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1 \input texinfo.tex @c -*-texinfo-*- |
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2 |
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3 @setfilename FAQ.info |
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4 @settitle Frequently asked questions about Octave (with answers) |
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5 |
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6 @c Smaller amounts of whitespace for the 8.5 by 11 inch format. |
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7 @tex |
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8 \global\chapheadingskip = 15pt plus 4pt minus 2pt |
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9 \global\secheadingskip = 12pt plus 3pt minus 2pt |
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10 \global\subsecheadingskip = 9pt plus 2pt minus 2pt |
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11 \global\parskip 5pt plus 1pt |
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12 |
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13 @finalout |
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14 @end tex |
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15 |
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16 @setchapternewpage off |
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17 |
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18 @titlepage |
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19 @title Octave FAQ |
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20 @subtitle Frequently asked questions about Octave |
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21 @subtitle December 1, 1994 |
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22 @sp 1 |
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23 @author John W. Eaton |
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24 @page |
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25 @end titlepage |
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26 |
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27 @ifinfo |
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28 @node Top, What is Octave?, (dir), (dir) |
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29 @top |
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30 @unnumbered Preface |
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31 @cindex FAQ for Octave, latest version |
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32 @end ifinfo |
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33 |
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34 This is a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) for Octave users. |
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35 |
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36 Some information in this FAQ was developed for earlier versions of |
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37 Octave and may now be obsolete. |
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38 |
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39 I'm looking for new questions (@emph{with} answers), better answers, |
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40 or both. Please send suggestions to bug-octave@@bevo.che.wisc.edu. |
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41 If you have general questions about Octave, or need help for something |
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42 that is not covered by the FAQ, please use the |
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43 help-octave@@bevo.che.wisc.edu mailing list. |
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44 |
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45 This FAQ is intended to supplement, not replace, the Octave manual. |
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46 Before posting a question to the hlpe-octave mailing list, you should |
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47 first check to see if the topic is covered in the manual. |
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48 |
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49 @menu |
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50 * What is Octave?:: |
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51 * Version 1.1.0:: |
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52 * Octave Features:: |
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53 * Documentation:: |
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54 * Getting Octave:: |
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55 * Installation:: |
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56 * Common problems:: |
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57 * Getting additional help:: |
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58 * Bug reports:: |
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59 * MATLAB compatibility:: |
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60 * Index:: |
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61 @end menu |
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62 |
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63 @node What is Octave?, Version 1.1.0, Top, Top |
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64 @chapter What is Octave? |
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65 |
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66 Octave is a high-level interactive language, primarily intended for |
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67 numerical computations that is mostly compatible with |
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68 @sc{Matlab}.@footnote{@sc{Matlab} is a registered trademark of The MathWorks, |
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69 Inc.} |
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70 |
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71 Octave can do arithmetic for real and complex scalars and matrices, |
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72 solve sets of nonlinear algebraic equations, integrate functions over |
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73 finite and infinite intervals, and integrate systems of ordinary |
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74 differential and differential-algebraic equations. |
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75 |
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76 Octave uses the GNU readline library to handle reading and editing |
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77 input. By default, the line editing commands are similar to the |
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78 cursor movement commands used by GNU Emacs, and a vi-style line |
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79 editing interface is also available. At the end of each session, the |
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80 command history is saved, so that commands entered during previous |
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81 sessions are not lost. |
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82 |
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83 The Octave distribution includes a 200+ page Texinfo manual. Access |
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84 to the complete text of the manual is available via the help command |
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85 at the Octave prompt. |
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86 |
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87 Two and three dimensional plotting is fully supported using gnuplot. |
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88 |
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89 The underlying numerical solvers are currently standard Fortran ones |
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90 like Lapack, Linpack, Odepack, the Blas, etc., packaged in a library |
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91 of C++ classes. If possible, the Fortran subroutines are compiled |
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92 with the system's Fortran compiler, and called directly from the C++ |
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93 functions. If that's not possible, you can still compile Octave if |
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94 you have the free Fortran to C translator f2c. |
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95 |
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96 Octave is also free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it |
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97 under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the |
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98 Free Software Foundation. |
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99 |
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100 @node Version 1.1.0, Octave Features, What is Octave?, Top |
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101 @chapter What's new in version 1.1.0 of Octave |
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102 |
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103 The long-awaited version 1.1.0 of Octave has now been released. Many |
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104 bugs have been fixed and lots of new features added. Octave is now much |
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105 more compatible with @sc{Matlab}. |
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106 |
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107 Version 1.1.0 fixes many bugs, but as with any ``x.y.0'' release there |
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108 will be a few glitches. You can expect a 1.1.1 shortly. You can help |
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109 contribute to the quality of Octave by trying it out and submitting bug |
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110 reports where you find them. |
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111 |
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112 A list of user-visible changes in recent versions of Octave may be found |
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113 in the file NEWS, distributed in both source and binary releases of |
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114 Octave. |
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115 |
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116 @node Octave Features, Documentation, Version 1.1.0, Top |
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117 @chapter What features are unique to Octave? |
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118 |
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119 @menu |
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120 * Command and variable name completion:: |
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121 * Command history:: |
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122 * Data structures:: |
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123 * Short-circuit boolean operators:: |
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124 * Increment and decrement operators:: |
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125 * Unwind-protect:: |
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126 * Variable-length argument lists:: |
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127 * Variable-length return lists:: |
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128 * Built-in ODE and DAE solvers:: |
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129 @end menu |
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130 |
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131 @node Command and variable name completion, Command history, Octave Features, Octave Features |
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132 @section Command and variable name completion |
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133 |
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134 @cindex Command completion |
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135 @cindex Function name completion |
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136 @cindex Variable name completion |
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137 @cindex Name completion |
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138 |
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139 Typing a TAB character (ASCII code 9) on the command line causes Octave |
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140 to attempt to complete variable, function, and file names. Octave uses |
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141 the text before the cursor as the initial portion of the name to |
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142 complete. |
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143 |
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144 For example, if you type @samp{fu} followed by TAB at the Octave prompt, |
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145 Octave will complete the rest of the name @samp{function} on the command |
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146 line (unless you have other variables or functions defined that begin |
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147 with the characters @samp{fu}). If there is more than one possible |
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148 completion, Octave will ring the terminal bell to let you know that your |
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149 initial sequence of characters is not enough to specify a unique name. |
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150 To complete the name, you may either edit the initial character sequence |
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151 (usually adding more characters until completion is possible) or type |
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152 another TAB to cause Octave to display the list of possible completions. |
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153 |
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154 @node Command history, Data structures, Command and variable name completion, Octave Features |
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155 @section Command history |
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156 |
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157 @cindex Command history |
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158 @cindex History |
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159 |
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160 When running interactively, Octave saves the commands you type in an |
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161 internal buffer so that you can recall and edit them. Emacs and vi |
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162 editing modes are available with Emacs keybindings enabled by default. |
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163 |
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164 When Octave exits, the current command history is saved to the file |
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165 @file{~/.octave_hist}, and each time Octave starts, it inserts the |
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166 contents of the @file{~/.octave_hist} file in the history list so that |
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167 it is easy to begin working where you left off. |
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168 |
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169 @node Data structures, Short-circuit boolean operators, Command history, Octave Features |
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170 @section Data structures |
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171 |
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172 @cindex Data structures |
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173 @cindex Structures |
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174 |
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175 Octave includes a limited amount of support for organizing data in |
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176 structures. The current implementation uses an associative array |
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177 with indices limited to strings, but the syntax is more like C-style |
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178 structures. Here are some examples of using data structures in Octave. |
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179 |
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180 @itemize @bullet |
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181 @item Elements of structures can be of any value type. |
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182 |
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183 @example |
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184 octave:1> x.a = 1; x.b = [1, 2; 3, 4]; x.c = "string"; |
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185 octave:2> x.a |
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186 x.a = 1 |
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187 octave:3> x.b |
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188 x.b = |
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189 |
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190 1 2 |
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191 3 4 |
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192 |
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193 octave:4> x.c |
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194 x.c = string |
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195 @end example |
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196 |
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197 @item Structures may be copied. |
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198 |
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199 @example |
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200 octave:1> y = x |
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201 y = |
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202 |
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203 <structure: a b c> |
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204 @end example |
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205 |
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206 @item Structure elements may reference other structures. |
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207 |
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208 @example |
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209 octave:1> x.b.d = 3 |
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210 x.b.d = 3 |
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211 octave:2> x.b |
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212 x.b = |
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213 |
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214 <structure: d> |
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215 |
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216 octave:3> x.b.d |
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217 x.b.d = 3 |
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218 @end example |
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219 |
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220 @item Functions can return structures. |
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221 |
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222 @example |
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223 octave:1> function y = f (x) |
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224 > y.re = real (x); |
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225 > y.im = imag (x); |
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226 > endfunction |
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227 |
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228 octave:2> f (rand + rand*I); |
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229 ans = |
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230 |
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231 <structure: im re> |
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232 |
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233 octave:3> ans.im, ans.re |
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234 ans.im = 0.93411 |
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235 ans.re = 0.56234 |
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236 @end example |
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237 |
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238 @item Function return lists can include structure elements, and they may |
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239 be indexed like any other variable. |
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240 |
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241 @example |
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242 octave:1> [x.u, x.s(2:3,2:3), x.v] = svd ([1, 2; 3, 4]) |
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243 x.u = |
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244 |
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245 -0.40455 -0.91451 |
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246 -0.91451 0.40455 |
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247 |
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248 x.s = |
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249 |
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250 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 |
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251 0.00000 5.46499 0.00000 |
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252 0.00000 0.00000 0.36597 |
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253 |
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254 x.v = |
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255 |
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256 -0.57605 0.81742 |
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257 -0.81742 -0.57605 |
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258 |
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259 octave:8> x |
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260 x = |
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261 |
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262 <structure: s u v> |
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263 @end example |
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264 |
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265 @item You can also use the function @code{is_struct} to determine |
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266 whether a given value is a data structure. For example |
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267 |
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268 @example |
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269 is_struct (x) |
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270 @end example |
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271 |
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272 @noindent |
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273 returns 1 if the value of the variable @var{x} is a data structure. |
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274 @end itemize |
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275 |
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276 This feature should be considered experimental, but you should expect it |
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277 to work. Suggestions for ways to improve it are welcome. |
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278 |
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279 @node Short-circuit boolean operators, Increment and decrement operators, Data structures, Octave Features |
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280 @section Short-circuit boolean operators |
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281 |
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282 @cindex Boolean operators, short-circuit |
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283 @cindex Logical operators, short-circuit |
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284 @cindex Short-circuit boolean operators |
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285 @cindex Operators, boolean |
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286 |
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287 Octave's @samp{&&} and @samp{||} logical operators are evaluated in |
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288 a short-circuit fashion (like the corresponding operators in the C |
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289 language) and work differently than the element by element operators |
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290 @samp{&} and @samp{|}. |
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291 |
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292 @node Increment and decrement operators, Unwind-protect, Short-circuit boolean operators, Octave Features |
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293 @section Increment and decrement operators |
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294 |
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295 @cindex Increment operators |
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296 @cindex Decrement operators |
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297 @cindex Operators, increment |
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298 @cindex Operators, decrement |
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299 |
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300 Octave includes the C-like increment and decrement operators @samp{++} |
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301 and @samp{--} in both their prefix and postfix forms. |
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302 |
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303 For example, to pre-increment the variable @var{x}, you would write |
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304 @code{++@var{x}}. This would add one to @var{x} and then return the new |
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305 value of @var{x} as the result of the expression. It is exactly the |
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306 same as the expression @code{@var{x} = @var{x} + 1}. |
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307 |
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308 To post-increment a variable @var{x}, you would write @code{@var{x}++}. |
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309 This adds one to the variable @var{x}, but returns the value that |
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310 @var{x} had prior to incrementing it. For example, if @var{x} is equal |
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311 to 2, the result of the expression @code{@var{x}++} is 2, and the new |
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312 value of @var{x} is 3. |
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313 |
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314 For matrix and vector arguments, the increment and decrement operators |
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315 work on each element of the operand. |
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316 |
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317 It is not currently possible to increment index expressions. For |
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318 example, you might expect that the expression @code{@var{v}(4)++} would |
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319 increment the fourth element of the vector @var{v}, but instead it |
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320 results in a parse error. This problem may be fixed in a future |
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321 release of Octave. |
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322 |
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323 @node Unwind-protect, Variable-length argument lists, Increment and decrement operators, Octave Features |
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324 @section Unwind-protect |
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325 |
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326 @cindex Unwind-protect |
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327 |
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328 Octave supports a limited form of exception handling modelled after the |
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329 unwind-protect form of Lisp. The general form of an |
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330 @code{unwind_protect} block looks like this: |
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331 |
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332 @example |
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333 @group |
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334 unwind_protect |
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335 @var{body} |
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336 unwind_protect_cleanup |
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337 @var{cleanup} |
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338 end_unwind_protect |
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339 @end group |
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340 @end example |
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341 |
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342 @noindent |
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343 Where @var{body} and @var{cleanup} are both optional and may contain any |
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344 Octave expressions or commands. The statements in @var{cleanup} are |
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345 guaranteed to be executed regardless of how control exits @var{body}. |
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346 |
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347 The @code{unwind_protect} statement is often used to reliably restore |
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348 the values of global variables that need to be temporarily changed. |
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349 |
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350 @node Variable-length argument lists, Variable-length return lists, Unwind-protect, Octave Features |
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351 @section Variable-length argument lists |
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352 |
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353 @cindex Variable-length argument lists |
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354 @cindex Argument lists, variable-length |
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355 |
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356 Octave has a real mechanism for handling functions that take an |
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357 unspecified number of arguments, so it is no longer necessary to place |
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358 an upper bound on the number of optional arguments that a function can |
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359 accept. |
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360 |
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361 Here is an example of a function that uses the new syntax to print a |
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362 header followed by an unspecified number of values: |
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363 |
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364 @example |
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365 function foo (heading, ...) |
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366 disp (heading); |
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367 va_start (); |
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368 while (--nargin) |
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369 disp (va_arg ()); |
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370 endwhile |
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371 endfunction |
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372 @end example |
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373 |
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374 Calling @code{va_start()} positions an internal pointer to the first |
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375 unnamed argument and allows you to cycle through the arguments more than |
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376 once. It is not necessary to call @code{va_start()} if you do not plan |
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377 to cycle through the arguments more than once. |
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378 |
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379 The function @code{va_arg()} returns the value of the next available |
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380 argument and moves the internal pointer to the next argument. It is an |
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381 error to call @code{va_arg()} when there are no more arguments |
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382 available. |
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383 |
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384 It is also possible to use the keyword @var{all_va_args} to pass all |
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385 unnamed arguments to another function. |
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386 |
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387 @node Variable-length return lists, Built-in ODE and DAE solvers, Variable-length argument lists, Octave Features |
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388 @section Variable-length return lists |
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389 |
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390 @cindex Variable-length return lists |
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391 @cindex Return lists, variable-length |
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392 |
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393 Octave also has a real mechanism for handling functions that return an |
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394 unspecified number of values, so it is no longer necessary to place an |
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395 upper bound on the number of outputs that a function can produce. |
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396 |
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397 Here is an example of a function that uses the new syntax to produce |
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398 @samp{N} values: |
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399 |
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400 @example |
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401 function [...] = foo (n) |
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402 for i = 1:n |
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403 vr_val (i); |
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404 endfor |
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405 endfunction |
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406 @end example |
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407 |
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408 @node Built-in ODE and DAE solvers, , Variable-length return lists, Octave Features |
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409 @section Built-in ODE and DAE solvers |
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410 |
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411 @cindex DASSL |
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412 @cindex LSODE |
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413 |
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414 Octave includes LSODE and DASSL for solving systems of stiff |
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415 differential and differential-algebraic equations. These functions are |
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416 built in to the interpreter. |
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417 |
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418 @node Documentation, Getting Octave, Octave Features, Top |
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419 @chapter What documentation exists for Octave? |
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420 |
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421 @cindex Octave, documentation |
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422 |
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423 The Octave distribution includes a 220+ page manual that is also |
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424 distributed under the terms of the GNU GPL. |
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425 |
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426 The Octave manual is intended to be a complete reference for Octave, but |
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427 it is not a finished document. If you have problems using it, or find |
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428 that some topic is not adequately explained, indexed, or |
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429 cross-referenced, please send a bug report to bug-octave@@bevo.che.wisc.edu. |
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430 |
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431 Because the Octave manual is written using Texinfo, the complete text of |
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432 the Octave manual is also available on line using the GNU Info system |
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433 via the GNU Emacs, info, or xinfo programs, or by using the @samp{help -i} |
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434 command to start the GNU info browser directly from the Octave prompt. |
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435 |
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436 It is also possible to use WWW browsers such as Mosaic to read the |
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437 Octave manual (or any other Info file) by using Roar Smith's info2www |
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438 program to convert GNU Info files to HTML. The source for info2www is |
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439 available via anonymous ftp from ftp.che.wisc.edu in the directory |
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440 @file{/pub/www}. |
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441 |
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442 @node Getting Octave, Installation, Documentation, Top |
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443 @chapter Obtaining Source Code |
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444 |
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445 @cindex Source code |
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446 |
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447 @menu |
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448 * Octave for Unix:: |
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449 * Octave for other platforms:: |
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450 * latest versions:: |
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451 @end menu |
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452 |
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453 @node Octave for Unix, Octave for other platforms, Getting Octave, Getting Octave |
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454 @section How do I get a copy of Octave for Unix? |
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455 |
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456 You can get Octave from a friend who has a copy, by anonymous FTP, or by |
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457 ordering a tape or CD-ROM from the Free Software Foundation (FSF). |
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458 |
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459 @cindex Octave, ordering |
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460 @cindex Octave, getting a copy |
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|
461 |
|
|
462 Octave was not developed by the FSF, but the FSF does distribute Octave, |
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463 and the developers of Octave support the efforts of the FSF by |
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|
464 encouraging users of Octave to order Octave on tape or CD directly from |
|
|
465 the FSF. |
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466 |
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467 The FSF is a nonprofit organization that distributes software and |
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468 manuals to raise funds for more GNU development. Buying a tape or CD |
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469 from the FSF contributes directly to paying staff to develop GNU |
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|
470 software. CD-ROMs cost $400 if an organization is buying, or $100 if an |
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471 individual is buying. Tapes cost around $200 depending on media type. |
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472 |
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473 The FSF only makes new CD releases a few times a year, so if you are |
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474 interested specifically in Octave, I recommend asking for the latest |
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|
475 release on tape. |
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|
476 |
|
|
477 @cindex FSF [Free Software Foundation] |
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|
478 @cindex GNU [GNU's not unix] |
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|
479 |
|
|
480 For more information about ordering from the FSF, contact |
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|
481 gnu@@prep.ai.mit.edu, phone (617) 542-5942 or anonymous ftp file |
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|
482 @file{/pub/gnu/GNUinfo/ORDERS} from prep.ai.mit.edu or one of the sites |
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|
483 listed below. |
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|
484 |
|
|
485 @cindex FSF, contact <gnu@@prep.ai.mit.edu> |
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|
486 @cindex GNUware, anonymous FTP sites |
|
|
487 |
|
|
488 If you are on the Internet, you can copy the latest distribution |
|
|
489 version of Octave from the file @file{/pub/octave/octave-M.N.tar.gz}, on |
|
|
490 the host @file{ftp.che.wisc.edu}. This tar file has been compressed |
|
|
491 with GNU gzip, so be sure to use binary mode for the transfer. @samp{M} |
|
|
492 and @samp{N} stand for version numbers; look at a listing of the |
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|
493 directory through ftp to see what version is available. After you |
|
|
494 unpack the distribution, be sure to look at the files @file{README} and |
|
|
495 @file{INSTALL}. |
|
|
496 |
|
|
497 Binaries for several popular systems are also available. If you would |
|
|
498 like help out by making binaries available for other systems, please |
|
|
499 contact bug-octave@@bevo.che.wisc.edu. |
|
|
500 |
|
|
501 A list of user-visible changes since the last release is available in |
|
|
502 the file @file{NEWS}. The file @file{ChangeLog} in the source |
|
|
503 distribution contains a more detailed record of changes made since the |
|
|
504 last release. |
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|
505 |
|
|
506 @node Octave for other platforms, latest versions, Octave for Unix, Getting Octave |
|
|
507 @section How do I get a copy of Octave for (some other platform)? |
|
|
508 |
|
|
509 @cindex VMS support |
|
|
510 @cindex VAX |
|
|
511 @cindex MS-DOS support |
|
|
512 @cindex DJGPP |
|
|
513 @cindex EMX |
|
|
514 @cindex OS/2 support |
|
|
515 |
|
|
516 Octave currently runs on Unix-like systems only. It should be possible |
|
|
517 to make Octave work on other systems. If you are interested in porting |
|
|
518 Octave to other systems, please contact bug-octave@@bevo.che.wisc.edu. |
|
|
519 |
|
|
520 @node latest versions, , Octave for other platforms, Getting Octave |
|
|
521 @section What is the latest version of Octave |
|
|
522 |
|
|
523 @cindex Octave, version date |
|
|
524 |
|
|
525 The latest version of Octave is 1.1.0, released January 1995. |
|
|
526 |
|
|
527 @node Installation, Common problems, Getting Octave, Top |
|
|
528 @chapter Installation Issues and Problems |
|
|
529 |
|
|
530 @cindex Octave, building |
|
|
531 |
|
|
532 Octave requires approximately 50MB of disk storage to unpack and |
|
|
533 install (significantly less if you don't compile with debugging |
|
|
534 symbols). |
|
|
535 |
|
|
536 Octave has been compiled and tested with g++ and libg++ on a |
|
|
537 SPARCstation 2 running SunOS 4.1.2, an IBM RS/6000 running AIX 3.2.5, |
|
|
538 DEC Alpha systems running OSF/1 1.3 and 3.0, a DECstation 5000/240 |
|
|
539 running Ultrix 4.2a, and i486 systems running Linux. It should work on |
|
|
540 most other Unix systems that have a working port of g++ and libg++. |
|
|
541 |
|
|
542 @menu |
|
|
543 * What else do I need?:: |
|
|
544 * Other C++ compilers?:: |
|
|
545 @end menu |
|
|
546 |
|
|
547 @node What else do I need?, Other C++ compilers?, Installation, Installation |
|
|
548 @section What else do I need? |
|
|
549 |
|
|
550 @cindex GNU gcc |
|
|
551 @cindex GNU g++ |
|
|
552 @cindex libg++ |
|
|
553 @cindex GNU Make |
|
|
554 @cindex Flex |
|
|
555 @cindex GNU Bison |
|
|
556 |
|
|
557 In order to build Octave, you will need a current version |
|
|
558 of g++, libg++, and GNU make. If you don't have these tools, you can |
|
|
559 get them from many anonymous ftp archives, including ftp.che.wisc.edu, |
|
|
560 ftp.uu.net, prep.ai.mit.edu, and wuarchive.wustl.edu, or by writing to |
|
|
561 the FSF at 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA. |
|
|
562 |
|
|
563 @node Other C++ compilers?, , What else do I need?, Installation |
|
|
564 @section Can I compile Octave with another C++ compiler? |
|
|
565 |
|
|
566 Currently, Octave can only be compiled with the GNU C++ compiler. It |
|
|
567 would be nice to make it possible to compile Octave with other C++ |
|
|
568 compilers, but the maintainers do not have sufficient time to devote to |
|
|
569 this. If you are interested in working to make Octave portable to other |
|
|
570 compilers, please contact bug-octave@@bevo.che.wisc.edu. |
|
|
571 |
|
|
572 @node Common problems, Getting additional help, Installation, Top |
|
|
573 @chapter Common problems |
|
|
574 |
|
|
575 This list is probably far too short. Feel free to suggest additional |
|
|
576 questions (preferably with answers!) |
|
|
577 |
|
|
578 @itemize @bullet |
|
|
579 @item |
|
|
580 Octave takes a long time to find symbols. |
|
|
581 |
|
|
582 Octave is probably spending this time recursively searching directories |
|
|
583 for function files. Check the value of your LOADPATH. For those |
|
|
584 elements that end in @samp{//}, do any name a very large directory tree? |
|
|
585 Does it contain directories that have a mixture of files and |
|
|
586 directories? In order for the recursive directory searching code to |
|
|
587 work efficiently, directories that are to be searched recursively should |
|
|
588 have either function files only, or subdirectories only, but not a |
|
|
589 mixture of both. Check to make sure that Octave's standard set of |
|
|
590 function files is installed this way. |
|
|
591 @end itemize |
|
|
592 |
|
|
593 @node Getting additional help, Bug reports, Common problems, Top |
|
|
594 @chapter Getting additional help |
|
|
595 |
|
|
596 @cindex Additional help |
|
|
597 @cindex Mailing lists, help-octave |
|
|
598 |
|
|
599 The mailing list |
|
|
600 |
|
|
601 @example |
|
|
602 help-octave@@bevo.che.wisc.edu |
|
|
603 @end example |
|
|
604 |
|
|
605 @noindent |
|
|
606 is available for questions related to using, installing, and porting |
|
|
607 Octave that are not adequately answered by the Octave manual or by this |
|
|
608 document. |
|
|
609 |
|
|
610 If you would like to join the discussion and receive all messages sent |
|
|
611 to the list, please send a short note to |
|
|
612 |
|
|
613 @example |
|
|
614 help-octave-request@@bevo.che.wisc.edu |
|
|
615 ^^^^^^^ |
|
|
616 @end example |
|
|
617 |
|
|
618 @strong{Please do not} send requests to be added or removed from the the |
|
|
619 mailing list, or other administrative trivia to the list itself. |
|
|
620 |
|
|
621 An archive of old postings to the help-octave mailing list is maintained |
|
|
622 on ftp.che.wisc.edu in the directory @file{/pub/octave/MAILING-LISTS}. |
|
|
623 |
|
|
624 @node Bug reports, MATLAB compatibility, Getting additional help, Top |
|
|
625 @chapter I think I have found a bug in Octave. |
|
|
626 |
|
|
627 @cindex Bug in Octave, newly found |
|
|
628 |
|
|
629 ``I think I have found a bug in Octave, but I'm not sure. How do I know, |
|
|
630 and who should I tell?'' |
|
|
631 |
|
|
632 @cindex Manual, for Octave |
|
|
633 |
|
|
634 First, see the section on bugs and bug reports in the Octave manual. |
|
|
635 The Octave manual is included in the Octave distribution. |
|
|
636 |
|
|
637 When you report a bug, make sure to describe the type of computer you |
|
|
638 are using, the version of the operating system it is running, and the |
|
|
639 version of Octave that you are using. Also provide enough code so that |
|
|
640 the Octave maintainers can duplicate your bug. |
|
|
641 |
|
|
642 If you have Octave working at all, the easiest way to do this is to use |
|
|
643 the Octave function @code{bug_report}. When you execute this function, |
|
|
644 Octave will prompt you for a subject and then invoke the editor on a |
|
|
645 file that already contains all the configuration information. When you |
|
|
646 exit the editor, Octave will mail the bug report for you. |
|
|
647 |
|
|
648 @cindex Octave bug report |
|
|
649 @cindex Mailing lists, bug-octave |
|
|
650 |
|
|
651 If for some reason you cannot use Octave's @code{bug_report} function, |
|
|
652 mail your bug report to "bug-octave@@bevo.che.wisc.edu". Your message |
|
|
653 needs to include enough information to allow the maintainers of Octave |
|
|
654 to fix the bug. Please read the section on bugs and bug reports in the |
|
|
655 Octave manual for a list of things that should be included in every bug |
|
|
656 report. |
|
|
657 |
|
|
658 @node MATLAB compatibility, Index, Bug reports, Top |
|
|
659 @chapter Porting programs from @sc{Matlab} to Octave |
|
|
660 |
|
|
661 @cindex @sc{Matlab} compatibility |
|
|
662 @cindex Compatibility with @sc{Matlab} |
|
|
663 |
|
|
664 ``I wrote some code for @sc{Matlab}, and I want to get it running under |
|
|
665 Octave. Is there anything I should watch out for?'' |
|
|
666 |
|
|
667 The differences between Octave and @sc{Matlab} typically fall into one of |
|
|
668 three categories: |
|
|
669 |
|
|
670 @enumerate |
|
|
671 @item |
|
|
672 Irrelevant. |
|
|
673 |
|
|
674 @item |
|
|
675 Known differences, perhaps configurable with a user preference variable. |
|
|
676 |
|
|
677 @item |
|
|
678 Unknown differences. |
|
|
679 @end enumerate |
|
|
680 |
|
|
681 The first category, irrelevant differences, do not affect computations |
|
|
682 and most likely do not affect the execution of function files. Some |
|
|
683 examples are: |
|
|
684 |
|
|
685 When typing @samp{help function}, Octave displays the first set of |
|
|
686 comment lines @emph{after} the function declaration, but @sc{Matlab} |
|
|
687 the first set of comment lines starting from the beginning of the file. |
|
|
688 |
|
|
689 The differences of the second category are usually because the authors |
|
|
690 of Octave decided on a better (subjective) implementation that the way |
|
|
691 @sc{Matlab} does it, and so introduced ``user preference variables'' so that |
|
|
692 you can customize Octave's behavior to be either @sc{Matlab}-compatible or |
|
|
693 to use Octave's new features. To make Octave more @sc{Matlab}-compatible, |
|
|
694 put the following statements in your @file{~/.octaverc} file. This is a |
|
|
695 partial list of the user preference variables that should be changed to |
|
|
696 get @sc{Matlab}-compatible behavior. (It is partial because not all the |
|
|
697 differences are currently known, and when they become known, this |
|
|
698 document lags behind.) |
|
|
699 |
|
|
700 @example |
|
|
701 PS1 = '>> '; |
|
|
702 PS2 = ''; |
|
|
703 default_save_format = 'mat-binary'; |
|
|
704 define_all_return_values = 'true'; |
|
|
705 do_fortran_indexing = 'true'; |
|
|
706 empty_list_elements_ok = 'true'; |
|
|
707 implicit_str_to_num_ok = 'true'; |
|
|
708 ok_to_lose_imaginary_part = 'true'; |
|
|
709 page_screen_output = 'false'; |
|
|
710 prefer_column_vectors = 'false'; |
|
|
711 prefer_zero_one_indexing = 'true'; |
|
|
712 print_empty_dimensions = 'false'; |
|
|
713 treat_neg_dim_as_zero = 'true'; |
|
|
714 warn_function_name_clash = 'false'; |
|
|
715 whitespace_in_literal_matrix = 'traditional'; |
|
|
716 @end example |
|
|
717 |
|
|
718 Some other known differences are: |
|
|
719 |
|
|
720 @itemize @bullet |
|
|
721 @item |
|
|
722 String subscripting is not yet implemented in Octave. For example, |
|
|
723 |
|
|
724 @example |
|
|
725 a = 'reknob'; |
|
|
726 a([6,1,5,3,2,4]) |
|
|
727 @end example |
|
|
728 |
|
|
729 @noindent |
|
|
730 returns the string @samp{broken} in @sc{Matlab}, but generates an error in |
|
|
731 Octave. A future release of Octave will fix this along with providing |
|
|
732 a much more complete and powerful set of functions for manipulating strings. |
|
|
733 |
|
|
734 @item |
|
|
735 The Octave plotting functions are mostly compatible with the ones from |
|
|
736 @sc{Matlab} 3.x, but not from @sc{Matlab} 4.x. |
|
|
737 |
|
|
738 @item |
|
|
739 The C-style I/O functions are not completely compatible. It would be |
|
|
740 useful for someone to explore the differences so that they might be |
|
|
741 fixed, or at least noted in the manual. |
|
|
742 @end itemize |
|
|
743 |
|
|
744 The third category of differences is (hopefully) shrinking. If you find |
|
|
745 a difference between Octave behavior and @sc{Matlab}, then you should send a |
|
|
746 description of this difference (with code illustrating the difference, |
|
|
747 if possible) to bug-octave@@bevo.che.wisc.edu. |
|
|
748 |
|
|
749 An archive of old postings to the Octave mailing lists is maintained |
|
|
750 on ftp.che.wisc.edu in the directory @file{/pub/octave/MAILING-LISTS}. |
|
|
751 |
|
|
752 @node Index, , MATLAB compatibility, Top |
|
|
753 @appendix Concept Index |
|
|
754 |
|
|
755 @printindex cp |
|
|
756 |
|
|
757 @page |
|
|
758 @contents |
|
|
759 @bye |
