Schizo Developer

Mobile Calculator Project

2008-06-13T00:51:00Z

My first project is going to be a calculator for NETCF written in VB.Net.

I hear you saying "It's been done!"....and yer right.

However, not like I want it to work. When I was in college, I had a stack screen calculator ( I suppose most of us did) and I liked it. I like being able to see what terms I used in my calculation. Combined with reverse polish notation, this makes for a powerfully quick calc. I also want it to give me the ability to define reusable global values and perhaps even functions, etc.

So, I have begun first on a generic math parser class. I will make this class compatible with NETCF. Why? Because if I do, it will be very simple to reuse it anywhere I need a math parser.

My first challenge was approach. How does one approach the parsing? For example, if I am looking at an eqn like:

2+(2*3 +(3+4)) + ((2+5) * 3 + (9*9))

See all those nested parens? Every time I thought about how to approach this, my eyes started crossing....until my eyes cleared and one word appeared before them: recursion!

See, I can process the string one character at a time...I can treat the numbers and operators and when I find an opening parens, I start from the back and find the correct closer...once I do, I sent the entire contents of the parens into a recursive version of the same function, and the process repeats. Once I don't have any more parens, I calculate the values and unwind the stack...

I have the parsing code started, and it does what I want, but I need to get the calculation stuff working....once done, I post an example here.

Welcome to the re-launch!

2008-05-31T13:38:00Z

Adventures in CSLA has been relaunched as....

Schizo Developer!

Sounds like an odd name, I know, but it stems from the fact that these days I do a lot of work with QTP (VBScript) generating automated testing for work, and VB.Net development at home for my own edification. In future, I'll be posting code examples and such from both realms of the development world, automated testing and more traditional development.

So, please check back from time to time to see what both sides of my brain are doing. :-)

Slight change of plans...

2008-05-19T19:22:00Z

Well, I guess the Adventures in CSLA didn't get started like I hoped it would....

There's been a change of scenery and jobs, and that has taken me away from it. I might be back on CSLA in the future, but lately, I've been getting more excited about doing mobile apps again. I confess most of my work has been in C# <gasp!> in the recent past, so this seems like a great time to do to things:

1) Celerate the language in which I got my start

2) Become reaquainted with NETCF development.

So, be looking for more in the future....including a renaming of this blog, once I figure out what to call it.....

Welcome!

2007-11-21T17:52:00Z

Hi, there! this is my blog on working with CSLA via VB.Net. I'll be posting issues and such in here as I go. I am currently working on comic book store subscription management application in WinForms, but will be adding some Web as I get it "together". :-)

More to come!