newRPL - build 1255 released! [updated to 1299]

[Claudio L.]

(04-05-2018 11:06 AM)3298 Wrote:  What I'm trying to say is this: There's no need to invent a new system, all the pieces are already there. In a solver form, show the result of <variable> EVAL instead of the variable itself (and preferably catch errors such as the circular reference one, giving them special treatment such as displaying the error text in place of the result). Job done.

All the things you mentioned from the 50g are already implemented and functioning fine on newRPL. But I don't think you quite got the concept of the automatic evaluation. It works like a spreadsheet, if you named each cell with a variable name. For physics and engineering it works quite well. I've been using it for years for example to calculate reinforcement bars on concrete sections.
On a separate directory you place the variables for the particular problem you are trying to solve, and without any interface other than the VARS menu, you can assign values to the variables and inspect the results instantly. There is not "hundreds" of variables, as each problem template is a separate group of variables, even for complex problems it will be in the tens of variables.
Imagine that you have a cannon, with an initial velocity 'V' and angle 'a' from the horizontal, you want to compute max. distance it reaches, total time of the flight, maximum height, etc.
You end up with several variables:
Vx=V*cos(a)
Vy=V*sin(a)
t=2*Vy/g
hmax=1/2*g*t^2
xmax=Vx*t

Just store them all as formulas, and each will be automatically computed, with proper units if you want, each time you change V or a you can instantly check hmax, xmax, etc.