OpenCalculate Project

Overview

OpenCalculate is an open-source calculator application designed to perform a wide range of scientific and engineering calculations, including physics, astronomy, electromagnetism, chemistry, calculus, and fluid dynamics. This project features a user-friendly graphical interface built with Tkinter in Python, allowing users to compute values such as elastic collisions, Ohm's Law, parallax distances, pH levels, derivatives, integrals, and more, including a specialized orifice plate calculator for gas flow in imperial units.

Project Transition

Initially, this project was developed in C++ due to its performance advantages and control over system resources. However, I decided to transition to Python for several reasons:

• Ease of Development: Python's simplicity and extensive libraries (e.g., Tkinter for GUI) accelerate development and prototyping.
• Community Support: Python has a larger community and better documentation, making it easier to troubleshoot and expand the project.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Python's portability reduces the effort needed to adapt the application across different operating systems. Despite this shift, I plan to fork the original C++ version to maintain it as a separate project, preserving its performance benefits for users who prefer a compiled, high-efficiency solution.

Compilation Instructions

Linux

1. Prerequisites:
   • Ensure Python 3.x is installed (python3 --version).
   • Install Tkinter: sudo apt-get install python3-tk (for Debian/Ubuntu-based systems).
2. Install Dependencies:
   • No additional dependencies are required beyond the standard library.
3. Compile and Run:
   • Navigate to the project directory: cd /path/to/OpenCalculate.
   • Run the application: python3 opencalculate.py.
   • The GUI will launch, and you can select tabs to perform calculations.

Windows

1. Prerequisites:
   • Install Python 3.x from python.org.
   • During installation, check "Add Python to PATH" and ensure Tkinter is included (it is by default with the standard installer).
2. Install Dependencies:
   • No additional packages are needed if using the official Python installer.
3. Compile and Run:
   • Open a Command Prompt or PowerShell.
   • Navigate to the project directory: cd \path\to\OpenCalculate.
   • Run the application: python opencalculate.py.
   • The GUI will appear, ready for use.

Usage

• Launch the application using the instructions above.
• Use the home tab to navigate to different calculation categories.
• Input values in the provided fields, and click "Calculate" to see results.
• Clear fields with the "Clear" button and return to menus with "Back".

Future Plans

• I will fork the C++ version to a separate repository for users interested in a compiled alternative.
• Enhance the orifice plate calculator with additional gas properties and unit conversions.
• Add more calculation modules.

License

This project is open-source under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Contact

For questions or contributions, please open an issue on the GitHub repository or contact the maintainer.