A fancier little calculator

Derek Peschel 2005-04-27 This started as A little calculator and got transformed to meet my goals:

  • learn Tk by writing it
  • add real scientific notation

This is a feature I've wanted for a long time. With modern software and fonts, I see no reason for displaying e notation to the user in the final result. (Intermediate results, and communications between programs, are another matter.)

  • make the onscreen keys match the positions of the keypad on my Mac keyboard

Calculator keyboard layouts work well on calculators. But on a computer I'd rather use a computer keyboard. Having a calculator layout, and being forced to use the mouse, is doubly inefficient. But getting rid of the screen layout, or making it unresponsive to the mouse, gets rid of the free online help you already have. And forcing the functions to match the keypad wouldn't work well either. You don't need enter and =. So this is a compromise: the positions work with the keypad layout, but the help and some of the functions remain. And the main part of the keyboard needs to work too. Later, a way to hide the buttons or put them in a separate window would be good.

  • split the expression and results

Again, why not use hardware like the nice big screen you almost certainly have? The split may make selection and cursor placement more intuitive too (but I need more evidence). And it makes the scientific-notation feature more reliable. The color feature just sort of happened along the way.


Mysterious bugs:

  • The text widget doesn't always accumulate characters. SMH 20050427 Fixed. Changed by removing $ from set $::estate notDone
  • The presence of the insertion cursor doesn't tell the whole story about focus.
  • Superscripts are being translated back into ASCII. I have tried just an entry widget in wish and not gotten correct results then either. DHP 2005-04-30 Actually they weren't being translated at all, becaues of a reference to array superscripts without a scope operator. Fixed.
  • escargo 27 Apr 2005 - Numbers entered through the keyboard are entered twice. (I suspect that perhaps two different bindings are firing.) DHP 28 Apr - It has something to do with focus. I thought the problem might be writing <Key- instead of <KeyPress- but changing to <KeyPress- doesn't fix the bug.

PWQ 29 Apr 05, The double key is straight forward. The entry widget .e has its own bindings for Any key which is to insert the key. You need to add ";break" to all your bindings, or just remove the default bindings to .e via bindtags.

DHP 2005-04-30 Added break as you suggested. I still need to read about bindtag and see if it will prevent all undesirable keys from doing anything.

What I find distressing is that you can use / , * in bindings , when on other platforms you must use slash and astericks. These are incompatiblities that we can do without.

DHP 2005-04-30 Fixed.

  • DHP 2005-04-30 Now that the superscripts are being correctly translated to Unicode, I see garbage in the entry widget. But I get the same results in wish so in a sense I've still moved forward.

Other changes:

  • DHP 2005-04-28 Multiplying large integers may give a negative integer. Added a second "string map" entry, from * to *1.0*.
  • DHP 2005-04-28 Changed [0-9][0-9]* to [0-9]+ in superscriptRE.
  • DHP 2005-04-30 Put all Unicode hex codes in uppercase.
  • DHP 2005-04-30 Added break to all bindings.
  • DHP 2005-04-30 Added wm protocol command at very beginning.
  • DHP 2005-04-30 Put title setting just after wm protocol command.
  • DHP 2005-04-30 Added scope to array set superscripts for consistency.
  • DHP 2005-04-30 Corrected the Unicode constants for superscripts 1, 2, and 3.
  • DHP 2005-04-30 Added mathMinus, mathTimes, mathDivide, timesTenToThe, timesTenToTheN character constants.
  • DHP 2005-04-30 Reformatted lines that pack .r into the grid.
  • DHP 2005-04-30 Changed <Key-/> to <Key-slash> and <Key-*> to <Key-asterisk>.
  • DHP 2005-04-30 Added binding for <Key-equal>.
  • DHP 2005-04-30 Now stripping + (but not -) from exponent. Also stripping leading zeroes.
  • DHP 2005-04-30 Used correct scope on superscripts in string map command inside setr. Now mapping is being done. I was wrong about characters being transformed back to ASCII -- they weren't being changed at all.

Grand plans for later, from other people's code if it works:

  • Get rid of the bugs.
  • Find a place for a "change sign of result" key. When entering expressions, the - key will work as unary and binary minus, but for chained calculations you would need two keys.
  • Auto-scroll expression as you type.
  • The string map trick still doesn't work everywhere, for exasmple when adding a large integer to a number in scientific notation. It makes more sense to me to change the math routines themselves anyway.
  • Switch to RPN. Display as much stack (or memory or whatever) as possible.
  • A text widget that fully acts like a calculator display, with insertion and deletion and selection allowed only when they make sense.
  • More accurate math.
  • Some kind of type system, because with an entire programming language at your disposal, using regexes on the results can't possibly work reliably. Also expr may not be predictable enough.
  • Features, always features....
  • Use of the option database or another way to separate preferences from hardcoded behavior.
  • A single and short representation of the grid layout data.
  • Better Macintosh compatibility.
  • Good UNIX and Windows compatibility would also be nice.
  • As much as I like HP calculators, borrowing the shift keys and programming mentality from them (as in Programmable RPN calculator) seems misguided. So some kind of better languge (Tcl? FORTH? LISP?).

DKF: Try adding some Tile magic...


 package require Tk

 ### Arrange for a clean exit.

 wm protocol . WM_DELETE_WINDOW exit

 ### Set the window title.

 wm title . Calculator

 ### Constants and variables.

 set ::n 0                       ;# current button-widget name
 set ::c 4                       ;# number of columns

 set ::upToDateForeground black  ;# for result that has just been computed
                                  #  when expression is shown, and for
                                  #  expression that can be edited
 set ::staleForeground gray      ;# for result that remains from last
                                  #  calculation but expression isn't shown,
                                  #  or for expression that can't be edited
 set ::errorForeground red       ;# for result after a Tcl error
 set ::staleErrorForeground darkred
                                  # for stale erroneous result

 ## As well as representing colors, these change the behavior of procedures.
 set ::estate notDone            ;# notDone (can be edited,
                                  #  upToDateForeground) or done (can't be
                                  #  edited, staleForeground)
 set ::rstate upToDate           ;# upToDate or stale or error or staleError
                                  #  as explained next to colors

 array set ::superscripts {
     0   \u2070
     1   \u00B9
     2   \u00B2
     3   \u00B3
     4   \u2074
     5   \u2075
     6   \u2076
     7   \u2077
     8   \u2078
     9   \u2079
     +   \u207A
     -   \u207B
 }
 #                   1           2             3        4
 set superscriptRE {^([-+]?[0-9]+(?:\.[0-9]+)?)(?:[DdEe]([-+]?[0-9]+))?$}
 # 1 is sign, integer, fraction if any; integer. with no fraction is not
 #  allowed
 # 2 is fraction if any, an operand to the ? afterward, not returned
 #  by regex because of the ?: modifier
 # 3 is exponent character, exponent sign, exponent, not returned by regex
 #  because of the ?: modifier
 # 4 is the part of 3 that I want to translate to Unicode

 # ASCII "+" is fine for math plus
 set ::mathMinus      "\u2212"
 set ::mathTimes      "\u00D7"
 set ::mathDivide     "\u00F7"
 set ::timesTenToThe  "\u00D710"
 set ::timesTenToTheN "\u00D710\u207F"

 ## Widgets created later: .e is the expression (an entry widget)
 ## and .r is the result (a second entry widget).  .0 through .17
 ## are the buttons.

 ### Create buttons but don't do anything with them yet.

 ## keypad     button widget names
 ## layout     and "grid" command args
 ##
 ## c = / *    .0  .1  .2  .3
 ## 7 8 9 -    .4  .5  .6  .7
 ## 4 5 6 +    .8  .9  .10 .11
 ## 1 2 3 e    .12 .13 .14 .15
 ##  0  .      .16  -  .17  ^
 ##
 ## c represents "clear"
 ## e represents "enter"
 ##
 ## button purposes like keypad except enter position is = purpose
 ##  and = position is exponent purpose

 foreach key {
     C e / *
     7 8 9 -
     4 5 6 +
     1 2 3 =
     0   .
 } {
     ## Set each key's button's text.
     ## "default" applies to C 7 8 9 4 5 6 + 1 2 3 = 0 . keys
     switch -- $key {
         e       {set keytext $::timesTenToTheN}
         /       {set keytext $::mathDivide}
  • {set keytext $::mathTimes}
         -       {set keytext $::mathMinus}
         default {set keytext $key}
     }
     ## Set each key's button's command.  See "procedures" below.
     ## "default" applies to e / * 7 8 9 - 4 5 6 + 1 2 3 0 . keys
     switch -- $key {
         C       {set cmd clearboth}
         =       {set cmd =}
         default {set cmd "hit $key"}
     }
     ## Create a button with the text and command as just set.
     ## The grid manager changes a button's width automatically,
     ## but not its height, so do that now.
     if [expr $::n == 15] {
         button .$::n -text $keytext -command $cmd -width 4 -height 2
     } else {
         button .$::n -text $keytext -command $cmd -width 4
     }
     incr ::n
 }

 ### Lay out the entry widgets and buttons in a grid.

 ## Macintosh system dependency -- This is the only font I've found
 ## with superscripts that are all the same size.
 grid [entry .e -textvar e -font {{Hoefler Text} 24} -just left] \
     -sticky we -columnspan $::c -pady 5
 grid [entry .r  -font {{Hoefler Text} 24} -just right] \
     -sticky we -columnspan $::c -pady 5

 grid .0  .1  .2  .3
 grid .4  .5  .6  .7
 grid .8  .9  .10 .11
 grid .12 .13 .14 .15
 grid .16  -  .17  ^
 grid configure .0  -sticky we
 grid configure .1  -sticky we
 grid configure .2  -sticky we
 grid configure .3  -sticky we
 grid configure .4  -sticky we
 grid configure .5  -sticky we
 grid configure .6  -sticky we
 grid configure .7  -sticky we
 grid configure .8  -sticky we
 grid configure .9  -sticky we
 grid configure .10 -sticky we
 grid configure .11 -sticky we
 grid configure .12 -sticky we
 grid configure .13 -sticky we
 grid configure .14 -sticky we
 grid configure .15 -sticky nsew
 grid configure .16 -sticky we
 grid configure .17 -sticky we

 ### Probably Macintosh system dependency -- Bind keyboard keys.
 ### Focus will be set later, and we assume it is never reset.

 bind .e <Key-Num_Lock>    {clearboth; break}
 bind .e <Key-c>           {clearboth; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_Equal>    {hit e; break}
 bind .e <Key-e>           {hit e; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_Divide>   {hit /; break}
 bind .e <Key-slash>       {hit /; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_Multiply> {hit *; break}
 bind .e <Key-asterisk>    {hit *; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_7>        {hit 7; break}
 bind .e <Key-7>           {hit 7; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_8>        {hit 8; break}
 bind .e <Key-8>           {hit 8; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_9>        {hit 9; break}
 bind .e <Key-9>           {hit 9; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_Subtract> {hit -; break}
 bind .e <Key-minus>       {hit -; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_4>        {hit 4; break}
 bind .e <Key-4>           {hit 4; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_5>        {hit 5; break}
 bind .e <Key-5>           {hit 5; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_6>        {hit 6; break}
 bind .e <Key-6>           {hit 6; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_Add>      {hit +; break}
 bind .e <Key-plus>        {hit +; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_1>        {hit 1; break}
 bind .e <Key-1>           {hit 1; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_2>        {hit 2; break}
 bind .e <Key-2>           {hit 2; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_3>        {hit 3; break}
 bind .e <Key-3>           {hit 3; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_Enter>    {=; break}
 bind .e <Key-Return>      {=; break}
 bind .e <Key-equal>       {=; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_0>        {hit 0; break}
 bind .e <Key-0>           {hit 0; break}
 bind .e <Key-KP_Decimal>  {hit .; break}
 bind .e <Key-period>      {hit .; break}

 ### Procedures that widgets call.

 proc clearboth {} {
     focus .e
     set ::e ""
     .e config -foreground $::upToDateForeground
     set ::estate notDone

     set ::r ""
     setr
     .r config -foreground $::upToDateForeground
     set ::rstate upToDate
 }

 proc = {} {
     focus .e
     .e config -foreground $::staleForeground
     set ::estate done

     if {![catch [set ::r [expr [string map {* *1.0* / *1.0/} $::e]]]]} {
         # what value should r show? its previous one? expr's best nuemrical
         #  approximation? text of the error?
         .r config -foreground $::errorForeground
         # is this really a good idea?
         setr
         set ::rstate error
     } else {
         .r config -foreground $::upToDateForeground
         setr
         set ::rstate upToDate
     }
 }

 proc hit {key} {
     focus .e
     switch -- $::estate {
         notDone {
             .e insert end $key
             .e icursor end
         }
         done    {
             if [regexp {[-+*/]} $key] {
                 set ::e $::r
             } else {
                 set ::e ""
             }
             .e insert end $key
             .e icursor end
             set ::estate notDone
             .e config -foreground $::upToDateForeground
         }
         default {
             # ignore for now
         }
     }

     switch -- $::rstate {
         upToDate   {
             .r config -foreground $::staleForeground
             set ::rstate stale
         }
         stale      {
             # remains stale
         }
         error      {
             .r config -foreground $::staleErrorForeground
             set ::rstate staleError
         }
         staleError {
             # remains staleError
         }
         default    {
             # ignore for now
         }
     }
 }

 ### Subroutines.

 proc setr {} {
     # Hopefully end will be rounded, as described in manual
     .r delete 0 end
     set ignored ""
     set mantissa ""
     set exponent ""
     set rdisplay ""
     if {[regexp $::superscriptRE $::r ignored mantissa exponent]} {
         if {[string length $exponent] > 0} {
             set unicodeExponent [regsub ^\\+0* $exponent ""]
             set unicodeExponent [regsub ^-0* $unicodeExponent "-"]
             set unicodeExponent [string map [array get ::superscripts] $unicodeExponent]
             set rdisplay "$mantissa$::timesTenToThe$unicodeExponent"
         } else {
             set rdisplay $mantissa
         }
     }
     .r insert end $rdisplay
 }

 ### Main loop.

 encoding system utf-8
 focus .e
 wm resizable . 0 0