[English] Official Annonce of the Nspire EEPro-like project
Posted: 16 Nov 2011, 13:27Version française ici
Hi all,
I am honored today to announce the official launch of a major TI-Planet Nspire-Lua programming project.
This project, in short, is an adaptation (not a port !) of the famous program EEPro TI-89.
For those who don't know EEPro, it's basically a program described by TI like this: "This application solves the problems of electrical engineering. It is composed of three modules: Analysis, Equations (700 equations grouped into 16 subjects) and Reference. " In short, a complete and very powerful application.
You can look at its documentation here for more details on these parts. However, I will talk more about the "Equations" part a bit below.
This project is a major one, and because EEPro doesn't have an equivalent for the TI-Nspire, it's a great opportunity to show everyone (in the community, "casual" users, TI too ... ) what we are able to do with Lua.
The realization of this project will require several people involved, because as already stated, this is a big project, even if the separation of the three parts will reduce the work section by section.
However, do not see it as a "work", but just a hobby, when you have free time, and improve your skills in Lua, or simply participate in a community effort on a large scale, for a program that will become a reference.
The realization over time will have advantages in programming, either for beginners or more advanced, as the overall program structure is complex but well organized (everything will be done in OOP (Object Oriented)), but also at an educational level, because of the inside contents of what we deal with, the objective of this program being purely educational.
The knowledge used in this program (EEPro89) lies from a HS senior year Physics class to a University degree, and above. However, do not run away from the project if you are not that advanced .... I will speak later of all this, there are things to do for everyone
I (Adriweb) started to build an explanatory diagram of the program's Lua structure :
Please also take a look at this document to understand the structure, objectives, explanations etc. on everything the project entails.
In short, you can see that there are three distincts parts.
As stated in the document:
- The part that isn't really hard to program is the "reference" part. Indeed, it is basically a kind of summary of courses/lessons. It could also contain some interactive scripts. On EEPro, there was: Color Chart Resistance (→ dynamic color tool, on the CX), standard component values, semiconductors data, Boolean expressions, Boolean algebra, constants, SI prefixes, Greek alphabet.
- The second part is the equations solving.
This part is already a little more technical to do, because the challenge lies in the fact that we must have the base code that takes a specially formatted database (our own format) and then processes it, analyzes it, links its contents, etc. Indeed, the program has to read, from the formulas database: the input(s), outputs, units, description, title, etc. Once we have that the algorithm that manages a large database knowing what to do with a formula that the user wants to solve, it's just a matter of time to fill the database with the formulas. This can be done by anyone, for he has nothing to do with coding. But this database-filling is obviously not the primary focus of the project.
We have started making an (example) database here.
- The other part (which may be the most annoying / longest ...) will be analysis.
For now, see the manual EEPro (link above). This is not the priority at this time.
What should be done initially, is really the equations management/solving.
This part may be called "FormulaPro" and may get released, eventually, as a separate program, too. Indeed, many students are more interested in a greatly smart equations management/solving program. The power of this program is that is must be done in order to be able to be extended by external packs of formulas that everyone can do. (Hence the format public / Detailed databases / formulas).
This (sub) program, is itself split into several parts: the home screen, offering navigation by category, title, variable, but can also find a particular formula / equations via a smart-search tool (one who seeks titles, variables, etc..), but also offering a "Wizard". For these last two ideas, see paragraphs below.
Here are some details / ideas / notes (taken from google docs documents) about FormulaPro :
* We have to make everything as extensible/plugin-able as possible, so that everyone can extend the main program with their own stuff, whatever the topic. See 2nd note.
* The databases format will have to be public, well known and detailed so that users can make their own database, that the program will understand and open as a usable module. The user's databases will be stored in the public library (MyLib) folder, so that it will be made available everywhere, especially from the lua script(s), anywhere.
* We'll have to make a "smart-search" feature, for the equations solving part, for example.
For instance, let's say the user wants to have the "Power" (electrical power). He then would have the choice to browse, within the available formulas, by category, and by name. The other option (in addition), is that the user would be asked to select from a list of [variables [and/or] units] the one he wants to know and the one(s) he has. For the "P" (power) example, let's say the user only know the R (resistor) value and the I (current). He then selects from within the lists : "P", "R", "I". The program then shows him a list of available formula that link these 3 variables. Here, there would be "P = R*I² (Resistive circuit)". This list has to be sortable by variable name.
(By the way, that P=R*I² formula is an "indirect" formula : the program itself made it, with an algorithm that "understands" all the parts of an equation and links the equations altogether. Here, it linked U=R*I and P=U*I)
Okay, one more motivation? ... Hmmm Let's see ... there will be rewards for active contributors:) (within the limits of available stocks, over time
). In short, it's a great project, there shouldn't even be a reward, right ? 
If this project interests you or if you think you can help in any way, there's room for everyone, whatever your skills
Please share your ideas / comments / applications on the topic or by mail (info @ tiplanet. org)
For now, those involved in this project are: Adriweb, Critor, Excale, Levak, Jim Bauwens, Rayquaza (NeoCrisis).
We hope this list will become longer thanks to you !
We are hosting this open-source project on GitHub, by the way.
For more info, questions, etc., Please do so on this topic.
It would be also very interesting that contributors to the project come together when he can on IRC: Server EFNet, channel #eepronspire. (Mibbit Link) (#nspire-lua Chan for the Lua programming on the Nspire chat)
Thank you,
Adrien "Adriweb" Bertrand,
for TI-Planet.org
