Re: [Bug-apl] Documentation/examples on system functions

[Juergen Sauermann]

Hi Alexey,

I was not even aware that the link that you used exists. It seems to be updated by some
Makefile magic when the Web content for GNU APL is updated, which happens
quite infrequently (typically with every major GNU APL release).

If you do not like to check out the latest version of GNU APL (why wouldn't you ?)
then you can browse the latest files on savannah:

 http://svn.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/trunk/?root=apl

/// Jürgen

On 12/21/2016 01:31 PM, Alexey Veretennikov wrote:

Hi,

Aah now I've found it.
The problem is what I was always going to the "official" documentation:
https://www.gnu.org/software/apl/apl.html
Otherwise I have to not only checkout sources from SVN, but also keep
them checked out and browse for different sources of information (and of
course I didn't since I assumed the link above is an official manual
which should contain all the necessary information).


Juergen Sauermann <address@hidden> writes:

Hi Alexey,

already there, see file README-7-more-info in the top-level directory of GNU APL for
a link to the IBM APL2 documentation.

As to the delta, chapter 3 of info apl is named "Non-standard Features". The idea is
that standard features are those defined in the ISO standard (and therefore need no
further explanation) and the non-standard features are described in chapter 3.

And right at the beginning of info apl there are links to pages for APL newcomers,
in particular to Sam Sirlin's great web page.

It is a tedious and time consuming task to keep even a small number of web
links up-to-date. I also believe that it is better if I use my time for fixing bugs
in GNU APL than for updating web links.

/// Jürgen

On 12/21/2016 10:26 AM, Alexey Veretennikov wrote:

 Thanks.

Would be great to see the link to original documentation and delta in
the official documentation, so one who is new to GNU APL could
understand where to go from it.

Juergen Sauermann <address@hidden> writes:

 Hi Alexey,

The majority of GNU APL functions and commands are described in the IBM
APL2 documentation which is available on the web. That documentations is better
than anything I could possible write, so I did not even try.

The functions that are only in GNU APL are supposedly contained in the info system
and can be accessed with the shell command

info apl

⎕FIO is somewhat special because it contains many functions that are already described
as man pages for the corresponding C library functions. You do not need
an intentional error in ⎕FIO; to show them. Just try:

⎕FIO ''

or:

⎕FIO ⍬

to display the functions. This is described in chapter 3.9 "Native Functions" of info apl
(⎕FIO used to be a native function before it was turned into a system function).

Best Regards,
Jürgen Sauermann

On 12/20/2016 12:15 PM, Alexey Veretennikov wrote:

 Hi,

I'm missing any information on system functions.
The 'official' documentation only explains handful of functions.
The ]help command just lists the functions.
For example FIO function I had to type it with the intentional error in
the argument to get the list of possible options (!!!)
I can't find anything on FX for example.

Where could I find documentation on system functions, how to use them,
any examples?