Maxima by Example: new Ch. 2: Plots, Files, Read, Write, and Fit

Maxima by Example, Ch. 2 has been rewritten and given a
new title:

Chapter 2, Plots, Files, Read, Write, and Fit

Chapter 2 has been revised to include a large section
 on working with files from within Maxima. The new
 software file mfiles.mac includes many useful
 file manipulation functions.  The small file
 mfiles1.lisp is loaded in by mfiles.mac.
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Files now available:

    --mbe2plotfit.pdf : Oct. 3, 2011, Maxima 5.25.1, 41 pages
    --mbe2toc.txt : Detailed table of contents, Oct. 3, 2011
    --mbe2code.txt : Code file: Oct. 3, 2011, Maxima 5.25.1
    --qplot.mac : Maxima code for quick plots, Oct. 3, 2011, Maxima 5.25.1
    --mfiles.mac : Maxima code for file work, Oct. 3, 2011, Maxima 5.25.1
    --mfiles1.lisp : Lisp code loaded by mfiles.mac, Oct. 3, 2011, Maxima 
5.25.1
    --coffee.dat : Coffee cooling tab separated data file: July, 13, 2009
----------------------------------------
Chapter 2 Topics:

A.  Introduction to plot2d

    First Steps with plot2d
    Parametric Plots
    Line Width and Color Controls
    Discrete Data Plots: Point Size, Color,
              and Type Control
    Plot of a Discontinuous Function
    Using qplot for Quick Plots of One or More Functions
    Multiple Plots Using the Embedded Option
---------------
B. Working with Files Using the Package mfiles.mac

    file_search, probe_file, ls, and dir
    ftype, file_length, file_info
    print_file, print_lines
    rename_file, delete_file, copy_file, file_convert, ftext_replace
    Break file lines with pbreak(), email reply with reply_to
    Search File with search_file
    Search Multiple files with search_mfiles
    read_data, read_text, write_data, with_stdout
---------------
C.  Least Squares Fit to Experimental Data

    Syntax of lsquares_estimates
    Coffee Cooling Model
    Experiment Data for Coffee Cooling
    Least Squares Fit of Coffee Cooling Data
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The new function read_data is designed to work
 correctly with unix, mac, and windows type text files.

read_data uses the new functions read_line
 (a replacement for the current Maxima function readline)
 and print_line  (a replacement for the current
Maxima function printline).
 -----------------------------------------------------
Ted Woollett
http://www.csulb.edu/~woollett