IRS: Vvf works... and steel_check works... it's the concrete part that I have difficulty with... either not reading the data correctly or the formula is pooched.
As for fonts, the SMath is poor... but I've imported font from LibreOffice and use it for headings and notes. You can see the difference in the headings and the numerics. I generally write stuff in Imperial and SI because I don't know who will look at it. Been playing engineer for over 50 years and although I work in both systems... I only think and see things in Imperial. If it's an SI beam, I have to convert it to Imperial to see that it works...
I've used MathCad practically since it was born. I use MathCad 15 on Windows 10 with no issues. It's like an old axe with a handle worn smooth with use and a blade honed for my use. I have my own perpetual permanent license that I keep moving from machine to machine and hard drive to hard drive. I try every other version of Prime but I have too large an investment in M15 files that I really don't want to take the time to convert to Prime. I'm old and lazy in that respect. Too old and lazy in fact to even learn SMath although I have it on my current computer. Excel even with addons is too clunky and unreliable for me.
There appears to be 4 different versions available for download. Which one do I want for a Win-10 PC?
They have SMath Studio Desktop and SMath Studio Desktop for Mono version 0.99.7030 and a beta release 0.99.7251 Link
After a bit of prodding by dik a while ago I started using SMath. With a bit of practice I am quite pleased. The Mathcad gang seems to have dropped the ball.
Here is an example of one of my sheets that I have been working on.
@Brad805: thanks for the sample. I was considering asking someone if they could post a sample of what a dolled up, final form calc looks like in SMath. What you've accomplished would suit my needs with the grid turned off.
@Everybody: this thread is getting me close to the critical mass of interest that I need to look into this. I do have a few more questions:
1) Are there decent matrix/array handling functions?
2) Are there numerical equation solving algorithms like Solve Blocks in MathCAD?
3) Are there functions allowing one to display calculated data in a tabulated form?
4) Are their eigenvalue calculation tools?
5) What do we know about the longevity of the SMath enterprise? I don't want to sink a bunch of effort into switching over only to find that, five years from now, there's no more SMath because the developers graduated high school and got real jobs. Not that I trust MathCAD in the longevity department these days...
Yes, I could indeed conduct my own research to figure these things out if I were so inclined. I won't be any time soon.
Haydenwse: "Thanks. Can you add any graphic files for details from AutoCAD or other sources?"
It's easy... draw the detail in autocad and print it as a *.pdf. Use a free program such as Paint.net and load the *.pdf. Trim it to size and shrink it a bit and make the background transparent and export it as a *.png file. Then import the *.png file into SMath...
See the attached... I have to modify the variables to suit the data of the program. The image is actually clear in the program... don't know why it's fuzzy when *.png is uploaded.
I kept off that treadmill and have a single user perpetual license for M15, good forever AFAIK. No subscriptions, no need to have internet access to use it, no sunset date. They keep trying to get me to try Prime but I really don't like the whole subscription model everyone uses.
IRstuff, thanks for pointing out SMath. MathCAD has some disadvantages as others have mentioned and this is a great alternative. I am amazed that it is free.
dik: "It's easy... draw the detail in AutoCAD and print it as a *.pdf. Use a free program such as Paint.net and load the *.pdf. Trim it to size and shrink it a bit and make the background transparent and export it as a *.png file. Then import the *.png file into SMath..."
Thanks, that is good to know. I make png files directly from Revit using Jing by TechSmith. If you do not have it, you should give it a try. It is a great FREE screen capture software. you can make stills and and text, boxes and arrows. or you can make video captures and load them to the internet. Link
Thanks for the added info... rather than screen capture, I 'print' the cad file to a *.pdf and as a vector file, it can be enlarged substantially. I'll take a look at it... occasionally need screen captures. I use PDF Reader from Adobe and one feature I often use is the 'snapshot'.
