Announcing CleanSlate
- To: mathgroup at yoda.physics.unc.edu
- Subject: Announcing CleanSlate
- From: tgayley
- Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1992 16:34:06 -0600
The package CleanSlate.m is now available on MathSource. CleanSlate.m defines several functions to clear symbols and free memory. This package is for anyone who has ever wished for a way to wipe out everything that has happened so far in a session, and free up memory in the process. You no longer need to quit and restart Mathematica for this purpose. The command CleanSlate[] will do just about everything possible to return the kernel to the state it was in at the time the CleanSlate.m package was read in. This includes: -- removing all user-defined symbols (i.e., those in the "Global`" context), even if they are Protected. -- stripping out all packages, including any extra rules they may have defined for System symbols. -- clearing the In and Out symbols. You can also optionally specify a set of contexts to purge, leaving any others alone. Examples: CleanSlate[] -- The works CleanSlate["Packagename`"] -- Just strip out this one context CleanSlate["Global`"] -- Get rid of user-defined stuff, but leave all packages CleanSlateExcept["Global`"] -- Leave all user-defined stuff, but get rid of all packages CleanSlateExcept["Packagename`"] -- Get rid of everything but this one package CleanSlate will not touch any packages or symbols that were originally present when the CleanSlate.m package was read in. Typically, this will be at the end of the startup process (as the last thing in the init.m file), but it can be read in at any time, or more than once during a session. Thus, if you have a set of packages that you want to always be present, make sure that CleanSlate.m is read in after the packages are. For maximum recovery of memory, run Share[] (in v.2.1 or higher) after CleanSlate. CleanSlate requires v.2.0 of Mma or higher. To get the CleanSlate.m package, send the following message to mathsource at wri.com send 0204-310-0011 There is plenty of documentation in the package file, but a more complete discussion of how the functions work is available separately. To get this extra documentation, include the line send 0204-310-0022 I hope you find CleanSlate useful. I welcome any comments, bugs, suggestions, etc. ---------------------------------------------- Todd Gayley WRI Technical Support tgayley at wri.com (217) 398-6500