What is Mathcad Express?

[ptc-4168579]

Mathcad Express is here! So what is it?

Mathcad Express is a free version of Mathcad that allows any user to utilize some selected features of Mathcad Prime 2.0, for an unlimited time. Mathcad Express gives you the ability to spend more time solving engineering problems, and less time programming, documenting, reporting and verifying their solutions. Mathcad Express was designed to be a powerful analysis tool – it is easy to learn and easy to use.

How does it work?

Mathcad Express does include the full capabilities of Mathcad Prime 2.0 for 30 days, for free. After the 30 day period has ended, you may continue to use the limited functionality of Mathcad Express as long as you like -- the Mathcad Express license will never expire. But there are some differences beyond functionality. You can expect to see in-product messages with information on selected features, training, tips and tricks, and easy ways to purchase the full commercial product. You will also see specific “Mathcad Express” headers and watermarks on worksheets. Should you decide to upgrade to the full product, you will receive the full breadth of Mathcad capabilities and you can eliminate in-product advertising and watermarks.

What’s next?

PTC is committed to delivering the best products to its customers, and it continues to invest in Mathcad. Mathcad Express is a licensing option, requiring minimal R&D resources, but allowing the Mathcad team to include a number of bug fixes and streamline the licensing process – both of which will benefit Maintenance Customers of Mathcad who are planning on upgrading to the latest release. Mathcad Prime 3.0 is scheduled for release in 2013 and will include the following features:

• Templates
• Math formatting
• Embedded math in text
• New numeric functionality

As always, we welcome your questions and comments. Check out the Mathcad product page at PTC.com to download Mathcad Express!

[Werner_E]

1) Yes, changing the license filename or moving the file to a different location does the job, but I have to restart the program and thats bad, as Prime takes so much time until its up and running.

Addendum: Pointing Mathcad (via Mathcad Options, License tab) to a nonexisting file does not work, but pointing it to an invalid file (any file will do) works and does not require a program restart to switch back and forth.

2) Hmmm, had something different in mind when I was talking about a Mathcad Reader. Something which would enable the user to really use a worksheet by changing numbers etc. but e.g. not being able to insert new regions, change functions or the like. The way (according to your answer) express handles existing worksheets with non-express regions or functions (or solve blocks) seems to have not much advantage compared to printing it in a static pdf.

Roger Yeh schrieb:

1. I am running off of a license server, so switching into Express mode is easy. I go into Mathcad Options, License tab, and put in a bogus server or port number. If you're running off of a license file, I suppose you could move that file to a different location? Not sure...

2. Yes! So because Prime saves results in the worksheet, Express can open up worksheets created with the full version and see all the results. If you had 3D plots in there, you could even zoom in, pan, rotate, etc. Once you re-calculate, then those regions will return an error. So Express is indeed a "viable reader."

Roger.

[ELSID]

Thank you for correcting my comment

Roger Yeh wrote:

Oh, I think that might be a typo. I just went into Express mode, and I can insert X-Y plots, just not polar, contour, and 3-D.

[StuartBruff]

In general, I can accept most of the restrictions put in place in Express. However, I think the lack of programming is more likely to act as an inhibitor to upgrading than an motivator - there are a significant number of problems that cannot be reasonably be addressed by Prime Express which may lead to it simply not being used and hence not make an upgrade a active consideration (particularly when there are a number of free or cheaper programmable alternatives such as SMath or Python).

Maybe as a marketing experiment, extend the programming (or a n other feature(s)) capability to 6 months / 1 year for some (eg, half) of the Expresses and see if there is any difference in the upgrade figures?

Stuart

[ptc-4911741]

Any plans for linux? There is no math app in linux with convenient paper-like interface.

If you made new app called prime, why not make it crossplatform?

Thanks for free version! Do you plan make more versions? I don't need full version, 1500€ is too expensive for me. But free version functions + 'Symbolics' will be enough for me, but not for 1500€. And I also want use mathcad on ubuntu, but now I can't.

[ptc-5008524]

I want to download mathcad 15 trial to open files that my mathcad 13 can not. However, the form asks for a company, among other things, and I am a student. If I can register as a student for this web site then why does the form assume everyone has a company? Please help.

[ValeryOchkov]

An university is one kind of a company

[ptc-5008524]

Didn't think of that lol thanks

[ValeryOchkov]

Jonathan Mayers wrote:

Didn't think of that lol thanks

You welcome!

My dog is one kind of a man. It sorry he understands all but cannot tell me something

[ptc-5241570]

We intend to purchase 2 network licenses of Mathcad to be shared between several uesrs. Is Mathcad Express able to be installed on all of the pc's side-by-side with the full version? How should this be implemented? Can it be arranged so that a user can choose between opening Express or the full version as needed?

Thanks for the help.

[Werner_E]

We intend to purchase 2 network licenses of Mathcad

float licenses?

Is Mathcad Express able to be installed on all of the pc's side-by-side with the full version?

As far as i know there is no difference. Its just the license file which will make a trial/Express version a full version.

Can it be arranged so that a user can choose between opening Express or the full version as needed?

Not very conveniently, I fear. After you start Prime you can go to the options menu where you can tell Prime where it will find ist license (either point it to a static license file bound to the machine or to a license flexlm server for floaing license). If you point Prime to an invalid file or non-existent server (a bogus port number should suffice) it will go in Express mode. I am not sure but I hope if you do that while Prime uses up one of the flex licenses, that Prime will put back that license first.

[ptc-5241570]

Thanks for the information.

Yes, two floating network licenses. So if we were to have installations on 10 pc's, the first two instances that were opened would grab the full license, and the rest would open as express? If so, then this would be a workable solution. I think it would be a hassle for people to keep changing the port number on their setup. Actually, we might not even have sufficient priveledges to do so.

[Werner_E]

So if we were to have installations on 10 pc's, the first two instances that were opened would grab the full license, and the rest would open as express?

I am not sure about that as I lack the experience (as far we never ran out of licenses).

What I know for sure is, that if you point Prime to a bogus licenses server, it will automatically go into Express mode. I don't know what happens if a valid license server is out of licenses but I could imagine that Prime would do the same. maybe someone else can confirm.

[ptc-5425686]

Can Mathcad express be used for comercial and professional purposes?

[RogerYeh]

Yes!

[ptc-5425686]

Is there anyway to switch to Mathcad Express from the first day or you have wait for one month till the limited functionality starts?

I just wanna make sure that what I create now can be used a month later too.

[RogerYeh]

Sure, you could always put in a bogus license server name/port number. I just applied a random GIF file on the 'File' option and that forced my copy to Express. Of course, we do encourage users to poke around and see what is available in the premium full-capability version of Mathcad Prime.

[Werner_E]

Kaveh Arjomandi wrote:

Is there anyway to switch to Mathcad Express from the first day o

Yes, this was already discussed in this very thread above a year ago (http://communities.ptc.com/message/193663#193663)

Simply point Prime to an existing, but not valid "license" file (can be any file) or at a non-existing flexlicense server (changing to an invalid port should suffice).

[ptc-5425686]

Thank you guys.

[ValeryOchkov]

Kaveh Arjomandi wrote:

Can Mathcad express be used for comercial and professional purposes?

One example

http://twt.mpei.ac.ru/TTHB/2/OIVT/IVTANThermo/Eng/index.htm

[Werner_E]

I think that was more of a question regarding legal concerns.

[ptc-5425686]

Yes. My original question was regarding if there is restrictions for commercial use.