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Re: Question about Manipulate

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg122759] Re: Question about Manipulate
  • From: Daniel Lichtblau <danl at wolfram.com>
  • Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:50:01 -0500 (EST)
  • Delivered-to: l-mathgroup@mail-archive0.wolfram.com
  • References: <201111091124.GAA11113@smc.vnet.net>

On 11/09/2011 05:24 AM, mailcwc at gmail.com wrote:
> I tried the following code in Mathematica 8.0
>
> Clear["Global`*"]
> f = Sin[a x + b]
> Manipulate[Plot[f, {x, 0, 4 \[Pi]}], {a, 0.5, 2}, {b, 0, 2 \[Pi]}]
>
> The Manipulate block is showed, but the Sin function is not plotted.
>
> When I replace f in the third line with its definition,
>
> Clear["Global`*"]
> Manipulate[ Plot[Sin[a x + b], {x, 0, 4 \[Pi]}], {a, 0.5, 2}, {b, 0, 2
> \[Pi]}]
>
> The Sin function is plotted.
>
> Is this a bug or a limitation in Mathematica?
>

This does seem to be an FAQ. See

Documentation Center > Manipulate > Possible Issues

Third item begines: "Manipulate only "notices" explicit visible 
parameters:" and goes on to show how this should generally be handled 
(with almost the same example as yours). In this case one would do

f[a_, b_] = Sin[a*x + b]

Manipulate[
  Plot[f[a, b], {x, 0, 4 \[Pi]}], {a, 0.5, 2}, {b, 0, 2 \[Pi]}]

Daniel Lichtblau
Wolfram Research




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