--- axserver.spad.pamphlet	2007-12-19 05:04:38.000000000 -0800
+++ axserver.spad.pamphlet.new	2007-12-19 05:06:23.000000000 -0800
@@ -149,13 +149,45 @@
 
 
    lastType():String ==
---  The last history entry is the first item in the $internalHistoryTable list so
---  car(_$internalHistoryTable$Lisp) selects it.  Here's an example:
---  (3 (x+y)**3 (% (value (Polynomial (Integer)) WRAPPED 1 y (3 0 . 1) (2 1 x (1 0 . 3)) (1 1 x (2 0 . 3)) (0 1 x (3 0 . 1)))))
---  This corresponds to the input "(x+y)**3" being issued as the third command after
---  starting axiom.  The following line selects the type information.
-       string car(cdr(car(cdr(car(cdr(cdr(car(_$internalHistoryTable$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp
-
+   -- to examine the $internalHistoryTable uncomment the following lines
+   --  WriteLine$Lisp "lastType begin"
+   --  WriteLine$Lisp string _$internalHistoryTable$Lisp 
+   -- need to pick out first member of internalHistoryTable and then pick out
+   -- the element with % as first element, here's an example showing just
+   -- the first element of the list, which correponds to the last command.
+   -- Note that the last command does not necessarily correspond to the last
+   -- element of the first element of $internalHistoryTable as it is in this
+   -- example.
+   --(
+   -- (4 NIL
+   -- (x (value (BasicOperator) WRAPPED . #<vector 09a93bd0>))
+   -- (y (value (BasicOperator) WRAPPED . #<vector 09a93bb4>))
+   -- (% (value (Matrix (Polynomial (Integer))) WRAPPED . #<vector 0982e0e0>))
+   -- )
+   --...
+   --)
+   -- Also need to check for input error in which case the $internalHistoryTable
+   -- is not changed and the type retrieved would be that for the last correct
+   -- input.
+       SETQ(first$Lisp,FIRST(_$internalHistoryTable$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp
+       count:Integer := 0
+       hisLength:Integer := LIST_-LENGTH(_$internalHistoryTable$Lisp)$Lisp
+       length:Integer := LIST_-LENGTH(first$Lisp)$Lisp
+       -- This initializes stepSav.  The test is a bit of a hack, maybe I'll
+       -- figure out the right way to do it later.
+       if string stepSav$Lisp = "#<OBJNULL>" then SETQ(stepSav$Lisp, 0$Lisp)$Lisp
+       -- If hisLength = 0 then the history table has been reset to NIL
+       -- and we're starting numbering over
+       if hisLength = 0 then SETQ(stepSav$Lisp, 0$Lisp)$Lisp
+       if hisLength > 0 and 
+         car(car(_$internalHistoryTable$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp ^= stepSav$Lisp then
+	   SETQ(stepSav$Lisp, car(car(_$internalHistoryTable$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp
+           while count < length  repeat
+	       position(char "%",string FIRST(first$Lisp)$Lisp) = 2 => count := length+1
+	       count := count +1
+	       SETQ(first$Lisp,REST(first$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp
+       count = length + 1 => string SECOND(SECOND(FIRST(first$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp
+       ""
 
    lastStep():String ==
        string car(car(_$internalHistoryTable$Lisp)$Lisp)$Lisp