Re: Documentation of 'output'

On 10/18/07, Robert Funnell wrote:
> It seems that 'output' can be used in the form 'output(...)' or
> 'output ...'. For example, 'output(i)' but 'output [x,y]' in the Axiom
> book. What is the difference and where is this actually documented?
> I've hunted in HyperDoc, in the Axiom book and in Martin Dunstan's
> tutorial without success.
>
> (I'm still working on digesting the responses to my previous
> questions.)
>

Robert,

In Axiom there is no need to add extra parenthesis. So both

   sin 1.0

and

  sin(1.0)

mean exactly the same thing. The only time parenthesis are needed is
if there is any ambiguity.

There is nothing special about 'output'. It is just another operation
like all other operations in Axiom. So

  output 1

and

  output(1)

mean exactly the same thing. But if you call 'output' with two
arguments, then you must enclose the argument list in parenthesis like
this:

  output ("test",1)

so that Axiom knows you intend to apply 'output' to both arguments.

(space before the '(' is optional)

'output [x,y]'  is a slightly different case. Here you are asking
Axiom to first form a List '[x,y]' which forms a single value and then
the 'output' operator is applied to that value.

Regards,
Bill Page.