HELP
Vinny RPN Calculator
is a Reverse Polish Notation utility program for science and engineering
students. It temporarily converts the
computers numeric key pad into a RPN calculator by allowing direct use of key
pad digits, [ +,-,*,/ ] keys,
[Enter] and [Up/Down Arrow &
Page] keys. Trigonometric and logarithmic functions are provided by mouse
clicking on dialog box buttons. Numbers can be input in decimal or
exponential format. A period or a comma ( European format) can
be used to separate the hole number digits from the decimal digits. This is a 32-bit Windows 95/98/XP/Vista/7/8 utility
program. Linkage to other applications
is available through use of the Windows clipboard. Optional features include
window stay on top, window shrinkage
and a floating key pad. Try opening
several instances of Vinny RPN Calculator at on time. You can move data from one instance to another using the copy and paste
buttons.
COMPUTER NUMERIC KEY PAD
[ENTER] KEY
Vinny
RPN is set up with a four register stack.
In most RPN calculators only the bottom register is displayed to the
user. Vinny RPN displays all four
registers. They are:
T:
T or top register.
Z:
Z register.
Y:
Y register.
X:
X or working register.
The
X register is used for data entry and display of all results. All other registers are read only and are
displayed for information and to help in understanding the operation of RPN.
When a digit is keyed in from the numeric key pad it appears in the X register. When all the desired digits are keyed in for
a given number the user presses the computer [Enter] key to complete the data
entry. This pushes the X value into the
Y register, the Y value into the Z register and the Z value into the T
register. Note the value in the T register is pushed off the stack and is
lost. Each time the [Enter] key is
struck the stack is pushed up one notch.
[UP/DOWN] ARROWS KEYS
The
[Up] and [Down] arrow keys roll the registers as follows:
[Up]: X=T;
Y=X; Z=Y; T=Z
[Down]: X=Y;
Y=Z; Z=T; T=X
[+] [-] [*] [/] KEYS
The
plus, minus, multiply and divide keys operate as follows:
[+]:
X = Y + X
[-]: X = Y -
X
[*]:
X = Y * X
[/]: X = Y /
X
After
any of these operations the stack is moved down one notch as follows:
X
= Result of operation; Y=Z; Z=T;
T=T
As
you can see the value in the T resister is duplicated in the Z register. This automatic downward movement of the
stack in RPN calculators makes chain calculations very convenient.
[Page Down] [Page Up] KEYS CHANGE SIGN OF X AND EXPONENT OF X
The
[Page Down] key has been designated to act as a sign change key for the value
in the X register. (ie The [Page
Down] key toggles the X register value
between plus and minus.) The [Page Up]
key has been designated to act as sign change key for the exponent of the value
in the X register. ( ie The [Page Up] key toggles the X register exponent value
between plus and minus.)
[ CTRL C] [ CTRL X] [ CTRL V]
[Ctrl
C] Copies the selected part of the entry in the X, Y, Z or T registers to the
Windows clipboard. The last register to
have the Windows focus is copied. If
you wish to copy a register using the [Ctrl] short cut keys you must first
highlight or select the entry or register.
If the last register to have the Windows focus has no text selected then
the entire register is copied.
[Ctrl
X] Copies the selected part of the entry in the X register to the Windows
clipboard and deletes that part of the entry from the X register. If nothing is selected in the X register it
copies and deletes the entire X register.
[Ctrl
V] Pastes any value in the Windows clipboard into the X register and moves the
stack up one notch.
[ESC]
The
[Esc] key can be used to deactivate the numeric key pad.
FLOATING KEY PAD
The
optional floating key pad is activated and deactivated by clicking the [Keys]
button. It provides a means of entering
numeric digits into the X register and can be used as an alternate to the computer
numeric keypad.
Numeric Buttons
Clicking
the numeric buttons on the floating key pad will produce the same result as
striking the computer numeric key pad.
Full entry editing is available.
[-] Button
The
floating key pad minus [-] button can be used at the start of an entry to
indicate a negative number.
BUTTONS
REG
Clicking
the [Reg] button opens the registration dialog. Once the program is registered
this button is no longer displayed.
ENTER
Clicking
the [Enter] button produces the same result as striking the computer enter key
+, -, *, /
The
mathematical buttons + , - , * , / can be used to perform the same operations
produced by striking the corresponding numeric key pad keys.
[+]:
X = Y + X
[-]: X = Y -
X
[*]:
X = Y * X
[/]: X = Y /
X
After
any of these operations the stack is moved down one notch as follows:
X
= Result of operation; Y=Z; Z=T;
T=T
As
you can see the value in the T resister is duplicated in the Z register. This automatic downward movement of the
stack in RPN calculators makes chain calculations very convenient.
CA, CX, YX, R, EDIT X
Clicking
these dialog buttons provides extra register control as follows:
[CA]:
Clears all registers values.
[CX]:
Clears X register value.
[XY]:
Interchanges X an Y register values.
[R]:
Down rolls register values. X=Y; Y=Z;
Z=T; T=X
[Edit
X]: Allows editing of the digits in the number in the X register.
+/- , Y^X , SQRT(X), X^2, 1/X , E+/-
Clicking
these dialog buttons performs the following functions:
[+/-]:
Changes the sign of the X register value.
[Y^X]:
Sets X=Y^X and moves the rest of the stack down one notch.
[SQRT(X)]:
Sets X=X^0.5 and has no other effect on the stack.
[X^2]:
Sets X=X^2 and has no other effect on the stack.
[1/X]:
Sets X= 1/X and has no other effect on the stack.
[E+/-]:
Changes the sign of the exponent of the X register value.
DEG/RAD, DEG>RAD, RAD>DEG
Clicking
these dialog buttons performs the following functions:
[DEG/RAD]:
Alternately changes the trigonometric functions units from working with degrees
to radians and back again. The word
degree or radian is displayed on the dialog
box in red to indicate the current trigonometric units state.
[DEG>RAD]:
Converts the X register value from degrees to radians.
[RAD>DEG]:
Converts the X register value from radians to degrees.
.
TRIGONOMETRIC AND LOGRITHMETRIC FUNCTIONS
Clicking
these dialog buttons performs the indicated function on the value in the X
register and has no other effect on the stack.
STO, RCL
In
addition to the stack registers one extra internal memory register (M) is
provided. Data can be stored and
recalled from this memory location by clicking the [STO] and [RCL] buttons. The STO button sets M=X. The [RCL] button sets X=M and moves the
stack up one notch.
Copy, Paste
Clicking
the Copy button copies the entire value in the X, Y, Z or T register to the Windows clipboard. The last register to have the Windows focus
is copied. If you wish to copy a
register value you must first select the register by left clicking on it with
the mouse. Clicking the Paste button pastes any value in the Windows clipboard
into the X register and move the stack up one notch. The Windows shortcut keys [CTRL C] can be used to copy a
selected portion of a register entry.
These functions provide for data transfer between Vinny RPN Calculator
and other Windows applications. They
can also be used as an additional storage register.
Top, Back,
The
[Top/Back] button is used to make the calculator window either stay on top or
allow it to be hidden by other windows.
When the button displays BACK the calculator window is set to stay on top. When the button displays TOP the calculator
windows can be covered by other applications.
Small,
Trig
The
[Small/Trig] button changes the calculator window size. When the button displays TRIG the calculator
window size has been reduced by eliminating the log and trig functions. When the button displays Small the calculator
window is at full size and the log and trig functions are available.
Keys
The
[Keys] button activates and deactivates the floating numeric key pad.
Help
The
[Help] button activates this program help file.
Exit
The
[Exit] button closes the calculator.
DATA
FORMAT
Decimal or Exponential
If
the result of a calculation is to large or to small it is automatically
displayed in exponential format. For example:
The
decimal number:
1 230 000 000 000 000 is displayed as 1.23E+15.
The
decimal number:
0.000
000 000 000 001 23 is displayed as 1.23E-15.
Numbers can be input
in decimal or exponential format. A period or a comma ( European format) can
be used to separate the hole number digits from the decimal digits. Use the [Page Up] key or the [E+/-] button
to change the sign of the exponent value.
SAMPLE
PROBLEM
Add 4.4 to 3.6 and divide the result by 1.25
In
most cases you can input new values to an RPN calculator without first clearing
the calculator. This is because there
are not any pending operations. ie all RPN operations are performed on the
current values in the X and Y registers.
Steps
Strike
the [4], [.] , [4] keys.
(This displays the 4.4 in the X register. )
Strike
the [Enter] key.
(This
to pushes 4.4 into the Y register.)
Strike
[3], [.], [6] keys.
(This
displays the 3.6 in the X register. )
Strike
the [+] key.
(This
displays the intimidate result 8 in the X register. )
Strike
[1], [.], [2], [5] keys.
(This
pushes the previous result 8 into the Y register and displays 1.25 in X
register.)
Strike
the [/] key to get the final result 6.4