data and cancels any ongoing calculation.  Your computer keyboard <esc> key can be used for the same function.

Del:  Deletes the last digit entered onto the screen.  Your computer keyboard <backspace> key can be used for the same function.

Conv:  Applies the default conversion factor set under the Convert menu.  This is the first item in the list, or the last one used.  Thus, the last used Convert function can be repeatedly applied using the Conv button.

Exit:  Closes kCalculator.  The same can be achieved by clicking the Windows Close button.

MIns:  Stores the current stored value in the memory.  The memory display will be opened as a separate Window.

MClr:  Clears the current stored value in the memory.  The separate memory display Window will  be closed.

M+:  Adds the current stored value to the value held in memory.

MR:  Memory Recall, returns the value held in memory as an input to the current calculation.

3.2  Functions menu

The following functions are available under the Functions menu:

Keep on top:  maintains kCalculator in front of other Windows when focus is switched to other applications.

Help:  Opens the kCalculator Help file.  Displays About information.

Degrees:  Sets the trig functions to work in degrees.  Toggles with radians.

Radians:  Sets the trig functions to work in radians.  Toggles with degrees.

Pi:  Returns math constant Pi as an input to the current calculation.

Trig:  Returns Sin, Cos or Tan trig values.

Arc:  Returns ArcSin, ArcCos or ArcTan trig values.

LogE or Ln:  Returns the natural logarithm value.

Log10:  Returns the base 10 logarithm value.

Sqr Root:  Returns the square root.

Dec To Hex:  Returns the decimal input as a hexadecimal value.

Hex to Dec:  Returns the hexadecimal input as a decimal value.   Keyboard keys A, B, C, D, E and F can be used to enter hexadecimal values.

3.3  Convert menu

The Convert functions provide a uniquely configurable capability within kCalculator.  The Convert menu is a configurable set of conversion factors which apply the chosen factor as a multiplier to the current input value.

By selecting Configure\ Edit parameter file, you can create your preferred set of conversion values either by adding to or replacing the defaults. 

3.3.1  Text editor parameters

Use the tag [TXTpath] followed by a full path name for a named file to be used with the text editor Reload facility.  See Section 2 for details.  For example:

[TXTpath]  C:\Users\myname\ToDo.txt

3.3.2  Calculator parameters

Each specified parameter must be stored in the form:

conversionName <conversionvalue>

within the parameter file.  For example:

VAT Multiplier  < 1.175>

mph to m/s  <0.44704>

The parameter file is a standard .txt file and is opened for editing using your preferred text file editor (Windows Notepad by default).  Once you have edited your changes, save the text file and close the editor.  Select Convert\ Configure\ Rebuild menu to rebuild the conversion factors available under the Convert menu.

The default convert factor can be applied using the Conv button.  The default factor is the first in the list, or the last used once you have selected another factor from the list.

Toggle the Convert\ Reverse conversion settings to change the direction in which the conversion factor is applied;  ie.  if reversed, the input value will be divided by the Conversion factor rather than multiplied.

4  What’s new?

Version 2.0.1

• Fixed bug in undo command within text editor replace function.
• Added new function to hide keypad when not needed.
• Added new menu buttons replicating keypad functionality

Version 2.0.2 

• Added menu buttons to (1) paste contents of clipboard into edit screen (2) copy edit screen contents back to clipboard.