Windows calculator on sketchup

Diogo · February 18, 2021, 5:38pm

I am sure many people use the system calculator often while modeling.
What I am after is not specifically an SU solution.

My problem its that I end up having multiple windows calculator instances open when modeling because everytime I click on the Calculator key on my keyboard it opens a new instance.
Is there a way to make that button switch to the already open calculator after the first time pressed?
Like a Alt+tab but without having to scroll through everything else open on my pc?

This was already mentioned here: Calculator in SketchUp
and I can see many people have different approaches to this.
When on Mac I use the spotlight to make quick calculations. copy and it desapears.

Any thoughts on this? thanks.

DaveR · February 18, 2021, 5:44pm

There’s a Calculator plugin available from Sketchucation that you might consider. You could make a keyboard shortcut to open it or open it from Tools. It’s old but it works in SU2021.

Years ago I wrote a simple plugin that opened the Windows calculator from SketchUp. Not sure I still have it anymore, though.

Diogo · February 18, 2021, 5:50pm

Doesn’t seem to receive keyboard inputs. only mouse.

DaveR · February 18, 2021, 6:01pm

Well, here’s the plugin I did that opens the Windows calculator. Once it’s open you should just be able to bring the window to the front from the taskbar.
CALC.rbz (339 Bytes)

Diogo · February 18, 2021, 6:19pm

Thanks for that DaveR, unfortunately it doesn’t solve the multiple instance thing.
Is it possible to make it like after the first click it just goes to the already open calculator and not open another one?
Btw, did you just made this extension? just makes me look at developers like magicians.
I need to start learning code.

DaveR · February 18, 2021, 8:33pm

This really sounds more like a training issue. Maybe you need to close the calculator when you’ve finished with it.

It may be a possibility to make it open the existing one but I’m not sure. Since the Calculator button on your keyboard can’t do that, I’m not sure if it could be added to the script.

Diogo · February 22, 2021, 10:42am

Thanks Dave, found this autohotkey fix on a Github windows forum.

github.com

alystair/my-productivity-stack/blob/master/Launch Calculator.ahk

; Lorin's single instance Calculator launcher
; Replaces default calculator key functionality on keyboard
; https://github.com/alystair/my-productivity-stack

Menu, Tray, Icon , calc.exe, 1, 1
Menu, Tray, Tip, Single calculator
Menu, Tray, NoStandard
Menu, Tray, Add, &Calculator, Launch_App2
Menu, Tray, Add
Menu, Tray, Add, Exit, Exit
Menu, Tray, Default, &Calculator

Launch_App2::
IfWinNotExist Calculator
{
	Run calc.exe
	Winwait Calculator
	Winset, Alwaysontop, On, Calculator
	WinActivate Calculator
}

This file has been truncated. show original

There is also an entire topic about the problem: Single calc instance and window vs. Multiple calc windows · Issue #215 · microsoft/calculator · GitHub
About the training issue… As you would know as a programmer, spending time finding a way to it automatic is far better than keep doing it in a way you believe it is not the best way.