[Octave-bug-tracker] [bug #64516] Document how optimset expands short option inputs to full option names

[Nicholas Jankowski]

Follow-up Comment #22, bug #64516 (project octave):

worth noting that in Matlab, arbitrary fields within an optimset returned
struct is not supported. Fields added to the struct manually are removed by
subsequent calls to optimset. (In matlab, they are really only intended to
carry values of pre-defined parameters to the built in optimization routines,
not as general parameter containers).  

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Octave allows arbitrary parameters
to be set, but compatibility dictates certain optimset matching behavior
against the pre-defined parameter set. E.g., Matlab always expects
optimset('w',5) to make the 'weights' field = 5, even if you manually add a
'w' field to the struct, so octave likely needs to follow suit

There is not any proposed change to any of the above behavior here, so better
documentation is the key.  This would likely best occur in the text that
appears in:
'help optimset'
'help optimget'


Neither help mentions anything about matching. optimset lists 'Valid
Parameters' with no mention that this list can be expanded by other packages,
and that that would change matching behavior. I don't see any other place in
the Octave documentation (https://docs.octave.org/latest/) mentioning that
behavior or where it should be added. 

so as requested below, help text improvement suggestions for those two
functions should address the immediate concern.



    _______________________________________________________

Reply to this item at:

  <https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?64516>

_______________________________________________
Message sent via Savannah
https://savannah.gnu.org/