CodeCalc v1.32
--------------

Author: Paul Bowlay
E-Mail: otser@yahoo.com
WebURL: http://members.xoom.com/otser/



Legal And Distribution Info
---------------------------

Please refer to the document named "Legal.txt" in this archive.  By
using this program, you signify that you have read and agree to all
the terms and regulations set out in that document.



Introduction
------------

"CodeCalc" is a timecode calculator made for the TV/film industries,
however, anyone with a need to calculate times will find it useful.
Specifically, I wrote it for myself (a TV presentation co-ordinator)
and thus it's slightly biased towards the TV industry.  In fact, the
only film support is that it allows calculations based on 24 fps.



Installation
------------

(1) Put the "CodeCalc.opa" file inside the "App" directory of any disk
on your Psion 3c.  The program does not write to this disk when
running, so you can safely install it to a Flash SSD if desired.

(2) Install the program icon by pressing Psion-I at the System Screen.

(3) SPECIAL NOTE: Every time you exit "CodeCalc" a preferences file is
written to your 3c's Internal memory as "M:\APP\CodeCalc.ini" (1 K).
Make sure you delete this file if you ever decide to un-install the
program and don't intend to use it again.



Using The Program
-----------------

When you first run CodeCalc, you'll see the following display:

   CodeCalc            HH:MM:SS
   25 fps              00:00:00
   >

This display is known as the CodeCalc "console".  All calculations are
done by entering commands into this console.  This may seem strange at
first, but from one TV dude to another, I guarantee that you'll find
it very quick and logical!  :)

Looking at the display, you'll see the current Psion's time in the top
right of the screen.  You should now (if working in the TV industry)
immediately synchronise your Psion's clock to your facility's clock.
Refer to your Psion's manual for details on setting the clock.

The next thing you'll notice is that you're working at 25 fps (PAL).
To change this to NTSC (30 fps) or Film (24 fps), press Psion-N or
Psion-F.  Voila!  When you exit CodeCalc, the current fps setting is
saved and will be used again when you re-start it.

Most functions of CodeCalc are done by entering a single letter and
pressing Enter, as you just saw.  I will now explain how to fully use
CodeCalc via its console commands.  Please read on!  :)



Exiting CodeCalc
----------------
To exit CodeCalc and return to the Psion's System screen, simply press
Psion-X (as expected).  All current settings (fps, time results, etc)
are saved and will be in effect when you re-start the program.  If you
are running a countdown timer, you are warned before quitting that you
will lose the countdown if you exit.



Obtaining Online Help
---------------------
Press the "Help" key and then select a subject and press Enter.



Changing FPS (Frames-Per-Second)
--------------------------------
To use PAL (25 fps), press Psion-P.
To use NTSC (30 fps), press Psion-N.
To use Film (24 fps), press Psion-F.
To use Secam (25 fps), press Psion-P.



Peforming Time and/or TimeCode Calculations
-------------------------------------------
NOTE: Only addition and subtraction are supported in this release.
The format for time/timecode calculations is as follows:

   hhmmssff<+/->hhmmssff

Obviously, hhmmssff means hours,minutes,seconds,frames.  Thus, to
calculate 1 hour 36 minutes + 9 hours 13 seconds, you would enter:

   01360000+09001300

The result of 10:36:13:00 is displayed.  To save typing, you can omit
any TRAILING zeroes of a time/timecode.  Thus, the above calculation
could be entered as:

   0136+090013

and the same result would be shown.  Remember, only TRAILING zeroes
can be omitted, and not LEADING zeroes!  Also, do NOT have any spaces
in the calculation, or incorrect results will appear.

When you have the result of a calculation, you can add or subtract to
it without entering the result again.  This is done by completely
omitting the result and entering the second half of the calculation.
For example, to add a further 7 minutes to our result of 10:36:13:00,
you would simply enter:

   +0007

Understand?  Here's the whole procedure shown again as you would enter
it into the console:

   >0136+090013
   10:36:13:00
   >+0007
   10:43:13:00

As you can see, CodeCalc acts a bit like a paper roll as you do your
calculations.  You simply keep adding or subtracting to the current
result.  If you want to start a totally new calculation, just enter
it with both values again (ie: hhmmssff<+/->hhmmssff).

To clear the result of a time/timecode calculation, type "tc" and
press Enter.  The result now becomes 00:00:00:00.



Performing Time/Timecode Calculations Past 23 Hours
---------------------------------------------------
By default, CodeCalc wraps any calculations that exceed 23 hours in
total.  That is, if you try to add 2 hours to 23 hours, the result
would be 2 hours instead of 25 hours.  Why?  Because in my profession
(television broadcast), any calculations past 23 hours needs to wrap
back to early hours for broadcast reasons.  That is, if I start a TV
programme at 11pm (2300 hours) and it runs for 2 hours, I like to know
that it'll end at 0100 hours (1am) rather than 2500 hours.

Luckily, this automatic wrapping is not set in stone.  Typing "w" and
pressing Enter will toggle this wrapping, allowing or disallowing
calculations past 23 hours and up to a total of 100 hours.



Converting Minutes/Seconds/Frames To Time Format
------------------------------------------------
You can convert a large number of minutes, seconds, and frames to time
format (hh:mm:ss:ff).  For example, you may wish to know what 20570
seconds is in time format.  To perform such conversions, enter the
value desired and follow it with "m", "s" or "f".  Thus, to convert
our example of 20570 seconds to time format, you would enter:

   20570s

The result, 05:42:50:00, is shown.  There is a limit to the value that
you can use, depending on which time unit you're converting.  This
limit is imposed due to the slowness of the Psion when producing the
result.  Basically, the maximum result for any conversion won't be
allowed to exceed 17 hours.  This means that a maximum of 999 minutes
can be converted, and 99999 for seconds and frames.  In practice, this
limit doesn't really affect any calculations that you may need.



Calculating A Broadcast Reel's TX End-Time
------------------------------------------
Another custom feature for the presentation co-ordinators.  :)  If you
ever need to switch playback VTR's for a broadcast reel, your on-air
system (eg. Alamar) may not accurately reflect when the programme will
finish.  Thus, to find out, follow these steps:

Firstly (and VERY importantly!), ensure that your Psion's clock is
perfectly synchronised with your facility's clock.  Otherwise, the
result given by CodeCalc will just be a load of rubbish.  :)  Next,
specify the broadcast reel's timecode out-point by typing "o" and the
timecode, that is: ohhmmssff.  Thus, if the out-point was 01:02:03:04,
you would enter:

   o01020304

CodeCalc is now halfway ready to calculate the TX end-time for you.
The next thing you must do is tell CodeCalc when an upcoming timecode
point of that reel is due to arrive.  Look at the reel's current
timecode point and mentally add 10 seconds (more or less) to it, and
type "g" (for "get") and that point.  Thus, if the upcoming timecode
point was 01:01:00:00, you would type:

   g01010000

IMPORTANT: Do NOT press Enter yet!  You ONLY press Enter when this
future timecode point actually arrives!  To recap: You've told
CodeCalc of the reel's timecode out-point, and you've typed an
upcoming timecode point but not pressed Enter for that upcoming point.
The cursor should be flashing at the end of the "g" timecode line.

When this future point arrives, THEN you press Enter.  A time will be
displayed: this is the time that the broadcast reel will finish.



Using The Countdown Timer
-------------------------
A countdown timer of up to 22 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds can be
used with CodeCalc.  It's display is shown under the clock at the top
right of screen.  To start a countdown, type "t" followed by a 6-digit
number in the format HHMMSS.  Thus, to have a 1 minute 36 second
countdown, enter "t0136".  To stop the countdown, enter "t0".



Performing Normal Mathematical Calculations
-------------------------------------------
CodeCalc has its own built-in calculator to save you from switching to
the Psion's version when you need one.  To perform a calculation, type
"c" and the expression.  For example, to calculate 913 + 9745, enter:

   c913+9745

You can use the result of a calculation with a new value by typing
"cr" and the new expression.  For example, to multiply a previous
result by 7, you'd enter:

   cr*7

You can clear the result to 0 by entering "cc" in the console.



Miscellaneous Console Commands
------------------------------
To see program copyright and author info, press Psion-A.
To see a summary of all CodeCalc values, enter "s" and press Enter.
To exit the program, press Psion-X.

======================================================================
