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What is EngCanvas?

EngCanvas is an engineering calculation and documentation tool built for structural, civil, and mechanical engineers. It replaces ad-hoc spreadsheets with a purpose-built environment where every number carries its units and every formula is checked for dimensional consistency.

Key features​

Unit-aware calculations​

Type a formula with units and EngCanvas tracks dimensions automatically:

w = 150 pcf            // unit weight of concrete
b = 12 in              // beam width
h = 24 in              // beam depth
selfWeight = w * b * h  // → 300 lb/ft (force per length)

If you try to add incompatible units — say 10 ft + 5 kip — EngCanvas flags the error immediately rather than silently producing a wrong answer.

Spreadsheet grid​

A full spreadsheet with Excel-style cell references, 196 functions, and live formula evaluation:

  • Cell references: $A1, A$1, $A$1 for absolute/relative addressing
  • Ranges: SUM($A1:$A10), VLOOKUP(...), INDEX/MATCH
  • Cross-sheet references: 'Sheet 2'!$A1 to pull values from other tabs
  • Named ranges: give meaningful names to cell groups

Report canvas​

A visual workspace where you build professional calculation reports:

  • Variable and equation boxes — type a formula, see the LaTeX-rendered result
  • Text boxes — add headings, descriptions, and notes
  • Chart boxes — embed charts directly in your report
  • Table boxes — structured data with cell references
  • Drawing boxes — embed CAD-style drawings
  • PDF export — vector output with selectable text and crisp math

Goal seeker​

Need to find what input produces a target output? The goal seeker uses bisection search to solve backwards — set your target value and it adjusts variables automatically.

Document editor​

A rich-text editor (powered by TipTap) for writing narrative documentation alongside calculations. Supports headings, lists, tables, links, superscript/subscript, and manual page breaks.

Templates​

Ready-made calculation packages that cite the governing code — ACI 318-19, TMS 402, and ASCE 7. Insert one and edit the inputs; every downstream result recomputes.

Who is it for?​

EngCanvas is designed for engineers who:

  • Need traceable calculations with clear unit tracking
  • Want to produce professional calculation reports (not just raw spreadsheets)
  • Work with mixed US and metric units and need automatic conversion
  • Are tired of Excel formulas that silently mix incompatible units

How it's organized​

EngCanvas has five kinds of tab:

TabPurpose
SheetGrid-based calculations with cell references and formulas
ReportVisual canvas with draggable calculation boxes and LaTeX rendering
DocumentRich-text editor for narrative documentation
DrawingCAD-style canvas for geometry and diagrams
Report BuilderBinds several tabs into one paginated PDF with a cover page and table of contents

Create tabs from the + button beside each section heading in the left sidebar, or from Home → New. (Report Builder is created only from the sidebar.) You can create multiple tabs of each type and reference values across them.

Next steps​