The SoftmicaCalc calculation area is another feature that separates SoftmicaCalc from other calculators. The calculation area consists of up to ten levels for values and nine levels for binary (two value) operators. A window will open automatically to display calc levels exceeding five. The final result always appears in calculation level one which is the top level. Pending binary operations appear between the value levels upon which the operation will be performed. Any parenthesis appears adjacent to the value level encompassing the parenthetical expression. All unary operators (e.g. square root, 1/x, Sin) operate immediately on the value in the highest (i.e. active) calc level. All memory transfers also occur either from the value in the active calc level to memory, or from memory to replace the value in the active calc level. Clicking the operator box allows the user to change the operator at that level, while enforcing new operator order of precedence. Pressing [=] will always force any pending operations to be performed and the final result will appear in calc level one.
Description of Calc Level Buttons
Paste: Pastes any copied numeric value into the active calculation level. This function will parse out any invalid (non-numeric) characters, leaving only a valid number. The parsed number to be pasted will appear in the “tip text” when the mouse pointer is over this button.
Copy: Copies the value in the active calc level to the Windows clipboard in the currently displayed format.
Swap: Swaps the value in the highest calc level with the value below it. Active only when two or more calc levels contain values.
Recall: Recalls the prior value in the active calc level. Always operates on the active calc level.
Restore: Restores the calculator state to the exact conditions when the calculator was last closed and there was also a pending calculation. The button is disabled if there was no pending operation.
Inc: Increments the value in the active calc level by the decrement value. The default decrement value is 1. Right clicking (if the default value is 1) will set the increment value to the value in mem location 1. If the increment value is not 1, right-clicking will set the increment value to 1.
Dec: The default decrement value is 1. Right clicking (if the default value is 1) will set the decrement value to the value in mem location 1. If the decrement value is not 1, right-clicking will set the decrement value to 1.
I: Clicking will set the increment value to the value in the active calc level. Right clicking will set the increment value to “1. ”
D: Clicking will set the decrement value to the value in the active calc level. Right clicking will set the decrement value to “1.”
Moving the mouse pointer over Inc, Dec, I, or D will show the current increment or decrement value and give instructions on current button functions. Right clicking over any memory value will open a menu of direct memory functions. The last menu item in the direct memory function menu allows you to set the increment or decrement value to the selected memory value.
The numbered keypad and basic functions section: Allows you to use the command keys to enter values and basic functions. The user can also use their keyboard to enter numeric values and the binary functions shown in the button keypad. You can easily enter negative values by either right-clicking on a number or using Shift-number from the computer keyboard. (Note: The “%” operator is not the percent function. Rather it is the modulus function.)
Any function that would produce an error is preemptively disabled based upon the value in the active calc level. For example, the [1/x] function is disabled whenever the value in the active calc level is zero. This includes the [=] operator if the denominator is zero in a pending binary division.