labreport-utilities is a console java program (for now only) intended to automate error propagation for lab reports (or other stuff). This means reading a function and some data, doing the error propagation, and outputting the results. Supporting functionality, e.g. a way to get the TeX commands from the function or the error propagation is also included.
A Java JRE version 8 or greater is required. To use the program, start the terminal of you preference and navigate to the program files location. Then, type java -jar <program file name>.
Using this method, the program will start and wait for your input in the terminal you've choosen. <program file name> is most likely something along the lines of lu-xxx.jar if you've just downloaded it.
You can also read the instructions from another file. To use this method, simply state the path to the file containing the instructions (newline-seperated, example) as program argument: java -jar <program file name> <path to instruction file>.
Data is stored in so called tablets. Currently, there are two types of tablets: Function and Data tablets.
Function tablets store mathematical functions and their arguments, data tablets store data in the form of value-error pairs (errors can be 0 of course).
Tablets can be created with the create command. Setting function tablets and single-entry-data-tablets can be done by using the sete command.
Values and errors can be mathematical expressions that evaluate to a number, for example (2+Pi)^3 or Sqrt(9)/4 when using the sete command.
Reading csv-files can be done by using the setf command. In that case, only numbers are allowed.
Excel (or LibreOffice or others) support the export of csv-files. Also, when using the print-command on a data tablet, the output can be pasted into a spreadsheet which should recognize the format (or will ask at least about that).
Dedicated explanations of the commands can be found when using the help options on a command, e.g. propagate -h. An overview of all the commands can be found when just typing -h.
Here is an example on how to use this tool.
- Don't use mathematical constants as variables, for example: e or E, I or i, ...
- If a file name or a function or any other argument contains a space, you can put " " around that expression. This way, it gets registered as one argument even though it contains spaces.
- Don't trust this program 100%. There might be bugs...
- Case sensitivity doesn't exactly work great at the moment
- For evaluating mathematical expressions and doing some symbolic math: Symja / Matheclipse (Github)
- For the console interface and the commands: Picocli (Github) / Picocli (Website)