***************************************** * Solutions v 0.8 (Demo version) * ***************************************** In order to be able to run Solutions, you will need these files: - SOLUTION.PRG (main program) - SOLUTION.RSC (resource file) - OPER.DAT (date file) - SOLUTION.FNT (font file) You will also need GDOS, (or an alternate GDOS, e.g. G+PLUS). You'll understand that I could not include it with the demo version. This version of Solutions may be freely copied and distributed, as long as the code is not modified (this applies to the ".RSC" and ".DAT" files too). This software is not the first of this kind, but it is the first that has gone so far on the ST (You'll have to get Mathematica to get "better"; but in my point of view, Mathematica is too big and difficult to use efficiently). So, Solutions is a package that will help you resolve your mathematical problems. I will teach you some things about Solutions now, or you will never be able to see how good it is. You will first have to know that Solutions' logic is based on RPN (Reverse Polish Notation), which means you have to enter arguments before executing a function. The arguments stacks up in a stack and results are returned to the stack (available as arguments to other functions). One "feature" of RPN is the non-necessity of parenthesis (e.g. if you want to enter the equation '(A+B)*C', you will first enter A, then B, execute +, enter C, and finally enter *; just try and watch the intermediate results in the stack). It takes a while to feel comfortable with RPN, but when you are, you understand everything you enter, and that eliminates lots of errors. In the stack, there are OBJECTS. There are 10 types of object: - Real numbers - Complex numbers - Binary integers - Strings - Vectors - Matrices - Lists - Names (or variables) - Programs - Algebraic There are over 270 functions, and many of them use various combination of different object types. One strong point of Solutions is the ability to manipulate symbolic equations (i.e. you could enter 'A+B' or 'SIN(X/Y)' ). Solutions has calculus capability (differentiation and integration: not in the demo version), and graphic capability (the demo version will only show you the SINE function; you'll have to get the original to make fast plots of your functions...). If 270 functions are not enough for you, you may program your function. Structured programmation (IF ... THEN, DO ... UNTIL, WHILE ... REPEAT, etc.) allows you to use any function, call other user-defined functions, etc. Due to the large number of functions, and the fact that this is only a demo version, I cannot enumerate all built-in functions, and tell you what they are doing. You will have to guess, try, and retry... or buy the original (which will have a good documentation and will allow you to receive constant upgrades of the software). Upgrades to come: - Graphics 3D - More than 1 stack, multitasking - Matrices with names and algebraics Known bugs to July 18th 1990: - the editor is not fully completed and may sometimes give unexpected results on screen. - if you are too short in memory, you may enter the garbage collect routine (which is not completed yet); so you could have unexpected results (like the mouse is hidden and causing some garbage on screen; it should not bombs). I have not yet fully tested it on a 1 Meg ST, but with 4 Megs, it is running pretty well. I know that with some memory constraints, it could not be the same! Known restrictions: - Arguments to trigonometric functions will give results when absolute value is smaller than ~1E20 (about 100000000000000000000). Otherwise result will be 0. This applies to functions that are using trigonometric functions. It should be fixed soon. - Stack size, vector size, matrix size is limited to 32767. If ever that bugs you (or the program), just tell me. In order to be able to fully use Solutions, it's worth the investment of buying the original. Not to mention that for the thousands of hours I spent writing it (now 30000 lines in C), you will be shown a small price tag and given full documentation. If EVER you feel interested, let your heart decide, and go buy the original (if ever I find a distributor), or write to me: Paul Dub‚ Projets Informatiques C.P. 302 Limoilou P.Q. Canada G1L 4V8 You can also reach me at: P.DUBE (XTX84636) on GEnie or 72020,3041 on CompuServe If you have any comments or ideas about Solutions, feel free to write me too.