Executable size – Visual studio 2003/2005/2008/2010 comparison

As you know already, I am preoccupied with the size of the Math-o-mir executable file. For this reason I kept compiling the software using old version of the Visual Studio. Now I had a chance to compile with several versions and compare results.

Mathomir.exe file size (MFC based C++ source, statically linked):

• Visual Studio 2003  – 996 kB
• Visual Studio 2005 – 1104 kB
• Visual Studio 2008  – 1109 kB
• Visual Studio 2010 – 2440 kB

Without a large-scale optimization attempt, only the Visual Studio 2003 will produce under 1MB file.

Now, what are good reasons for me not to use the VS 2003? I see none, but maybe you know better.

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December 1, 2011

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User manual translated to French

Few weeks ago I was contacted by mr. Laurent Hivon. He proposed translating Math-o-mir to French – a brave proposal. Yesterday, he sent me the translated user manual. Fantastic!

You can download the “Manuel de l’utilisateur” v1.61 from the homepage…. I must say I didn’t expect the translated version so soon - thanks Laurent, a pleasant surprise. I hope we will also translate the software itself, although I am not sure what would be the best way to do it.

Anyway, I am interested in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian… If anybody wants to translate to other languages, please contact me. Of course, your work doesn’t have to be as complete as Laurent’s was. We can prepare just a several page long brief document in your language. Everything helps. (I am even interested in English language, as mine is far from perfect).

….

I still didn’t release the 1.62 version. The new version is finished, there are some practical problems I have with internet access.

 

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November 28, 2011

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About using laptops in math classrooms

I was briefly visiting the exuberant blog even before, but somehow missed its 1:1 laptops serial. The serial is about using laptops in math classroom and is exactly what I was looking for. As a result, I must list these articles here:

• Am I being too negative (about you-know what)?
• Why is math different when it comes to laptops?
• So what is happening with laptops in maths classroom?
• One-to-one laptop programs: the essential ingredients
• Using laptops in my classroom – is it real maths?

(Oops, I missed the GeoGebra article – but only because it is less relevant for my blog, not because I don’t like GeoGebra). Anyway, I hope that mr. Edward Nordin Zuber will continue informing us about using laptops in his classroom. Hopefully he will try the Math-o-mir eventually and let us know.

…

Back to reality now… I am preparing the official Math-o-mir release v1.62. I am thinking to change some rendering properties (making presentation-mode formulas and text appear more spacious) which could change appearance of already existing documents. Hope that established users will not get too angry.

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November 18, 2011

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“The Velociraptor” – Math-o-mir 1.62 beta5 released

[UPDATED: This post is updated due to bug in beta4 version - beta5 was urgently released]

I released v1.62 beta5. This beta can be downloaded from http://www.datafilehost.com/download-773cb173.html

New features:

• One can use comma as a decimal separator. To enable comma usage, set the “Options->Keyboard->Allow comma as decimal separator”. I intentionally didn’t  respect windows regional settings.
• Toolbox accelerator table is expanded and improved.
• One can scroll the document by using mouse wheel if the mouse pointer is hovering over the vertical scroll bar.
• Several new operators are added
• The ||  || parentheses (double-bar) are now possible. However, I removed rarely used  \  \ parentheses (backslash).
• A horizontal curly brace can now be drawn below any part of an expression (see decoration options)
• The function plotter is somewhat improved – you can stretch X and Y coordinate axis by mouse click-and-drag
• Some keyboard handling is improved regarding math/text mixing
• CTRL+S option is implemented to quickly save your document
• “Options->Selections->Wide keyboard cursor” option is added to choose wide-style blinking cursor.

I nicknamed this version ‘velociraptor’ because it is dedicated to direct-from-the-blackboard-rapid-math-typing.

[For those interested, a bug in beta4 version acted on some computers and disallowed choosing context menu options under some circuimstances.]

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October 26, 2011

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Do you use ‘dot’ or ‘comma’ as a decimal separator?

Would you write pi as “3.14″ or “3,14″?  Obviously, it depends in the country you live.

I don’t like using comma separation… for example 3,14 is a single number, while 3, 14 is a list of two numbers. Furthermore, 3,4, 5,7 is also a list of two numbers. The space that follows the comma is important because it tells if the comma is used as a decimal separator, or as a list separator. But it is not easy to spot the space in all cases. A possible solution would be using semicolon (;) instead of coma as a list separator (3,4; 5,7).

What makes me  angry is the fact that SI allows both. Why didn’t they opt for one of these symbols only – the dot preferably.

Until now, in Math-o-mir software, I only supported the dot as a decimal separator. However, now I am preparing a new release, and I am thinking of supporting both. I could use “system settings” to decide what symbol is to be used, but for some irrational reason I don’t like ”system settings”. Maybe it would be better if I leave it for the user to choose from the Options menu.

So, if decimal commas are used, the user will have to hit the space bar if he/she wants to list numbers: like 1,<space>2,<space>3,<space>…. Or he/she will have to use semicolon instead: 1; 2; 3;…

…

For those who speak german, I am happy to link to first german-language short Math-o-mir review: http://blog.my-gate.net/2011/10/analog-vs-digital-mathematik-math-o-mir/ (thanks Lukas).

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October 25, 2011

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Math-o-mir download while homepage is offline

AFTERNOON EDIT: The homepage seems back online again. Good luck.

While the Math-o-mir homepage site is offline, you can download from here:

- Download Math-o-mir v1.61 (684kB .zip file)

- Download Math-o-mir v.162 beta3 (683kB .zip file)

I am sorry for inconvenience. I saw this morning that my homepage at the Awardspace.com site is offline. I hope those awardspace guys will solve the problem soon.

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October 24, 2011

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Rapid math-typing contest!

Win a free can of coke!  

Objective:  

Take your laptop to your math lesson (supposing that it is allowed). Use the Math-o-mir software to write down at least a 45-minute lecture. Do it directly on your computer – don’t use any pencil-and-paper writing.

Other rules:

• try to write down at least 60% of what you would write down if you used a pencil. Ideally, your notes should be consistent enough for an educated person to guess what you are writing about.
• after you finish, save your document as is (no post-lecture editing)
• send the document (.mom file) to me: mathomir@gmail.com.
• include your full (real) name. Write a few words about yourself and math lessons you take.
• write down few words about your observations: what was bothering and what was helpful (if anything) when using your laptop and this software.

Suggestions:

• as you are not allowed to take down any pencil-and-paper writing, take some time to know the software you are going to use. You don’t want to leave the class without any useful notes.

Winner and hers/his price:

• whoever sends me the file first, obeying the rules, is the winner.
• if you own a paypal account you can win some material price. I will pay you a can of coke (or a can of any other drinkable liquid, at modest price). Just inform me how much it costs in your country.
• if you don’t own a paypal account and you don’t have any other means to receive small amount of money, then I will not be able to pay you. But you can still be declared the winner and enjoy the non-material price.
• non-material price: declaring you a winner on this blog (with a link to what-ever, legal, URL you want). I can put some words about you and celebrate your name .

FAQ:

• Just a can of coke! That’s nothing! …. Okay, if a coke is very cheap in your country, I will buy you half a dozen cans.
• What if I am not going to be the first one?… If you provide any interesting and relevant material to me, and I decide to publish part of this material, then I will buy you a coke. However, you will not be declared winner.
• How much time do I have?… This contest is open forever. After some time I will forget about it, so remind me please. BTW, I don’t expect much interest (the price is small) – take your time.
• How do you know I am not cheating?… I don’t. I am a believer.

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October 19, 2011

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Printing problems

Mr. Ali Shareef reported some serious printing issues. I started working on these immediately and produced this 1.62 beta3 version: http://www.datafilehost.com/download-48274f89.html

• printing to .PDF files (using third party sw) was not working  – all text was missing
• vertically orientated text lines caused software instability
• some ugly artefacts were printed in some cases while the Presentation Mode was enabled

However, I don’t feel that printing problems are all solved now. There are some oddities left and I hope to hear from you about any problem regarding this mater. It seems that some problems are not visibly on every system (a programmer’s nightmare).

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October 13, 2011

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1.62 beta released – improves math/text mixing

As I mentioned in my previous post, it was difficult to mix math formulas and a plain text in Math-o-mir. Urged by mister Lukas Dürrenberger, I issued this early beta to fix this issue. Download it from http://www.datafilehost.com/download-ac749449.html.

You can now use ALT+SPACEBAR to toggle between math and text typing modes. The cursor color will change accordingly: blue cursor = math typing; green cursor = text typing… Note that math boxes and text boxes still exist, but you can now type math in a text box or text in a math box – just hit the ALT+SPACEBAR to change your cursor color.

So, why am I still making distinction between math boxes and text boxes? Because, they will behave somewhat different. For example, the Enter key in the text box will start a new line of text, while in a math box will start a separate math box. There are also differences while rendering tables/matrices.

SHIFT+SPACEBAR can also be used instead of ALT+SPACEBAR. There is a slight difference, however. The SHIFT+SPACEBAR will never change box type, while ALT+SPACEBAR will change the box type if it is empty.

Now, if you have any comment or suggestion, in hope to make math/text mixing simpler, let me know.

(BTW, this new beta version also has function-plotter somewhat improved. Especially its “analyzing” mode.)

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October 10, 2011

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Mixing math and plain text

Last few weeks I didn’t work much on the software. However, I fond a short but beautiful Math-o-mir review here: http://www.matrix44.net/blog/?p=972. Thanks for it, Egon.

I was also contacted by Lukas Dürrenberger who has concerns about mixing math and plain text in Math-o-mir. For example, math teachers often use questions in form like…

 a=0: so that x=3*a

I must agree with him and I am going to improve Math-o-mir in this direction… only… all this “feature-for-a-math-teacher” stuff are holding me from improving the symbolic calculator feature of Math-o-mir. This feature would be more interesting to real engineers (sorry fellows).

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October 4, 2011

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