MAXIMA(1) General Commands Manual MAXIMA(1)
NAME
Maxima - Common Lisp version of MACSYMA symbolic mathematics package
released under the GNU Public License
rmaxima - A version of Maxima that supports command autocompletion
Xmaxima - A graphical version of Maxima
SYNOPSIS
maxima [options]
rmaxima [options]
xmaxima [options]
DESCRIPTION
Maxima is a version of the MIT-developed MACSYMA system, modified to
run under Common Lisp. It is an interactive expert system and program-
ming environment for symbolic and numerical mathematical manipulation.
Written in Lisp, it allows differentiation, integration, solution of
linear or polynomial equations, factoring of polynomials, expansion of
functions in Laurent or Taylor series, computation of Poisson series,
matrix and tensor manipulations, and two- and three-dimensional graph-
ics. Procedures may be written using an ALGOL-like syntax, and both
Lisp-like functions and pattern matching facilities are provided.
Files containing Maxima objects may be read from and written to disk
files. Pre-written Maxima commands may be read from a file and exe-
cuted, allowing batch-mode use.
OPTIONS
-b file, --batch=file
Process file in noninteractive mode.
--batch-lisp=file
Process Lisp file file in noninteractive mode.
--batch-string=string
Process string in noninteractive mode.
-d, --directories
Display Maxima directory information.
--disable-readline
Disable readline support.
-g, --enable-lisp-debugger
Enable Lisp debugger.
-h, --help
Display a brief usage summary.
--init=string
Load the Maxima and Lisp initialization files string.mac and
string.lisp at startup.
--init-mac=file
Load the Maxima initialization file file at startup.
--init-lisp=file
Load the Lisp initialization file file at startup.
-l lisp, --lisp=lisp
Use Lisp implementation lisp. Use --list-avail to see the list
of possible values.
--list-avail
List the available Lisp and Maxima versions.
-p lisp_file, --preload-lisp=lisp_file
Preload lisp_file.
-q, --quiet
Suppress Maxima start-up message.
-r string, --run-string=string
Process string in interactive mode.
-s port, --server=port
Connect Maxima to server on port. Note that this does not cre-
ate a Maxima server; Maxima is the client.
-u version, --use-version=version
Launch Maxima version version. Use --list-avail to see the list
of possible values.
--userdir=directory
Use directory for user directory (default is %USERPROFILE%/max-
ima for Windows, $HOME/.maxima for others)
-v, --verbose
Print extra information from the Maxima wrapper script.
--version
Print the (default) installed version.
--very-quiet
Suppress expression labels and the Maxima start-up message.
-X Lisp options, --lisp-options=Lisp options
Options to be given to the underlying Lisp.
INTRODUCTORY INSTRUCTIONS
Upon initialization, maxima prints a startup message, then a command
line prompt:
(%i1)
All Maxima commands must be concluded with either:
1) a semicolon (in which case the result of the command is echoed
on a display line, prefaced by %o with an appended sequence num-
ber), or
2) a dollar sign (which suppresses printing of a display line).
EXAMPLE
(%i1) diff(sin(x),x);
(%o1) cos(x)
(%i2) integrate(%o1,x);
(%o2) sin(x)
The user types in commands which create Maxima objects (such as func-
tions and system variables) and which manipulate these objects.
On UNIX it may be preferable to run Maxima under Gnu Emacs or XEmacs.
You can do this by invoking shell mode in emacs, and then invoking max-
ima. Preferably, install maxima.el from the distribution and use the
command:
M-x maxima
The main advantage of working inside emacs is that it provides a com-
plete history of input/output. If you execute the command
display2d: false
you will be able to use your output as input, by simply killing and
yanking.
Lisp is built into Maxima. The function to_lisp() enters the Lisp
read-eval-print loop. The Lisp function (run) may be used to return to
Maxima. Alternatively, single Lisp commands may be invoked by starting
a command line with :lisp.
BUILT-IN HELP
The reference manual can be accessed from the Maxima input prompt. A
description of a given command can be obtained by typing the command
describe(command);
or, simply,
? command
The command
?? command
searches the list of functions for the string command and prints match-
ing functions.
Demonstration files provide complete examples of problems solved with
Maxima, and may be accessed with the command demo(command);. A library
of user-contributed command files is also provided (the share library),
directed toward a variety of problems.
OTHER DOCUMENTATION
The reference manual is provided in both info and html formats.
COMMAND PRIMER
This list includes only commands which the beginner might find useful
to know about prior to studying the reference manual and other texts.
batch("myfile");
Execute the contents of file myfile, which is assumed to contain
Maxima commands.
closefile("myfile");
Close session file opened by a writefile command (see below).
demo("myfile");
Execute the contents of file myfile, which is assumed to contain
Maxima commands, one line at a time.
ev(infolists);
Print the contents of all of the available information lists.
functions;
Print a list of the names of currently defined functions.
infolists;
Print a list of the various available information lists.
kill(objectlist);
Eliminate the object(s) contained within parentheses; kill(all)
Delete all objects created by the user, restoring Maxima to its
initial state.
quit();
Leave Maxima.
reset();
Reset all Maxima control parameters to their default states.
values;
Print a list of the names of currently assigned scalar values.
writefile("myfile");
Write record of session to file myfile; only one file at a time
can be open, and the closefile command must be invoked prior to
leaving Maxima to flush the buffer.
PLOTTING COMMANDS
Maxima is capable of producing 2- and 3-dimensional plots. Here is a
simple 2-dimensional example
plot2d (sin(x), [x, -2*%pi, 2*%pi]);
and a simple 3-dimensional example
plot3d (2^(-u^2 + v^2), [u, -5, 5], [v, -7, 7]);
By default plots are made by the gnuplot plotting package. Plots can
be made by other means; see "? plot_options". For more information
about plotting, see "? plot".
FILES
/usr/lib/maxima/5.46.0/binary-lisp
Compiled files for lisp implementation lisp
/usr/info primary documentation directory, containing info files which
are used for the 'describe' command, and also for viewing un-
der emacs or other info viewer.
/usr/share/maxima/5.46.0/doc/html
HTML version of info documentation.
/usr/share/maxima/5.46.0/demo
Maxima demo files.
/usr/share/maxima/5.46.0/emacs
Elisp files for use with Emacs or XEmacs.
/usr/share/maxima/5.46.0/share
Contributed external packages.
/usr/share/maxima/5.46.0/doc/share
Documentation for contributed external packages.
/usr/share/maxima/5.46.0/src
Complete Maxima source.
/usr/share/maxima/5.46.0/tests
Test suite.
/usr/share/maxima/5.46.0/xmaxima
Xmaxima support files.
/usr/libexec/maxima/5.46.0/
Maxima utility scripts.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
MAXIMA_USERDIR
Points to a directory for user customization files. Maxima's de-
fault search paths include MAXIMA_USERDIR. Default value:
$HOME/.maxima.
MAXIMA_PREFIX
Maxima looks for its input files in the directory configured at
compile time, /usr. Maxima can be relocated to a different di-
rectory as long as the maxima script maintains the same relative
position with respect to the Maxima input files. If, for some
reason, the maxima script needs to be relocated independently,
MAXIMA_PREFIX needs to be set to point to the top of the tree
holding the input files.
MAXIMA_DIRECTORY
MAXIMA_DIRECTORY is equivalent to MAXIMA_PREFIX. It is included
only for backward compatibility with older versions of Maxima.
Maxima uses several other environment variables for communication be-
tween the maxima script and the lisp image. All such variables start
with MAXIMA_. They should not need to be modified by the user.
CUSTOMIZATION FILES
maximarc
maximarc is sourced by the maxima script at startup. It should
be located in $MAXIMA_USERDIR (see above). maximarc can be used,
e.g., to change the user's default lisp implementation choice to
CMUCL by including the line "MAXIMA_LISP=cmucl".
maxima-init.lisp
At startup, Maxima will load the lisp file maxima-init.lisp if
it is found in the search path. For user customization, maxima-
init.lisp should be placed in the $MAXIMA_USERDIR (see above).
Since Maxima typically has a system maxima-init.lisp in the Max-
ima share directory, the user may want to copy the contents of
the system maxima-init.lisp into his/her custom file. Alterna-
tively, the user can load a Lisp initialization file with an-
other name or location by means of the --init-lisp or --init
command-line options.
maxima-init.mac
At startup, Maxima will load the file maxima-init.mac if it is
found in the search path. For user customization, maxima-
init.mac should be placed in the $MAXIMA_USERDIR (see above).
Alternatively, the user can load a Maxima initialization file
with another name or location by means of the --init-mac or
--init command-line options.
~/.xmaximarc
Here Xmaxima stores personal settings.
~/.xmaxima_history
Here Xmaxima stores the command history.
REFERENCES
Old Reference: MACSYMA Reference Manual (volumes 1 and 2). The Mathlab
Group, Laboratory for Computer Science, MIT. Version 10. January
1983.
Newer references: https://maxima.sourceforge.io
BUGS
Maxima is a complex system. It includes both known and unknown bugs.
Use at your own risk. The Maxima bug database is available at
https://sourceforge.net/p/maxima/bugs/
New bug reports are always appreciated. Please include the output of
the Maxima function "build_info()" with the report.
AUTHORS
MACSYMA (Project MAC's SYmbolic MAnipulation System) was developed by
the Mathlab group of the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science (origi-
nally known as Project MAC), during the years 1969-1972. Their work
was supported by grants NSG 1323 of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, N00014-77-C-0641 of the Office of Naval Research,
ET-78-C-02-4687 of the U.S. Department of Energy, and F49620-79-C-020
of the U.S. Air Force. MACSYMA was further modified for use under the
UNIX operating system (for use on DEC VAX computers and Sun worksta-
tions), by Richard Fateman and colleagues at the University of Califor-
nia at Berkeley; this version of MACSYMA is known as VAXIMA. The
present version stems from a re-working of the public domain MIT MAC-
SYMA for GNU Common Lisp, prepared by William Schelter, University of
Texas at Austin until his passing away in 2001. It contains numerous
additions, extensions and enhancements of the original. The original
version of this manual page was written by R. P. C. Rodgers, UCSF
School of Pharmacy, San Francisco, CA 94143 (rodgers@max-
well.mmwb.ucsf.edu) in 1989. It was extensively revised by James Amund-
son in 2002.
Maxima is now developed and maintained by the Maxima project at
<https://maxima.sourceforge.io>.
SEE ALSO
wxmaxima(1)
2020-03-23 MAXIMA(1)
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