I'm looking to create a calculator program that takes input through buttons and text fields to compute equations and display the results. I'm not very experienced in programming—I learned some basic C++ a while back and have used MATLAB for coursework. Here are my main requirements for the project:
- The app should be able to show pictures and, ideally, computed graphs.
- I want it to have multiple "pages" for different functions or parts of the calculator.
- Ideally, it should be non-editable after publishing, meaning that others can't access the source code.
- I would like to distribute the app, but I want to be able to set up a passcode for downloads.
- Most importantly, it needs to work completely offline since I have to use it for exams.
I've thought about a few approaches:
- Creating an .exe file with a graphical user interface.
- Using the app designer plugin from my student version of MATLAB.
- I'm also open to learning a new programming language if it's necessary.
Any insights or resources would be greatly appreciated!
1 Answer
It's pretty uncommon for a calculator app to need to operate offline, but I get your point, especially for exams! For your requirements, creating a desktop app with an executable file sounds like a solid plan. You could use something like Python with a library like Tkinter for the GUI since it's user-friendly and has good offline capabilities. You can also consider using PyInstaller to package your app into an .exe so others can't see the source code easily. As for distributability with passcode protection, you might have to look into some basic file encryption options.
Also, don't worry too much about the offline restriction; many programming languages can handle it. Just ensure you have all resources, like images and data files, bundled within your app.