code.delx.au - gnu-emacs/blob - lisp/calc/README

   1 Copyright (C) 2001-2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
   2 See the end of the file for license conditions.
   3
   4
   5 This directory contains Calc, an advanced desk calculator for GNU
   6 Emacs.
   7
   8 "Calc"  Copyright (C) 1990-1993, 2001-2012  Free Software Foundation, Inc.
   9
  10 Written by:
  11         Dave Gillespie
  12         c/o Synaptics, Inc.
  13         2698 Orchard Parkway
  14         San Jose CA 95134
  15         daveg@synaptics.com, uunet!synaptx!daveg
  16
  17 Currently maintained by:
  18      Jay Belanger <jay.p.belanger@gmail.com>
  19
  20 From the introduction to the manual:
  21
  22   "Calc" is an advanced calculator and mathematical tool that runs as
  23   part of the GNU Emacs environment.  Very roughly based on the HP-28/48
  24   series of calculators, its many features include:
  25
  26     * Choice of algebraic or RPN (stack-based) entry of calculations.
  27
  28     * Arbitrary precision integers and floating-point numbers.
  29
  30     * Arithmetic on rational numbers, complex numbers (rectangular and
  31       polar), error forms with standard deviations, open and closed
  32       intervals, vectors and matrices, dates and times, infinities,
  33       sets, quantities with units, and algebraic formulas.
  34
  35     * Mathematical operations such as logarithms and trigonometric functions.
  36
  37     * Programmer's features (bitwise operations, non-decimal numbers).
  38
  39     * Financial functions such as future value and internal rate of return.
  40
  41     * Number theoretical features such as prime factorization and
  42       arithmetic modulo M for any M.
  43
  44     * Algebraic manipulation features, including symbolic calculus.
  45
  46     * Moving data to and from regular editing buffers.
  47
  48     * "Embedded mode" for manipulating Calc formulas and data directly
  49       inside any editing buffer.
  50
  51     * Graphics using GNUPLOT, a versatile (and free) plotting program.
  52
  53     * Easy programming using keyboard macros, algebraic formulas,
  54       algebraic rewrite rules, or extended Emacs Lisp.
  55
  56
  57 Calc is written entirely in Emacs Lisp, for maximum portability.
  58
  59 I am anxious to hear about your experiences using Calc.  Send mail to
  60 "jay.p.belanger@gmail.com".  A bug report is most useful if you include the
  61 exact input and output that occurred, any modes in effect (such as the
  62 current precision), and so on.  If you find Calc is difficult to operate
  63 in any way, or if you have other suggestions, don't hesitate to let me
  64 know.  If you find errors (including simple typos) in the manual, let
  65 me know.  Even if you find no bugs at all I would love to hear your
  66 opinions.
  67
  68
  69
  70 Summary of changes to "Calc"
  71 ------- -- ------- --  ----
  72
  73 Emacs 24.4
  74
  75 * The date forms use the Gregorian calendar for all dates.
  76   (Previously they were a combination of Julian and Gregorian
  77   dates.)  This can be configured with the customizable variable
  78   `calc-gregorian-switch'.
  79
  80 * Support for ISO 8601 dates added.
  81 Emacs 24.3
  82
  83 * Algebraic simplification mode is now the default.
  84   To restrict to the limited simplifications given by the former
  85   default simplification mode, use `m I'.
  86
  87 Emacs 24.1
  88
  89 * Support for musical notes added.
  90
  91 * Support for logarithmic units added.
  92
  93 * Calc no longer uses the tex prefix for TeX specific unit
  94 names when using TeX or LaTeX mode.
  95
  96 * Added option to highlight selections using faces.
  97
  98 * Gave `calc-histogram' the option of using a vector to determine the bins.
  99
 100 * Added "O" option prefix.
 101
 102 * Used "O" prefix to "d r" (`calc-radix') to turn on twos-complement mode.
 103
 104 Emacs 23.2
 105
 106 * Added twos-complement display.
 107
 108 Emacs 23.1:
 109
 110 * Gave `j *' (cal-sel-mult-both-sides) an option to expand the
 111   denominator.
 112
 113 * Use `calc-embedded-word-regexp' for finding words in
 114   `calc-embedded-word' in place of delimiters.
 115
 116 * Remove version numbering; use Emacs version for reference.
 117
 118 * Added support for using registers.
 119
 120 * Added support for Yacas, Maxima and Giac languages.
 121
 122 * Added a menu.
 123
 124 * Added logistic non-linear curves to curve-fitting.
 125
 126 * Added option of plotting data points and curve when curve-fitting.
 127
 128 * Made unit conversions exact when possible.
 129
 130 * Lowered the precedence of negation.
 131
 132 Version 2.1:
 133
 134 * New matrix mode for square matrices.  Improved handling of
 135   non-commutative products.
 136
 137 * New functions: powerexpand and ldiv.
 138
 139 * Added new functions: sec, csc, cot, sech, csch, coth.
 140
 141 * 0^0 now evaluates to 1.
 142
 143 * Added a new language mode for LaTeX.
 144
 145 * Calc now tries to use an appropriate language mode in embedded mode.
 146
 147 * Calc now restores original modes when leaving embedded mode.
 148
 149 * User settable variables which are not set with keystrokes are now
 150   customizable.
 151
 152 * Made ~/.calc.el the default Calc settings file.
 153
 154 * Miscellaneous updates and bugfixes.
 155
 156 \f
 157 Version 2.02f:
 158
 159  * Fixed a bug which broke `I', `H', `K' prefix keys in recent Emacs.
 160
 161  * Fixed a bug in calc.texinfo which prevented "make tex2" from working.
 162
 163  * Updated `C-y' (calc-yank) to understand Emacs 19 generalized kill ring.
 164
 165  * Added a copy of "calccard.tex", the Calc quick reference card.
 166
 167 \f
 168 Version 2.02e:
 169
 170  * Fixed an installation bug caused by recent changes to `write-region'.
 171
 172 \f
 173 Version 2.02d:
 174
 175  * Fixed a minor installation problem with a Emacs 19.29 byte-compiler bug.
 176
 177  * Removed archaic "macedit" package (superseded by "edmacro").
 178
 179 \f
 180 Version 2.02c:
 181
 182  * Patch to port Calc to Lucid Emacs 19; still works with GNU 18 and GNU 19.
 183
 184  * Fixed a bug that broke `C-x C-c' after Calc graphics had been used.
 185
 186 \f
 187 Version 2.02b:
 188
 189  * Minor patch to port Calc to GNU Emacs 19.  Will be superseded by Calc 3.00.
 190
 191 \f
 192 Version 2.02:
 193
 194  * Revamped the manual a bit; rearranged some sections.
 195
 196  * Added marginal notes for Key/Function Index refs in printed manual.
 197
 198  * Changed `M-# r' to deal more gracefully with blank lines.
 199
 200  * Made reductions like `V R +' and `M-# :' considerably faster.
 201
 202  * Improved parsing and display of cases like "[a + b]".
 203
 204  * Added `t +' and `t -' for doing business date arithmetic.
 205
 206  * Added "syntax tables," the opposite of compositions.
 207
 208  * Added another Rewrites Tutorial exercise.
 209
 210  * Added the "vmatches" function.
 211
 212  * Added the `Modes' variable and `m g' command.
 213
 214  * Improved `u s' to cancel, e.g., "11 mph hr / yd" to get a number.
 215
 216  * Added "quick units" commands "u 0" through "u 9".
 217
 218  * Moved `M-%' to calc.el to avoid autoloading problems.
 219
 220  * Added `M-=' during algebraic entry, acts like `RET ='.
 221
 222  * Made `LFD' prevent evaluation when finishing a calc-edit command.
 223
 224  * Changed calc-store commands to use `t .' mode for trail display.
 225
 226  * Improved integrator to understand forms involving "erf".
 227
 228  * Fixed parser to make sense of "[1....1e2]" input.
 229
 230  * Fixed FORTRAN parser to treat a(i,j) as a_i_j if a is declared matrix.
 231
 232  * Got rid of some version number stamps to reduce size of patches.
 233
 234  * Fixed a bug in defmath treating "<=" and ">=" predicates.
 235
 236  * Fixed a bug in which Calc crashed multiplying two date forms.
 237
 238  * Fixed a bug in line breaker that crashed for large, nested formulas.
 239
 240  * Fixed a bug using ` to edit string("foo").
 241
 242  * Fixed a bug where `M-# y' in Big mode copied stack level number.
 243
 244  * Fixed a bug where `g O' used wrong default directory, no completion.
 245
 246  * Fixed a bug where "foo_bar(i)" parsed in C mode but showed as foo#bar.
 247
 248  * Fixed several bugs where large calculations got "computation too long."
 249
 250 \f
 251 Version 2.01:
 252
 253  * Added percentage commands `M-%', `b %', and `c %'.
 254
 255  * Changed Big mode to force radix-10 in superscripts.
 256
 257  * Improved display of fractions in various language modes.
 258
 259  * Changed `a n' to work properly with equations and inequalities.
 260
 261  * The problem with cross references to Index nodes in TeX has been fixed.
 262
 263  * Fixed a bug where recursive esc-maps make calc-ext/-aent unloadable.
 264
 265  * Fixed a bug in `M-# k', then `OFF' right away, with fresh Emacs.
 266
 267  * Fixed a bug in which "S_i_j" was formatted wrong after `j s'.
 268
 269  * Fixed a bug in which `h k u c' positioned cursor on wrong line.
 270
 271  * Fixed a bug where `z ?' crashed if `z %' was defined.
 272
 273  * Fixed a bug in `j O' (calc-select-once-maybe).
 274
 275  * Fixed "make private" not to ask "Delete excess versions" and crash.
 276
 277 \f
 278 Version 2.00:
 279
 280  * First complete posting of Calc since 1.01.
 281
 282  * Most parts of Calc have seen changes since version 1.07.  See
 283    section "New for Calc 2.00" in the manual for a summary.  In
 284    the FTP version of the Calc distribution, the file README.prev
 285    contains a detailed change history from 1.00 up to 2.00.
 286
 287 \f
 288 This file is part of GNU Emacs.
 289
 290 GNU Emacs is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
 291 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
 292 the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
 293 (at your option) any later version.
 294
 295 GNU Emacs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 296 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 297 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
 298 GNU General Public License for more details.
 299
 300 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 301 along with GNU Emacs.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.