EngCanvas Documentation
EngCanvas is a unit-aware engineering calculation and documentation tool. It combines a spreadsheet grid, a visual report canvas, a CAD-style drawing board, and a rich document editor — all with built-in dimensional analysis so your formulas always carry the right units.
Why EngCanvas?
- Units everywhere — type
10 ft + 3 inand get10.25 ft. Dimensional mismatches are caught automatically. - Engineering-native — 46 built-in units across length, force, mass, pressure, time, and more. Compound units like
lb/ft^3andkip·ftjust work. - Report canvas — drag-and-drop calculation boxes with live LaTeX rendering, charts, tables, and embedded drawings.
- Spreadsheet grid — Excel-style cell references (
$A1,A$1,$A$1), cross-sheet formulas, and 196 functions. - Goal seeker — find input values that produce a desired output, automatically.
- Code-based templates — ready-made ACI 318, TMS 402, and ASCE 7 calculation packages.
- Vector PDF — reports print as selectable text and crisp math, not screenshots.
Quick links
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Introduction | What EngCanvas is and who it's for |
| Your First Calculation | Walk through a beam bending example, start to finish |
| Your First Report | Create a visual calculation report |
| Working with Units | Master the unit system |
| Formula Syntax | Variables, cell refs, operators |
| Templates | Insert a code-based calculation package |
| Keyboard Shortcuts | Every shortcut in one page |