Casyopee's window


The four tabs and the NotePad

Here, we will examine Casyopee' s window organisation.


Figure 1 : Algebra and graphic tabs in the Casyopee window

With the  button, the algebra tab (expression list, and optionally X-values, functions and equation lists) is switched with the dynamic geometry tab. The  button allows the reverse action. The graphic tab is switched with the geometric calculation tab using the  button. The reverse action is done via the  button. The symbolic values list  appears optionally at the bottom of the graphic tab.

Figure 2 - Geometric tabs in the Casyopee window

Notes:

Using the buttons Algebra/Geometry and Graphs/Geometric calculation, four main configurations are available.  Figure 1 and Figure 2 above display two of these.

In a configuration "Geometry and Graphs" ,dynamic figures in the geometry tab can be animated together with graphs.

In some cases, it is useful to see both the algebra and the geometry tabs. This is done by  detaching the geometry tab (Actions.) 

The NotePad is always visible and  hides the Graphs/Geometric calculation tab when in full page mode. The  hidden tab can be made visible by unchecking the corresponding item in the NotePad menu. See Online Help. All commands carried out within Casyopee are displayed in the notepad with their results. This notepad allows the user to keep traces of his/her actions in the software as well as their results, and to prepare a redaction which continues his/her study. The user can add comments, reorganize his or her text, include tables of justification and print the notepad. The notepad is saved with the objects.

Starting Casyopee, the Algebra tab is displayed with just the expression list and the NotePad in full page mode.  The graphic tab is hidden behind. The version number is displayed on the initialisation form, and after that in the NotePad. If the computer can access the Internet, it is possible to check whether a new version is available via the Check New Version button. If there is one, automatic update will be proposed. This button is available on the initialisation form, and after that on the about form available through the ? menu. Working with the newest version is recommended.

Between two exercises, you can do Files / New and you will be prompted to save your work. You can also run another instance of Casyopee in order to carry out two tasks in parallel by Files / New Window

Casyopee' s calculation uses Maxima, an open source piece of software for symbolic computation: http://maxima.sourceforge.net.

The General toolbar

The General toolbar is always present regardless of the tabs.
This button is a shortcut to create a new study.
This button allows register the current study.
This button opens a previously registered study.
This button deletes a selected (highlighted) object

 
Change Display Size
These buttons increase or decrease the size of characters in the lists and in the Notepad.
See Online Help.

Undo-Redo
 
A button to go back before the last creation or deletion (cancel). Then, if necessary, the current state can be restored. See Online Help.

This button lets you create and manage parameters.

The main menu

File

The items of the menu File allow to create or open, and to save a study of functions.

New window

This entry opens a new instance of Casyopee, separate for the current instance and without closing the current instance.

New

When starting Casyopee, a new study is opened automatically. It is possible to come back to this state with this command. By default, a new study contains the set of calculation and justification commands automatically saved in the casyopee.ini file after each session. The menu Option allows to parametrize the available commands.

Open

This command allows to load a resolution which has been saved on a hard disk, a USB stick or a CD-ROM.

A window allows to choose the directory, the name of the file.

Recent

Displays a list of recently opened or saved cas files. Open a file by clicking in the list.
Note: the list is stored with other current parameters in the casyopee.ini file.
Delete this file if you whish to restore the default state of Casyopee.

Save

This command allows to save a study on a hard disk or on other media. If it is a first save, a dialog box is opened.

The information relating to the study are saved in a file with a specific type (.cas). If the study has been already saved, there is no dialog box and the study is replaced by the actual study with the same name.

If one want to keep the previous study, it's necessary to use the command Save as in order to change the name or the directory.

Save as

This command allows to save in the new file a study on the hard disk or a floppy disk or others.

Save screen

This command allows to record the current screen of Casyopee. If a free point or a parameter has a velocity, the screen is recorded as an animated GIF. The parameters of recording are defined in the Option window. This allows creating animations. Otherwise, the screen is recorded in  bitmap (bmp) format.

Import GGB

This command allows to import a construction made in geogebre (extension .ggb) : Constructions allowed: Point,  Intersect,  Point on object,  Midpoint,  Cursor,  Line,  Segment,  Ray,  Circle, Angle, AngularBisector, Locus, LineBisector, OrthogonalLine, Polygon, segment, function

Edit

The Edit menu groups the commands allowing to export Casyopee elements to others application, and to the notepad.. These commands are also availaible in contextual menus.

Copy

This command is allows to copy in the clipboard a selected object:  an expression, a value of the variable, a function and its table of properties, an equation, a value in the list of symbolic values of functions, or a geometric calculation.

An object can be copied in three modes:
 
Raw text :the object is copied as a string of characters that can be pasted into a   Casyopee dialog box.  

Latex : :the object is copied as a latex expression that can be pasted into the lsource of a Latex document.

Picture: :the object is copied as an image. This is useful to display a mathematical expression inside a document without using specific functionalities.

Copy Graph

This command allows to copy the graphic tab under image format into the clipboard as it appears on the screen.

Insert Graph into Notepad

This command inserts directly the current view of the graphic tab into the notepad.

Delete

This command allows to delete objects of Casyopee.

To delete an object, one can also use the button X in the tools bar.

A window asks confirmation before the definitive suppression of the objects and als of the depending objects.

"Algebra / Geometry" button

The button is visible when the algebra tab is displayed. Using this button you hide this tab and you display the dynamic geometry tab.

The button  is visible when the dynamic geometry  tab is displayed. Using this button you hide this tab and you display the algebra tab.

"Graphs / Geometrical calculationsbutton

The button is visible when the graphs tab is displayed. Using this button you hide this tab and you display the "Geometrical calculations" tab.

The button is visible when the "Geometrical calculations"  tab is displayed. Using this button you hide this tab and you display the graphs tab.


Options

The menu Options allows to personalize the menus of the software, by choosing the available calculations and justifications, with respect to the profile of students. At the opening, all commands of calculations and of justifications are activated.

Two actions of parametrization are available:

Standard, by choosing pre-defined profiles.
Detail, by selecting the commands of calculation and of justifications made available.

Standard

Four standard profiles are available: The available calculations and justifications are reduced accordingly.

Profile 1 : Study of sign without trinomial properties
Profile 2 : Study of sign with trinomial properties
Profile 3 : Study with the derivative
Profile 4 : Complete study with theorem of the bijection

Details

The window allows to choose in the lists of calculations and justifications commands, the ones available in the menus Calculate and Justify. In addition, this allows to choose the buttons of keyboarding window of functions, of equations and of variable values.

Windows

This menu allows to select the lists of objects displayed in the algebra tab and in the graphic tab (check boxes on the left).. 

Various options are offered on the right;  the temporary folder used by Casyopee (on some networks, it has to be choosed by hand), the display of error messages following Maxima commands (for specialists); the notation d(A,B )instead of AB, the parameterization of the animated GIF created by the File, Save Screen menu entry, the display of a a form listing the commands sent by Casyopee to Maxima and the answer from Maxima (again for specialists).

Language

This  sub-menu allows to change the language. Four are currently available :

  • French
  • English
  • Spanish
  • Greek

If you wish to translate Casyopee into your own language, please see the procedure at http://casyopee.eu

Calculation and Justification

This menu offers three switches modifying Casyopee's behavior in the Algebra tab. By default, the switches are off.

  • Radical Factoring
When the switch ins on, quadratic expressions with real roots are factored as product of linear factors. For instance, is factored in   when the switch is off, and in when it is on;
  • Radical Simplification
When the switch is on, logarithms, exponentials, and radicals are converted into a canonical form, ignoring possible constraints of domaine. For exemple  is factored into with this option.
  • Suggest Justif.
    When the switch is on, Casyopee helps the user for first tw of a justification.
    • 1.  in the justification menu of a function, only the items that  can be useful with regard to already proved properties are activated.
    • 2. in the dialog box  conditions d' application  a button makes an automatic completion of the  entries..

This is in order that Casyopee helps the student to build a proof.