Engineers perform specialized calculations to design and develop components and products, often using the popular Mathcad equation editor and solver. Engineers can solve equations with other tools such as spreadsheets, but they generally prefer the graphical entry of equations and symbols in mathematical format available in the Mathcad tool. The ability to enter and display equations with regular math symbols and in normal formats avoids the need to translate the data into the text functions required for a spreadsheet, which improves efficiency and accuracy by reducing translation errors.
PTC Mathcad Prime 4.0, the latest release of this popular tool, increases the software’s functional and security capabilities. Users can import objects from other applications, protect and secure their equations and intellectual property, and better collaborate, share and exchange information while protecting trade secrets and proprietary content.
Users can embed objects from a wider range of tools into Mathcad sheets with the improved Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) support in this release. OLE objects embed the image, object or application within a container that can then be pasted into a Mathcad calculation sheet. Users can link, edit and manipulate objects and applications from any third-party tool that is OLE compliant, including most Microsoft products such as Visio, Word, PowerPoint and Paint, as well as image viewers and many other third-party applications. For example, OLE support allows users to import a Visio drawing of the object they are analyzing in Mathcad, edit that object from within Mathcad, and then insert the results of the calculation into a PowerPoint slide—all within the Mathcad user interface.
The Equation Protection feature prevents unwanted modification of equations and also can protect proprietary work. A Mathcad “Area” combines one or more equations or objects that are displayed in a region of the screen and is defined by drawing a box around the region and clicking a tool to create an Area. Users can protect an Area by selecting the Area and then selecting “Protect Area.” The equations within that area are then protected against editing until the Area is unprotected. Users can password protect an area by locking it, which prevents editing until the area is unlocked. A password is required to unlock an area, giving users more control over who can edit an Area.
More sensitive calculations can be protected by collapsing the Area. This can be done by removing an Area from the visual display and replacing it with a symbol. The display state can then be set to hide that Area so that others aren’t even aware of its presence. In this way, users can hide proprietary calculations and protect them from inadvertent or malicious tampering since others don’t know the Area is present and cannot access it even if they know it is there. An Area can still have calculations performed within it, receive input data from other equations, and output results to other equations, but the details of the calculations and equations are hidden.
To learn more about the latest Mathcad release, visit the PTC Mathcad website.