The xcalc(1) utility accepts all of the standard toolkit
command-line options, along with two additional options:
-rpn
This option specifies that Reverse Polish Notation should be
used. In this mode, the calculator will look and behave like an
HP-10C. Without this flag, it will emulate a TI-30.
-stipple
This option specifies that the background of the calculator
should be drawn using a stipple of the foreground and background
colors. On monochrome displays, improves the appearance.
Pointer usage: Operations can be performed with pointer
button 1, or in some cases, with the keyboard. Many common
calculator operations have keyboard accelerators. To quit, press
pointer button 3 on the AC key of the TI calculator, or the ON key
of the HP calculator.
The numbered keys, the +/- key, and the +, -, *, /, and = keys
all do exactly what you would expect them to. It should be noted
that the operators obey the standard rules of precedence. Thus,
entering "3+4*5=" results in "23", not "35". The parentheses can be
used to override this. For example, "(1+2+3)*(4+5+6)=" results in
"6*15=90".
The entire number in the calculator display can be selected in
order to paste the result of a calculation into text.
The action procedures associated with each function are given
below. These are useful if you are interested in defining a custom
calculator. The action used for all digit keys is
digit(n), where n is the corresponding digit,
0..9.
1/x
Replaces the number in the display with its reciprocal. The
corresponding action procedure is reciprocal().
x^2
Squares the number in the display. The corresponding action
procedure is square().
SQRT
Takes the square root of the number in the display. The
corresponding action procedure is squareRoot().
CE/C
When pressed once, clears the number in the display without
clearing the state of the machine. Allows you to re-enter a number
if you make a mistake. Pressing it twice clears the state, also.
The corresponding action procedure for TI mode is
clear().
AC
Clears the display, the state, and the memory. Pressing it with
the third pointer button turns off the calculator, in that it exits
the program. The action procedure to clear the state is
off(); to quit, quit().
INV
Invert function. See the individual function keys for details.
The corresponding action procedure is inverse().
sin
Computes the sine of the number in the display, as interpreted
by the current DRG mode (see DRG, below). If inverted, it computes
the arcsine. The corresponding action procedure is
sine().
cos
Computes the cosine, or arccosine when inverted. The
corresponding action procedure is cosine().
tan
Computes the tangent, or arctangent when inverted. The
corresponding action procedure is tangent().
DRG
Changes the DRG mode, as indicated by 'DEG', 'RAD', or 'GRAD'
at the bottom of of the calculator "liquid crystal" display. When
in 'DEG' mode, numbers in the display are considered degrees. In
'RAD' mode, numbers are in radians, and in 'GRAD' mode, numbers are
in grads. When inverted, the DRG key has a feature of converting
degrees to radians to grads and vice versa. Example: put the
calculator into 'DEG' mode, and enter "45 INV DRG". The display
should now show something similar to ".785398", which is 45 degrees
converted to radians. The corresponding action procedure is
degree().
e
The constant 'e'. (2.7182818...). The corresponding action
procedure is e().
EE
Used for entering exponential numbers. For example, to get
"-2.3E-4", enter: "2 . 3 +/- EE 4 +/-". The corresponding action
procedure is scientific().
log
Calculates the log (base 10) of the number in the display. When
inverted, it raises "10.0" to the number in the display. For
example, entering "3 INV log" should result in "1000". The
corresponding action procedure is logarithm().
ln
Calculates the log (base e) of the number in the display. When
inverted, it raises "e" to the number in the display. For example,
entering "e ln" should result in "1". The corresponding action
procedure is naturalLog().
y^x
Raises the number on the left to the power of the number on the
right. For example, "2 y^x 3 =" results in "8", which is 2^3. For a
further example, "(1+2+3) y^x (1+2) =" equals "6 y^x 3" which
equals "216". The corresponding action procedure is
power().
PI
The constant 'pi'. (3.1415927....) The corresponding action
procedure is pi().
x!
Computes the factorial of the number in the display. The number
in the display must be an integer in the range 0-500, although,
depending on your math library, it might overflow long before that.
The corresponding action procedure is factorial().
(
Left parenthesis. The corresponding action procedure for TI
calculators is leftParen().
)
Right parenthesis. The corresponding action procedure for TI
calculators is rightParen().
/
Division. The corresponding action procedure is
divide().
*
Multiplication. The corresponding action procedure is
multiply().
-
Subtraction. The corresponding action procedure is
subtract().
+
Addition. The corresponding action procedure is
ad().
=
Perform calculation. The TI-specific action procedure is
equal().
STO
Copies the number in the display to the memory location. The
corresponding action procedure is store().
RCL
Copies the number from the memory location to the display. The
corresponding action procedure is recall().
SUM
Adds the number in the display to the number in the memory
location. The corresponding action procedure is sum().
EXC
Swaps the number in the display with the number in the memory
location. The corresponding action procedure for the TI calculator
is exchange().
+/-
Negate; change sign. The corresponding action procedure is
negate().
.
Decimal point. The action procedure is decimal().
Calculator key usage (RPN mode): The number keys, CHS
(change sign), +, -, *, /, and ENTR keys all do exactly what you
would expect. Many of the remaining keys are the same as in TI
mode. The differences are detailed later in this topic. The action
procedure for the ENTR key is enter().
<-
This is a backspace key that can be used if you make a mistake
while entering a number. It will erase digits from the display.
(See BUGS). Inverse backspace will clear the X register. The
corresponding action procedure is back().
ON
Clears the display, the state, and the memory. Pressing it with
the third pointer button turns off the calculator, in that it exits
the program. To clear state, the action procedure is off; to
quit, quit().
INV
Inverts the meaning of the function keys. This would be the
f key on an HP calculator, but xcalc(1) does not
display multiple legends on each key. See the individual function
keys for details.
10^x
Raises "10.0" to the number in the top of the stack. When
inverted, it calculates the log (base 10) of the number in the
display. The corresponding action procedure is
tenpower().
e^x
Raises "e" to the number in the top of the stack. When
inverted, it calculates the log (base e) of the number in the
display. The action procedure is epower().
STO
Copies the number in the top of the stack to a memory location.
There are 10 memory locations. The desired memory is specified by
following this key with a digit key.
RCL
Pushes the number from the specified memory location onto the
stack.
SUM
Adds the number on top of the stack to the number in the
specified memory location.
x:y
Exchanges the numbers in the top two stack positions, the X and
Y registers. The corresponding action procedure is
XexchangeY().
R v
Rolls the stack downward. When inverted, it rolls the stack
upward. The corresponding action procedure is roll().
blank
These keys were used for programming functions on the HP-10C.
Their functionality has not been duplicated in
xcalc(1).
There are two additional action procedures: bell(), which
rings the bell; and selection(), which performs a cut on the
entire number in the calculator's "liquid crystal" display.
Accelerators are shortcuts for entering commands. The
xcalc(1) utility provides some sample keyboard accelerators;
users can also customize accelerators. The numeric keypad
accelerators provided by xcalc(1) should be intuitively
correct. The accelerators defined by xcalc(1) on the main
keyboard are given in the following table:
The xcalc(1) utility has an enormous application defaults
file that specifies the position, label, and function of each key
on the calculator. It also gives translations to serve as keyboard
accelerators. Because these resources are not specified in the
source code, you can create a customized calculator by writing a
private application defaults file, using the Athena Command and
Form widget resources to specify the size and position of buttons,
the label for each button, and the function of each button.
The foreground and background colors of each calculator key can
be individually specified. For the TI calculator, a classical color
resource specification might be:
XCalc.ti.Command.background: gray50
XCalc.ti.Command.foreground: white
For each of buttons 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40, specify:
XCalc.ti.button20.background: black
XCalc.ti.button20.foreground: white
For each of buttons 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38,
and 39:
XCalc.ti.button22.background: white
XCalc.ti.button22.foreground: black
In order to specify resources, it is useful to know the
hierarchy of the widgets that compose xcalc(1). In the
notation below, indentation indicates hierarchical structure. The
widget class name is given first, followed by the widget instance
name.
XCalc xcalc
Form ti or hp (the name depends on the mode)
Form bevel
Form screen
Label M
Toggle LCD
Label INV
Label DEG
Label RAD
Label GRAD
Label P
Command button1
Command button2
Command button3
and so on, ...
Command button38
Command button39
Command button40