Mercurial > octave-nkf
annotate doc/interpreter/basics.txi @ 16774:8d188159ce5f
Add -W command line option to disable window system (bug #38937)
* libinterp/octave.cc: Add -W as a short form of --no-window-system
option.
* doc/interpreter/basics.txi: Add -W command line form to documentation.
author | Rik <rik@octave.org> |
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date | Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:36:42 -0700 |
parents | 7eff3032d144 |
children | 2fd22fbaffa3 |
rev | line source |
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1 @c Copyright (C) 1996-2012 John W. Eaton |
7018 | 2 @c |
3 @c This file is part of Octave. | |
4 @c | |
5 @c Octave is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it | |
6 @c under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the | |
7 @c Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at | |
8 @c your option) any later version. | |
9 @c | |
10 @c Octave is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT | |
11 @c ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or | |
12 @c FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License | |
13 @c for more details. | |
14 @c | |
15 @c You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License | |
16 @c along with Octave; see the file COPYING. If not, see | |
17 @c <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>. | |
3294 | 18 |
4167 | 19 @node Getting Started |
3294 | 20 @chapter Getting Started |
21 | |
22 This chapter explains some of Octave's basic features, including how to | |
23 start an Octave session, get help at the command prompt, edit the | |
24 command line, and write Octave programs that can be executed as commands | |
25 from your shell. | |
26 | |
27 @menu | |
6620 | 28 * Invoking Octave from the Command Line:: |
3294 | 29 * Quitting Octave:: |
30 * Getting Help:: | |
31 * Command Line Editing:: | |
32 * Errors:: | |
33 * Executable Octave Programs:: | |
34 * Comments:: | |
35 @end menu | |
36 | |
6620 | 37 @node Invoking Octave from the Command Line |
38 @section Invoking Octave from the Command Line | |
3294 | 39 |
40 Normally, Octave is used interactively by running the program | |
41 @samp{octave} without any arguments. Once started, Octave reads | |
42 commands from the terminal until you tell it to exit. | |
43 | |
44 You can also specify the name of a file on the command line, and Octave | |
45 will read and execute the commands from the named file and then exit | |
46 when it is finished. | |
47 | |
48 You can further control how Octave starts by using the command-line | |
49 options described in the next section, and Octave itself can remind you | |
50 of the options available. Type @samp{octave --help} to display all | |
51 available options and briefly describe their use (@samp{octave -h} is a | |
52 shorter equivalent). | |
53 | |
54 @menu | |
55 * Command Line Options:: | |
56 * Startup Files:: | |
57 @end menu | |
58 | |
4167 | 59 @node Command Line Options |
3294 | 60 @subsection Command Line Options |
61 @cindex Octave command options | |
62 @cindex command options | |
63 @cindex options, Octave command | |
64 | |
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65 Here is a complete list of the command line options that Octave |
3294 | 66 accepts. |
67 | |
6620 | 68 |
3294 | 69 @table @code |
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70 @item --debug |
3294 | 71 @itemx -d |
72 @cindex @code{--debug} | |
73 @cindex @code{-d} | |
74 Enter parser debugging mode. Using this option will cause Octave's | |
75 parser to print a lot of information about the commands it reads, and is | |
76 probably only useful if you are actually trying to debug the parser. | |
77 | |
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78 @item --docXcache-file @var{filename} |
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79 @cindex @code{--docXcache-file @var{filename}} |
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80 Specify the name of the doc cache file to use. The value of @var{filename} |
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81 specified on the command line will override any value of |
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82 @w{@env{OCTAVE_DOC_CACHE_FILE}} found in the environment, but not any commands |
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83 in the system or user startup files that use the @code{doc_cache_file} |
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84 function. |
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85 |
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86 @item --echo-commands |
3294 | 87 @itemx -x |
88 @cindex @code{--echo-commands} | |
89 @cindex @code{-x} | |
90 Echo commands as they are executed. | |
91 | |
5190 | 92 @item --eval @var{code} |
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93 Evaluate @var{code} and exit when finished unless @option{--persist} is also |
5190 | 94 specified. |
95 | |
3294 | 96 @item --exec-path @var{path} |
97 @cindex @code{--exec-path @var{path}} | |
98 Specify the path to search for programs to run. The value of @var{path} | |
99 specified on the command line will override any value of | |
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100 @w{@env{OCTAVE_EXEC_PATH}} found in the environment, but not any commands |
3294 | 101 in the system or user startup files that set the built-in variable |
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102 @w{@env{EXEC_PATH}}. |
3294 | 103 |
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104 @item --force-gui |
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105 @cindex @code{--force-gui} |
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106 Force the graphical user interface (GUI) to start. |
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107 |
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108 @item --help |
3294 | 109 @itemx -h |
110 @itemx -? | |
111 @cindex @code{--help} | |
112 @cindex @code{-h} | |
113 @cindex @code{-?} | |
114 Print short help message and exit. | |
115 | |
6620 | 116 @item --image-path @var{path} |
117 @cindex @code{--image-path @var{path}} | |
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118 Add path to the head of the search path for images. The value of |
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119 @var{path} specified on the command line will override any value of |
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120 @w{@env{OCTAVE_IMAGE_PATH}} found in the environment, but not any commands |
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121 in the system or user startup files that set the built-in variable |
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122 @w{@env{IMAGE_PATH}}. |
6620 | 123 |
3294 | 124 @item --info-file @var{filename} |
125 @cindex @code{--info-file @var{filename}} | |
126 Specify the name of the info file to use. The value of @var{filename} | |
127 specified on the command line will override any value of | |
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128 @w{@env{OCTAVE_INFO_FILE}} found in the environment, but not any commands |
6653 | 129 in the system or user startup files that use the @code{info_file} |
6477 | 130 function. |
3294 | 131 |
132 @item --info-program @var{program} | |
133 @cindex @code{--info-program @var{program}} | |
134 Specify the name of the info program to use. The value of @var{program} | |
135 specified on the command line will override any value of | |
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136 @w{@env{OCTAVE_INFO_PROGRAM}} found in the environment, but not any |
6477 | 137 commands in the system or user startup files that use the |
138 @code{info_program} function. | |
3294 | 139 |
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140 @item --interactive |
3294 | 141 @itemx -i |
142 @cindex @code{--interactive} | |
143 @cindex @code{-i} | |
144 Force interactive behavior. This can be useful for running Octave via a | |
145 remote shell command or inside an Emacs shell buffer. For another way | |
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146 to run Octave within Emacs, see @ref{Emacs Octave Support}. |
3294 | 147 |
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148 @item --jit-debug |
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149 @cindex @code{--jit-debug} |
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150 Enable JIT compiler debugging and tracing. |
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151 |
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152 @item --line-editing |
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153 @cindex @code{--line-editing} |
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154 Force readline use for command-line editing. |
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155 |
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156 @item --no-gui |
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157 @cindex @code{--no-gui} |
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158 Disable the graphical user interface (GUI) and use the command line |
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159 interface (CLI) instead. |
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160 |
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161 @item --no-history |
3428 | 162 @itemx -H |
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163 @cindex @code{--no-history} |
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164 @cindex @code{-H} |
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165 Disable recording of command-line history. |
3428 | 166 |
3294 | 167 @item --no-init-file |
168 @cindex @code{--no-init-file} | |
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169 Don't read the initialization files @file{~/.octaverc} and @file{.octaverc}. |
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170 |
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171 @item --no-init-path |
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172 @cindex @code{--no-init-path} |
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173 Don't initialize the search path for function files to include default |
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174 locations. |
3294 | 175 |
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176 @item --no-jit-compiler |
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177 @cindex @code{--no-jit-compiler} |
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178 Disable the JIT compiler used for accelerating loops. |
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179 |
3294 | 180 @item --no-line-editing |
181 @cindex @code{--no-line-editing} | |
182 Disable command-line editing. | |
183 | |
184 @item --no-site-file | |
185 @cindex @code{--no-site-file} | |
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186 Don't read the site-wide @file{octaverc} initialization files. |
3294 | 187 |
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188 @item --no-window-system |
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189 @itemx -W |
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190 @cindex @code{--no-window-system} |
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191 Disable use of a windowing system including graphics. This forces a |
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192 strictly terminal-only environment. |
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193 |
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194 @item --norc |
3294 | 195 @itemx -f |
196 @cindex @code{--norc} | |
197 @cindex @code{-f} | |
198 Don't read any of the system or user initialization files at startup. | |
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199 This is equivalent to using both of the options @option{--no-init-file} |
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200 and @option{--no-site-file}. |
3294 | 201 |
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202 @item --path @var{path} |
3294 | 203 @itemx -p @var{path} |
204 @cindex @code{--path @var{path}} | |
205 @cindex @code{-p @var{path}} | |
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206 Add path to the head of the search path for function files. The |
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207 value of @var{path} specified on the command line will override any value |
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208 of @w{@env{OCTAVE_PATH}} found in the environment, but not any commands in the |
6643 | 209 system or user startup files that set the internal load path through one |
210 of the path functions. | |
3294 | 211 |
5190 | 212 @item --persist |
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213 @cindex @code{--persist} |
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214 Go to interactive mode after @option{--eval} or reading from a file |
5190 | 215 named on the command line. |
216 | |
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217 @item --silent |
3294 | 218 @itemx --quiet |
219 @itemx -q | |
220 @cindex @code{--silent} | |
221 @cindex @code{--quiet} | |
222 @cindex @code{-q} | |
223 Don't print the usual greeting and version message at startup. | |
224 | |
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225 @item --texi-macros-file @var{filename} |
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226 @cindex @code{--texi-macros-file @var{filename}} |
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227 Specify the name of the file containing Texinfo macros for use by makeinfo. |
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228 |
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229 @item --traditional |
3294 | 230 @itemx --braindead |
231 @cindex @code{--traditional} | |
232 @cindex @code{--braindead} | |
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233 For compatibility with @sc{matlab}, set initial values for |
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234 user preferences to the following values |
3294 | 235 |
236 @example | |
4455 | 237 @group |
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238 PS1 = ">> " |
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239 PS2 = "" |
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240 allow_noninteger_range_as_index = true |
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241 beep_on_error = true |
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242 confirm_recursive_rmdir = false |
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243 crash_dumps_octave_core = false |
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244 default_save_options = "-mat-binary" |
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245 do_braindead_shortcircuit_evaluation = true |
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246 fixed_point_format = true |
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247 history_timestamp_format_string = "%%-- %D %I:%M %p --%%" |
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248 page_screen_output = false |
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249 print_empty_dimensions = false |
6556 | 250 @end group |
251 @end example | |
252 | |
253 @noindent | |
254 and disable the following warnings | |
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255 |
6556 | 256 @example |
257 @group | |
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258 Octave:abbreviated-property-match |
7031 | 259 Octave:fopen-file-in-path |
260 Octave:function-name-clash | |
261 Octave:load-file-in-path | |
4455 | 262 @end group |
3294 | 263 @end example |
264 | |
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265 @noindent |
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266 Note that this does not enable the @code{Octave:matlab-incompatible} |
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267 warning, which you might want if you want to be told about writing code |
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268 that works in Octave but not Matlab (@pxref{docXwarning}, |
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269 @pxref{docXwarning_ids}). |
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270 |
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271 @item --verbose |
3294 | 272 @itemx -V |
273 @cindex @code{--verbose} | |
274 @cindex @code{-V} | |
275 Turn on verbose output. | |
276 | |
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277 @item --version |
3294 | 278 @itemx -v |
279 @cindex @code{--version} | |
280 @cindex @code{-v} | |
281 Print the program version number and exit. | |
282 | |
283 @item @var{file} | |
5190 | 284 Execute commands from @var{file}. Exit when done unless |
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285 @option{--persist} is also specified. |
3294 | 286 @end table |
287 | |
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288 Octave also includes several functions which return information |
3294 | 289 about the command line, including the number of arguments and all of the |
290 options. | |
291 | |
3332 | 292 @DOCSTRING(argv) |
3294 | 293 |
6550 | 294 @DOCSTRING(program_name) |
295 | |
3332 | 296 @DOCSTRING(program_invocation_name) |
3294 | 297 |
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298 Here is an example of using these functions to reproduce the command |
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299 line which invoked Octave. |
3294 | 300 |
301 @example | |
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302 @group |
6479 | 303 printf ("%s", program_name ()); |
6620 | 304 arg_list = argv (); |
3294 | 305 for i = 1:nargin |
6479 | 306 printf (" %s", arg_list@{i@}); |
3294 | 307 endfor |
308 printf ("\n"); | |
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309 @end group |
3294 | 310 @end example |
311 | |
312 @noindent | |
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313 @xref{Indexing Cell Arrays}, for an explanation of how to retrieve objects |
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314 from cell arrays, and @ref{Defining Functions}, for information about the |
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315 variable @code{nargin}. |
3294 | 316 |
4167 | 317 @node Startup Files |
3294 | 318 @subsection Startup Files |
319 @cindex initialization | |
320 @cindex startup | |
321 | |
6620 | 322 When Octave starts, it looks for commands to execute from the files in |
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323 the following list. These files may contain any valid Octave commands, |
6620 | 324 including function definitions. |
3294 | 325 |
326 @cindex startup files | |
327 | |
328 @table @code | |
329 @item @var{octave-home}/share/octave/site/m/startup/octaverc | |
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330 @cindex site startup file |
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331 where @var{octave-home} is the directory in which Octave is installed |
9906 | 332 (the default is @file{/usr/local}). |
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333 This file is provided so that changes to the default Octave environment |
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334 can be made globally for all users at your site for all versions of Octave |
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335 you have installed. Care should be taken when making changes to this file |
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336 since all users of Octave at your site will be affected. The default file |
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337 may be overridden by the environment variable @w{@env{OCTAVE_SITE_INITFILE}}. |
3294 | 338 |
339 @item @var{octave-home}/share/octave/@var{version}/m/startup/octaverc | |
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340 @cindex version startup file |
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341 where @var{octave-home} is the directory in which Octave is |
9906 | 342 installed (the default is @file{/usr/local}), and @var{version} |
3294 | 343 is the version number of Octave. This file is provided so that changes |
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344 to the default Octave environment can be made globally for all users of |
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345 a particular version of Octave. Care should be taken when making |
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346 changes to this file since all users of Octave at your site will be |
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347 affected. The default file may be overridden by the environment variable |
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348 @w{@env{OCTAVE_VERSION_INITFILE}}. |
3294 | 349 |
350 @item ~/.octaverc | |
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351 @cindex personal startup file |
3294 | 352 @cindex @code{~/.octaverc} |
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353 This file is used to make personal changes to the default |
3294 | 354 Octave environment. |
355 | |
356 @item .octaverc | |
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357 @cindex project startup file |
3294 | 358 @cindex @code{.octaverc} |
359 This file can be used to make changes to the default Octave environment | |
360 for a particular project. Octave searches for this file in the current | |
361 directory after it reads @file{~/.octaverc}. Any use of the @code{cd} | |
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362 command in the @file{~/.octaverc} file will affect the directory where |
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363 Octave searches for @file{.octaverc}. |
3294 | 364 |
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365 If you start Octave in your home directory, commands from the file |
3294 | 366 @file{~/.octaverc} will only be executed once. |
367 @end table | |
368 | |
369 A message will be displayed as each of the startup files is read if you | |
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370 invoke Octave with the @option{--verbose} option but without the |
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371 @option{--silent} option. |
3294 | 372 |
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373 The @code{dump_prefs} function is useful for determining what customizations |
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374 to Octave are possible and which are in effect. |
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375 |
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376 @DOCSTRING(dump_prefs) |
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377 |
4167 | 378 @node Quitting Octave |
3294 | 379 @section Quitting Octave |
380 @cindex exiting octave | |
381 @cindex quitting octave | |
382 | |
3332 | 383 @DOCSTRING(quit) |
3294 | 384 |
3332 | 385 @DOCSTRING(atexit) |
3294 | 386 |
4167 | 387 @node Getting Help |
3294 | 388 @section Commands for Getting Help |
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389 @cindex online help |
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390 @cindex help, online |
3294 | 391 |
392 The entire text of this manual is available from the Octave prompt | |
6620 | 393 via the command @kbd{doc}. In addition, the documentation for |
3294 | 394 individual user-written functions and variables is also available via |
395 the @kbd{help} command. This section describes the commands used for | |
396 reading the manual and the documentation strings for user-supplied | |
397 functions and variables. @xref{Function Files}, for more information | |
398 about how to document the functions you write. | |
399 | |
3332 | 400 @DOCSTRING(help) |
3294 | 401 |
6549 | 402 @DOCSTRING(doc) |
403 | |
404 @DOCSTRING(lookfor) | |
405 | |
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406 To see what is new in the current release of Octave, use the @code{news} |
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407 function. |
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408 |
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409 @DOCSTRING(news) |
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410 |
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411 @DOCSTRING(info) |
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412 |
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413 @DOCSTRING(warranty) |
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414 |
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415 The following functions can be used to change which programs are used |
6620 | 416 for displaying the documentation, and where the documentation can be |
417 found. | |
3294 | 418 |
6477 | 419 @DOCSTRING(info_file) |
3294 | 420 |
6477 | 421 @DOCSTRING(info_program) |
3294 | 422 |
6477 | 423 @DOCSTRING(makeinfo_program) |
3686 | 424 |
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425 @DOCSTRING(texi_macros_file) |
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426 |
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427 @DOCSTRING(doc_cache_file) |
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428 |
3332 | 429 @DOCSTRING(suppress_verbose_help_message) |
3294 | 430 |
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431 The following functions are principally used internally by Octave for |
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432 generating the documentation. They are documented here for completeness |
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433 and because they may occasionally be useful for users. |
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434 |
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435 @DOCSTRING(gen_doc_cache) |
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436 |
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437 @DOCSTRING(get_help_text) |
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438 |
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439 @DOCSTRING(get_help_text_from_file) |
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440 |
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441 @DOCSTRING(get_first_help_sentence) |
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442 |
4167 | 443 @node Command Line Editing |
3294 | 444 @section Command Line Editing |
445 @cindex command-line editing | |
446 @cindex editing the command line | |
447 | |
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448 Octave uses the GNU Readline library to provide an extensive set of |
3294 | 449 command-line editing and history features. Only the most common |
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450 features are described in this manual. In addition, all of the editing |
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451 functions can be bound to different key strokes at the user's discretion. |
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452 This manual assumes no changes from the default Emacs bindings. See the GNU |
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453 Readline Library manual for more information on customizing Readline and |
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454 for a complete feature list. |
3294 | 455 |
456 To insert printing characters (letters, digits, symbols, etc.), simply | |
457 type the character. Octave will insert the character at the cursor and | |
458 advance the cursor forward. | |
459 | |
460 Many of the command-line editing functions operate using control | |
461 characters. For example, the character @kbd{Control-a} moves the cursor | |
462 to the beginning of the line. To type @kbd{C-a}, hold down @key{CTRL} | |
463 and then press @key{a}. In the following sections, control characters | |
464 such as @kbd{Control-a} are written as @kbd{C-a}. | |
465 | |
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466 Another set of command-line editing functions use Meta characters. To |
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467 type @kbd{M-u}, hold down the @key{META} key and press @key{u}. Depending |
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468 on the keyboard, the @key{META} key may be labeled @key{ALT} or |
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469 even @key{WINDOWS}. If your terminal does not have a @key{META} key, you |
7001 | 470 can still type Meta characters using two-character sequences starting |
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471 with @kbd{ESC}. Thus, to enter @kbd{M-u}, you would type |
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472 @key{ESC} @key{u}. The @kbd{ESC} character sequences are also allowed on |
3294 | 473 terminals with real Meta keys. In the following sections, Meta |
474 characters such as @kbd{Meta-u} are written as @kbd{M-u}. | |
475 | |
3428 | 476 |
3294 | 477 @menu |
478 * Cursor Motion:: | |
479 * Killing and Yanking:: | |
480 * Commands For Text:: | |
481 * Commands For Completion:: | |
482 * Commands For History:: | |
3439 | 483 * Customizing readline:: |
3294 | 484 * Customizing the Prompt:: |
485 * Diary and Echo Commands:: | |
486 @end menu | |
487 | |
4167 | 488 @node Cursor Motion |
3294 | 489 @subsection Cursor Motion |
490 | |
491 The following commands allow you to position the cursor. | |
492 | |
493 @table @kbd | |
494 @item C-b | |
495 Move back one character. | |
496 | |
497 @item C-f | |
498 Move forward one character. | |
499 | |
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500 @item @key{BACKSPACE} |
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501 Delete the character to the left of the cursor. |
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502 |
3294 | 503 @item @key{DEL} |
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504 Delete the character underneath the cursor. |
3294 | 505 |
506 @item C-d | |
507 Delete the character underneath the cursor. | |
508 | |
509 @item M-f | |
510 Move forward a word. | |
511 | |
512 @item M-b | |
513 Move backward a word. | |
514 | |
515 @item C-a | |
516 Move to the start of the line. | |
517 | |
518 @item C-e | |
519 Move to the end of the line. | |
520 | |
521 @item C-l | |
522 Clear the screen, reprinting the current line at the top. | |
523 | |
524 @item C-_ | |
525 @itemx C-/ | |
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526 Undo the last action. You can undo all the way back to an empty line. |
3294 | 527 |
528 @item M-r | |
529 Undo all changes made to this line. This is like typing the `undo' | |
530 command enough times to get back to the beginning. | |
531 @end table | |
532 | |
533 The above table describes the most basic possible keystrokes that you need | |
534 in order to do editing of the input line. On most terminals, you can | |
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535 also use the left and right arrow keys in place of @kbd{C-f} and @kbd{C-b} |
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536 to move forward and backward. |
3294 | 537 |
538 Notice how @kbd{C-f} moves forward a character, while @kbd{M-f} moves | |
539 forward a word. It is a loose convention that control keystrokes | |
540 operate on characters while meta keystrokes operate on words. | |
541 | |
542 @cindex clearing the screen | |
543 | |
6620 | 544 The function @code{clc} will allow you to clear the screen from within |
545 Octave programs. | |
546 | |
3332 | 547 @DOCSTRING(clc) |
3294 | 548 |
4167 | 549 @node Killing and Yanking |
3294 | 550 @subsection Killing and Yanking |
551 | |
552 @dfn{Killing} text means to delete the text from the line, but to save | |
553 it away for later use, usually by @dfn{yanking} it back into the line. | |
554 If the description for a command says that it `kills' text, then you can | |
555 be sure that you can get the text back in a different (or the same) | |
556 place later. | |
557 | |
558 Here is the list of commands for killing text. | |
559 | |
560 @table @kbd | |
561 @item C-k | |
562 Kill the text from the current cursor position to the end of the line. | |
563 | |
564 @item M-d | |
565 Kill from the cursor to the end of the current word, or if between | |
566 words, to the end of the next word. | |
567 | |
568 @item M-@key{DEL} | |
569 Kill from the cursor to the start of the previous word, or if between | |
570 words, to the start of the previous word. | |
571 | |
572 @item C-w | |
573 Kill from the cursor to the previous whitespace. This is different than | |
574 @kbd{M-@key{DEL}} because the word boundaries differ. | |
575 @end table | |
576 | |
577 And, here is how to @dfn{yank} the text back into the line. Yanking | |
578 means to copy the most-recently-killed text from the kill buffer. | |
579 | |
580 @table @kbd | |
581 @item C-y | |
582 Yank the most recently killed text back into the buffer at the cursor. | |
583 | |
584 @item M-y | |
585 Rotate the kill-ring, and yank the new top. You can only do this if | |
586 the prior command is @kbd{C-y} or @kbd{M-y}. | |
587 @end table | |
588 | |
589 When you use a kill command, the text is saved in a @dfn{kill-ring}. | |
590 Any number of consecutive kills save all of the killed text together, so | |
591 that when you yank it back, you get it in one clean sweep. The kill | |
592 ring is not line specific; the text that you killed on a previously | |
593 typed line is available to be yanked back later, when you are typing | |
594 another line. | |
595 | |
4167 | 596 @node Commands For Text |
3294 | 597 @subsection Commands For Changing Text |
598 | |
599 The following commands can be used for entering characters that would | |
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600 otherwise have a special meaning (e.g., @key{TAB}, @kbd{C-q}, etc.), or |
3294 | 601 for quickly correcting typing mistakes. |
602 | |
603 @table @kbd | |
604 @item C-q | |
605 @itemx C-v | |
606 Add the next character that you type to the line verbatim. This is | |
607 how to insert things like @kbd{C-q} for example. | |
608 | |
609 @item M-@key{TAB} | |
610 Insert a tab character. | |
611 | |
612 @item C-t | |
613 Drag the character before the cursor forward over the character at the | |
614 cursor, also moving the cursor forward. If the cursor is at the end of | |
615 the line, then transpose the two characters before it. | |
616 | |
617 @item M-t | |
618 Drag the word behind the cursor past the word in front of the cursor | |
619 moving the cursor over that word as well. | |
620 | |
621 @item M-u | |
622 Uppercase the characters following the cursor to the end of the current | |
623 (or following) word, moving the cursor to the end of the word. | |
624 | |
625 @item M-l | |
6620 | 626 Lowercase the characters following the cursor to the end of the current |
3294 | 627 (or following) word, moving the cursor to the end of the word. |
628 | |
629 @item M-c | |
630 Uppercase the character following the cursor (or the beginning of the | |
631 next word if the cursor is between words), moving the cursor to the end | |
632 of the word. | |
633 @end table | |
634 | |
4167 | 635 @node Commands For Completion |
3294 | 636 @subsection Letting Readline Type For You |
637 @cindex command completion | |
638 | |
639 The following commands allow Octave to complete command and variable | |
640 names for you. | |
641 | |
642 @table @kbd | |
643 @item @key{TAB} | |
644 Attempt to do completion on the text before the cursor. Octave can | |
645 complete the names of commands and variables. | |
646 | |
647 @item M-? | |
648 List the possible completions of the text before the cursor. | |
649 @end table | |
650 | |
3332 | 651 @DOCSTRING(completion_append_char) |
3294 | 652 |
3332 | 653 @DOCSTRING(completion_matches) |
3294 | 654 |
4167 | 655 @node Commands For History |
3294 | 656 @subsection Commands For Manipulating The History |
657 @cindex command history | |
658 @cindex input history | |
659 @cindex history of commands | |
660 | |
661 Octave normally keeps track of the commands you type so that you can | |
662 recall previous commands to edit or execute them again. When you exit | |
663 Octave, the most recent commands you have typed, up to the number | |
664 specified by the variable @code{history_size}, are saved in a file. | |
665 When Octave starts, it loads an initial list of commands from the file | |
666 named by the variable @code{history_file}. | |
667 | |
668 Here are the commands for simple browsing and searching the history | |
669 list. | |
670 | |
671 @table @kbd | |
672 @item @key{LFD} | |
673 @itemx @key{RET} | |
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674 Accept the current line regardless of where the cursor is. If the line is |
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675 non-empty, add it to the history list. If the line was a history |
3294 | 676 line, then restore the history line to its original state. |
677 | |
678 @item C-p | |
679 Move `up' through the history list. | |
680 | |
681 @item C-n | |
682 Move `down' through the history list. | |
683 | |
684 @item M-< | |
685 Move to the first line in the history. | |
686 | |
687 @item M-> | |
688 Move to the end of the input history, i.e., the line you are entering! | |
689 | |
690 @item C-r | |
691 Search backward starting at the current line and moving `up' through | |
692 the history as necessary. This is an incremental search. | |
693 | |
694 @item C-s | |
695 Search forward starting at the current line and moving `down' through | |
696 the history as necessary. | |
697 @end table | |
698 | |
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699 On most terminals, you can also use the up and down arrow keys in place |
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700 of @kbd{C-p} and @kbd{C-n} to move through the history list. |
3294 | 701 |
702 In addition to the keyboard commands for moving through the history | |
703 list, Octave provides three functions for viewing, editing, and | |
704 re-running chunks of commands from the history list. | |
705 | |
3332 | 706 @DOCSTRING(history) |
3294 | 707 |
3332 | 708 @DOCSTRING(edit_history) |
3294 | 709 |
3332 | 710 @DOCSTRING(run_history) |
3294 | 711 |
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712 @noindent |
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713 Octave also allows you customize the details of when, where, and how history |
6620 | 714 is saved. |
3294 | 715 |
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716 @DOCSTRING(saving_history) |
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717 |
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718 @DOCSTRING(history_control) |
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719 |
3332 | 720 @DOCSTRING(history_file) |
3294 | 721 |
3332 | 722 @DOCSTRING(history_size) |
3294 | 723 |
6550 | 724 @DOCSTRING(history_timestamp_format_string) |
725 | |
6620 | 726 @DOCSTRING(EDITOR) |
727 | |
4167 | 728 @node Customizing readline |
3428 | 729 @subsection Customizing @code{readline} |
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730 @cindex @code{~/.inputrc} |
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731 @cindex customizing @code{readline} |
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732 @cindex @code{readline} customization |
3428 | 733 |
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734 Octave uses the GNU Readline library for command-line editing and |
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735 history features. Readline is very flexible and can be modified through |
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736 a configuration file of commands (See the GNU Readline library for the |
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737 exact command syntax). The default configuration file is normally |
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738 @file{~/.inputrc}. |
6620 | 739 |
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740 Octave provides two commands for initializing Readline and thereby changing |
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741 the command line behavior. |
3428 | 742 |
3439 | 743 @DOCSTRING(read_readline_init_file) |
3428 | 744 |
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745 @DOCSTRING(re_read_readline_init_file) |
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746 |
4167 | 747 @node Customizing the Prompt |
3294 | 748 @subsection Customizing the Prompt |
749 @cindex prompt customization | |
750 @cindex customizing the prompt | |
751 | |
752 The following variables are available for customizing the appearance of | |
753 the command-line prompts. Octave allows the prompt to be customized by | |
754 inserting a number of backslash-escaped special characters that are | |
755 decoded as follows: | |
756 | |
757 @table @samp | |
758 @item \t | |
759 The time. | |
760 | |
761 @item \d | |
762 The date. | |
763 | |
764 @item \n | |
765 Begins a new line by printing the equivalent of a carriage return | |
766 followed by a line feed. | |
767 | |
768 @item \s | |
769 The name of the program (usually just @samp{octave}). | |
770 | |
771 @item \w | |
772 The current working directory. | |
773 | |
774 @item \W | |
775 The basename of the current working directory. | |
776 | |
777 @item \u | |
778 The username of the current user. | |
779 | |
780 @item \h | |
781 The hostname, up to the first `.'. | |
782 | |
783 @item \H | |
784 The hostname. | |
785 | |
786 @item \# | |
787 The command number of this command, counting from when Octave starts. | |
788 | |
789 @item \! | |
790 The history number of this command. This differs from @samp{\#} by the | |
791 number of commands in the history list when Octave starts. | |
792 | |
793 @item \$ | |
794 If the effective UID is 0, a @samp{#}, otherwise a @samp{$}. | |
795 | |
796 @item \nnn | |
797 The character whose character code in octal is @var{nnn}. | |
798 | |
799 @item \\ | |
800 A backslash. | |
801 @end table | |
802 | |
3332 | 803 @DOCSTRING(PS1) |
3294 | 804 |
3332 | 805 @DOCSTRING(PS2) |
3294 | 806 |
3332 | 807 @DOCSTRING(PS4) |
3294 | 808 |
4167 | 809 @node Diary and Echo Commands |
3294 | 810 @subsection Diary and Echo Commands |
811 @cindex diary of commands and output | |
6939 | 812 @cindex command and output logs |
3294 | 813 @cindex logging commands and output |
814 @cindex echoing executing commands | |
815 @cindex command echoing | |
816 | |
817 Octave's diary feature allows you to keep a log of all or part of an | |
818 interactive session by recording the input you type and the output that | |
819 Octave produces in a separate file. | |
820 | |
3332 | 821 @DOCSTRING(diary) |
3294 | 822 |
823 Sometimes it is useful to see the commands in a function or script as | |
824 they are being evaluated. This can be especially helpful for debugging | |
825 some kinds of problems. | |
826 | |
3332 | 827 @DOCSTRING(echo) |
3294 | 828 |
3332 | 829 @DOCSTRING(echo_executing_commands) |
3294 | 830 |
4167 | 831 @node Errors |
3294 | 832 @section How Octave Reports Errors |
833 @cindex error messages | |
834 @cindex messages, error | |
835 | |
836 Octave reports two kinds of errors for invalid programs. | |
837 | |
838 A @dfn{parse error} occurs if Octave cannot understand something you | |
839 have typed. For example, if you misspell a keyword, | |
840 | |
841 @example | |
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842 octave:13> function y = f (x) y = x***2; endfunction |
3294 | 843 @end example |
844 | |
845 @noindent | |
846 Octave will respond immediately with a message like this: | |
847 | |
848 @example | |
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849 @group |
3294 | 850 parse error: |
851 | |
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852 syntax error |
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853 |
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854 >>> function y = f (x) y = x***2; endfunction |
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855 ^ |
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856 @end group |
3294 | 857 @end example |
858 | |
859 @noindent | |
860 For most parse errors, Octave uses a caret (@samp{^}) to mark the point | |
861 on the line where it was unable to make sense of your input. In this | |
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862 case, Octave generated an error message because the keyword for |
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863 exponentiation (@code{**}) was misspelled. It marked the error at the |
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864 third @samp{*} because the code leading up to this was correct but the final |
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865 @samp{*} was not understood. |
3294 | 866 |
867 Another class of error message occurs at evaluation time. These | |
868 errors are called @dfn{run-time errors}, or sometimes | |
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869 @dfn{evaluation errors}, because they occur when your program is being |
3294 | 870 @dfn{run}, or @dfn{evaluated}. For example, if after correcting the |
871 mistake in the previous function definition, you type | |
872 | |
873 @example | |
874 octave:13> f () | |
875 @end example | |
876 | |
877 @noindent | |
878 Octave will respond with | |
879 | |
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880 @example |
3294 | 881 @group |
882 error: `x' undefined near line 1 column 24 | |
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883 error: called from: |
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884 error: f at line 1, column 22 |
3294 | 885 @end group |
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886 @end example |
3294 | 887 |
6620 | 888 @noindent |
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889 This error message has several parts, and gives quite a bit of |
3294 | 890 information to help you locate the source of the error. The messages |
891 are generated from the point of the innermost error, and provide a | |
892 traceback of enclosing expressions and function calls. | |
893 | |
894 In the example above, the first line indicates that a variable named | |
895 @samp{x} was found to be undefined near line 1 and column 24 of some | |
896 function or expression. For errors occurring within functions, lines | |
897 are counted from the beginning of the file containing the function | |
9135
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898 definition. For errors occurring outside of an enclosing function, |
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899 the line number indicates the input line number, which is usually displayed |
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900 in the primary prompt string. |
3294 | 901 |
9135
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902 The second and third lines of the error message indicate that the error |
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903 occurred within the function @code{f}. If the function @code{f} had been |
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904 called from within another function, for example, @code{g}, the list of |
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905 errors would have ended with one more line: |
3294 | 906 |
907 @example | |
8015
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908 error: g at line 1, column 17 |
3294 | 909 @end example |
910 | |
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911 These lists of function calls make it fairly easy to trace the |
3294 | 912 path your program took before the error occurred, and to correct the |
913 error before trying again. | |
914 | |
4167 | 915 @node Executable Octave Programs |
3294 | 916 @section Executable Octave Programs |
917 @cindex executable scripts | |
918 @cindex scripts | |
9135
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919 @cindex batch processing |
3294 | 920 @cindex self contained programs |
921 @cindex program, self contained | |
922 @cindex @samp{#!} | |
923 | |
924 Once you have learned Octave, you may want to write self-contained | |
925 Octave scripts, using the @samp{#!} script mechanism. You can do this | |
926 on GNU systems and on many Unix systems @footnote{The @samp{#!} | |
927 mechanism works on Unix systems derived from Berkeley Unix, System V | |
6481 | 928 Release 4, and some System V Release 3 systems.}. |
929 | |
930 Self-contained Octave scripts are useful when you want to write a | |
931 program which users can invoke without knowing that the program is | |
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932 written in the Octave language. Octave scripts are also used for batch |
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933 processing of data files. Once an algorithm has been developed and tested |
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934 in the interactive portion of Octave, it can be committed to an executable |
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935 script and used again and again on new data files. |
3294 | 936 |
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937 As a trivial example of an executable Octave script, you might create a |
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938 text file named @file{hello}, containing the following lines: |
3294 | 939 |
940 @example | |
941 @group | |
942 #! @var{octave-interpreter-name} -qf | |
943 # a sample Octave program | |
944 printf ("Hello, world!\n"); | |
945 @end group | |
946 @end example | |
947 | |
948 @noindent | |
949 (where @var{octave-interpreter-name} should be replaced with the full | |
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950 path and name of your Octave binary). Note that this will only work if |
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951 @samp{#!} appears at the very beginning of the file. After making the |
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952 file executable (with the @code{chmod} command on Unix systems), you can |
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953 simply type: |
3294 | 954 |
955 @example | |
956 hello | |
957 @end example | |
958 | |
959 @noindent | |
960 at the shell, and the system will arrange to run Octave as if you had | |
961 typed: | |
962 | |
963 @example | |
964 octave hello | |
965 @end example | |
966 | |
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967 The line beginning with @samp{#!} lists the full path and filename of an |
3294 | 968 interpreter to be run, and an optional initial command line argument to |
969 pass to that interpreter. The operating system then runs the | |
970 interpreter with the given argument and the full argument list of the | |
971 executed program. The first argument in the list is the full file name | |
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972 of the Octave executable. The rest of the argument list will either be |
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973 options to Octave, or data files, or both. The @samp{-qf} options are |
3294 | 974 usually specified in stand-alone Octave programs to prevent them from |
975 printing the normal startup message, and to keep them from behaving | |
976 differently depending on the contents of a particular user's | |
6620 | 977 @file{~/.octaverc} file. @xref{Invoking Octave from the Command Line}. |
6481 | 978 |
979 Note that some operating systems may place a limit on the number of | |
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980 characters that are recognized after @samp{#!}. Also, the arguments |
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981 appearing in a @samp{#!} line are parsed differently by various |
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982 shells/systems. The majority of them group all the arguments together in one |
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983 string and pass it to the interpreter as a single argument. In this case, the |
6481 | 984 following script: |
985 | |
986 @example | |
987 @group | |
988 #! @var{octave-interpreter-name} -q -f # comment | |
989 @end group | |
990 @end example | |
991 | |
992 @noindent | |
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993 is equivalent to typing at the command line: |
3294 | 994 |
6481 | 995 @example |
996 @group | |
997 octave "-q -f # comment" | |
998 @end group | |
999 @end example | |
3294 | 1000 |
6481 | 1001 @noindent |
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1002 which will produce an error message. Unfortunately, it is |
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1003 not possible for Octave to determine whether it has been called from the |
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1004 command line or from a @samp{#!} script, so some care is needed when using the |
6481 | 1005 @samp{#!} mechanism. |
1006 | |
1007 Note that when Octave is started from an executable script, the built-in | |
1008 function @code{argv} returns a cell array containing the command line | |
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1009 arguments passed to the executable Octave script, not the arguments |
6481 | 1010 passed to the Octave interpreter on the @samp{#!} line of the script. |
1011 For example, the following program will reproduce the command line that | |
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1012 was used to execute the script, not @samp{-qf}. |
3294 | 1013 |
1014 @example | |
1015 @group | |
1016 #! /bin/octave -qf | |
6479 | 1017 printf ("%s", program_name ()); |
6620 | 1018 arg_list = argv (); |
3294 | 1019 for i = 1:nargin |
6479 | 1020 printf (" %s", arg_list@{i@}); |
3294 | 1021 endfor |
1022 printf ("\n"); | |
1023 @end group | |
1024 @end example | |
1025 | |
4167 | 1026 @node Comments |
3294 | 1027 @section Comments in Octave Programs |
1028 @cindex comments | |
1029 @cindex use of comments | |
1030 @cindex documenting Octave programs | |
1031 | |
1032 A @dfn{comment} is some text that is included in a program for the sake | |
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1033 of human readers, and which is NOT an executable part of the program. |
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1034 Comments can explain what the program does, and how it works. Nearly all |
3294 | 1035 programming languages have provisions for comments, because programs are |
1036 typically hard to understand without them. | |
1037 | |
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1038 @menu |
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1039 * Single Line Comments:: |
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1040 * Block Comments:: |
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1041 * Comments and the Help System:: |
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1042 @end menu |
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1043 |
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1044 @node Single Line Comments |
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1045 @subsection Single Line Comments |
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1046 @cindex @samp{#} |
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1047 @cindex @samp{%} |
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1048 |
3294 | 1049 In the Octave language, a comment starts with either the sharp sign |
1050 character, @samp{#}, or the percent symbol @samp{%} and continues to the | |
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1051 end of the line. Any text following the sharp sign or percent symbol is |
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1052 ignored by the Octave interpreter and not executed. The following example |
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1053 shows whole line and partial line comments. |
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1054 |
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1055 @example |
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1056 @group |
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1057 function countdown |
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1058 # Count down for main rocket engines |
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1059 disp (3); |
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1060 disp (2); |
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1061 disp (1); |
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1062 disp ("Blast Off!"); # Rocket leaves pad |
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1063 endfunction |
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1064 @end group |
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1065 @end example |
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1066 |
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1067 @node Block Comments |
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1068 @subsection Block Comments |
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1069 @cindex block comments |
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1070 @cindex multi-line comments |
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1071 @cindex @samp{#@{} |
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1072 @cindex @samp{%@{} |
3294 | 1073 |
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1074 Entire blocks of code can be commented by enclosing the code between |
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1075 matching @samp{#@{} and @samp{#@}} or @samp{%@{} and @samp{%@}} markers. |
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1076 For example, |
10828
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1077 |
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1078 @example |
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1079 @group |
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1080 function quick_countdown |
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1081 # Count down for main rocket engines |
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1082 disp (3); |
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1083 #@{ |
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1084 disp (2); |
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1085 disp (1); |
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1086 #@} |
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1087 disp ("Blast Off!"); # Rocket leaves pad |
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1088 endfunction |
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1089 @end group |
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1090 @end example |
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1091 |
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1092 @noindent |
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1093 will produce a very quick countdown from '3' to 'Blast Off' as the |
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1094 lines "@code{disp (2);}" and "@code{disp (1);}" won't be executed. |
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1095 |
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1096 The block comment markers must appear alone as the only characters on a line |
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1097 (excepting whitespace) in order to be parsed correctly. |
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1098 |
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1099 @node Comments and the Help System |
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1100 @subsection Comments and the Help System |
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1101 @cindex documenting functions |
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1102 @cindex documenting user scripts |
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1103 @cindex help, user-defined functions |
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1104 |
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1105 The @code{help} command (@pxref{Getting Help}) is able to find the first |
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1106 block of comments in a function and return those as a documentation |
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1107 string. This means that the same commands used to get help |
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1108 on built-in functions are available for properly formatted user-defined |
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1109 functions. For example, after defining the function @code{f} below, |
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1110 |
3294 | 1111 @example |
1112 @group | |
1113 function xdot = f (x, t) | |
1114 | |
1115 # usage: f (x, t) | |
1116 # | |
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1117 # This function defines the right-hand |
3294 | 1118 # side functions for a set of nonlinear |
1119 # differential equations. | |
1120 | |
1121 r = 0.25; | |
1122 @dots{} | |
1123 endfunction | |
1124 @end group | |
1125 @end example | |
1126 | |
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1127 @noindent |
3294 | 1128 the command @kbd{help f} produces the output |
1129 | |
1130 @example | |
1131 @group | |
1132 usage: f (x, t) | |
1133 | |
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1134 This function defines the right-hand |
3294 | 1135 side functions for a set of nonlinear |
1136 differential equations. | |
1137 @end group | |
1138 @end example | |
1139 | |
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1140 Although it is possible to put comment lines into keyboard-composed, |
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1141 throw-away Octave programs, it usually isn't very useful because the |
3294 | 1142 purpose of a comment is to help you or another person understand the |
1143 program at a later time. | |
1144 | |
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1145 The @code{help} parser currently only recognizes single line comments |
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1146 (@pxref{Single Line Comments}) and not block comments for the initial |
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1147 help text. |