The Talking Graphing Calculator for Windows
This program is designed to work in Microsoft WindowsXP. If you are visual you may want to skip the next part, which is in italics..
For people that have a visual impairment:
There are 5 windows in this program. It opens in the Calculator
Window. The other windows are:
The results window that will play music for the number you are working with, and
has a Find function. This is especially handy for very large numbers, that
is, up to 100000 digits.
The Equation Graph Window that will graph input equations and also play the
music associated with the results.
The Sound Window where you can choose the quality of the music for the Results
and the Equation Graph Window.
The Information Window which repeats most of what is on this page.
Click here for the Keystrokes for this program
To change the voice and the quality of the voice you must always go back to the Calculator Window. Often there is a lot the voice has to say when you perform some task. You do. not. have to wait for the voice to finish before going on to the next operation -- it will stop and talk about the new operation immediately. The talking voice will always be current.
Each Window has a Window's menu item. To jump from one window to another, simply press Alt. and then W, then one for the Calculator Window, twoo for the Results Window, three for the Equation Graph Window, four for the Sounds Window, five for the Information Window, and six for the Author message.
As you open a window, the voice will describe what to press next to get information for that window. Usually to hear the current relevant values in the window you must press F 3 key, then the zero key. To hear the commands available information press the F 3 key then the one key. To hear the menu choices press Alt. key, then the one key. Sometimes you have to press one, twice.
In the Calculator Window, also press F 1 key, then any other key to see what it's function is. A kind of help for the Control key part, next . Press Control key and another key to perform an operation. Press the F 2, then zero key to hear the current voice settings. Press the F 2 key and then 1 to hear the available voice control commands.
There are quite a few available commands, etc. You may want to only use a few of them. With trial and error, you may discover all kinds of things. For feedback e-mail address see the end of this page, or press Alt. W in any program Window, then press 6.
There are several parts to the talking
Graphing Calculator:
(1) The talking scientific calculator part
is
able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide any enormous real number by any
other enormous real number (up to 100 000 digits in this first version) in any number
base from base 2 to base 66 using 0 to 9, A to Z, a to z to "~" depending on what
number base you choose. It is also able to convert any real number from
any number base (from 2 to 66) to any other number base (2 to 66). That
means numbers with decimals in them, negative and positive.
Any real number in any base (2 to 66) can then be changed to any font and font size. The digits (in singles or doubles in any base) can then be musically played on a number of different internal computer musical instruments at varying speeds and ranges -- most interesting! As the music plays the part being played is highlighted in the color you choose. The music properties also apply to the graphing part of this calculator.
In all parts of the Talking Graphing Calculator there is a choice of 11 different voices, each in various speeds, various pitches, and a range of loudness (volume). The talking can be stopped or disabled at any time.
In addition to the 4 arithmetic operations, there are many others for smaller
numbers. They
are:
Integer division, x mod y, 1/x, Abs(x), Int(x), Pi, negation,
Random numbers of any size up to 100 000 digits,
Sin(x), Cos(x), Tan(x), InvSin(x), InvCos(x),
InvTan(x) [in degrees or Radians]
Ln(x), Exp(x), Log[any base](x), Inverse Log[any base](x),
Factorial or n!, x^2, x^3, square root, cube root,
x^y,
x --> Memory, M+, RM, MC
The number of decimal places can be restricted by the user.
In all parts of the Talking Graphing Calculator it is easy to select all, copy, cut, paste, or delete by highlighting and clicking the right mouse button in the box you want.
(2) The Graphing part of the Talking Graphing Calculator:
The equation you want to graph you type into a textbox. The equation can have 20 bracketed sections on 10 levels. By clicking the "1. Format equation" button the equation is ready for any other processes of interest. Then, by clicking "2. Graph" button the graph will be plotted. By clicking the "Describe the graph" button the computer gives the equation and the ranges, etc. in any voice you want.
The x-range, y-range, and the number of points can all be chosen. The thickness and color of the graph can be chosen. Also, only points, only line, or both can be plotted.
By moving the mouse over the graph will give the y-value and x-value of the graph that is in a vertical line with the mouse at that time. By clicking the left mouse button on the graph a vertical line forms and the x and y values are shown in 2 textboxes. By clicking the right mouse button a vertical line forms and the x and y values are spoken by the computer. If another spot is chosen anywhere on the graph sheet the original vertical line disappears and the new one forms and the new coordinates of the graph are shown and / or spoken.
There is a choice to place all the x and y values in table for viewing, copying, etc. Rounding the data for the table values is easily done.
By choosing "Play Music" in the menu the notes equivalent to the y values are played as mentioned in the Calculator section above. As the music plays the graph is highlighted in a different color of your choice.
The graph can be copied to the clipboard (using the menu) for use in other programs.
A single x value can be typed into a textbox and by clicking a "Calculate" button the y-value for the equation is shown.
WARNING: For an equation do not use brackets of brackets with nothing in them. e.g. ((x)), (((x))), but (x) is fine or (sin(x)) -- otherwise you will only get a horizontal line on the x-axis. For brackets only curved brackets can be used e.g. "(" and ")".
(3) The Sound Production part of the Talking Graphing Calculator:
The music part where the instrument, speed, volume, left and right speaker volume can be changed. This can be used for all parts of the Talking Calculator.
(4) The Results part -- for playing around with ordinary and enormous numbers -- music, etc. Any number from other programs can be pasted into this part and the equivalent music can be played. e.g. hear the music for Pi to 200 000 digits or so.
You can search and find any set of digits in the number -- find all of them in a color of your choice, bold, etc.
This is a production of Orland Hooge, Chilliwack, B.C., Canada. This is
version 2. This calculator can easily be expanded to include many more
functions and generally improved. I would be most interested in any
suggestions. My e-mail address is
omjhooge@shaw.ca
Let me know if you want to be notified of improved versions of this program.
Click here to download the Talking Graphing Calculator.zip (121 kB)
Another talking program is my Talking Books program that can be downloaded
from:
http://members.shaw.ca/omjhooge/welcome.html