Is this the end of the line for Mathcad?

[jiCavers]

There seems to be a big problem for Mathcad users, now that Windows XP is disappearing into the past. Most of us have years of valuable Mathcad programs, and the only way to convert them to Prime is through a conversion utility in Mathcad 15 (instead of in Prime). But Mathcad 15 won't install easily on Windows 7 or 8 - from discussion on this site, it involves a lot of complicated and time-consuming work, with no guarantee of success.
* Inference 1: Do all your conversions now, while you still have a working version 15 on Windows XP or another older OS.

Unfortunately, I read that Prime 2.0 still lacks a large number of the features that made Mathcad 15 valuable, so your converted programs might not work in Prime.
* Inference 2: Your prior work will be useable only as long as you keep a working computer running older Windows. Clearly, that approach has a limited life.
* Inference 3: Even new work using Prime will be stunted, because it's not yet a platform for serious work.

Have I got this wrong? Is there a credible way forward, after all? Because an uncomfortable fourth inference might be that this is the end of the line for Mathcad.

[AndyWesterman]

So far our experience has been that Mathcad 15 runs happily on windows 7 - there are a few features that cause minor issues (notably the 3D plot needs a change to the screen colour depth), but nothing that has stopped me or my colleagues from using it for the past 2-ish years.

Regards

Andy

[jiCavers]

Thanks for that, Andy. Perhaps my impression has been colored by the fact that this forum is a place where only problems and issues are discussed.

Could you tell me what type of computer you are using?

Regards,

Jim

[HarveyHensley]

Jim,

I have MC 15 and Prime 1 running with Windows 7 on a Lenovo X201. I don't recall any installation problems. I haven't started converting my programs yet. I'm going to wait for Prime 3 to see how it compares with MC 15. The 3D plot problem was fixed by changing my desktop theme to an older version. Currently I'm using Windows Classic theme.

[AndyWesterman]

Hi Jim,

Mainly Dells, In my case a "Precision M6500" laptop.

Andy

[ValeryOchkov]

A Westerman wrote:

So far our experience has been that Mathcad 15 runs happily on windows 7 - there are a few features that cause minor issues (notably the 3D plot needs a change to the screen colour depth)...

Do you know a solution for same problem of Mathcad 15 in Windows 8?

[jkucan]

PTC Mathcad 15.0 is fully supported on Windows 7. We will continue to support PTC Mathcad 15.0 for at least until PTC Mathcad Prime 4.0 ships (likely longer).

As for PTC Mathcad Prime 2.0 and conversion of worksheets. It is true, that for some users, it lacks some critical features -- this is why PTC Mathcad 15.0 is a fully supported product.

On the other hand, PTC Mathcad Prime 2.0 brings a number of improvements some users find desirable. Significant improvements to the calculation capability (64bit support, new solvers, improved performance of many functions, better unit checking, etc.), better documenting features (page view, WYSIWYG header/footer editing), improved usability (equation editing, matrix editing, etc.).

I recommend you try Prime 2.0 for yourself and evaluate on your worksheets.

Having said that, Prime 3.0 is just around the coroner and will significantly improve conversion fidelity.

1) You don't have to do all your conversions right now, but you should start soon...

2) Your work will be usable down the road, as we will support conversion to new format beyond the support for PTC Mathcad 15.0.

3) PTC Mathcad Prime 2.0 is a platform for serious work and we continue to improve it.

--Jakov

[jiCavers]

Thank you, Jakov. That is reassuring.

I will try to migrate Mathcad 15 to Windows 7 in the next couple of weeks and hope that it goes smoothly.

Regards,

Jim Cavers

[RichardJ]

Having said that, Prime 3.0 is just around the coroner

Was that a typo?

[jkucan]

Must be a Freudian slip . I meant "corner", of course.

[ValeryOchkov]

Jakov Kucan wrote:

Must be a Freudian slip . I meant "corner", of course.

Yes, it is very difficult to understand the PTC Prime policy without Freud

[ValeryOchkov]

Jakov Kucan wrote:

PTC Mathcad ... is fully supported on Windows 7.

And what about Windows 8?

I cannot for example use my fingers or a pen for a scrolling or zooming Mathcad sheets on my tablet.

Now in this forum can but in Mathcsd Prime - cannnot.

[jkucan]

Neither version 15.0 nor Prime 2.0 are supported on Win 8. We haven't tested Prime 2.0/Prime 3.0 on a tablet/touchscreen against all gestures. I would expect the basic funcitonality (such as scrolling) to work, but I don't have enough experience with non-metro app support on Win 8.

[WilliamTolrud]

I am currently running Mathcad 15 M020 and Mathcad Prime 2.0, M010 on a Windows 8 Desktop. I have observed no problems with the function the two programs. With the exception of problems arlready noted in this forum.

[ValeryOchkov]

William Tolrud wrote:

I am currently running Mathcad 15 M020 and Mathcad Prime 2.0, M010 on a Windows 8 Desktop. I have observed no problems with the function the two programs. With the exception of problems arlready noted in this forum.

what problems?

• 3D surface
• touchscreen against, do you use a tablet?

[ValeryOchkov]

Jakov Kucan wrote:

Neither version 15.0 nor Prime 2.0 are supported on Win 8. We haven't tested Prime 2.0/Prime 3.0 on a tablet/touchscreen against all gestures.

This is not news to me and it is very strange to me.

Did none of Mathcad developers have no tablets with win 8 and Mathcad

[Werner_E]

Jakov Kucan wrote:

PTC Mathcad 15.0 is fully supported on Windows 7. We will continue to support PTC Mathcad 15.0 for at least until PTC Mathcad Prime 4.0 ships (likely longer).

Hopefully longer! I can confirm that installing Mathcad 15 on a Win7 system works flawless. The only problem I heard of (an thankfully didn't encounter myself) was that already mentioned 3D graph bug for which workarounds (color scheme change, coler depth reduction, checking off borde) are available.

Significant improvements to the calculation capability (64bit support, new solvers, improved performance of many functions, better unit checking, etc.), better documenting features (page view, WYSIWYG header/footer editing), improved usability (equation editing, matrix editing, etc.).

I can't confirm the improved performance and not that documentig features are better.

But I highly disagree with your statement that Prime should have improved useability!! The contrary is true in my opinion. Loading time of the software is awful long and the reaction time in handling the software including expression editing is prohibiting a smooth fluent working. All this said in comparison to Mathcad 15 on the same system (which admittedly is a bit weak compared to nowadays high end machines).

Apart from this the overall handling is more awkward now, requiring more keystrokes and mouseclicks.

See some additional remarks here: http://communities.ptc.com/message/210629#210629

So the question is: Is there a chance that we get a version P3 which enables a better workflow and at least the useabilty quality of older MC versions? What about a better visible expression highlighting?

1) You don't have to do all your conversions right now, but you should start soon...

?? Why? You just wrote above that P3 will significantly improve conversion fidelity. Think this could only mean that future Prime versions will be able to read older files and will do conversion automatically/transparent. The same way as I can still load with Mathcad 15 a file created with the DOS version Mathcad 2.0.

I recommend you try Prime 2.0 for yourself and evaluate on your worksheets.

@Jim: I second that. You sure should give it a try to seen in as much it fulfills your needs. There should be no problems to expect in installing Prime additionally to Mathcad15. And if you really want to convert your sheets you will have to install Prime anyway.

[TerryRickard]

Jakov, I don't know if you're still at PTC. If you are, please help, as I'm about to scream. I'm a 25 year Mathcad user. I've had Mathcad 15 M010 working fine on my desktop for better than a year. Some demon gave me the perverse idea to try to upgrade it to M030, after downloading and installing Mathcad Prime 3.0, just to see what the latter was all about. When I would try to run the setup.exe program, nothing happens.

One of your tech support people suggested that I uninstall Mathcad 15 M010 and then redo the install. Against my better instincts, I uninstalled 010, and tried again to install 030. IT WON'T INSTALL. So now I'm marooned without any Mathcad (except Prime) on my machine, and Prime frankly doesn't look like it's ready for prime time. In my opinion, PTC took a beautiful product in Mathcad and has turned it into a living hell.

[Werner_E]

Never heard of that kind of installing problem using Mathcad 15. All I could think of is that your copy of MC15 installation files is corrupt and so I would suggest you try downloading it again.

What do you mean with "nothing happens" when you start the setup program? You don't get splash screen or anything else? Is the setup program running in the background (use taskmanager to look for it) or is it shutting down immedeatly? Anyway, if its not your machine or the rights of the user you use to install the sofware, best guess is still a corrupt installation file.

[TerryRickard]

I already tried downloading it again, still same result. Setup.exe is not running in the background, so it apparently shuts down immediately.

[Werner_E]

Strange, you should open a support call

http://www.ptc.com/support/mathcad_supportCenterOpt.htm

[TerryRickard]

I've been in a support case for the past few days. Note that it was on the advice of the support guy that I uninstalled M010. And of course, they're not available on the weekends.

[VladimirN]

Try to run "Mathcad15WixInstaller.msi" file from "mathcad" folder in Mathcad 15 distribution package (zip archive).

[TerryRickard]

OH HALLELUJAH!!! That worked! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Why does PTC make it so inscrutable????

[tietjee]

You would think the help desk would know the correct procedure to install their programs.

[RichardJ]

Are you sure of that?

[jiCavers]

Thank you all for the reassurance on migration of Mathcad 15 to Windows 7. Since I am just about to take that step, I checked this forum to see if there were any pitfalls. Unfortunately, I misinterpreted the problems experienced by some (and solved here) as representative. Rather than the apocalyptic heading about "end of the line," I really should have asked contributors whether installation on W7 generally goes smoothly. Apparently it does.

For 25 years, Mathcad has been my primary computational tool. I feared that my hundreds (thousands?)of research calculations, tech reports and a book, all written in Mathcad, were headed for the dust heap. Well, ultimately, I suppose they will be, but not just yet it seems.

Thanks again.

[ptc-2283641]

End of the line for Mathcad!!!!!!!

My Acer Aspire One model ZG8 with Win 7 ran Mathcad 14 fine. Now that it has been stolen, I find myself seeking a replacement to run on a Dell Inspiron 11 3000 Series netbook with Win 8.0; 1.7 GHz & 4 Gb RAM.

Since people are having trouble installing and running Mathcad on Win 7/8 systems, do I chance purchasing future versions of Mathcad? Mathcad writes likes arithmetic equations. Matlab is strange, but workable. So, please fix the customer concerns. Make sure it can run on Win 8.0/8.1 platforms.

What is the significance of Prime 1-4? Are they enhancements to Mathcad 15? Then why not label them 15.1 thru 15.4?

I'm also still waiting on a salesman to contact me about purchasing Mathcad.

[Werner_E]

Make sure it can run on Win 8.0/8.1 platforms.

Most people have success running the current Mathcad 15 M030 on current Win version, but MC15 is not "certified" for Win8 by PTC.

What is the significance of Prime 1-4?

Good question.

Prime 1-4? Are they enhancements to Mathcad 15?

Sure not. They lack a lot of features compared to Mathcad and performance and usability are inferiour. I don't expect much change with Prime4.

Then why not label them 15.1 thru 15.4?

Please no! Prime is ahuge step backward and still under construction (nevertheless its sold). So I'd rather label them Prime 0.1 to Prime 0.3.

At the time being the best thing about Prime is that you get a copy of Mathcad 15 for free.

I think it was Fred who worded "Buy the tail and get the dog for free".

[ptc-2283641]

If MC means Mathcad, and MC15 means Mathcad version 15. What does M030 mean?

Are Prime 1-4 backward versions of Mathcad 15 with reduced capabilities?

When will PTC know that Mathcad 15 and its Primes are "certified" to run on Win 8.0/8.1 systems?