Here is a new beta release of SMath Studio: https://en.smath.com/forum/yaf_postst20001_Beta--SMath-Studio-0-99-7632--23-November-2020.aspx

It includes very interesting feature which was a goal for me for last couple of years. During this time I had to review/implement many parts of SMath Studio to make this possible. Feature is called Document mode.



The main idea is that there are two modes of the documents should be supported by SMath Studio:

1. Worksheet - equations has the first priority! - standard mode of the program;
   
2. Document - text has the first priority! - new mode

Document mode is a mode when one is working with a file like in MS Word. This is a text processor with possibility to insert equations. The only difference is that these equations are automatically calculated!

What to expect:

• There is no red cursor anymore;
  
• Enter can be used to make line breaks (no need to press Ctrl or Shift to make it work);
  
• Everything is vertically aligned by a baseline.

Important note is that adding this new feature does not mean standard Worksheets will be killed! Actually Documents are implemented as lightweight versions of the Worksheets, so these two modes are connected. In other words Document mode is a bit customized Worksheet which always has only one Region inside and this one Region supports any other Regions inside itself. One may noticed that Text Region can be used as a container for other Regions and Document mode is a real reason why this was introduced. Pages view, line/page breaks and many other stuff was implemented to reach the same goal.

And now I want to introduce a very early version of this mode.

Currently it is a bit hidden, so regular user will not use functionality which is not ready and not tested enough. Here is an instruction about how one can make Document mode enabled:

1. Open Tools > Plugins..., find and select Text Region, set Document mode checkbox checked:
   
   
2. Find a New document item in File menu:
   

I think there is nothing to describe more except one thing: equations should be added to text using Alt+= keystroke or using Insert menu.

This is a very first version, so it has many obvious issues, like:

• Text Cursor is not blinking;
  
• Poor text formatting capabilities;
  
• Collapsed Area Region is not supported;
  
• Some shortcuts do not work in new Mode;
  
• Not all sentences translated.

I will work to fix all of them and many others in nearest future.

It is very important that API is ready to be used by other developers, so lets hope Writer plug-in will support new functionality (Davide is informed), so it will be possible to see new Document mode in full power soon!

This is very important for the project as it is really something unique for the market and may be used by engineers, students and others to prepare and publish their work with less external programs. This is a first step... may be it is not very impressive for the end user, but it has huge work under the hood and I have a feeling that next steps will give us more opportunities then we ever had!

Best regards, Andrey Ivashov.

Simply amazing!

Exciting...!

Wonderful. I have been doing whole documents on Smath, since some time already, but with a lot of tinkering, so now it seems it will be even better!

I'm working to update Writer Region, will be available ASAP.

Great!. Just a note.

Wrote

...
This is a very first version, so it has many obvious issues, like:

• Text Cursor is not blinking;
  ...

Best regards, Andrey Ivashov.

That's could be not an issue, but a feature. Just make it an square without blinking, like in Norton Editor! It's more peaceful write without a cursor continuously blinking in front of the user face.



Best regards.
Alvaro.

Andrey Ivashov: fills me with pleasure to see how this project that you created
is moving so fast and in the right direction.
congratulations and thank you very much, every day I come to this forum
to learn and discover new things, everyone here always so attentive and kind,
which is like a big family. Thanks again

Wrote

Great!. Just a note.

That's could be not an issue, but a feature. Just make it an square without blinking, like in Norton Editor! It's more peaceful write without a cursor continuously blinking in front of the user face.

Best regards.
Alvaro.

You couldn't be any more right.
Nothing triggers me to write something more than a nonblinking cursor.
Probably I love retro more than I think.

Regards

Blinking cursor makes easier for the brain to spot immediately the position (like when you have to spot the position of an animal in the wild). Solid cursor is nice but is a little bit odd with non monospaced fonts.

Wrote

Blinking cursor makes easier for the brain to spot immediately the position (like when you have to spot the position of an animal in the wild). Solid cursor is nice but is a little bit odd with non monospaced fonts.

Ups. I'm not thinking about that. With proportional fonts it probably doesn't look as good, and a blinker free bar is harder to locate. Actually it's explained here, in french:

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curseur_(interface)

Best regards.
Alvaro.

If it matters I might introduce a setting in WriterRegion to choose if the caret blinking should be enabled or not, it doesn't cost too much effort since everything is already in place.

Wrote

If it matters I might introduce a setting in WriterRegion to choose if the caret blinking should be enabled or not, it doesn't cost too much effort since everything is already in place.

Hi Davide, thanks for the offert, but I guess that it isn't necessary, or maybe better take the defaults in the OS system, which in windows are stated according this two images.





For monospaced texts, like ones in the Viacheslav's Memo plugin, the option for having other cursors could be more interesting, and have some tools for change fore and background colors, like an nfo viewer, like this one:



Best regards.

I think same as Razonar.
Although it would be nice to have an option for cursor, no need for an additional choice IMHO.
Windows or Linux system default is enough.

Work in progress.

Today I've released a new beta: https://en.smath.com/forum/yaf_postst20065_Beta--SMath-Studio-0-99-7666--27-December-2020.aspx
It is an early build which is here just to demonstrate a progress.

• So, now it is possible to perform formatting of text fragments in Text Region, not only the whole content as it was before.
  
• Another interesting feature is auto detection of equations (and horizontal rules) in the text: write 2+3 or anything else and program will automatically convert it to Math Region inside a text).

Of course all the features (except paragraphs in text) supported in Document and Worksheet modes of SMath Studio.
Currently I'm working to fix several issues in formatting capabilities, to allow creating links (anchors) for the text fragments and increase stability.

Some notes:

• line interval and text alignment features currently available using context menu only;
  
• Enter adds a paragraph, while Shift+Enter inserts a line break;
  
• It is possible to copy formatted text or its part and paste to MS Word or any other program which supports HTML from clipboard;
  
• Full back-compatibility for Worksheets created in previous versions of SMath Studio provided.

Please try to play with these new capabilities and let me know what you think.
However I cannot recommend to use latest beta in production as it is not that tested yet and there are multiple serious known errors.

Best regards, Andrey Ivashov.

Fantastic! I will soon not need anymore to copy screenshots of SMath into Powerpoint... and we will get live documents!

Another update: https://en.smath.com/forum/yaf_postst20086_Beta--SMath-Studio-0-99-7679--09-January-2021.aspx

It includes the following improvements for Document mode:

• Automatic replacement made more smart;
  
• Support for text indentation and left padding implemented (use Tab/Shift+Tab for the start of new paragraph or text selection);
  
• Buttons to work with text indentation added to the main toolbar (visible in Document mode);
  
• Anchors is now fully supported (http/https urls and path to *.sm files) - can be set manually in the *.sm file using HTML-like A tag;
  
• Empty paragraphs and line breaks is visible on text selection;
  
• Result files size reduced;
  
• Cursor rendering improved;
  
• Up/Down keyboard commands handled accordingly now;
  
• Work with Header/Footer restored.

The main change here is text indentation and better text-to-equation replacements. It is now possible to create formatted text documents... it is pretty easy and convenient.
Hope to be able to add support for Lists and Tables at some point.

Of course there are some issues for now but in my point of view functionality became much more stable and predictable.

Hope you will find it interesting.

Best regards.

Awesome!
I've been away from calculations for a bit ... Hope everyone is SAFE.
I think this is foreshadowing how the help files could be updated natively. Implement headings and what not too? Very ambitious.
Curious, as you forge into this direction, would it be "easier" to repurpose something like Libre/Open Office with an SMath plugin? At one point, there was someone who was trying to do this with MathCAD type extension. Just a thought

Wrote

Awesome!
I've been away from calculations for a bit ... Hope everyone is SAFE.
I think this is foreshadowing how the help files could be updated natively. Implement headings and what not too? Very ambitious.
Curious, as you forge into this direction, would it be "easier" to repurpose something like Libre/Open Office with an SMath plugin? At one point, there was someone who was trying to do this with MathCAD type extension. Just a thought

Hello.

During last years I've implemented pretty good engine for rendering pages of the document/worksheet with support of high DPI, code (i.e. program) became cross-platform and it is now easy to extend plug-ins capabilities for better user experience. So I've decided why not to reuse this possibilities to create something new as it is easy to do and may be handy for at least some part of community? Another important reason is that anything I will do for this new Document mode will improve legacy mode as well. Taking in account many requests from users to add formatting capabilities to Text Region and my old idea to make something like MS Word for calculations it became obvious that work must be started.

Even after all improvements I did TextRegion plug-in size on a disk is just about 70Kb. It is fully cross-platform (uses SMath.Drawing namespace). It does not require any third-party library so no hell with licenses and I can deliver everything full-functional and free.

And I'm not talking only about built-in functionality... SMath Studio already allows to select another plug-in as a handler for text in Document mode, so functionality there can also be modified and improved by community. Hope Writer Region Plug-in will be updated soon to be reused there.

Best regards.

In "Document" mode, the insertion of "image" of "plot -> 2D" of the formulas from the Menu does not work (only the insertion of a formula directly recognized by the program works) as well as the other plots and so on of the plugins.
Smath "0.99.7679.6004" on WINDOWS10
sergio

Wrote

In "Document" mode, the insertion of "image" of "plot -> 2D" of the formulas from the Menu does not work (only the insertion of a formula directly recognized by the program works) as well as the other plots and so on of the plugins.
Smath "0.99.7679.6004" on WINDOWS10
sergio

Thank you! Fixed. New beta will be released soon.