Here are a few suggestions on setting up Mathpad for your own uses.
If you would like to change MathPad's default document settings, create a new document with whatever you want for defaults. Use the "make default" button in the Preferences... dialog. This will create a file in MathPad's folder named "defaults". This allows setting radians, numeric format, fonts, window sizes etc. (You will have to evaluate a plot to set plot window options).
The "defaults" file is an ordinary MathPad document and can be edited directly. Normally it is saved without any text but default starting text is allowed. If a "defaults" file exists it is used as the starting point for new documents.
You may wish to save definitions that you find generally useful in one or more include files. A document containing the command
include "filename"
will open and read definitions from the named file.
The distribution contains some general utility functions in the "incl" folder. Any document can access these files via a short relative path name such as ":incl:vector ops". You can add your include files to this folder or make your own include folder.
Choose the XFuns you need and move them into the active folder. XFun files placed in MathPad's "Active XFuns" folder extend its function menu.
If you wish to change the way in which image data values are mapped to colors or grayscale, you can edit the following resources:
'PAT#' name="graypats"
used when halftone patterns are selected
'ctbl' id=128
the color table used when gray levels are selected
'ctbl' id=129
the color table used when color is selected
The number of "graypats" can be changed as well as the patterns themselves.
The system's default 8-bit grayscale table is used for either 128 or 129 if the color table is missing.
Miscellaneous resources
'ppat' id=128
the color pen pattern for grid lines
'ppat' id=129
the color pen pattern for bold grid lines
'STR#' id=129
name of the standard font and size
'STR#' id=130
creator code for saved pict files
'TEXT' id=128
text for general help file