MathGroup Archive 2007

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

Search the Archive

Re: Re: Compatibility woes

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg76106] Re: [mg76044] Re: [mg75986] Compatibility woes
  • From: DrMajorBob <drmajorbob at bigfoot.com>
  • Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 05:34:32 -0400 (EDT)
  • References: <845718.1179133087873.JavaMail.root@m35> <200705150856.EAA17002@smc.vnet.net> <22566565.1179244049278.JavaMail.root@m35>
  • Reply-to: drmajorbob at bigfoot.com

> In 6.0, you don't seem to need to load any package to use ToPackedArray.

Wrong.

1) I open the program, I type

?ToPackedArray

and I get the Information::notfound error.

I start typing ToP, push Ctrl-k, and I get an error beep, for the same  
reason.

I type ToPackedArray@Range[10], and the output is unevaluated.

And, as I said before, Help says ToPackedArray is a "Developer Package  
Symbol".

2) After <<Developer`, ? works, Ctrl-k works, but ToPackedArray@Range@10  
is STILL unevaluated, and the name is highlighted in red (meaning the  
symbol is shadowed in multiple contexts).

3) After Quit, Needs["Developer`"] returns the Needs::nocont error, but  
now ? and Ctrl-k work, ToPackedArray applied to a list now works, and  
Context@ToPackedArray returns Developer`.

So... Get gave no error but didn't work, then Needs worked perfectly while  
giving an ugly error message.

4) BUT!!!! Now I Quit again, use Get, and it DOES work.

5) Then I close Mathematica, reopen, step 1 goes as before, but step 2 is  
different; everything works, and there's no shadowing.

What the hell? I give up.

Bobby

On Tue, 15 May 2007 08:53:06 -0500, Murray Eisenberg  
<murray at math.umass.edu> wrote:

> In 6.0, you don't seem to need to load any package to use ToPackedArray.
>
> DrMajorBob wrote:
>> ToPackedArray is available after:
>>  << Developer`
>>  We're supposed to get the hint from the top-of-the-page heading that  
>> says  "Developer Package Symbol".
>>  Hopefully that works for EVERYTHING in help, if a Get or Needs  
>> statement  isn't shown?
>>  Bobby
>>  On Mon, 14 May 2007 02:49:02 -0500, Mark Adler  
>> <madler at alumni.caltech.edu>  wrote:
>>
>>> I have been using Mathematica since 1.0.  For every new version or
>>> update, my previous notebooks have all worked without modification.
>>>
>>> Not so with Version 6.
>>>
>>> Of course, the first clue is that Mathematica offers to fix my old
>>> notebooks when I load them the first time.  Get rid of semicolons
>>> after Plot[] and Show[], change Random[] to the new versions, that
>>> sort of thing.  That's all somewhat annoying, but I suppose tolerable.
>>>
>>> Then it complains about old packages that, it says, will mess up the
>>> new graphics or other functions.  So it complains about loading, for
>>> example, Graphics`Colors`.  If I don't load it, I no longer have
>>> DeepSkyBlue, or PaleGreen used as plot line colors.  If I do load it,
>>> I am allegedly at risk that something else will be screwed up.
>>>
>>> It can't find Developer`, so how do I get ToPackedArray[]?
>>>
>>> All in all, I am disturbed that after loading only a few notebooks,
>>> I've run into so many incompatibilities.  I fear that I've only
>>> scratched the surface, and many more are laying in wait.
>>>
>>> What is the justification for this sudden and flagrant disregard for
>>> backward compatibility?
>>>
>>> Yes, I'm having fun playing with Manipulate[], but I'm wondering if I
>>> made a mistake to download the new version.
>>>
>>> Mark Adler
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>



-- 
DrMajorBob at bigfoot.com


  • Prev by Date: more documentation finder palettes
  • Next by Date: Re: a tutorial finder palette
  • Previous by thread: Re: Re: Compatibility woes
  • Next by thread: Re: Compatibility woes