Next: Nouns and Verbs, Previous: Expressions, Up: Expressions [Contents][Index]
There are a number of reserved words which should not be used as variable names. Their use would cause a possibly cryptic syntax error.
integrate next from diff in at limit sum for and elseif then else do or if unless product while thru step
Most things in Maxima are expressions. A sequence of expressions can be made into an expression by separating them by commas and putting parentheses around them. This is similar to the C comma expression.
(%i1) x: 3$ (%i2) (x: x+1, x: x^2); (%o2) 16 (%i3) (if (x > 17) then 2 else 4); (%o3) 4 (%i4) (if (x > 17) then x: 2 else y: 4, y+x); (%o4) 20
Even loops in Maxima are expressions, although the value they
return is the not too useful done
.
(%i1) y: (x: 1, for i from 1 thru 10 do (x: x*i))$ (%i2) y; (%o2) done
Whereas what you really want is probably to include a third term in the comma expression which actually gives back the value.
(%i3) y: (x: 1, for i from 1 thru 10 do (x: x*i), x)$ (%i4) y; (%o4) 3628800
Next: Nouns and Verbs, Previous: Expressions, Up: Expressions [Contents][Index]