Maxima encountered a Lisp error on start up




On Sun, 14 Feb 2010, Duane Tarr wrote:

< I get the following error message when starting Maxima.  What's the fix
< for this?
< 
< 
< 60:dbt at loki:~> /usr/bin/maxima
< Maxima 5.20.1 http://maxima.sourceforge.net
< using Lisp CLISP 2.47 (2008-10-23)
< Distributed under the GNU Public License. See the file COPYING.
< Dedicated to the memory of William Schelter.
< The function bug_report() provides bug reporting information.
< 
< stdin:1:Incorrect syntax: Premature termination of input at ;.
< ;
< Maxima encountered a Lisp error:
< 
<  
< SYSTEM::FORMAT-TABULATE: argument -1 is not a nonnegative fixnum
< 
< Automatically continuing.
< To enable the Lisp debugger set *debugger-hook* to nil.
< 
< *** - THROW: there is no CATCHer for tag RETURN-FROM-DEBUGGER
< The following restarts are available:
< MACSYMA-QUIT   :R1      Maxima top-level
< Break 1 [1]> 
 
Duane, could you provide us with a bit more information, please.
Are you using a Maxima binary that you've installed from your 
distribution's repositories (it looks like it)? If so, which one?

It looks to me like there is a syntax error in one of your start-up
files, maxima-init.mac or maxima-init.lisp (likely the first). 

The easiest way to check this is to find these start-up files and
mv them somewhere Maxima won't find them (e.g. rename them). The man
page explains where Maxima looks.

Leo

--------------------
ps: Here I replicate your broken startup:

#create broken start-up file:
work at lenneee:$ echo ';' > maxima-init.mac

#start maxima
work at lenneee:$ maxima
;; Loading file /home/work/.clisprc ...
;; Loaded file /home/work/.clisprc
Maxima 5.19.2 http://maxima.sourceforge.net
Using Lisp CLISP 2.44.1 (2008-02-23)
Distributed under the GNU Public License. See the file COPYING.
Dedicated to the memory of William Schelter.
The function bug_report() provides bug reporting information.

stdin:1:Incorrect syntax: Premature termination of input at ;.
;
Maxima encountered a Lisp error:


SYSTEM::FORMAT-TABULATE: argument -1 is not a nonnegative fixnum

Automatically continuing.
To reenable the Lisp debugger set *debugger-hook* to nil.

*** - THROW: there is no CATCHer for tag RETURN-FROM-DEBUGGER
The following restarts are available:
MACSYMA-QUIT   :R1      Maxima top-level
Break 1 [1]>


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