MathGroup Archive 2004

[Date Index] [Thread Index] [Author Index]

Search the Archive

Re: Yet another Mathematica docs whopper

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg47098] Re: Yet another Mathematica docs whopper
  • From: bobhanlon at aol.com (Bob Hanlon)
  • Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004 03:55:41 -0500 (EST)
  • References: <c3udt9$9pd$1@smc.vnet.net>
  • Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Show does not have its own options

Options[Show]

{}

Options specified with Show are used to override the options of the graphics
expression being shown. 

p1 = Plot[x,{x,0,1}, 
      AspectRatio->2, 
      DisplayFunction->Identity];

Show[p1, 
    DisplayFunction->$DisplayFunction];

Show[p1, 
    DisplayFunction->$DisplayFunction,
    AspectRatio->1];


Bob Hanlon

In article <c3udt9$9pd$1 at smc.vnet.net>, J Krugman <jkrugman at yahbitoo.com>
wrote:

<< I've posted about the poor quality of Mathematica's documentation
before, and received several e-mails challenging my claim that this
documentation is awash in errors and woefully incomplete.  Well,
for those who doubt, here's the latest example I just bumped into:

  In[1]:= ??AspectRatio
  AspectRatio is an option for Show and related functions which specifies the
              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
     ratio of height to width for a plot.

  Attributes[AspectRatio] = {Protected}

  In[2]:= SetOptions[Show, AspectRatio->Automatic];

  SetOptions::optnf: AspectRatio is not a known option for Show.
                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Faced with this sort of nonsense, what is a user to do?

I am furious, because I spend an unreasonable amount of time
resolving inadequacies like this one in the Mathematica documentation.
Considering the exorbitant sum we paid for Mathematica, I expect
something much better documented than this.


  • Prev by Date: Re: Length of actual parameters in a function call.
  • Next by Date: Re: Yet another Mathematica docs whopper
  • Previous by thread: Re: Re: Yet another Mathematica docs whopper
  • Next by thread: Re: Yet another Mathematica docs whopper