Alternative to MathCad

[Onda]

Does anyone know an alternative to MathCad?

I've many useful sheets on Mathcad format made on my previous work and I can't use now for lack of license.
I would like to know if there is an open source or a cheaper commercial software that can read and use MathCad file.

Thanks in advance
Onda

 

[PSE]

Take a look here. I do not know if there is support for MatchCad file imports.

http://www.sagemath.org/

 

[Onda]

The software is very interesting. But there is no way to convert a mathcad file to sagemath.

Thanks anyway

Any other suggestion would be appreciated!

Onda

 

[joerd]

Did you look at

http://maxima.sourceforge.net/compalg.html

Cheers,
Joerd

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[prost]

Don't know how complex either file format is--if each file was ASCII, AND if you knew the format of Mathcad and SAGEMATH, you could write an Excel macro to read in one file type and spit out the other file type. I know that's not much help; sometimes the differences in file formats is almost trivial.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Try download.com.

They have many interesting programs... might find it there

 

[IRstuff]

Only post-M11 are files readable, but they're in XML. M11 and lower are, for the most part, binary. You'd have to go back to M5??? before it's again ASCII compatible.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[GregLocock]

v4 seems more or less readable.

Here's a scrap

{\plain T=Thrust, r= fan radius\par v=ave
speed of air through fan}
}
.EQN 3 -36 2 0
{0:\r}NAME:1.22
.EQN 4 0 3 0
{0:v}NAME(({0:T}NAME)/(2*{0:\r}NAME*{0:\p}NAME*({0:r}NAME)^(2))))^(.5)
.EQN 1 20 6 0
{0:v}NAME={18993}?_n_u_l_l_
.EQN 1 16 40 0
{0:T}NAME={18993}?_n_u_l_l_
.EQN 5 -36 4 0
{0:M}NAME:.6
.TXT 0 20 15 0



Cheers

Greg Locock

SIGlease see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[Onda]

My files are in V13 - V14. I could open them with a text editor but I couldn't find a way to translate. Also, embedded in the ASCII there are part of binary code. Really to much complex for me to translate.
I think I have to let them go . . .

I'm still looking for an alternative to MathCad!
The requisites I'm looking are:
1- White paper where I can write text
2- Define and resolve equations
3- Make some graph
4- Make some drawing
5- Possible be open source or very cheap.
6- Easy of use for non skilled people

Best candidate is Excel, but I would like to have a white paper instead of a cell division, and I would like to see equations (as in Mathcad).
Because equations hidden in cells are very prone to errors!
The objective is to write engineering calculus in way to make a good and readable report of work done.
Second objective is to make useful calculus sheet for normal engineering problems

 

[IDS]

You might find my Excel "evaluate" function useful. Available from:

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/evaluate-function/

You can enter a text function and the evaluate function will evaluate it for any specified values of the parameters.

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[GregLocock]

One possible approach that I am investigating would be to embed the mathematical files into a wiki.

I intend to write the equations in Octave, and then the text and other pictures, and links to the relevant octave fies, go into a docu-wiki.

It has the great advantage of being free.




Cheers

Greg Locock

SIGlease see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[Onda]

IDS: I found your macro very interesting but I'm looking for come out from excel system cells.

GregLocock: I'm investigating your approach, I need to learn two software and I need to find good arguments to explain to others engineers why they have to learn two software.
But is open source and I'm interested.

I also love the congruent system of unit of MathCad. There is any other software with the same system?

Onda

 

[corus]

If you go to

http://www.excelcalcs.com

they have an add-in to display formulas similar to those shown in MathCad. No unit display though and no general solutions to equations etc.

corus