Release Notes

Blockpad 0.9.2045 (2018-08-24)

Highlights of this release

• Natural syntax for fractions without leading zero. For example, 1/4 in + 1/16 in now interpreted as (1/4) in + (1/16) in. In previous versions, this would be interpreted as 1/(4 in) + 1/(16 in). The changes could potentially cause issues if there were formulas such as 1 / 5s to rpm (the user's intention may have been 1 / (5s) to rpm, but it would now be interpreted as (1/5) s. If there could be any ambiguity, the user should use parentheses to clarify intent.
  • This applies only when a number before a unit is in a simple fraction form. For example, 4*5/3 ft is still interpreted as 4*5/(3 ft).
• Natural syntax for units with parts multiplied or divided together. For example, 10 lbf/in^3 to kip/ft^3 is now interpreted as 10 (lbf/in^3) to (kip/ft^3). In previous versions, square brackets would have been required to interpret the in and ft parts as units. Otherwise, they would have been treated as variable names.
  • Only built-in unit names are automatically grouped together as units. For example, 4000 usd/semester would be interpreted as (4000 usd)/semester, with semester as a variable name rather than as a unit name, even if semester were defined as a custom unit. Parentheses or square brackets may be used to clarify intent. In this case, 4000 (usd/semester) or 4000 [usd/semester] would work. (Note that custom units are not yet active as of version 0.9.2045)
  • Likewise, a formula like 10 ft*x is interpreted with x as a variable name, whereas 10 ft*kip is interpreted with kip as a unit name.
• Calculus functions
  • Derivative — for example, if f is defined f(x) = x ^ 3 / 7, Derivative(f) = 3 * x ^ 2 / 7.
  • Integral — with above example, Integral(f, 1, 2) = 0.536 (definite integral of f from 1 to 2).
• Function plotting
  • To insert a function plot, click Insert Block, choose Docs library (on the left), choose FunctionPlot2D, and click Set Parameter Values (bottom right). Then, enter the function name into the first field, and enter bounds for x and y axes in other 4 fields. Then click Insert Block.
• New units
  • gal
  • Btu
  • slugs
  • Hz
  • rpm
  • kW
  • kJ
  • cal
  • kcal
• Scientific notation option for number value formats
  
• Misc usability improvements and bug fixes

Upcoming Features

• Library data tables
• Standard tools to insert / delete table rows and columns
• Placing images in rectangles (2d drawings and 3d models)
• Drawing labels for angle measurements
• Tool to embed external references into file
• Equation solving for non-linear equations
• Saving Blockpad files as Word documents, and reopening them with formulas intact