--- a/doc/interpreter/expr.txi	Sun Nov 21 16:34:51 1999 +0000
+++ b/doc/interpreter/expr.txi	Sun Nov 21 17:31:10 1999 +0000
@@ -45,12 +45,7 @@
 @code{do_fortran_indexing} is nonzero, in which case matrices may
 also be indexed by a single expression.
 
-@defvr {Built-in Variable} do_fortran_indexing
-If the value of @code{do_fortran_indexing} is nonzero, Octave allows 
-you to select elements of a two-dimensional matrix using a single index
-by treating the matrix as a single vector created from the columns of
-the matrix.  The default value is 0. 
-@end defvr
+@DOCSTRING(do_fortran_indexing)
 
 Given the matrix
 
@@ -108,6 +103,8 @@
 practice, you may select the behavior you prefer by setting the built-in
 variable @code{prefer_zero_one_indexing}.
 
+@c XXX FIXME XXX -- this variable no longer exists!
+
 @defvr {Built-in Variable} prefer_zero_one_indexing
 If the value of @code{prefer_zero_one_indexing} is nonzero, Octave
 will perform zero-one style indexing when there is a conflict with the
@@ -170,41 +167,9 @@
 size whose elements are all one, and then to scale it to produce the
 desired result.  @xref{Special Utility Matrices}.
 
-@defvr {Built-in Variable} prefer_column_vectors
-If @code{prefer_column_vectors} is nonzero, operations like
-
-@example
-for i = 1:10
-  a (i) = i;
-endfor
-@end example
-
-@noindent
-(for @code{a} previously  undefined) produce column vectors.  Otherwise, row
-vectors are preferred.  The default value is 1.
-
-If a variable is already defined to be a vector (a matrix with a single
-row or column), the original orientation is respected, regardless of the
-value of @code{prefer_column_vectors}.
-@end defvr
+@DOCSTRING(prefer_column_vectors)
 
-@defvr {Built-in Variable} resize_on_range_error
-If the value of @code{resize_on_range_error} is nonzero, expressions
-like
-
-@example
-for i = 1:10
-  a (i) = sqrt (i);
-endfor
-@end example
-
-@noindent
-(for @code{a} previously undefined) result in the variable @code{a}
-being resized to be just large enough to hold the new value.  New
-elements that have not been given a value are set to zero.  If the value
-of @code{resize_on_range_error} is 0, an error message is printed and
-control is returned to the top level.  The default value is 1.
-@end defvr
+@DOCSTRING(resize_on_range_error)
 
 Note that it is quite inefficient to create a vector using a loop like
 the one shown in the example above.  In this particular case, it would
@@ -417,13 +382,7 @@
 The built-in variable @code{max_recursion_depth} specifies a limit to
 the recursion depth and prevents Octave from recursing infinitely.
 
-@defvr max_recursion_depth
-Limit the number of times a function may be called recursively.
-If the limit is exceeded, an error message is printed and control
-returns to the top level.
-
-The default value is 256.
-@end defvr
+@DOCSTRING(max_recursion_depth)
 
 @node Arithmetic Ops, Comparison Ops, Calling Functions, Expressions
 @section Arithmetic Operators
@@ -585,11 +544,7 @@
 preferring the longest possible match at any given point, it is more
 useful in this case.
 
-@defvr {Built-in Variable} warn_divide_by_zero
-If the value of @code{warn_divide_by_zero} is nonzero, a warning
-is issued when Octave encounters a division by zero.  If the value is
-0, the warning is omitted.  The default value is 1.
-@end defvr
+@DOCSTRING(warn_divide_by_zero)
 
 @node Comparison Ops, Boolean Expressions, Arithmetic Ops, Expressions
 @section Comparison Operators