RCALC for Windows NT

Description

RCALC NT is a Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) calculator.  If sound is enabled on a computer with a Windows NT compatible sound board, all keystrokes will be announced as they are entered  (see the Sound button, below).

Introduction

RPN calculators require numbers to be entered before the operation is performed.  Operations have no priority - they are performed in the order entered.  Consequently RPN calculators do not need parentheses.

RPN calculators store numbers on a stack.  RCALC NT's stack can hold up to 1024 numbers, although no more than 4 numbers will be visible at any one time.

Examples

Since numbers must be entered before the operation to be performed, to evaluate 1 + 2:

press the 1 button

press the Enter button

press the 2 button

press the + button

The result, 3, is left on the stack.

More Examples

Expression	How to Evaluate

17 * (3 + 4)	17 Enter 3 Enter 4 + *

3.14 * 123.4^2	3.14 Enter 123.4 X^2 *

(3^2 * (7^2 - 8)) / 5	7 X^2 8 - 3 Enter X^2 * 5 /

The Display Screen

While the stack can hold up to 1024 numbers, only the topmost 4 numbers are displayed.  Like most RPN calculators, RPN displays the stack upside-down.  In other words, the number on the top of the stack is on the bottom of the display.

Pressing Buttons

In order to make RCALC NT easy to use, there are several different ways to press RCALC NT's buttons:

All buttons can be selected with the mouse.

Digits, Enter, +, -, *, /, and the decimal point (".") can be typed from the keyboard or the numeric keypad.  If you use the numeric keypad, make sure that the Num Lock light is on.

<- can be entered by typing the Backspace key.

Help can be entered by typing F1.

Any key with an underlined character can be entered by holding down the Alt key and typing that character.  For example, Drop can be entered by holding down the Alt key and typing d.

Shortcuts:

Button	Shortcut

Drop	Insert

Swap	Home

Clear	Page Up

+/-	Delete

Sqrt	End

X^2	Page Down

Reference

The following table summarizes all of RCALC NT's buttons.  X represents the number on the top of the stack.  Y represents the number right below X.

Button	Function

Drop	Deletes X.

Swap	Exchanges Y and X.

Clear	Deletes all numbers on the stack.

+/-	Changes the sign of X.

Sqrt	Gives the square root of X.

X^2	Gives the square of X.

Enter	Places the number just entered on top of the stack or duplicates the number on top of the stack.

Sound	Allows user to enable or disable sound.  If sound is enabled on a computer with a Windows compatible sound board, all keystrokes will be "spoken" as they are entered.

1/X	Gives the reciprocal of X.

Y^X	Gives Y raised to power X.

About...	Gives information about the program.

Help...	Gives on-line help.

Exit	Quits the program.

/	Gives Y divided by X.

*	Gives Y times X.

-	Gives Y minus X.

+	Gives Y plus X.

<-	Deletes the last number character typed.

Ctrl+Insert or Ctrl+C	Copies X into the Clipboard so that it can be pasted into another program.

Shift+Insert or Ctrl+V	Puts the number in the Clipboard on top of the stack.

Distribution and Payment

RCALC NT may be freely copied without cost, provided it is not changed in any way.  If you find the program useful, please send $5.00 to:

Pocket-Sized Software

8547 E. Arapahoe Road

Suite J-147

Greenwood Village, CO  80112  USA

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