Release Notes for Blockpad 1.5

February 2024

Summary

Changes with this release include:

  • Application for mac OS available
  • Importing SMath files
  • Math layout improvements
  • Improvements to block system
  • Improvements to built-in units
  • Step-by-step section improvements
  • User interface features
  • Other improvements
Application for macOS available

The Blockpad Mac application is now available generally to download.

Importing SMath files

Blockpad now supports importing SMath (*.sm) files. SMath files import similar to Mathcad files, with all the equations placed in a step-by-step section in a Blockpad report, to mimick the calculation order of a SMath worksheet.

While not every SMath feature is supporting in importing, the intention of this feature is to get the vast majority of content, thereby making it a relatively quick process to bring in legacy files.

Math layout improvements

It is now possible to give variables names with both subscripts and superscripts using embedded LaTeX codes, bounded by symbols \( ... \). For example, the following codes are now possible:

Formula Math Layout
\(M^+\) = 150 kip*ft M+ = 150 kip · ft
\(T_{H_2O}\) = 50C TH2O = 50 °C
\(P^{(+)}\) = 120kPa P+ = 120 kPa
\(x_1^+\) = 5.4 x1+ = 5.4

Note that not all LaTeX features are implemented, but examples like the ones above will work for complex superscripts and subscripts in variable names.

LaTeX codes can also be used generally in static equations.

Integral, Derivative, and Abs functions now appear with special math layout.

Math layout is now applied to solver results.

Scientific notation, if turned on in math layout options, now works properly in equation results.

Math layout options are now treated properly in static equations.

Fix to issue with special function layout in static equations

Math layout now supports for loops (including the For function), while loops, and if statements.

Improvements to block system

Several changes improve the functionality of blocks and libraries:

  • Fixed images in blocks
  • Fixed nested blocks inside of scenario blocks (like charts)
  • Fixed example Beam Analysis block in Engineering library
  • Fixed issue with sharing blocks in the library
Improvements to built-in units

The following units have been added to the built-in library:

  • sr (steradians)
  • uF (as an alias of μF, microfarads)
  • particle (as base unit of mol)
  • t (new alias of metric ton, now defined as 1000 kg)
  • S (siemens)
  • mho
  • lm (lumen)
  • lx (lux)
  • Bq (Becquerel)
  • Gy (Gray)
  • Sv (Sievert)
  • kat (katal)
  • Å (angstrom)
  • eV (electronvolt)
  • pixel (as base unit for dpi and similar units)
  • kbit (as base unit for kbps)
  • Da (Dalton)
  • St (stokes)

In addition, the following units have new definitions:

  • tonne / metric ton — now defined as mass (1000 kg), so formulas assuming it as force will need to be re-written. For files where that is the case, warning messages will appear showing which formulas are affected.
  • rad — now technically defined as m/m in accordance with SI, with change having no impact to calculations.
  • mol — now specificied specifically in terms of unit particle.

Warnings are now shown for any multiplication, division, or exponents performed directly on offset units (namely, C, F, or psig). It is recommended to convert these either to delta units (ΔC, ΔF, or Δpsig) or to absolute units (K, R, or psi) before such calculation steps.

With this version, Blockpad gives more intuitive default units to multiplication, division, and exponents. This reduces the need to specify result units explicitly.

Step-by-step section improvements

Equations in step-by-step sections can now have for loops, do loops, and if statements that modify section variables. This allows iterative calculations to be implemented more easily as loops.

Equations in step-by-step sections can now assign to elements of an array with the square bracket indexer.

Equations in step-by-step sections that display a matrix result now correctly show the values as they were at the time the equation was calculated.

This version fixes an issue in which step-by-step sections that were deleted and restored did not have their variables restored correctly.

User interface features

There is a new Navigation Tree tool, available under the View menu. The navigation tree shows a heirarchy of the entire file, with all frames, sections, and headings. In this version, the items are organized strictly by which container they are inside; so all headings are shown at the same level, rather than in a heirarchy with heading 2 inside of heading 1, etc.

Rulers for reports and notebooks are now on by default, as was already the case for spreadsheets. This makes it easier to view the rows and columns on the ruler for tables in reports and notebooks, as well as to view and edit tab stops.

When a whole table or embedded drawing is selected (for example, but clicking the little selector popup that appears to the left), the toolbar options are now improved. In particular, there are border and background toolbar buttons in the toolbar that will work as intended.

If saving a file that has been changed elsewhere since it was loaded, Blockpad will show a warning, and ask whether to save to a new location or to overwrite outside changes. This helps avoid overwriting changes when multiple people edit the same network file.

The user interface now defaults to the gray theme for both the Mac and the Windows apps. All themes (gray, dark, and blue) are still available.

Added New Window tool under the File menu, as another way of opening a separate Blockpad window.

Double clicking at the column boundaries in the top ruler now auto-resizes the selected columns to match the content.

Other improvements
  • New IsDateTime function
  • New MakeArray function
  • New Zeros function
  • The Text to Table tool now interprets cells as number, date, boolean, or text
  • Fix to an issue with copy and paste equations to outside of Blockpad as images
  • Fix to issue with ' symbol in variable names, for example f'c
  • Option in settings to turn off hardware accelerated graphics
  • Fixed issue with click to reference in visual editor
  • When clicking to reference in a formula, if there are objects of the same name in different namespaces in the formula's scope, the automatically generated formula now always includes any namespaces necessary to tell the difference between the objects of the same name
  • Improved error messages for numerous formula error messages
  • Fixed issue with updating dimension label values when modifying shapes
  • Fixed issue where sometimes it was not possible to edit Mathcad and CSV files after importing
  • Fixed issue with borders of cells crossing page boundaries
  • Formatting given to individual solver section results is now retained properly
  • Fixed issues with input boxes and dropdown lists flickering
  • Fixed issue with Ctrl+\ and some other shortcuts on keyboards with AltGr key
  • Fixed issue with backspace and delete in text sometimes causing caret to jump to the wrong point in the paragraph
  • Added option in Value Format to choose either dot or comma for decimal symbol
  • Improved grouping symbol options in Value Format, where dot, comma, space, or underscore may now be selected
  • Fixed issue with '+' for positive numbers and parentheses for negative numbers options in Value Format
  • Support for Turkish in the spell checker
  • Other bug fixes
See also

Page modified 2024-03-16

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