Hints for compiling macsyma code.
[1] Global variables.
Definition: The list of variables in the first argument of a LAMBDA
construct are defined to be lambda-bound within the lexical scope
of the rest of the arguments of the LAMBDA, which called the body of the
LAMBDA. This same term applies to the formal parameters of a function,
which is also called a lambda list, and the constructs BLOCK,
SUM, PRODUCT, and DO (also called FOR).
Examples:
LAMBDA([U,[L]], A*U*L /* U and L are bound here, A is not */);
F(X):= (/* X is bound here */, X^2);
SUM(J^N, /* J is bound here */
J,
J^2, /* J is not bound here */
100);
Definition: If a variable in an expression is not bound lexicaly by
a LAMBDA construct, it is called a global variable.
Hint #1: All global variables should be introduced with a DEFINE_VARIABLE.
DEFINE_VARIABLE(name,default_initial_value,mode,"documentation string");
The mode can be one of FIXNUM, FLOAT, BOOLEAN, or ANY.
If the variable only takes on the values TRUE and FALSE, and its
used in the construct IF name THEN this ELSE that; then it
is commonly called a switch, and is of BOOLEAN mode.
The FIXNUM and FLOAT modes set things up to make sure that
the user only sets the variable legal fixnums (integers), and floating-point
(real), numbers respectively. There can also be a gain in the efficiency
of evaluating numerical expressions when the variables are of known
fixnum or float modes. Efficiency is gained when it is know that
the limits of DOloop's, SUM's, and PRODUCT's are FIXNUM.
ANY mode specifies no information about the variables
value.
[2] MODEDECLARE.
A modedeclaration can be given for lambda bound variables as
the first expression within the scope of the lambda construct
in which they are bound. e.g.
F(X,Y,Z):=(MODEDECLARE([X,Y],FLOAT,Z,FIXNUM), X+Y+Z );
G(Q):=BLOCK([SUM:0],
/* within the Block it is too late to modedeclare Q */
MODEDECLARE(SUM,FIXNUM), /* however here SUM can be declared. */
SUM:Q, SUM:SUM+Q, SUM);
MAPLIST(LAMBDA([U],MODEDECLARE(U,BOOLEAN), IF U THEN PRINT("FOO")), LIST);
Exceptions: SUM, PRODUCT and DO figure out the mode of the index by
looking at the modes of the limits.
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