Mathcad 14 - Using the "~" to bring information to the front page

[JMC1985]

Mathcad 14 - Using the "~" to bring information to the front page

I was wondering if there was any way to feed the "~" a variable. I know it sort of upsets the natural read order of MathCAD, but most of the 40 to 50 so page calculations I push out come down to a "Use X of X" or "Place X distance apart". While the math validates this information, I’d like to be able to make the information more easily accessible for the people in field looking at the calculations.

The "~" was more of a simplistic thought that wouldn't involve as much mess as trying to make it feed an excel spreadsheet that document, saving both, and have it pull it from that excel spreadsheet at the beginning.

***NOTE***
I would be defining a new variable at the end, not re-defining an existing one.

Ideally something like:

Synopsis:

Distance=8in

...
Math
...

X:=4*2in

Distance~X

 

[IRstuff]

I'm confused by your question. If you predefine "Distance" doesn't it stand to reason that X must also be predefined?

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize

 

[JMC1985]

Logically, yes... but if it was easy I'd have figured out a way to do it.

The goal is to bring the solutions from the end of the calculation to the front of the calculation. The conflict is that MathCAD runs linearly.

I'd like to avoid a clunky Excel reference sheet and keep it looking as smooth as possible (while innovation is appreciated, large scale change causes the other engineers to become restless and confused).

The other option I’m playing around with is Referencing the calculation page to another MathCAD document, then referencing it back at the end (requires 2 saves and two files per calculation set, but it'd be an easy enough way to do this... given you don't make an infinite loop).


As most design engineers my ability to communicate my ideas isn't that great, below is a massively simplified example. It'll require a lot of saving and refreshing.

_____________________________________________________
FILE_1:

Ref: FILE_2

Data:
x:=(x2)=4
y:=(y2)=8
.
.
.
.
.
Calculations:
x1:=2^2
y1:=4*2
_____________________________________________________

FILE_2:
ref:FILE_1

x2:=(x1)
y2:=(y1)
_____________________________________________________

 

[IRstuff]

Your example works exactly as you seem to want if:

x1~2^2
y1~4*2


x2~x1
y2~y1

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize

 

[JMC1985]

that would work, but that would require the entire calculation set being done with "~" equals minus the references at the top. This however removes the ability to use solve blocks and symbolic expressions (not "needed" in what i do, but man it makes my life easier).

 

[IRstuff]

Well, you haven't shown a clear example of what you want.

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize

 

[JMC1985]

There's a multipage calculation, the first page contains design variables and constants. Under the design variables, our resident PE would like a table of results, or a synopsis of calculation, in order to limit the amount of time it takes people to read them on the field.

"The construction workers don't care about the math as much as they care where the part goes"

The issue is the values for the table are located on about the n-th page, not the first. He has assigned me the task of figuring out how to do this in a non-terrifying way (he'd prefer one document, probably could cope with two, no external software, nothing that'd scare someone non-tech savvy reviewing the calc on paper).

I would like to avoid feeding the information into an Excel file, and I’d also like to keep the MathCAD as editable as possible.

 

[davidbeach]

Put in

a~2
b~3
c~a+b

then go back and above the first line type in

c=

You can't start with

a:2
b:3
c~a+b

because c is then evaluated before a or b.

Far easier approach is to put a text note at the top of the first page saying that all the results are summarized on the final page. Either that or print the last page followed by the rest of the document.

 

[jghrist]

If the field people reading the document don't care about the calculations, insert an area for the calculations and collapse it, leaving only the input, a hidden collapsed area with calculations, and then an output table. See Mathcad help on "Grouping and Protecting Information with Areas."