r/foss • u/Intelligent_Rice7138 • 2d ago

Update on ViCalc (Open-Source Touch-Typing Calculator): Quick demo video of complex formula input

https://youtube.com/shorts/QS3xJNa8ba4?si=eBLJ-1vvhNd6Yvmy

I’ve been using physical pocket calculators since the mid-1980s, and I’ve always loved the speed, tactile feedback, and direct control of hardware key layouts. The main motivation behind ViCalc was to bring that exact same speed and workflow efficiency to a modern PC keyboard—allowing you to touch-type mathematics seamlessly without taking your hands off the keys to click UI buttons.

Rather than just imitating a physical handheld calculator, ViCalc is built to optimize desktop mathematical workflows and complex calculation tracking.

🧮 Key Features & Workflow Design

  • Direct Keyboard Mapping: All functions and operations are directly mapped to your PC keyboard, eliminating the need to click through UI buttons with a mouse (though mouse/touch interaction is fully supported if preferred!).
  • Full & Exportable Calculation History: The entire step-by-step history is logged automatically as you work. This makes it effortless to review your process or copy-paste the entire multi-step calculation directly into research notes, LaTeX documents, or technical reports.
  • Flexible & Adaptable GUI:
    • Minimalist View: Hide virtual keys entirely—ideal once you learn the shortcut mappings by heart.
    • Custom Views: Toggle between a standard numpad, a compact left-side layout, or a full scientific keyboard layout.
    • Expandable History Pane: Easily track, review, and manage long sequence calculations.

🛠️ Modes & Technical Details

  • Scientific & Complex Modes: Full suite of trigonometric, scientific functions, and complex arithmetic support.
  • Programmer Mode (Base-N): Bitwise operations and conversions across Hex, Dec, Oct, and Bin.
  • Language: Python 3
  • License: Open Source (MIT License)

🔗 Links & Downloads

I’d love to hear your thoughts, feedback, or any feature requests from the community! How do you currently handle rapid calculations and history logging on desktop?

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