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

Ted's "Maxima by Example" series was the first text I read about Maxima when
I decided I should get rid of Mathematica and migrated to Maxima Since then,
I always recommend it to students starting with Maxima.

Thank you Ted.

2011/10/4 Edwin Woollett <woollett at charter.net>

> 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.
> ------------------------------**----------
> 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
> ------------------------------**-----------------
>
> 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
>
>
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