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[project @ 1997-05-21 21:44:54 by jwe]
author jwe
date Wed, 21 May 1997 21:51:38 +0000
parents 99dd10f4eaaf
children
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2992:53b38bf1d443 2993:91589ab98e37
4 4
5 @node Introduction, Getting Started, Preface, Top 5 @node Introduction, Getting Started, Preface, Top
6 @chapter A Brief Introduction to Octave 6 @chapter A Brief Introduction to Octave
7 @cindex introduction 7 @cindex introduction
8 8
9 This manual documents how to run, install and port Octave, and how to 9 This manual documents how to run, install and port GNU Octave, and how
10 report bugs. 10 to report bugs.
11 11
12 Octave is a high-level language, primarily intended for numerical 12 GNU Octave is a high-level language, primarily intended for numerical
13 computations. It provides a convenient command line interface for 13 computations. It provides a convenient command line interface for
14 solving linear and nonlinear problems numerically, and for performing 14 solving linear and nonlinear problems numerically, and for performing
15 other numerical experiments. It may also be used as a batch-oriented 15 other numerical experiments. It may also be used as a batch-oriented
16 language. 16 language.
17 17
18 Octave is also freely redistributable software. You may redistribute it 18 GNU Octave is also freely redistributable software. You may
19 and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as 19 redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General
20 published by the Free Software Foundation. The GPL is included in this 20 Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation. The GPL is
21 manual in @ref{Copying}. 21 included in this manual in @ref{Copying}.
22 22
23 This document corresponds to Octave version @value{VERSION}. 23 This document corresponds to Octave version @value{VERSION}.
24 24
25 @c XXX FIXME XXX -- add explanation about how and why Octave was written. 25 @c XXX FIXME XXX -- add explanation about how and why Octave was written.
26 @c 26 @c
35 35
36 @node Running Octave, Simple Examples, Introduction, Introduction 36 @node Running Octave, Simple Examples, Introduction, Introduction
37 @section Running Octave 37 @section Running Octave
38 38
39 On most systems, the way to invoke Octave is with the shell command 39 On most systems, the way to invoke Octave is with the shell command
40 @kbd{octave}. Octave displays an initial message and then a prompt 40 @samp{octave}. Octave displays an initial message and then a prompt
41 indicating it is ready to accept input. You can begin typing Octave 41 indicating it is ready to accept input. You can begin typing Octave
42 commands immediately afterward. 42 commands immediately afterward.
43 43
44 If you get into trouble, you can usually interrupt Octave by typing 44 If you get into trouble, you can usually interrupt Octave by typing
45 @kbd{Control-C} (usually written @kbd{C-c} for short). @kbd{C-c} gets 45 @kbd{Control-C} (usually written @kbd{C-c} for short). @kbd{C-c} gets
361 @subsection Fonts 361 @subsection Fonts
362 @cindex fonts 362 @cindex fonts
363 363
364 Examples of Octave code appear in this font or form: @code{svd (a)}. 364 Examples of Octave code appear in this font or form: @code{svd (a)}.
365 Names that represent arguments or metasyntactic variables appear 365 Names that represent arguments or metasyntactic variables appear
366 in this font or form: @var{first-number}. Commands that you type 366 in this font or form: @var{first-number}. Commands that you type at the
367 sometimes appear in this font or form: @kbd{foo --bar --baz}. Specific 367 shell prompt sometimes appear in this font or form:
368 keys on your keyboard appear in this font or form: @key{ANY}. 368 @samp{octave --no-init-file}. Commands that you type at the Octave
369 prompt sometimes appear in this font or form: @kbd{foo --bar --baz}.
370 Specific keys on your keyboard appear in this font or form: @key{ANY}.
369 @cindex any key 371 @cindex any key
370 372
371 @node Evaluation Notation, Printing Notation, Fonts, Conventions 373 @node Evaluation Notation, Printing Notation, Fonts, Conventions
372 @subsection Evaluation Notation 374 @subsection Evaluation Notation
373 @cindex evaluation notation 375 @cindex evaluation notation
377 evaluate are indicated with @samp{@result{}}. For example, 379 evaluate are indicated with @samp{@result{}}. For example,
378 380
379 @example 381 @example
380 @group 382 @group
381 sqrt (2) 383 sqrt (2)
382
383 @result{} 1.4142 384 @result{} 1.4142
384 @end group 385 @end group
385 @end example 386 @end example
386 387
387 @noindent 388 @noindent
391 displayed like this 392 displayed like this
392 393
393 @example 394 @example
394 @group 395 @group
395 [1, 2; 3, 4] == [1, 3; 2, 4] 396 [1, 2; 3, 4] == [1, 3; 2, 4]
396
397 @result{} [ 1, 0; 0, 1 ] 397 @result{} [ 1, 0; 0, 1 ]
398 @end group 398 @end group
399 @end example 399 @end example
400 400
401 @noindent 401 @noindent
402 and in other cases, they are displayed like this 402 and in other cases, they are displayed like this
403 403
404 @example 404 @example
405 @group 405 @group
406 eye (3) 406 eye (3)
407
408 @result{} 1 0 0 407 @result{} 1 0 0
409 0 1 0 408 0 1 0
410 0 0 1 409 0 0 1
411 @end group 410 @end group
412 @end example 411 @end example
439 follows on a separate line. 438 follows on a separate line.
440 439
441 @example 440 @example
442 @group 441 @group
443 printf ("foo %s\n", "bar") 442 printf ("foo %s\n", "bar")
444
445 @print{} foo bar 443 @print{} foo bar
446
447 @result{} 1 444 @result{} 1
448 @end group 445 @end group
449 @end example 446 @end example
450 447
451 @node Error Messages, Format of Descriptions, Printing Notation, Conventions 448 @node Error Messages, Format of Descriptions, Printing Notation, Conventions
503 number 19 is used by default. 500 number 19 is used by default.
504 501
505 @example 502 @example
506 @group 503 @group
507 foo (1, [3, 5], 3, 9) 504 foo (1, [3, 5], 3, 9)
508
509 @result{} [ 14, 16 ] 505 @result{} [ 14, 16 ]
510
511 foo (5) 506 foo (5)
512
513 @result{} 14 507 @result{} 14
514 @end group 508 @end group
515 @end example 509 @end example
516 510
517 More generally, 511 More generally,