MPP and MPP3D
MPP and MPP3D are computer graphics programs installed on the IBM
computers in the
Bell Hall Technology Center (in the annex to Bell
Hall). There are three main applications: vector fields, contour
diagrams, and 3-dimensional surfaces. The vector fields will probably
be the most useful.
General directions
Go to an IBM-compatible in BHTC.
If there is an icon for "Mpp", click on it; otherwise, click on
"MyComputer", then the "C:" drive, then the "Mpp" directory. (If
either of these do not work, find another computer, and tell the
helpful staff that you could not find MPP on the first computer.)
In that directory click on the file named "Mpp" with the "MSDos" logo
(don't click on the icon with colored curves on a black background)
for contours or vector fields, or "Mpp3d" with the "MSDos" logo for
3-dimensional surfaces.
There is also a documentation file located in the Mpp directory.
Click on the file with the large "W" logo (Microsoft word, I think),
and you will be put into a word processor with the documentation file
loaded.
You may copy mpp to take to your home computer. Copy everything in
the mpp directory. There are some warnings in various documentation
files telling you what capabilities your computer needs. As best as I
can tell, your computer is probably up to the job.
Specific features
- Vector fields (as in Chs. 17, 18):
- This can be found in the MPP program, and is pretty
self-explanatory; probably the fastest way to learn is to play around.
Two commands that you might not figure out right away: "H" for help
(brings up a menu reminding you of other commands) and "I" for input
(meaning you get to input the window size and functions, etc. again).
You may have to hit the space bar (or some other neutral button) to
wake it up first. The "ESC" button may exit some features that seem
to have no exit.
- Contour diagrams:
- This is also in the MPP program, and, in theory, should be just as
easy and self-explanatory as vector fields, but in practice, I found
many bugs and flaws. Don't say you weren't warned. I will be looking
into what's going on.
- 3-dimensional surfaces:
- This can be found in the MPP3D program, and seems to be about as
easy to work as the vector fields, and also seems to always work. It
does everything the BHTC Macs 3-d graphing calculator can do, but more
slowly. So I'll continue to recommend the Macs graphing calculator