Edit Formula

The Edit Formula screen lets you create, edit and test a formula for generating the values in a specific column (field) of a table.

Dialog Item

Purpose

Formula:

Displays the current state of the formula, which can be edited.

Columns:

Lists all columns in the table. Used to select columns containing values that may be used in the construction of the formula. Select by double-clicking.

Operators

Lists the permissible (supported) mathematical operators that may be used in the formula. Select by clicking.

Functions

Lists the defined mathematical functions that may be used in the formula. Select by double-clicking.

Constants

Lists the defined constants. Select by double-clicking.

Note: Formulae are not saved to the table - only the values are saved. Formulae only exist until they have been run, and the cells contain values.

Operators, Functions and Constants

Defined Operators

Operator

Example Usage (Syntax)

Description

+

x + y

Addition operator

-

x - y

Minus operator

*

x * y

Multiplication operator

/

x / y

Division operator

^

x ^ y

Calculates x raised to the power of y

-

- x

Unary minus operator

%

x % y

Modulo; find remainder of the division of x by y

==

x == y

Equal logical operator.  Return 1 if true, 0 if false.

!=

x != y

Not equal logical operator.  Return 1 if true, 0 if false.

>=

x >= y

Greater than or equal logical operator.  Return 1 if true, 0 if false.

<=

x <= y

Less than or equal logical operator.  Return 1 if true, 0 if false.

>

x > y

Greater than logical operator.  Return 1 if true, 0 if false.

<

x < y

Lesser than logical operator.  Return 1 if true, 0 if false.

Define Functions

Operator

Example Usage (Syntax)

Description

sin

sin(x)

Sine

asin

asin(x)

Arcsine

sinh

sinh(x)

Hyperbolic sine

cos

cos(x)

Cosine

acos

acos(x)

Arccosine

cosh

cosh(x)

Hyperbolic cosine

tan

tan(x)

Tangent

atan

atan(x)

Arctangent

tanh

tanh(x)

Hyperbolic tangent

sqrt

sqrt(x)

Square root

min

min(x,y)

Return smaller of two values

max

max(x,y)

Return larger of two values

abs

abs(x)

Absolute value

rand

rand()

Random value between 0 and 1

ceil

ceil(x)

Ceiling

floor

floor(x)

Floor

log

log(x)

Natural logarithm (base-e)

log10

log10(x)

Logarithm to base-10

avg

avg(v1,v2,v3,...)

Returns the average of a set of values

sum

sum(v1,v2,v3,...)

Returns the sum of a set of values

div

div(x,y)

Div; returns the nearest round number from the division of x by y

mod

mod(x,y)

Modulo; find the remainder of the division of x by y

pow

pow(x,y)

Returns x to the power of y

if

if(v1,v2,v3)

Returns v2 if v1 is true (equals 1) otherwise returns v3

Defined Constants

Constant

Value

Description

PI, pi

3.141593

pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, a mathematical constant.

E, e

2.718282

e is Euler's number, a  mathematical constant.

TR, DL

+1e-30

 

TOP

+1e+30

 

BOTTOM

-1e-30

 

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