Tutorial
TOC
Use the calculator
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- Tap the "Calculator"(iPad) or "Calc"(iPhone) button on the green toolbar to launch calculator
- Tap the number and operator buttons to create an equation. Examples:
1 + 1
sqrt (2 * (5 - 4))
pi * 1E-3
- Tap the "=" button to get the results
- The "-" button works as both minus sign and negative sign. E.g. if you type 1 + - 2 - 3, it will be recognized as 1 + (-2) - 3
- About angles...
Calculation History
- The calculation will be listed in the history table
- Tap a row in the history table to copy the result of the calculation
- Tap "Create Program" to generate an automation program based on calculation history table
- It is encouraged to copy numbers from history table and paste into new calculations, if possible,
so that the generated program will consider the linkings between each calculations
Use a program
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- In the portrait mode, you can get the program list by tapping the "Programs"(iPad) or book icon(iPhone) on the green toolbar
- In the landscape mode, the program list is on the left side (iPad only)
- Tap the program name to open the program
- Tap the blue button next to the program name to run the program directly
- When a program is opened, you can also tap the play icon on the green toolbar to run it
When a program is running...
- You can input the numbers for each parameter. Then tap the "Go" button, and you can get the results
- You can tap the pencil icon on the green toolbar to go back to the editing page
- If the "Auto" slide bar is switched to "ON", the results will be displayed instantly
- If the program is long, or you feel a lag when typing numbers, it is recommended to turn OFF the auto calculation
- If you don't input a number for a parameter, the equations involving that parameter will be ignored. For example:
a = 0 + a1
a = a + a2
a = a + a3
If you only assign a1=1, a3=3, and keep a2 blank, the second line will be ignored and the final answer is a=4.
- iPhone only: tap the red √ button to hide the keypad
- You can do very simple maths in the parameter input box. E.g. 1/2, 1+3/4, 5-2*3. The rule is that: you can only use +,-,* and /, and each of them can only be used once.
After the results are ready...
- You can tap the "Email" button to share the results
- You can tap the "Save" button to save the current calculation
- To view a saved calculation, tap the "Log" button on the green toolbar
Edit/Create a program
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- To create an empty program, tap the "+" button in the program list
- To edit an existing program, tap a program name in the program list
When a program is opened...
- Tap the program name to change the name
- Tap the line with green text to add or edit the notes
- Tap the last line ("Add a step") to add a new equation
- Tap an existing line(equation) to edit it
- Tap the "+" button on the right to insert a new line before the current line
- Swipe an equation laterally to remove it
Type an equation
- Examples:
y = x + 5
average = (a + b) / 2
a = c * sin (pi / 3)
- Parameters will be recoginized automatically.
E.g. for "a = b + c", b and c will be determined as input parameters, "a" will be an output
- Parameters with names starting with "@" won't be shown in the result page
- There is a row of operators (+, -, *, /, sqrt, exp, sin, etc). You can slide the row left and right to see more operators.
- It is recommended to use operators provided in the gray bar. If you are typing operators from the default keyboard, please make sure to include a space before and after the operator name.
E.g. use "a + b" instead of "a+b"
After typing an equation:
- Tap the red X to cancel the change
- Tap the green √ to save the change
- Tap "Return" in the keyboard to save the change and go to the next line
Using if/else/elseif/endif statements
- Example:
if a > 5
b = 5
else if a > 2
b = 3
else
b=0
endif
- "if x == y" means "if x equals to y"
- "if x != y" means "if x does not equal to y"
- Make sure to use "endif" statement so that the formulae after that won't be affected by a previous "if" statement. For example:
if x > 5
a = 1 + 2
b = 3 + 4
endif
c = 5 + 6
a and b will be calculated only if x > 5, while c wil be calculated no matter what x is.
- If a parameter in an "if" statement is not given a value, then the "if" line will be ignored, and the following line will be executed.
Group programs
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- In the edit view, tap the "Group" button to categorize the program
- In the program list, tap a category name to see only the programs in this category
Angles
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- sin, cos, tan take angles in radian as input
- sin˚, cos˚, tan˚ take angles in degrees as input
- asin, acos, atan output angles in radian
- asin˚, acos˚, atan˚ output angles in radian
- In the iPhone's calculator interface, tap "radian" or "degrees" button to switch between the two modes
Share/Import a program
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To send a program...
- When a program is opened, tap the share icon(iPhone) on the green toolbar
- A panel will pop out. Tap the "Mail" button so you can send a program to a friend
- You can also tap the "Submit" button to send the program to the app developer, so the program can be included in the example database
To get a program...
- To download a program from the official example database, tap the "Download" button above the program list
- If you received a program from email, in the Mail application, hold a finger on the program file and you can see an option to open the file in Magical Calculator.
- When the "Import" panel pops out, tap the "Import" button and the program will be added to your library
Disclaimer
- The example programs provided in the web database are without any warranty of correctness
- Please double check the equations for important calculations
- We greatly appreciate if you can point out any mistake in the example programs
Dropbox
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- With Dropbox, you can synchronize your programs and logs among several devices.
- To connect to Dropbox server, you can tap the "About" button (iPad) or the "?" button (iPhone), and then slide the switch under "Dropbox" to "ON".
- You need to login to Dropbox. If you don't have an account, you can create one. Dropbox service is free and very helpful.
- Once Dropbox is connected, you can tap the "Sync" button inside the sharing window (the share icon on the green toolbar), to
- Upload all programs;
- Upload all log files;
- Download all log files modified from other devices.
- When Dropbox is connected, the following 3 things will be done automatically:
- A program will be uploaded when it is modified or created;
- A log file will be uploaded when it is modified or created;
- A log file will be removed on the server when it is removed on the device.
- Log files modified on other devices will be downloaded when the app is started
- Note that everything above is done in the background, and that may take some times. If you don't see a log file which is supposed to be downloaded, just check it later.
- To download a program created or modified on another device, there are two ways:
- Tap the "About" (iPad) or "?" (iPhone) button on the green toolbar, then the dropbox icon;
- Tap the "Programs" (iPad) or book icon (iPhone) button on the green bar, then "Import", then the dropbox icon.
In either way above, the program list on the Dropbox server will show. From the list you can download a program by tapping it, or remove a program by swiping it.
- Whenever you have a web browser, you can login at www.dropbox.com, nagivate to "Magical Calculator" folder, and then you can view all your programs and log files.
Settings
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- Quit the app. Launch the "Settings" app of iPhone/iPod/iPad. (The icon with gears on black background.)
- Find MagiCALc
- If "Scientific format" is turned on: 10000 will be displayed as "1.00000E+4" instead of "10,000.00"
- If "Use big number pad" is turned on: you will get a phone number keypad during parameter input. (With decimal point but without "-","E","pi",etc)
