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