What about a "SCI ALL" format?

[Dieter]

Besides the common FIX, SCI and ENG formats where the user specifies a certain number of digits to be displayed, most newer HPs (say, since the late Eighties) feature the ALL format that displays as much digits as required, i.e. it shows all mantissa digits but no trailing zeroes. In other words, the value of 3/32 is displayed like this:

FIX 2: 0,09
SCI 2: 9,38 E–2
ENG 2: 93,8 E–3
ALL:   0,09375

It's the major benefit of the ALL mode that it displays as many digits "as required", but not more. Now I wonder if this would also make sense if combined with the SCI or ENG mode. For x=3/32 this would mean:

SCI 2: 9,38 E–2
SCI 7: 9,3750000 E–2

ENG 2: 93,8 E–2
ENG 7: 93,750000 E–3

SCI ALL: 9,375 E–2
ENG ALL: 93,75 E–3

Likewise, larger numbers like 12345 would be displayed like this:

SCI 2: 1,23 E4
SCI 7: 1,2345000 E4

ENG 2: 12,3 E3
ENG 7: 12,345000 E3

SCI ALL: 1,2345 E4
ENG ALL: 12,345 E3

So this would combine a SCI or ENG display (with tens exponent) and as many digits as required to show the complete mantissa.

Would you say this may be a useful feature?

Dieter

[Voldemar]

(06-08-2018 09:09 AM)Dieter Wrote:  Likewise, larger numbers like 12345 would be displayed like this:

ENG 7: 12,345000 E3
ENG ALL: 12,345 E3

Dieter

There are shifted <-ENG and ENG-> keys (E key and () key) on HP 35s. If 12345 is inserted, in ENG 7 display mode it displayed 12,34500E3, then press ENG->, and we get 12,345E3

[Voldemar]

Pressing <-ENG or ENG-> key causes «combined ALL format» also in FIX and SCI display formats, displays as much digits as required.

[Dieter]

(06-08-2018 06:26 PM)Voldemar Wrote:  Pressing <-ENG or ENG-> key causes «combined ALL format» also in FIX and SCI display formats, displays as much digits as required.

Thank you for this hint. Yes, this works... but (1) only for a temporary number display, (2) only for ENG and not for SCI and (3), most important, only on calculators that feature such ←ENG and ENG→ keys.

I am thinking of a normal, permanent display mode so that numbers are directly shown as described above.
Maybe this in as idea for a custom firmware project. ;-)

Dieter

[Voldemar]

(06-08-2018 09:09 AM)Dieter Wrote:  Would you say this may be a useful feature?

It would be nice if there were any SCI or ENG display format, in which unnecessary zeroes in the end of mantissa be removed.

[pinkman]

(06-08-2018 09:09 AM)Dieter Wrote:  Would you say this may be a useful feature?

Well... I would answer "no".
I consider SCI and ENG modes useful for physics calculations, while ALL is nice for mathematics or everyday calculations.
As an engineer, I've never felt limited by the way SCI and ENG work, because it is exactly what I'm looking for.
IMHO using more than required digits in an experimental approach like physics, electronic, etc. has no sense.

[hth]

(06-08-2018 09:09 AM)Dieter Wrote:  Would you say this may be a useful feature?

Dieter

No, not really. You should know how many digits to trust or what you need, seeing a long series of digits is not helpful in the real world.