lisp/calc/README

   1 Copyright (C) 2001-2011  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, 2001-2011  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 24.1
  74
  75 * Support for logarithmic units added.
  76
  77 * Calc no longer uses the tex prefix for TeX specific unit
  78 names when using TeX or LaTeX mode.
  79
  80 * Added option to highlight selections using faces.
  81
  82 * Gave `calc-histogram' the option of using a vector to determine the bins.
  83
  84 * Added "O" option prefix.
  85
  86 * Used "O" prefix to "d r" (`calc-radix') to turn on twos-complement mode.
  87
  88 Emacs 23.2
  89
  90 * Added twos-complement display.
  91
  92 Emacs 23.1:
  93
  94 * Gave `j *' (cal-sel-mult-both-sides) an option to expand the
  95   denominator.
  96
  97 * Use `calc-embedded-word-regexp' for finding words in
  98   `calc-embedded-word' in place of delimiters.
  99
 100 * Remove version numbering; use Emacs version for reference.
 101
 102 * Added support for using registers.
 103
 104 * Added support for Yacas, Maxima and Giac languages.
 105
 106 * Added a menu.
 107
 108 * Added logistic non-linear curves to curve-fitting.
 109
 110 * Added option of plotting data points and curve when curve-fitting.
 111
 112 * Made unit conversions exact when possible.
 113
 114 * Lowered the precedence of negation.
 115
 116 Version 2.1:
 117
 118 * New matrix mode for square matrices.  Improved handling of
 119   non-commutative products.
 120
 121 * New functions: powerexpand and ldiv.
 122
 123 * Added new functions: sec, csc, cot, sech, csch, coth.
 124
 125 * 0^0 now evaluates to 1.
 126
 127 * Added a new language mode for LaTeX.
 128
 129 * Calc now tries to use an appropriate language mode in embedded mode.
 130
 131 * Calc now restores original modes when leaving embedded mode.
 132
 133 * User settable variables which are not set with keystrokes are now
 134   customizable.
 135
 136 * Made ~/.calc.el the default Calc settings file.
 137
 138 * Miscellaneous updates and bugfixes.
 139
 140 \f
 141 Version 2.02f:
 142
 143  * Fixed a bug which broke `I', `H', `K' prefix keys in recent Emacs.
 144
 145  * Fixed a bug in calc.texinfo which prevented "make tex2" from working.
 146
 147  * Updated `C-y' (calc-yank) to understand Emacs 19 generalized kill ring.
 148
 149  * Added a copy of "calccard.tex", the Calc quick reference card.
 150
 151 \f
 152 Version 2.02e:
 153
 154  * Fixed an installation bug caused by recent changes to `write-region'.
 155
 156 \f
 157 Version 2.02d:
 158
 159  * Fixed a minor installation problem with a Emacs 19.29 byte-compiler bug.
 160
 161  * Removed archaic "macedit" package (superseded by "edmacro").
 162
 163 \f
 164 Version 2.02c:
 165
 166  * Patch to port Calc to Lucid Emacs 19; still works with GNU 18 and GNU 19.
 167
 168  * Fixed a bug that broke `C-x C-c' after Calc graphics had been used.
 169
 170 \f
 171 Version 2.02b:
 172
 173  * Minor patch to port Calc to GNU Emacs 19.  Will be superseded by Calc 3.00.
 174
 175 \f
 176 Version 2.02:
 177
 178  * Revamped the manual a bit; rearranged some sections.
 179
 180  * Added marginal notes for Key/Function Index refs in printed manual.
 181
 182  * Changed `M-# r' to deal more gracefully with blank lines.
 183
 184  * Made reductions like `V R +' and `M-# :' considerably faster.
 185
 186  * Improved parsing and display of cases like "[a + b]".
 187
 188  * Added `t +' and `t -' for doing business date arithmetic.
 189
 190  * Added "syntax tables," the opposite of compositions.
 191
 192  * Added another Rewrites Tutorial exercise.
 193
 194  * Added the "vmatches" function.
 195
 196  * Added the `Modes' variable and `m g' command.
 197
 198  * Improved `u s' to cancel, e.g., "11 mph hr / yd" to get a number.
 199
 200  * Added "quick units" commands "u 0" through "u 9".
 201
 202  * Moved `M-%' to calc.el to avoid autoloading problems.
 203
 204  * Added `M-=' during algebraic entry, acts like `RET ='.
 205
 206  * Made `LFD' prevent evaluation when finishing a calc-edit command.
 207
 208  * Changed calc-store commands to use `t .' mode for trail display.
 209
 210  * Improved integrator to understand forms involving "erf".
 211
 212  * Fixed parser to make sense of "[1....1e2]" input.
 213
 214  * Fixed FORTRAN parser to treat a(i,j) as a_i_j if a is declared matrix.
 215
 216  * Got rid of some version number stamps to reduce size of patches.
 217
 218  * Fixed a bug in defmath treating "<=" and ">=" predicates.
 219
 220  * Fixed a bug in which Calc crashed multiplying two date forms.
 221
 222  * Fixed a bug in line breaker that crashed for large, nested formulas.
 223
 224  * Fixed a bug using ` to edit string("foo").
 225
 226  * Fixed a bug where `M-# y' in Big mode copied stack level number.
 227
 228  * Fixed a bug where `g O' used wrong default directory, no completion.
 229
 230  * Fixed a bug where "foo_bar(i)" parsed in C mode but showed as foo#bar.
 231
 232  * Fixed several bugs where large calculations got "computation too long."
 233
 234 \f
 235 Version 2.01:
 236
 237  * Added percentage commands `M-%', `b %', and `c %'.
 238
 239  * Changed Big mode to force radix-10 in superscripts.
 240
 241  * Improved display of fractions in various language modes.
 242
 243  * Changed `a n' to work properly with equations and inequalities.
 244
 245  * The problem with cross references to Index nodes in TeX has been fixed.
 246
 247  * Fixed a bug where recursive esc-maps make calc-ext/-aent unloadable.
 248
 249  * Fixed a bug in `M-# k', then `OFF' right away, with fresh Emacs.
 250
 251  * Fixed a bug in which "S_i_j" was formatted wrong after `j s'.
 252
 253  * Fixed a bug in which `h k u c' positioned cursor on wrong line.
 254
 255  * Fixed a bug where `z ?' crashed if `z %' was defined.
 256
 257  * Fixed a bug in `j O' (calc-select-once-maybe).
 258
 259  * Fixed "make private" not to ask "Delete excess versions" and crash.
 260
 261 \f
 262 Version 2.00:
 263
 264  * First complete posting of Calc since 1.01.
 265
 266  * Most parts of Calc have seen changes since version 1.07.  See
 267    section "New for Calc 2.00" in the manual for a summary.  In
 268    the FTP version of the Calc distribution, the file README.prev
 269    contains a detailed change history from 1.00 up to 2.00.
 270
 271 \f
 272 This file is part of GNU Emacs.
 273
 274 GNU Emacs is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
 275 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
 276 the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
 277 (at your option) any later version.
 278
 279 GNU Emacs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 280 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 281 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
 282 GNU General Public License for more details.
 283
 284 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 285 along with GNU Emacs.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.