I did a lot of operating the emulator to work on the SIGFIG display mode, and during this time I had to do a lot of 'normal' calcs. This was actually valuable to see where some menus were difficult to access, and this points straight to item 401:
As it was up to now:
INFO MODE CNST DISP <- CLR
I changed it to:
MODE INFO DISP CNST <- CLR
Practicality wins. The single tap shift for DISP is definitely required, and same for MODE. So both MODE and DISP are as per the HP42S yellow labels.
The CLR remains reversed, as I want the UNDO on the easier accessible button. So this item is ticked off too.
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I send the complete list, so I basically keep sane. Sorry for the volume. The procedure with the list below is as follows: All old "DONE"’s were deleted and fall away. The previous "NEW" items are now not new any more, and I removed only the "NEW". I added new "DONE"'s and "NEW"s as applicable, which, on the next mail will change again. So the list will tell the reader which items were completed and which are pending still.
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Todo reminders:
201. Fix keyboard key shortcuts on the emulator broken due to layout change
202. Fix Alpha key layout and menus that is broken due to layout change
203. DONE: Asked inautilus to edit the background graphic, to include the blue/yellow dots
204. Check which functions are missing on the main project’s menus and decide if certain functions are to be added. Big job - no time for that now.
205. On the text entry mode, add a special MENU line for all the commands required during text entry, which are missing due to reshuffling..
206. next item
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Wish list:
301. DONE. Find more math candidates for the HOME menu. Menu full.
PARLL / x! / xˆ2 / pi / e / CLSTK
303. Add SigFig mode as per WP31S, 34S, 34C. This is automatic rounding, which in SIG mode, will display 3.14159 as 3.142 and will display 299792458 as 299 800 000 or 299.8 x10ˆ6 in ENG mode.
304. WAIT. To consider the need for HEX DEC OCT BIN on a soft menu (compare with # operation). I suggested this to Walter. I wait for answer.
307. Creation of CUST1 menu. Variable content.
308. Add METRIC mode for ENG mode, to display metric unit prefixes, i.e. display k instead of 10ˆ3, M instead of 10ˆ6, G instead of 10ˆ9, for example an X register of 170000 should display in ENG as 170 x 10ˆ3, but if this is activated, must display 170 k
311. See if white lines from the actual FN buttons to the screen labels can be drawn. The purpose is to see if it will help fit the wider keys to the narrower soft buttons on screen.
312. DONE: See if the alpha text characters on the emulator keyboard contrast can improve. Maybe +20% font size. Also mark Y and N bright white, to aid Y/N responses. I don’t like the red - but it is a CSS file change only that you can fiddle with on the client machine, at least on the Mac it is.
313. DONE: See if the underlined text characters on the emulator keyboard clutter can improve by shading instead of underlines. It is a CSS file change only that you can fiddle with on the client machine, at least on the Mac it is.
314. DONE: Changed TRIG menu to be more applicable to DM42 keyboard, i.e. moved SIN COS TAN to shifted keys to have the ASIN ACOS ATAN on primaries lining up with the dedicated SIN COS TANJ on the keys.
315. next item
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To re-consider:
401. DONE. Consider changing back to yellow for MODE, DISP & CLR. Unlikely to change. But wait to test on DM42.
Chose:" MODE INFO DISP CNST <- CLR"
402. WAIT. Consider FILL and STK swap back to R< and >P. Unlikely to change. But wait to test on DM42.
403. DONE. Leaving at R.BR & B.BR. Trying R.BR B.BR now. Removed RG.V BT.V as it feels too weird. I’m not convinced it is the best yet. Best alternative is staying close to main project. Also R.ST B.ST and RG.ST and Bt.ST was mentioned.
407. next item
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Reminders for the actual calc layout:
502. Yellow and blue dots above shift button
503. Increase contrast in text letters on the future template
504. Maybe use dotted underlines for menus (for yellow and blue underline) on the future template
505. Mark the “Y” and “N”bright white to help finding the yes/no answer to some confirmations, on the future template
506. Possibly have shading (28S style) instead of underlining of menus.
507. next item
The image below is the latest image. It is now user selectable to save the correct CSS file, which will either have the shaded menu items, or the underlined menu items. At least like this one the Mac Emulator.