Mueck skins questions

[gamberoillecito]

Hello everyone, I'm very new to this world but having fun discovering all the potential of this calculator and app. 

I recently installed the skin by Mueck named " Mueck_FPm" particularly because I was interested in the various features for electronics and engineering. Following the guide in the .zip file, I also installed the provided program with the constants (and checked that it is working correctly).

What I don't understand is how to get the other "programs" (or maybe functions) to work. such as "dB", "2^x", etc.

If I try executing them I get only "Label not found".

I hope this is the correct place where to ask this sort of questions, in case it isn't please let me know where to post it. Moreover, due to lack of knowledge in the topic, it isn't even clear to me if this issue is related only to the skin or to Free42 in general.

Thanks to anyone willing to answer, to the developer of the app and to MickM for making the skin! 

[MickM]

Well - that's because the developer is a dope and he packaged the skin incorrectly. I'll fix that in the next day or so and submit everything to Thomas. As a workaround, delete the program bundle (which can simply be done by deleting one of the programs in it e.g. ":CONST" (by using ⇧CLEAR → CLP) and then use the program file Mueck-Desktop from the skin Mueck_FPd instead. 

I also recently upgraded my phone from an iPhone 13 mini to an iPhone 17 and I can see the graphics needs some additional tweaking so I'll fix that while I'm at it.

[Thomas Okken]

On Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at 12:18:29 AM UTC+1 mick....@mac.com wrote:

Well - that's because the developer is a dope and he packaged the skin incorrectly.

What? 

[MickM]

Yikes! I meant the SKIN developer (me), not you… Sorry for the unintended implication. So much for my lousy sense of humor 🤦

[MickM]

FYI - the corrected skins are now available on Thomas's website. Sorry for the hassle...

[Andrew Happ]

Hi Mick,

A very impressive project you’ve got there. It’s a shame that the user demographic seems to be declining.

I’m just exploring possibilities and I’ve found some inconsistencies in the mapping of my bluetooth Logitech K380 keyboard to the desktop skin. Many of the keystrokes work as expected but others seem to be subject to an alternate mapping scheme. For example:

Logitech   Action         Skin_Animation

D                Pi                 RollDown

o                10^x             Nil

=                Catalogue    0

x                GTO_            XEQ

[MickM]

While there indeed are some platform dependent Free42 keyboard quirks, especially with the Windows numeric pad, the examples you give shouldn't be happening if you've installed the skin correctly. That's assuming I didn't screw something else up (it does smell like a layout file issue)... Could you please state the skin you're using, the platform you're on and if you're using Free42 or Plus42. 

[Andrew Happ]

Skin – Mueck_Fpd

Platform – Android 12 on Galaxy S10

Calculator – Free42 Version 3.3.10

[Andrew Happ]

I just realised that I haven't done anything with the layout file. I need to start reading instructions.

[MickM]

There shouldn't be anything you need to do with the layout file - it should just work.

Either way, you can't even select a skin unless both the layout and gif files are present so I think there is still a real problem. Sadly, I'm not an Android or Galaxy guy so to debug this I'd have to start borrowing stuff again. Just so I understand the situation better, you're using a desktop skin on a mobile phone but with a BlueTooth keyboard, right? I've never tested a mobile version with a remote keyboard - I guess that would make sense for e.g. an iPad with a BlueTooth keyboard. 

Also, while I was developing this family I noticed DroidKey had crept into the layout file world, but I never implemented it because it wasn't common (at the time - I think). I'm starting to get a sinking feeling that maybe what you're seeing is an artifact of my skins not using DroidKey. Thomas - does that sound feasible?

Captain's personal log - I'm not looking forward to dipping my toes into the layout file quicksand again :-(.

[Andrew Happ]

Yes I did think the layout file would automatically find its way to its propper home. Your understanding of my situation is absolutely correct re [desktop/mobile/bluetoothKB].

If you do decide to push this along, I would be happy to put my hand up for further testing. I do have Plus42 but have not tried it with any alternate skins as yet.

[MickM]

I was going to have you do an experiment where you try editing layout file, but it you're on an Android phone you'll need to figure out how to transplant that file into your phone (or edit it in-place). I'm about to hit the sack, but if you're able, try editing the layout file (i.e. Mueck_FPd.layout) as follows: 

1. globally replace "GtkKey:" with "DroidKey:" 

2. Reload the skin

3. See if the examples you previously noticed get better.

If this does anything, it'll likely fix some things and break others - but it'll give me the clue I need that DroidKey is part of the solution.

[Andrew Happ]

I have had a hunt through my Android file system but cannot find where the layout file is stored. I suspect it’s not accessible due to permissions policy of the os. Somewhere I have an old Galaxy S5 that was rooted. I’ll see if I can find it but I’m not too hopeful that it will accommodate today’s Free42 software. If there is someone who knows how to edit such protected files on Android it would be appreciated if they could enlighten me.

[Thomas Okken]

Free42 and Plus42 store skins in private storage. You can copy files between private storage and accessible parts of the filesystem (like the Download directory) using File Import & Export in the app's main menu.

[Thomas Okken]

I would expect even the latest Free42 and Plus42 to run on the Galaxy S5. According to my sources, all versions of the device run Android 4.4 or later, which Free42 and Plus42 supports.

The absolute path of the app's private storage directory is /data/data/com.thomasokken.free42/files for Free42, and /data/data/com.thomasokken.plus42/files for Plus42.

[Thomas Okken]

Translating the GtkKey mappings to DroidKey should mostly work. I don't remember the differences off the top of my head, but I think it's mostly to do with mappings with multiple modifiers. For example, GtkKey: Alt percent => DroidKey: Alt Shift 5.

In a nutshell, GtkKey mappings can specify ASCII characters, hex-encoded characters (0x prefixed), and GDK keysyms, while DroidKey characters can specify ASCII characters, hex-encoded characters, and the keycode names defined in android.view.KeyEvent (the symbols starting with KEYCODE_; for android.view.KeyEvent.KEYCODE_foo you'd put foo in the DroidKey definition).

[Andrew Happ]

Hiding in plain sight – Thanks Thomas.

Update to the Layout file produced the following results:

Logitech Action           Skin_Animation

d              DISP               DISP

o              CONSTANT    Π

=              CATALOG       0

x               log2                x

Results seem much better. In general the shifted function is presented where I expect to see the un-shifted function. “=” seems to be wrongly mapped. The Alt functions I’ve tried are working also whereas previously they were not.

[MickM]

OK, so it does look like DroidKey is what needs fixing (or rather, implementing). The ball is in my court I guess. I don't have any of the hardware necessary to debug this, so it might be best for Andy and I to collaborate privately while all this gets ironed out. But right now, I have to go shovel snow in -9°C weather :-(.