# HG changeset patch # User John W. Eaton # Date 1598462868 14400 # Node ID bb0ca2753bc21c7f028dd89b0ce25b9c887d418c # Parent 410f162af184cbc298f89290e5aaa722882c6ec0 update docs for built-in variables (bug #58988) * basics.txi, expr.txi, io.txi, numbers.txi, oop.txi, var.txi: Refer to functions, not built-in variables. Update docs for ans. Correct output of simple expression like "pi" to display "ans =" rather than "pi =". diff -r 410f162af184 -r bb0ca2753bc2 doc/interpreter/basics.txi --- a/doc/interpreter/basics.txi Wed Aug 26 13:26:26 2020 -0400 +++ b/doc/interpreter/basics.txi Wed Aug 26 13:27:48 2020 -0400 @@ -110,8 +110,8 @@ Specify the path to search for programs to run. The value of @var{path} specified on the command line will override any value of @w{@env{OCTAVE_EXEC_PATH}} found in the environment, but not any commands -in the system or user startup files that set the built-in variable -@w{@env{EXEC_PATH}}. +in the system or user startup files that call the +@w{@env{EXEC_PATH}} function. @item --gui @cindex @sortas{options, Octave command --gui} @ @ @code{--gui} @@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ Add path to the head of the search path for images. The value of @var{path} specified on the command line will override any value of @w{@env{OCTAVE_IMAGE_PATH}} found in the environment, but not any commands -in the system or user startup files that set the built-in variable -@w{@env{IMAGE_PATH}}. +in the system or user startup files that call the @w{@env{IMAGE_PATH}} +function. @item --info-file @var{filename} @cindex @sortas{options, Octave command --info-file} @ @ @code{--info-file @var{filename}} diff -r 410f162af184 -r bb0ca2753bc2 doc/interpreter/expr.txi --- a/doc/interpreter/expr.txi Wed Aug 26 13:26:26 2020 -0400 +++ b/doc/interpreter/expr.txi Wed Aug 26 13:27:48 2020 -0400 @@ -597,13 +597,13 @@ argument is no longer greater than zero, it does not call itself, and the recursion ends. -The built-in variable @code{max_recursion_depth} specifies a limit to -the recursion depth and prevents Octave from recursing infinitely. -Similarly, the variable @code{max_stack_depth} specifies a limit to the -depth of function calls, whether recursive or not. These limits help -prevent stack overflow on the computer Octave is running on, so that -instead of exiting with a signal, the interpreter will throw an error -and return to the command prompt. +The function @code{max_recursion_depth} may be used to specify a limit +to the recursion depth and prevents Octave from recursing infinitely. +Similarly, the function @code{max_stack_depth} may be used to specify +limit to the depth of function calls, whether recursive or not. These +limits help prevent stack overflow on the computer Octave is running on, +so that instead of exiting with a signal, the interpreter will throw an +error and return to the command prompt. @DOCSTRING(max_recursion_depth) diff -r 410f162af184 -r bb0ca2753bc2 doc/interpreter/io.txi --- a/doc/interpreter/io.txi Wed Aug 26 13:26:26 2020 -0400 +++ b/doc/interpreter/io.txi Wed Aug 26 13:27:48 2020 -0400 @@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ @example @group pi - @print{} pi = 3.1416 + @print{} ans = 3.1416 @end group @end example diff -r 410f162af184 -r bb0ca2753bc2 doc/interpreter/numbers.txi --- a/doc/interpreter/numbers.txi Wed Aug 26 13:26:26 2020 -0400 +++ b/doc/interpreter/numbers.txi Wed Aug 26 13:27:48 2020 -0400 @@ -301,10 +301,10 @@ Octave automatically switches to scientific notation when values become very large or very small. This guarantees that you will see several significant figures for every value in a matrix. If you would prefer to -see all values in a matrix printed in a fixed point format, you can set -the built-in variable @code{fixed_point_format} to a nonzero value. But -doing so is not recommended, because it can produce output that can -easily be misinterpreted. +see all values in a matrix printed in a fixed point format, you can use +the function @code{fixed_point_format}. But doing so is not +recommended, because it can produce output that can easily be +misinterpreted. @DOCSTRING(fixed_point_format) diff -r 410f162af184 -r bb0ca2753bc2 doc/interpreter/oop.txi --- a/doc/interpreter/oop.txi Wed Aug 26 13:26:26 2020 -0400 +++ b/doc/interpreter/oop.txi Wed Aug 26 13:27:48 2020 -0400 @@ -381,9 +381,10 @@ subsasgn will not do anything, however, only indexed assignments matter. Since this optimization may change the way code works (especially if badly -written), a built-in variable @code{optimize_subsasgn_calls} is provided to -control it. It is on by default. Another way to avoid the optimization is to -declare subsasgn methods with different output and input arguments like this: +written), a function @code{optimize_subsasgn_calls} is provided to +control it. This feature is enabled by default. Another way to avoid +the optimization is to declare subsasgn methods with different output +and input arguments like this: @example @group diff -r 410f162af184 -r bb0ca2753bc2 doc/interpreter/var.txi --- a/doc/interpreter/var.txi Wed Aug 26 13:26:26 2020 -0400 +++ b/doc/interpreter/var.txi Wed Aug 26 13:27:48 2020 -0400 @@ -51,11 +51,12 @@ @dfn{assignment operators} and @dfn{increment operators}. @xref{Assignment Ops,,Assignment Expressions}. -There is one built-in variable with a special meaning. The @code{ans} variable -always contains the result of the last computation, where the output wasn't -assigned to any variable. The code @code{a = cos (pi)} will assign the value --1 to the variable @code{a}, but will not change the value of @code{ans}. -However, the code @code{cos (pi)} will set the value of @code{ans} to -1. +There is one automatically created variable with a special meaning. The +@code{ans} variable always contains the result of the last computation, +where the output wasn't assigned to any variable. The code @code{a = +cos (pi)} will assign the value -1 to the variable @code{a}, but will +not change the value of @code{ans}. However, the code @code{cos (pi)} +will set the value of @code{ans} to -1. Variables in Octave do not have fixed types, so it is possible to first store a numeric value in a variable and then to later use the same name