Troubleshooting

The problems people hit most, what causes each one, and the fix.

A result looks too small

Often a missing dash key. Typed without the dash, 1, 1, /, 1, 6 is eleven sixteenths, not one and a sixteenth, and the calculator cannot tell. When the top number is as big as the bottom one — 5, 1, /, 2 — it refuses the entry instead, and the red line reads 51/2 is 25-1/2 · 5-1/2? key the dash. Look along the tape for a fraction such as 11/16" where you meant a whole number and a fraction. See Entering feet, inches and fractions and The tape and fixing a number.

The export buttons are dimmed

Two different things look similar:

Dimmed, with a line under them — the line begins "Enter your own measurements to" and then names the dimmed buttons that screen actually has: "export." on a calculator that only shares a PDF, "export, start a cut list or send one." where those buttons are there too. The calculator is still showing its example numbers, and the app will not print a cut sheet from those. Change any input to your own measurement and the buttons wake up.
A lock on the button — SHEET — PRO, PDF — PRO, LIST — PRO, SEND — PRO or SAVE — PRO. These are Pro features. Tapping one opens the purchase screen. See Free and Pro.

The mic key does nothing

The voice sheet tells you which of these it is:

"Speech recognition is off…" or "The microphone is off…" — voice entry needs both permissions. Tap Open Settings on the sheet and turn on the one it names.
"Voice entry is turned off on this device by Screen Time or your organization." — speech recognition is restricted by whoever manages the phone. It can't be turned on from the app; ask them.
"The microphone isn't available…" — a call or another app has it, or there's no microphone connected. Close that and try again.
"On-device speech recognition isn't available for…" — the phone has no on-device recogniser for that language. Voice entry works in English and never sends audio to a server, so there is nothing to fall back to.
"Didn't catch that as a dimension" — it heard you, but a word was not one it knows. The list of what it takes is on Voice entry.

The laser won't pair

"Can't search — Bluetooth is off, or this app doesn't have Bluetooth access." Turn Bluetooth on in Control Centre. Then, in the phone's Settings ▸ Housewright Calc, make sure Bluetooth is allowed. Once Bluetooth is on, the search starts by itself.
It searches and finds nothing. After about 20 seconds the line reads "No laser found yet — only Bluetooth LE (C-series) models can pair." Press the Bluetooth button on the laser. The app works with Bluetooth Low Energy Bosch laser measures — the Settings screen names GLM 50 C and PLR C-series, and says newer GLM -27 C models are not verified yet.
Paired, but the status reads BLUETOOTH IS OFF, BLUETOOTH ACCESS DENIED or RECONNECTING… The first is Control Centre; the second has an Open Settings button under it; the third means the laser is off, asleep or out of range.
"Can't find this laser — forget it and pair again." The laser was reset or its pairing was cleared. Tap FORGET LASER, then pair it again.
Paired and connected, but a measurement went nowhere. Readings land on the Dimensional Calculator. Taken with another calculator open, the reading is held — go back to the Dimensional Calculator and it is there.

The cut list doesn't appear on the Lock Screen

"Not on the Lock Screen — the list may be too large, or Live Activities are off in Settings › Housewright Calc." Open the phone's Settings ▸ Housewright Calc and turn Live Activities on, then tap CUT LIST again. The Next Cut widget still gets the list even when Live Activities are off, and End list clears it there.
"Nothing to list — this result has no material rows." The result on screen has no materials to check off, so there is nothing to put on the Lock Screen.
The button is dimmed. The calculator is still on its example numbers. Enter your own.
The button reads LIST — PRO. The Lock Screen cut list is a Pro feature.

Starting a new cut list ends the one before it; only one runs at a time. More on Cut list on the Lock Screen, and widgets.

Restore Purchases finds nothing

When restore finds no Pro purchase, the line under the button reads "No Pro purchase found for this Apple ID. Check the App Store account on this phone is the one that bought Pro." and Status in Settings ▸ PURCHASES stays on Free. Restore looks at the Apple ID signed in to the phone, so check it is the one that bought Pro, or an account in the same Family Sharing group. Red text under the button is an error from the App Store itself, usually no connection; try again when you are back online. See Free and Pro.

A calculator shows a lock

It is a Pro calculator. Tapping it opens the purchase screen instead of the calculator. Six calculators are free — Dimensional Calculator, Unit Converter, Framing, Concrete, Rough Opening and I-Joist Hole Guide. If you have already bought Pro and still see locks, use Settings ▸ PURCHASES ▸ RESTORE PURCHASES. The guide for a locked calculator is still free to read.

Still stuck

Write to housewrightapp@gmail.com. Say which calculator, what you entered, and what you expected. The app version is at Settings ▸ ABOUT.