Subject: Q about arguments scoping in function definition
From: Stavros Macrakis
Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 09:52:53 -0400
> How about if Maxima never evaluates a function name?
My favorite notation for applying a function value is (fval)(a,b,c).
Unfortunately, this doesn't work in current Maxima, but instead you
can write (+fval)(a,b,c).
But as RJF says, some users are very attached to fval(a,b,c).
I would suggest that we implement (fval)(a,b,c) and *recommend* it to
users, but not change fval(a,b,c) for now.
> It appears that Maxima never evaluates array names.
The semantics of Maxima arrays is a mess in many ways, but I think you
are mistaken that Maxima (5.13) never evaluates array names:
a: [a,b,c]$
aval: 'l$
a[2] => b
avalval: 'lname$
avalval[2] => b
ha[2]: two$ hasharray
haval: 'h$
havalval[2] => two
But I would prefer the notation (aname)[i,j] here, too.
-s