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Stack-CalculatorPortable 1.0.0.0 Development Test 3 (Ready for official release)

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February 12, 2016 - 4:25pm
#1
fsch0203
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Stack-CalculatorPortable 1.0.0.0 Development Test 3 (Ready for official release)

Application: Stack-Calculator

Category: Office, calculator

Description: Mouseless Stack-Calculator is a intuitive calculator and currency converter with fast keyboard entry. It has two modes: an RPN-mode and a stack-mode. The well known RPN stands for Reverse Polish Notation and it saves you time as it avoids the use of parenthesis. The stack-mode of this calculator is a bit similar to RPN in the way that is also uses a stack an avoids the use of parenthesis. But it's unique in the way that it has no reversed data entry but follows the 'normal' sequence. All calculations can be done by use of the keyboard, so no time consuming mouse clicks.

This app was originally developed as a Chrome browser extension (html/css/javascript). Based on Nodewebkit it is now available as windows application (Windows XP and higher).

Main features

  • Flexible and intuitive user interface
  • Complete insight in entered expression
  • All the advantages of RPN in RPN-mode
  • Keyboard for all data entry (as you would expect from a calculator)
  • Most frequent used instructions only need 1 key; other instructions 2 keys
  • Integrated currency converter with actual rates (from ECB or Yahoo)
  • Arbitrary-precision decimal representation (no rounding errors)
  • Multi-level undo
  • Flexible number notation: normal, financial, scientific, engineering, h:m:s, h:m, hexadecimal, octal, binary, fractions
  • 30 last answers
  • 30 memories to store intermediate results
  • Stack and memory are saved on your computer for future use
  • Copy results to clipboard for use in other programs
  • Mathematical calculations
  • Works with hours (or degrees), minutes, seconds
  • Statistical and probability calculations
  • Financial calculations like CAGR, Annuity and CashFlow
  • Physical constants and conversions

Download Stack-CalculatorPortable 1.0.0.0 Development Test 3 [17.4MB download / 28.4MB installed]
(MD5: 40e8a909e5aee211439e4434c6a06c7b)

Release Notes:

Development Test 3 (2016-02-23): Ready for official release


Development Test 2 (2016-02-23): Initial release


Development Test 1 (2016-02-12): Initial release

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February 17, 2016 - 5:01pm
Wm ...
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Lonely

Hi, I see your test is lonely. I've looked at the home site and It is not an app I would use myself on a regular basis but I'll happily test it. If you just want PA testing rather than App testing I'll do it. If you need more specific testing let us know.

Wm

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February 18, 2016 - 5:33am
(Reply to #2)
fsch0203
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Lonely

Thanks Wm... for doing some testing. The app is already some time in use as an Chrome extension with no real issues. So, the priority for me is indeed PA-testing. Looking forward to your findings..
Frans

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February 19, 2016 - 5:39pm
(Reply to #3)
Wm ...
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Stack-Calculator 1st results

On Win8.1 64 I have stuff left in
C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\Mouseless Stack-Calculator App\*
and below. I think a PA with good manners is meant to tidy that up.

Edit: see [1] below

A quick (not detailed) scan suggests the Registry bit is OK.

I think the thing I find most interesting is the implementation of node-whatever, I don't think I've seen such a clean PA one before. Is the App naturally clean or have you done node-my-name-this-week work to make your App good for portability?

Other node-* Apps seem to get big and complicated, could you suggest a reason why yours isn't?

I'll happily test a 2nd.

[1] I've had a look at the content of some of the files left in /AppData/Local/ and they should either go back into the Data dir or be deleted, I don't know the App well enough to say which is right.

Wm

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February 22, 2016 - 10:37am
(Reply to #4)
fsch0203
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Stack-Calculator 1st results

Thanks for your remarks. The app stores previous calculations and settings into local storage. I have made a second test version in which this data is now stored in the Data dir. You can find it here:
Download Stack-CalculatorPortable 0.8.1.0 Development Test 2 [22.9MB download / 42.7MB installed]
(MD5: 961759b36f03c9b9d3c51bfdb685433b)

About the size of the exe-file: I haven't done anything special to make it. I have used the copy \b statement to create it. See here. And I used upx to compress it.
I hope to hear from you.
Frans

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February 22, 2016 - 4:59pm
(Reply to #5)
Ken Herbert
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Best not to post releases

Best not to post releases down the thread, just update the original post.

It helps users to find the most recent version.

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February 23, 2016 - 1:46pm
(Reply to #6)
fsch0203
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Post release

OK! Original upgraded.

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February 26, 2016 - 4:38pm
(Reply to #7)
Wm ...
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2nd test

In clearing out Test 1 I found a Thumbs.db in
\PortableApps\Stack-CalculatorPortable\App\AppInfo\Launcher
that I had to delete by hand.

Having just installed (but not yet run) Test 2 I see there is a Thumbs.db in the same place again. It should not be there as it belongs to your system not everyone else's. You should check generally if there are other files personal to your own system that you are giving away unintentionally in the package. There are two sides to this:
1. the PA user doesn't want unnecessary files; and
2. you don't want other people to have your personal files.

\AppData\Local is looking OK now, which leads to my next comment.

Was the stuff that was in \AppData\Local and is now in
\PortableApps\Stack-CalculatorPortable\Data\config
meant to be thrown away after use or re-useable between sessions?

If it is re-useable I can't find it from inside the App, is it still looking for it in \AppData\Local ?

The good thing, Frans, is that I think this is your own App so you can make it behave as you wish and, hopefully, sort out any confusion.

I think it would be good if you tried a 3rd test in a clean environment (VM or SandBox) to see if it is doing what you expect. I mean, should the files now in \Data\config be kept at all? I don't know. Remember, in Test 1 you were going to throw them away if your PA was run on two systems, should they be kept or not?

Wm

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February 29, 2016 - 3:48am
(Reply to #8)
fsch0203
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2nd test

Thanks Wm... for your remarks.

About the Thumbs.db files: I have cleared an reinstalled both test versions, but I don't see any of these files on my system. Could it be that your own system has generated the file?

About the settings: it is correct that the stuff that was in \AppData\Local is now in \PortableApps\Stack-CalculatorPortable\Data\config. For the user this means that if you close and then reopen the app it will continue where you left it. So the numbers in the stack, the memory, last answers, etc, is all there. Also settings like calculator mode, comma/dot, etc, are stored. Please let me know if that isn't working on you computer. Only if you uninstall the app then the map \PortableApps\Stack-CalculatorPortable\Data\config is also deleted.

If you run the app on two systems you can copy \PortableApps\Stack-CalculatorPortable\Data\config to duplicate the settings, but I think it's more practical to start with a clean version on the second system.

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March 11, 2016 - 5:46pm
(Reply to #9)
Wm ...
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3rd test

Started again so still testing Stack-CalculatorPortable_0.8.1.0_English_Dev_Test_2.paf

Thumbs.db artefact hasn't happened this time, presume I did something wrong last time in exploring the directories, not a barrier to progress either way as it is probably irritating and benign rather than significant.

Settings: I have been testing your App from both the PA menu and as an App itself, it is possible they crossed over.

I note here that some Apps (Firefox is probably the most obvious) work differently depending on whether they are started from the PA menu or from the .exe in the
\PortableApps\AppPortableApp's own directory,
I'd hope a relatively self contained App like Stack-Calculator wouldn't be prey to this. My preference is for self-containment and the use of the menu *for* self-containment as a last (and weak) resort. You may see the politics differently.

In any event, these are niggles.

I think we need another tester, there is only so much I can say. I do notice however that laziness is a problem in getting worthwhile potential Apps noticed.

You can probably fall asleep for years before someone else notices your contribution. Such is life. Best wishes. I think I am done for now.

Wm

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February 27, 2016 - 6:57pm
JKEngineer
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Looks interesting!

Wm... pointed this out in response to my posting about rpCalc at https://portableapps.com/node/53843#comment-226953
As a calculator, it looks quite interesting. I've only looked at it online so far. I will look at it more thoroughly. Sorry that I am not in a position to do the kind of PA conformance testing that you currently need.

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February 28, 2016 - 8:57pm
(Reply to #11)
Wm ...
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conformance v use

the conformance issues are not significant in day to day use, just tidying up, i.e. I haven't found anything unsafe

as for actual use I hadn't expected to use it myself but the stack mode makes an excellent accountancy / book keeping calculator and I'm finding myself using it instead of opening up a blank spreadsheet quite often

it also seems to fill a gap with other office type apps [1]

Later:

Frans, you have a (hopefully nice) problem, I like Stack-Calculator and I'm using it , so, here is a request:
can you store the last mode [RPN|Stack] and similar settings between sessions?
for example I'd like to start and finish with Stack and JK would probably like to do the same with RPN.
For me I find I am setting
options
a Stack
f financial (fixed, 2)
up+dn arrows precision to 2
each time because I'm using it for sums involving money

[1] a bit more reading suggests there have been requests for both RPN and Accounting calculators over the years but to date we only have an algebraic calculator officially at the moment and they are no use to folk that need other calculators. I'd like to see this fast tracked to official, but we (in this thread) need to be as clear as we can before the next stage. I'll do a VM test if you can make a 3, Frans, but I don't think it is far away.

Wm

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February 29, 2016 - 3:53am
(Reply to #12)
fsch0203
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conformance vs. use

Please see my remarks in #9. So the settings should be stored between two sessions. Let me know if this doesn't work on your system.

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