As a side project I’m creating another calculator app… (Why, because I want to )
Anyways… I would like some feedback on how to improve the layout of the “programmers” version.
Are there important functions I forgot? Ideas on better ways to layout the keys in portrait and/or landscape mode.
Note : the focus is on the key layout… I know the “display area” needs more… but before I get to that I want to make sure I’ve got all the functions, and layout as best as can be.
So if you have any ideas, feedback, comments etc… I’d really like to hear them
I do a LOT of embedded code, my IDE, MPLABX, has a great debug feature where you ‘hover’ the cursor on any variable and it shows the value in a little window along with its address (take note xojo, a real debugger).
BUT the popup only shows HEX, I would suggest 3 little items (which may already be in your project)>
(1) simultaneous display of the decimal and hex value when either is typed in to avoid the need to swap between the two using HEX DEC buttons, perhaps with autodetect of HEX if DEC is selected
(2) BIN readout, similar to the CMD-3 version of MacOS calculator
(3) MOD button, not on the MacOS calculator but is on the windows one
they would be in my calculator if I ever got time to write it…
I think in landscape mode I’d keep ABC and DEF the same way they are in portrait mode, so the numbers are 3 wide the whole way up. I’d move MR and MC to where A and B are. On the right side I’d try something like:
dec, Clr, AC
bin, -, (divide)
hex, +, x
oct, RoR, RoL
You could get yourself a little more screen space if you split the “=” button into a “=” and an options button, and then put basic/scientific/programmer in the options. I don’t know if it’s worth that though, it’s hard to tell not having it on a real device in front of me.
looks good, if not busy.
there is a lot in there I personally never use, like memories and octal, flip so I would think it nice to effectively ditch the stuff I don’t use and have it on a secondary swipe screen, you did ask!
I want those on the main screen, primarily since I find it annoying to have to go somewhere to change modes (like the macOS version for example). The buttons autosize based on device and orientation, and so far they are above the 44px minimum stated in the Apple Hig
on an iPhoneSE (smallest device this will be for) a button is 64x49 … this will change slightly as I finish the display object… buttons are obviously larger on other iPhones and iPad of course
also notice that area is slightly smaller on the new screenshots…
It looks mostly good to me. However, not being sure how the 1’s and 2’s keys are implemented, I’d be concerned about their positioning. Since the ‘equals’ key is likely the most used key, the keys next to it should have no effect on the calculations that isn’t easily reversible. If it were me, I’d be really upset if I accidentally lost a large string of calculations if I hit the 2’s key when I was meaning the ‘equals’ key.
Thanks… hard to tell what is “right”… I’ve seen similar calculators where is was 1->2 and others that were 2->1 … and if I recall 2’s is used more often than 1’s
Valid point. However, you might want to keep the 1’s and 2’s button order the same between the portrait and landscape modes, whichever order you finally decide on.