Calcator documentation — syntax, variables, units

Getting Started

Calcator is a calculator notebook that lets you write calculations like notes. Each line can contain an expression, variable definition, or comment. Install the desktop app for macOS, Windows, or Linux from the download page; see install & first launch for platform-specific steps.


                salary = 5000

                rent = 1800

                remaining = salary - rent

                # → 3200

Variables

Define variables with name = value and reuse them throughout your notebook.


                price = 100

                quantity = 5

                total = price * quantity

                # → 500

Special variables:

prev - References the result of the previous line

Units & Currency

Work with real-world units and convert between them seamlessly.

Supported Units

Currency

$, €, £, ¥

Weight

kg, g, lb

Distance

km, m, mi

Examples

Unit Conversion


                  12kg in g → 12000g

                  5mi in km → 8.047km

Unit Arithmetic


                  2kg + 500g → 2.5kg

                  $100 + €50 → mixed currency

Percentages

Natural percentage operations that work like you think.

Define Percentages


                  tax = 20%

                  discount = 15%

Add/Subtract


                  100 + 20% → 120

                  100 - 20% → 80

Calculate


                  10% of 500 → 50

                  salary = 5000

                  10% of salary → 500

Compare


                  50 as a % of 100 → 50%

Functions

Built-in mathematical functions and constants.


                sqrt(16) → 4

                abs(-5) → 5

                round(3.7) → 4

                pi * 2 → 6.283...

Available functions: sqrt, abs, round, and more
Constants: pi, e

Block Aggregates

Calculate totals within blocks using sum and average.


                rent = 1800

                food = 400

                transport = 200

                sum → 2400

                

                average → 800

Editor Features

Smart Autocomplete

As you type, Calcator suggests variables, functions, constants, and context for the current line. Open completions with Ctrl+Space (on macOS, Ctrl+Shift+Space or ⌘. if Ctrl+Space is taken by the system). Use ↑/↓ to navigate, Enter or Tab to accept.

Multi-cursor & editor shortcuts

The editor has find/replace, go to line, match counts, and multi-cursor editing: ⌘⌥↑/↓ on macOS, Ctrl+Alt+↑/↓ on Windows/Linux to add a cursor on the line above or below; ⌘D / Ctrl+D for the next match; ⌘⇧L / Ctrl+Shift+L to select all matches. See Keyboard shortcuts for the full table.

Display Options

Line numbers (toggleable)
Active line highlighting (toggleable)
Inline error underlining (toggleable)
Resizable results panel

Multi-Tab Interface

Work on multiple notebooks at once. Each tab is independent with its own variables and calculations.

Tab Features

Drag and drop to reorder tabs
Tab titles show filename or first variable name
Dirty indicator (*) for unsaved changes
Reopen last 20 closed tabs with ⌘⇧T (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+T (Windows/Linux)

Auto-Restore

When you close Calcator, all open tabs are saved. When you reopen, everything is restored exactly as you left it - even unsaved tabs.

Keyboard Shortcuts

⌘ means the Command key on macOS. On Windows and Linux, use Ctrl in the same role (shown in the third column). Each shortcut is shown as a monospace chip (like ⌘F or Ctrl+F) so it stays easy to scan.

Tabs and app

File open/save shortcuts apply in the installed desktop app only (not in the browser dev UI).

Action	macOS	Windows / Linux
New tab	`⌘T`	`Ctrl+T`
Open `.calc` (desktop)	`⌘O`	`Ctrl+O`
Save (desktop)	`⌘S`	`Ctrl+S`
Save as… (desktop)	`⌘⇧S`	`Ctrl+Shift+S`
Close tab	`⌘W`	`Ctrl+W`
Reopen closed tab	`⌘⇧T`	`Ctrl+Shift+T`
Open Settings (app menu)	`⌘,`	`Ctrl+,`
Keyboard shortcuts help	`⌘⇧H`	`Ctrl+Shift+H`

Find and replace

Action	macOS	Windows / Linux
Open find / replace	`⌘F`	`Ctrl+F`
Find next / previous	`⌘G` / `⌘⇧G`	`Ctrl+G` / `Ctrl+Shift+G`
Go to line	`⌘⌥G`	`Ctrl+Alt+G`
Close panel (when focused)	`Esc`	`Esc`

Editing

Action	macOS	Windows / Linux
Undo	`⌘Z`	`Ctrl+Z`
Redo	`⌘⇧Z`	`Ctrl+Y` · `Ctrl+Shift+Z` (Windows: Ctrl+Y · Linux: often Ctrl+Shift+Z)
Add cursor on line above / below	`⌘⌥↑` / `⌘⌥↓`	`Ctrl+Alt+↑` / `Ctrl+Alt+↓`
Add next occurrence / select all occurrences	`⌘D` / `⌘⇧L`	`Ctrl+D` / `Ctrl+Shift+L`
Indent / outdent line	`Tab` / `⇧Tab`	`Tab` / `Shift+Tab`
Toggle line comment	`⌘/`	`Ctrl+/`
Delete line	`⌘⇧K`	`Ctrl+Shift+K`
Open completions	`⌃Space` also `⌃⇧Space`, `⌘.` if ⌃Space is taken by macOS	`Ctrl+Space`

For find next/previous, F3 / Shift+F3 also work. Use in-app help (⌘⇧H / Ctrl+Shift+H) for the authoritative list on your build.

Settings

Open Settings from the tab bar, or with ⌘, (macOS) / Ctrl+, (Windows/Linux) from the app menu on desktop, or via the Calcator menu. All settings are stored locally and persist between sessions.

Appearance

Color scheme: light, dark, or automatic (follows the system).

Result format

Choose how numeric results appear in the gutter: decimal places (0–28), rounding mode, thousands separator (none, comma, or space), and decimal separator (period or comma).

Rounding modes

Half even (banker’s), half up, half down
Toward zero, away from zero, floor, ceiling

Editor behavior

Smart copy: when enabled, copying full line(s) with a single cursor can append the computed result; multiple cursors always copy without that. The editor context menu can override with Copy with result or Copy without result.

Updates (desktop)

Optional check for updates on startup and a manual “Check for updates” control (release builds).

Display options

Show/hide line numbers
Enable/disable active line highlighting
Show/hide inline error underlining
Resizable results panel

Documentation