MathGroup Archive 2001

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

Search the Archive

Re: Strange syntax errors when writing functions ?

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg31005] Re: Strange syntax errors when writing functions ?
  • From: "Carl K. Woll" <carlw at u.washington.edu>
  • Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2001 02:44:30 -0400 (EDT)
  • Organization: University of Washington
  • References: <9p2pt0$313$1@smc.vnet.net>
  • Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Hi Alex,

I agree that these Mathematica parsing problems are extremely annoying. I
have two suggestions. First, for your save problem where a parsing problem
appears after a file is saved, one possibility is to deactivate
Mathematica's condensing routine by setting the option ShortBoxForm to
False. Start the option inspector, and in the lookup box type ShortBoxForm.
Then set the option to False. With this option set to false, Mathematica
will not attempt to shorten the notebook, and consequently the notebook
files will be marginally larger (but who cares?). I believe that this will
take care of your save problem.

As far as invisible parsing errors which occur while you are editing a
notebook, one tedious and unattractive possibility is to always use
InputForm for your input. Mathematica should never reparse InputForm input.
However, since I like StandardForm input, my usual solution is to put in
carriage returns at various places until the error goes away.

Carl Woll
Physics Dept
U of Washington

"Axel Kowald" <axel at itb.biologie.hu-berlin.de> wrote in message
news:9p2pt0$313$1 at smc.vnet.net...
> Hello everybody,
>
> I'm using Mathematica 4.0 under winNT and from time to time I have a
problem
> with Mathematica which drives me crazy. I wonder if anybody has
experienced the
> same problem.
>
> Sometimes, if I write a function and press shift enter Mathematica
complains
> that there is a syntax error. I can't find one and copy line for line to
> a new location until I copied the whole function. If I now press shift
> enter it works, although nothing has changed !!!
>
> While this is annoying, today it got worse. I had the same problem and
> solved it by copying. But this time saving the file brought back the old
> error message :-(  That means, after I corrected the problem, saved the
> file, exited Mathematica, started it again and loaded the file,
Mathematica again
> complains about a syntax error.
>
> Does anyone know about the problem and knows a solution ?
>
> Many thanks in advance,
>
>                    Axel Kowald
>
>
>
>
> --
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> Dr. A. Kowald
> Innovationskolleg Theoretische Biologie
> Humboldt University Berlin
> Invalidenstr. 43
> 10115 Berlin
> Germany
>
> Email: a.kowald at itb.biologie.hu-berlin.de
> http://itb.biologie.hu-berlin.de/~axel
> Phone: +49 30 2093 9105
> Fax:   +49 30 2093 8801
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>




  • Prev by Date: Re: Mathematica 4.0 installation problem
  • Next by Date: Re: several messages
  • Previous by thread: Re: Mathematica 4.0 installation problem
  • Next by thread: Re: several messages