--- a/src/ChangeLog	Mon Jan 17 20:12:43 2000 +0000
+++ b/src/ChangeLog	Mon Jan 17 20:38:35 2000 +0000
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@
 	* utils.cc (Fdo_string_escapes, Ffile_in_loadpath): Ditto.
 	* variables.cc (F__dump_symtab_info__, F__dump_symbol_info__): Ditto.
 	* ov-list.cc (Flist, Fappend, Fnth, Freverse, Fsplice): Ditto.
+	* input.cc (Fread_readline_init_file): Ditto.
+	* file-io.cc (Fis_stream): Ditto.
+	* ov-cell.cc (Fiscell, Fcell): Ditto.
+	* pt-assign.cc (Vprint_rhs_assign_val): Ditto.
+	* pt-decl.cc (Vinitialize_global_variables): Ditto.
+	* symtab.cc (Vvariables_can_hide_functions): Ditto.
 
 	* pt-plot.cc (Fgraw, Fgset, Fgshow, Vgnuplot_command_plot, 
 	Vgnuplot_command_replot, Vgnuplot_command_splot,

--- a/src/file-io.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:12:43 2000 +0000
+++ b/src/file-io.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:38:35 2000 +0000
@@ -135,7 +135,10 @@
 }
 
 DEFUN (is_stream, args, ,
-  "is_stream (x): return nonzero if x is a stream object")
+  "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {} is_stream (@var{x})\n\
+Return true if @var{x} is a stream object.  Otherwise, return false.\n\
+@end deftypefn")
 {
   octave_value retval;
 

--- a/src/input.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:12:43 2000 +0000
+++ b/src/input.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:38:35 2000 +0000
@@ -854,7 +854,12 @@
 }
 
 DEFUN (read_readline_init_file, args, ,
-  "read_readline_init_file (FILE)")
+  "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {} read_readline_init_file (@var{file})\n\
+Read the readline library initialiazation file @var{file}.  If\n\
+@var{file} is omitted, read the default initialization file (normally\n\
+@file{~/.inputrc}.\n\
+@end deftypefn")
 {
   octave_value_list retval;
 

--- a/src/ov-cell.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:12:43 2000 +0000
+++ b/src/ov-cell.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:38:35 2000 +0000
@@ -175,7 +175,11 @@
 }
 
 DEFUN (iscell, args, ,
-  "iscell (x): return nonzero if x is a cell array")
+  "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {} iscell (@var{x})\n\
+Return true if @var{x} is a cell array object.  Otherwise, return\n\
+false.\n\
+@end deftypefn")
 {
   octave_value retval;
 
@@ -188,9 +192,16 @@
 }
 
 DEFUN (cell, args, ,
-  "cell (N)\n\
-cell (M, N)\n\
-cell (size (A))")
+  "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {} cell (@var{x})\n\
+@deftypefnx {Built-in Function} {} cell (@var{n}, @var{m})\n\
+Create a new cell array object.  If invoked with a single scalar\n\
+argument, @code{cell} returns a square cell array with the dimension\n\
+specified.  If you supply two scalar arguments, @code{cell} takes\n\
+them to be the number of rows and columns.  If given a vector with two\n\
+elements, @code{cell} uses the values of the elements as the number of\n\
+rows and columns, respectively.\n\
+@end deftypefn")
 {
   octave_value retval;
 

--- a/src/ov-list.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:12:43 2000 +0000
+++ b/src/ov-list.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:38:35 2000 +0000
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@
 
 DEFUN (list, args, ,
   "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
-@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {} list (@var{a1}, @var{a2}, @dots{}})\n\
+@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {} list (@var{a1}, @var{a2}, @dots{})\n\
 Create a new list with elements given by the arguments @var{a1},\n\
 @var{a2}, @dots{}.\n\
 @end deftypefn")
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@
 @var{length} is omitted, all elements from @var{offset} to the end of\n\
 @var{list_1} are replaced.  As a special case, if @var{offset} is one\n\
 greater than the length of @var{list_1} and @var{length} is 0, splice\n\
-is equivalent to @code{append (@var{list_1}, @var{list_2}).\n\
+is equivalent to @code{append (@var{list_1}, @var{list_2})}.\n\
 @end deftypefn") 
 {
   octave_value retval;

--- a/src/pt-assign.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:12:43 2000 +0000
+++ b/src/pt-assign.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:38:35 2000 +0000
@@ -333,7 +333,13 @@
 symbols_of_pt_assign (void)
 {
   DEFVAR (print_rhs_assign_val, 0.0, print_rhs_assign_val,
-    "if TRUE, print the right hand side of assignments instead of the left");
+    "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@defvr print_rhs_assign_val\n\
+If the value of this variable is non-zero, Octave will print the value\n\
+of the right hand side of assignment expressions instead of the value\n\
+of the left hand side (after the assignment).\n\
+@end defvr");
+
 }
 
 /*

--- a/src/pt-decl.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:12:43 2000 +0000
+++ b/src/pt-decl.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:38:35 2000 +0000
@@ -211,8 +211,13 @@
 @end defvr");
 
   DEFVAR (initialize_global_variables, 0.0, initialize_global_variables,
-    "control whether otherwise uninitialized global variables are\n\
-given a default value.  See also default_global_variable_value");
+    "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@defvr initialize_global_variables\n\
+If the value of this variable is nonzero, global variables are given\n\
+the default initial value specified by the built-in variable\n\
+@code{default_global_variable_value}.\n\
+@end defvr");
+
 }
 
 /*

--- a/src/symtab.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:12:43 2000 +0000
+++ b/src/symtab.cc	Mon Jan 17 20:38:35 2000 +0000
@@ -950,7 +950,13 @@
 symbols_of_symtab (void)
 {
   DEFVAR (variables_can_hide_functions, 1.0, variables_can_hide_functions,
-    "Should variables be allowed to hide functions of the same name?");
+    "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@defvr variables_can_hide_functions\n\
+If the value of this variable is nonzero, assignments to variables may\n\
+hide previously defined functions of the same name.  A negative value\n\
+will cause Octave to print a warning, but allow the operation.\n\
+@end defvr");
+
 }