README.md

#Lambda ##ShuddaWuddaCdr

##Authors

• Brian Carlson
• Joshua Caravetta
• Norman Mutunga

##Overview The goal is to create a core mathematical engine that is simple, powerful and easy to build upon. Simple in terms that it allows the user to enter their equation to evaluate in infix notation, along with english keywords to further define operations on the equation. The power of Lambda will come from the ease at which the mathematical engine backend can be expanded on to add new math functionality.

##Screenshots Here are some screenshots of Lambda's GUI, and inputs using keywords eval ,plot and deriv

Lambda's GUI

Input using eval

Input using plot

Input using deriv

##Concepts Demonstrated

• Abstraction - The backend uses a method of KeyPairs to create a database of keywords with a paired procedure. An abstraction barrier is made between the database and the user, so one can simply add a key and paired procedure to the database with add-keyword.

• Lexical Parsing - exp-lexer uses lexical parsing tools, along with regex to tag input data strings. read-arith uses regex to re-organize infix notation equations into prefix notation equations. Finally, the main-parser uses the power of the exp-lexer to extract keywords and format equations for evaluation in the backend.

• Key Procedures - These procedures were added and constructed with ease to read in mind. Each procedure is placed in its own racket source file, and included into the Keyword Definitions. The calls to these procedures in their KeyPair definitions are simple and abstracted from the low level source code.

• GUI Strategies - The windowing toolbox is used to provide the basic building block for the frame which is a top level window ,textfields ,editor-canvas and pasteboard are all defined in the frame which is the parent. On this platform the Input textfield takes in expressions and hands them over to the abstracted main-parser in the backend. The solution is sent to the Output textfield if its just an eval or deriv while plot has an added output which is plotted on to the canvas for a visual effect.

##External Technology and Libraries

• Plot - This library was used to create plots in Lambda's GUI canvas with use of the plot keyword.
• GUI - This library was used to create Lambda's GUI.
• Parser - This library was used to create the exp-lexer, that extracts and tags all data types from the user input string.

##Favorite Lines of Code ####Brian The main-parser procedure takes the complete english keyword and infix notation expression from the frontend GUI and breaks it up into a keyword list and equation string with the help of a lexical parser. It then ensures that the keyword list is not empty, if it is, then it inserts the 'eval keyword in. It will then check to make sure proper notation/operators are used in the equation. Finally, the main-parser strips the lexical parser tags from the equation string and calls the backend evaluator with the keyword and the equation string.

This procedure uses many helper functions, along with many map and filter calls.

(define (main-parser in-exp) 
  (let (
        [exp (exp-lexer (open-input-string in-exp))] ; lex the in-exp and store it locally
        [k-list '() ] ; list for keywords
        [e-list '() ] ; list for expression
        )
    
    ;; -- Helper Functions --
    (define (is-keyword? item)
      (and (equal? 'ID (car item)) ( > (string-length (symbol->string (car (cdr item)))) 1))
      )
    
    (define (is-equation? item)
      (or    (equal? 'OP (car item)) ; OP - operation
             (equal? 'INT (car item)) ; INT - numbers
             ;(equal? 'LPAR (car item)) ; LPAR - Left Paren
             ;(equal? 'RPAR (car item)) ; RPAR - Right Paren
             (and (equal? 'ID (car item)) ( = (string-length (symbol->string (car (cdr item)))) 1)) ; ID - variables
             )
      )
    
    (define (is-var? item)
      (equal? 'ID (car item))
      )
    
    (define (add-mult l1)
      (define (iter in out)
        (cond 
          ((empty? (cdr in)) (append out (list (car in))))
          ((and 
            (equal? 'INT (car (car in))) 
            (equal? 'ID (car (car (cdr in)))))  (iter (cdr in) (append out (list (car in)) (list (list 'OP  '*)))) )
          (else (iter (cdr in) (append out (list (car in)))) )
          )
        )
      
      (iter l1 '())
      )
    
    (define (rem-tags item)
      (car (cdr item)) ; returns the symbol of the data 
      )
  
    ; --- Parse in-exp ---
    
    ; Filter in-exp for keywords, append all keywords to k-list
    (set! k-list (map rem-tags (filter is-keyword? exp)))
    
    ; Filter in-exp for equation, append equation to e-list
    (set! e-list (add-mult (filter is-equation? exp)))
    
    ; Now input is separated into two lists:
    ; k-list has only keywords in it (no tags)
    ; e-list has the full, unaltered equation (with tags)
    
    ;; --- Evaluate call to backend ---
    
    ; Here we are going to check if the user just wants to evaluate a generic, numbers only math equation
    (cond
      ((and (empty? k-list) (empty? (filter is-var? e-list))) (set! k-list (list 'eval)))
      ((and (empty? k-list) (not (empty? (filter is-var? e-list)))) (set! k-list (list 'err)))
      )
    
    ; Remove tags from e-list
    (set! e-list (map rem-tags e-list))
    
    ; --- Call Backend with k-list and e-list ---
    ; only calls with one keyword for now, passes e-list as string
    (evaluate (car k-list) (lst-to-str e-list))
    
    )
  )

####Josh

The key-pair is used to link keywords to their procedures. It also allows users to add keywords to the system. The parser will update to include the added keywords automatically. This allows the system to be customized very easily. This object is paired with a few procedures that are then used with abstraction to give the user two procedures to call. The two procedures allow them to interact with the object in a easy manner.

This scheme object uses helper functions, filter calls, and levels of abstraction to achieve its goals.

;Key pair object. 
(define (key-pair keyword procedure)
  (define (dispatch m)
    (cond ((eq? m 'get-keyword) keyword)
          ((eq? m 'get-procedure) procedure)))
  dispatch)

;Key pair getter for keyword.
(define (get-keyword key-pair)
  (key-pair 'get-keyword))

;Key pair getter for Procedure.
(define (get-procedure key-pair)
  (key-pair 'get-procedure))

;List that holds all key-pairs.
(define key-pair-list '())

;Adds key-pair to the key-pair-list.
(define (add-key-pair key-pair)
  (set! key-pair-list (cons key-pair key-pair-list)))

;Removes key-pair from the key-pair-list.
(define (remove-key-pair keyword)
  keyword)

;Finds the key-pair object from the given keyword.
(define (find-key-pair keyword)
  (filter (lambda (x)
            (if (eq? keyword (get-keyword x))
                #t
                #f)) key-pair-list))

;Creates a keyword in the system.
(define (create-keyword keyword procedure)
  (add-key-pair (key-pair keyword procedure)))

;----Low Level-----
;----------------------------------------------Abstraction Level---------------------------------------------------------------
;----High Level----  

;Adds a new keyword to the system.
(define (add-keyword keyword procedure)
  (create-keyword keyword procedure))

(define (get-definition keyword)
  (get-procedure (car (find-key-pair keyword))))

####Norman This procedure reads in a string from the Input field of the GUI, hands it over to the main-parser procedure that parses the expression. The evaluated result is then returned from the backend evaluator and placed into the outputString. The outputString is sent to the Output field of the GUI so the user can see the result. If the plot keyword is used the user can also see the plot on the canvas of the GUI.

;,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Input Test Field,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
(define input-field (new text-field%
                         (label "Input")
                         [min-width 600]
                         [min-height 30]
                         [stretchable-width #f]
                         (parent frameG)
                         ;(init-value "Expression")
                         ;this should return the current text of the editor
                         (callback (λ (input-field event)
                                      (cond
                                       ; If a user hits enter to compute an equation
                                       ((equal? (send event get-event-type) 'text-field-enter) 
                                        (begin
                                          ; Clear canvas
                                          (send pb erase)
                                          ; Set outputString to solved equation
                                          (set! outputString (main-parser (send input-field get-value)))
                                          ; Send outputString to output-field
                                          (send output-field set-value outputString))))))))

##Additional Remarks & Project Status

• Working frontend GUI with input, output and plot canvas fields.
• Working general expression parser that handles initial keyword and equation parsing.
• Working infix->prefix parser that handles transforming input equation to prefix for evaluation (handles operator precedence).
• High and Low level abstracted backend that forms a dynamic database of key pairs for additional mathematical procedures based on keywords.

• Working keywords: eval, plot, deriv, simplify. all procedures on work with variable x.
  • eval - evaluation of basic equations with any combination of the following operators: -,+,/,*,^.
  • plot - makes a plot of basic equations with any combination of the following operators: -,+,/,*,^.
  • deriv - produces the derivative of a given equation. currently only works with operators: +,*,^.
  • simplify - simplifies the given equation. currently only works with operators: +,*.

#How to Download and Run

1. Download the latest release from here: Release v3.0
2. Open and run Lambda.rkt
3. Input expression is typed into the Input, using syntax: keyword equation
4. Output is seen in the Output or lower canvas depending on keywords used.

Example 1: eval

• eval is the default keyword if no keyword is entered.
• eval 1+2*3^4 or 1+2*3^4 will both evaluate to: 163.
• If eval is used on an equation with a variable, such as x+2, it will return cannot evaluate: x+2 since there is a variable.

Example 2: plot

• plot x^2+x+3
• This will plot x+2*x+3 in the lower canvas field

Example 3: deriv

• deriv 6*x + 30*x will output 36 .
• deriv of x + 2 will output 1 .