Robert,
Try
f([a]) := ....
and then treat a as a list, eg a[1], length(a) etc.
Also,
f(a,[b]) works, with a first argument and then the "rest".
Try
describe("function");
and then choose "Function."
All the best,
Chris
On Wed, 30 Nov 2005, Robert Jerrard wrote:
> Is it possible to define functions that have optional arguments? For
> instance, I have defined the function:
>
> polarplot(expr,range) :=
> block([theta_var:range[1]],set_plot_option([nticks,500]),set_plot_option([gnuplot_preamble,"set key off; set size ratio -1"]), plot2d( ['parametric, cos(theta_var)*expr, sin(theta_var)*expr, range]))$
>
> but would like it to have the option of including an xrange and a
> yrange. So I would like to give the command in a number of ways, for
> example,
>
> polarplot(2/(sin(t)+1),[t,0,2*%pi])
>
> or as
>
> polarplot(2/(sin(t)+1),[t,0,2*%pi],[x,-5,5])
>
> or as
>
> polarplot(2/(sin(t)+1),[t,0,2*%pi],[x,-5,5],[y,-5,2])
>
> How do I do this?
>
> Thanks, Bob
> --
> Dr. Robert J. Jerrard, Professor of Mathematics,
> Concordia University College of Alberta,
> 7128 Ada Blvd., Edmonton, Alberta, T5B 4E4, Canada.
> Phone: (780) 479-9291, Fax: (780) 474-1933.
>
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