YP Vectors displays a vector in two dimensions, and its two components. The user can change the magnitude and the direction of the vector using the mouse. A window shows the numerical value of the magnitude, the direction, the x component and the y component of the vector. The user can change the scale used to draw the vector.
System Requirements: YP Vectors runs on any Macintosh computer with MAC OS 7.0 or later. It needs about 250 Kb on your hard disk and 800 Kb of RAM. The software runs on older models with 68000 processors (Mac Plus, Mac Classic), but simulations are slower.
Program operation:
When you launch YP Vectors, the main window is displayed: it show a vector (red arrow) in a two dimensional coordinate system.
To change the vector, place the mouse pointer over the arrow head; the pointer becomes a little cross: "+". Press the mouse button, and move the pointer until the arrow head is a the wanted position.
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The characteristics of the vector (magnitude, orientation, x component and y component) are displayed in the "Numerical Values" window. You can change the scale used to draw the diagram with the "Scale" window. The "Vectors" and "Symbols/Units" menus allows you to change the way the diagram and numerical values are displayed. You can also create a new vector at random with the "Random" item in the "Vectors" menu.
Using YP Vectors:
Note: To help you explore all menus of the program, you may use balloon help (with the "?" menu, in the top right corner of the screen).
Menus:
"Apple" Menu:
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Use this menu to
- open an item from the Apple Menu Folder,
- consult online help
- unlock your copy of the program.
Ñ "About YP Vectors..." item: When you select this item from the Apple menu, a dialog box showing information about the version number and copyright is displayed, as well as whether your copy of the software has been registered or not.
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"Unlock" button: This button is visible only if your copy of the software has not yet been personalized. After receiving your personal unlocking code, click on this button to open another dialog box so that you may enter (or paste) your name and your unlocking code in the appropriate zones.
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"Help & Info" Button: This button gives access to online help.
"File" Menu:
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Use the "File Menu" to
- save content of the active window as a PICT file,
- close the active window,
- print the active window,
- quit the application YP Vectors.
"Save as PICT..." item: Saves the content of the active window (mechanism picture or graph) as a PICT file, which can be open by any draw of paint program.
"Close Window" item: Closes the active window.
"Page Setup..." item: Use this item when you want to use a different paper size, or orientation.
"Print" item: Use this item to print the content of the active window.
"Quit" item: Use this item from the file menu to quit the program "YP Vectors".
"Edit" Menu:
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The "Cut", "Paste" and Delete" items are available only when a dialog box in which you may enter text is active.
The "Copy" item is also available when the main window or the "Numerical Values" window is active, so you can easily copy the contents in the clipboard.
"Vectors" Menu:
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Use this menu
- to display the "Numerical Values" window
- to display the "Scale" window
- to create a new vector at random
- to choose the type of component: scalar or vector.
- to change display of the angle
- to show or hide items in the diagram
- to show or hide numerical values
- to show or hide a grid in the main window
"Numerical Values╔" item: Displays the "Numerical Values" window, if it was not visible already. This window shows the numerical value of the magnitude, the direction, the x component and the y component of the vector.
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"Scale╔" item: Displays a dialog in which you can choose the scale used to draw the diagram. Type the number corresponding to the length of the red line, and click on the "Apply Scale" button. You may enter numerical values in decimal or scientific notation (for instance: 2.4e-3 or 0.0024). The exact separators to use (point or comma) depend on the settings in the "Numbers" control panel of your computer.
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"Random" item: Creates a new vector at random.
"Scalar Components" and "Vector Components" items: Use these items to choose the type of components displayed on the diagram: scalar components or vector components.
"Angle From 0í to 360í" and "Angle from -180í to 180í" items: Use these items to choose how the angle is displayed: the angle can take values between
0í et 360í, or between -180í and 180í.
"Show ..." or "Hide ..." items: With these items you can hide or show some items in the diagram (main window) or some numbers (in the "Numerical Values" window). These items can be useful for explanations to a class, or to use the program as a quiz.
"Symbols/Units" Menu:
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Use this menu to choose the symbol and units of the vector. There are 4 possibilities: force in newtons, displacement in meters, velocity in meters per second, or a generic vector without units.
"Help" Menu:
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YP Vectors supports Balloon Help. Use this menu to show or hide help balloons, and to display online help.
Ordering information:
The demo (unregistered) version of YP Vectors may be freely distributed to allow anybody to try it before registering. You are permitted to upload it to an internet site, distribute it on a CD-ROM, or give a copy to a friend.
If you want to use YP Vectors on a regular basis, you must pay for a user license. You will then receive an unlocking code that will permit you to personalize your copy of the program.
The unregistered version have the following limitations:
Ñ a window indicating how to order the full version is displayed at startup.
Ñ the mention "This copy is for evaluation only." is permanently displayed in the main window.
Ñ Several items from the "File" menu, the "Vectors" menu and the "Symbol/Units" menu are not available.
Ñ The program quits after 10 minutes of use.
Your unlocked version will have the following advantages:
Ñ the window indicating how to order the full version is not displayed at startup.
Ñ the mention "This copy is for evaluation only." will never be displayed again in the main window.
Ñ All items from the "File" menu, the "Vectors" menu and the "Symbol/Units" menu will be available.
Ñ The program does not quit after 10 minutes of use.
In addition, you will be able to unlock all future updates of YP Vectors with the same unlocking code.
Methods of Payment:
Kagi, a company located in the United States, handles the payments for my software. You can pay by credit card (Visa, Master Card, American Express), by check or postal money order (in american dollars) or with cash. Schools located in Canada or in the United States can send me a purchase order. For more information about registering YP Vectors, please read the file"How to Order".
Detailed Prices:
Single User License: A $18.00 US registration fee will license one copy of YP Vectors for use on any one computer at any one time. For example, one copy may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer to another as long as there is no possibility of it being used simultaneously on more than one machine.
Site License: A license covering all computers located in the same building is available at the price of $250.00 US.
Technical Support:
If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to e-mail me at pelletier@kagi.com (or ch865@freenet.carleton.ca).
⌐ 1999 Yves Pelletier
All rights reserved.
YP Vectors is provided ╥as-is╙. Yves Pelletier hereby disclaims all warranties relating to this software, whether express or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Yves Pelletier will not be liable for any special, incidental, consequential, indirect or similar damages due to loss of data or any other reason, even if Yves Pelletier or an agent of his has been advised of the possibility of such damages. In no event shall Yves Pelletier be liable for any damages, regardless of the form of the claim. The person using the software bears all risk as to the quality and performance of the software.
