Smart BASIC

[dbhguru]

Ents

Lying here on my backside recovering from knee replacement surgery, I’ve been playing with a smartphone app named Smart BASIC. It is a pretty sophisticated product, but can be employed at a simple level to function as a calculator for applying our tree measurement methods. Each method can be stored as a program file that can be easily called when needed. Smart BASIC offers graphics if diagrams are needed. Measurements can be stored in data files to be later recalled. Here is an example of a bare bones program to calculate the volume of a neiloid frustum. The file name given this code is neiloidfrustum. It could be any desired name.

print "d1 and d2 are major axes (diameters) of the frustum in desired unit of measurement"
print "h is height of frustum in same unit"
print "v is volume of frustum in unit cubed"
print
input "enter 1st diameter " :d1
input "enter 2nd diameter " :d2
r1=d1/2
r2=d2/2
input "enter hgt of frustum " :h
p=3.141593
t1=r1^2
t2=r1^(4/3)*r2^(2/3)
t3=r2^(4/3)*r1^(2/3)
t4=r2^2
v=(h/4)*p*(t1+t2+t3+t4)
print
print "vol of frustum is "
print v

To make use if this little program, one must download the app Smart BASIC and create a folder for your tree measuring programs and then a file named neiloidfrustum. Copy the above code and paste it in your program. Learning how to load a program and run it is about as simple as it gets for any language processor, but instructions are minimal. I can talk anyone through the process.

The next program offered will be to model a whole trunk consisting of multiple frustums where each frustum can be a cone, paraboloid, or neiloid. I should have it done in a day or two.

I’ve mentioned Smart BASIC to Michael Taylor, the WNTS VP. I’m sure Michael could create powerful, versatile programs.

An alternative to Smart BASIC is to download a spreadsheet app. I have both Excel and Numbers. But you have to be able to create spreadsheets with formulas, plus the tiny screen of a smart phone is difficult to work with for spreadsheets with many columns and/or rows. We could offer both options if some of you are interested.

Bob