Inconsistency when using previously defined variables as arguments to functions

* ev is a weird and complicated routine, and you should avoid using it
unless you absolutely have to.

* ev( ... , simp ) is synonymous with ev( ... ) unless you have previously
set simp to false (which is a bad idea).  What did you expect it to do?

On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 08:53, thomas <thomas at geogebra.org> wrote:

> Thanks for the suggestion :)
>
> This does indeed work when simply using "limit". However, in my case (we
> call Maxima from inside another application), the call issued is actually
> "ev(limit('(1/n), 'n, inf),simp);", and in that case, it doesn't work. Any
> advice?
>
>
> Cheers
>
> Thomas
>
> On 01/26/2011 01:37 PM, Ilya Ryabinkin wrote:
>
>> You may try noun form 'i istead of i
>>
>> Ilya
>>
>> On Wed, Jan 26, 2011 at 6:06 AM, thomas<thomas at geogebra.org>  wrote:
>>
>>  Hi there!
>>>
>>> Some commands, such as "limit" or "sum" take a "target"-variable as an
>>> argument. E.g. for limit or sum, this is the 2nd argument. However, there
>>> is
>>> an inconsistency in the way maxima behaves when this variable was
>>> previously
>>> defined:
>>>
>>>
>>> $ maxima
>>> Maxima 5.23.2 http://maxima.sourceforge.net
>>> using Lisp SBCL 1.0.40.0.debian
>>> 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.
>>> (%i1) i:1;
>>> (%o1)                                  1
>>> (%i2) limit(1/i, i, infinity);
>>>
>>> limit: second argument must be a variable, not a constant; found: 1
>>>  -- an error. To debug this try: debugmode(true);
>>> (%i3) sum(1/i, i, 1, 2);
>>>                                       3
>>> (%o3)                                  -
>>>                                       2
>>>
>>>
>>> Since the 2nd argument in these commands is basically "local" to the
>>> command, it is my understanding that "sum" behaves correctly in this
>>> case,
>>> while "limit" (and others like "diff") should somehow be fixed. At least
>>> that is my understanding. Would this be possible/feasible?
>>>
>>> If that's not the case: is there some way to work around this? I've tried
>>> using local and a block, but that didn't seem to work out :( Any advice?
>>>
>>> Cheers
>>>
>>> Thomas
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> Maxima at math.utexas.edu
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>>>
>>>
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