Unexpected While calc is C-like, users of C will find some unexpected surprises in calc syntax and usage. Persons familiar with C should review this file. The Comma ========= The comma is also used for continuation of obj and mat creation expressions and for separation of expressions to be used for arguments or values in function calls or initialization lists. The precedence order of these different uses is: continuation, separator, comma operator. For example, assuming the variables a, b, c, d, e, and object type xx have been defined, the arguments passed to f in: f(a, b, c, obj xx d, e) are a, b, c, and e, with e having the value of a newly created xx object. In: f((a, b), c, (obj xx d), e) the arguments of f are b, c, d, e, with only d being a newly created xx object. In combination with other operators, the continuation use of the comma has the same precedence as [] and ., the separator use the same as the comma operator. For example, assuming xx.mul() has been defined: f(a = b, obj xx c, d = {1,2} * obj xx e = {3,4}) passes two arguments: a (with value b) and the product d * e of two initialized xx objects. ^ is not xor ============ In C, ^ is the xor operator. Like the '**', '^' is the exponentiation operator. The expression: a^b yields "a to the b power", NOT "a xor b". Note that 'b' must be an integer. Also if 'a' == 0, 'b' must be >= 0 as well. To raise to a non-integer power, use the power() builtin function. ** is exponentiation ==================== As was suggested in the '^ is not xor' section, the expression: a**b yields "a to the b power", NOT "a xor b". Note that 'b' must be an integer. Also if 'a' == 0, 'b' must be >= 0 as well. To raise to a non-integer power, use the power() builtin function. op= operators associate left to right ===================================== Operator-with-assignments: += -= *= /= %= //= &= |= <<= >>= ^= **= associate from left to right instead of right to left as in C. For example: a += b *= c has the effect of: a = (a + b) * c where only 'a' is required to be an lvalue. For the effect of: b *= c; a += b when both 'a' and 'b' are lvalues, use: a += (b *= c) || yields values other than 0 or 1 ================================== In C: a || b will produce 0 or 1 depending on the logical evaluation of the expression. In calc, this expression will produce either 'a' or 'b' and is equivalent to the expression: a ? a : b In other words, if 'a' is true, then 'a' is returned, otherwise 'b' is returned. && yields values other than 0 or 1 ================================== In C: a && b will produce 0 or 1 depending on the logical evaluation of the expression. In calc, this expression will produce either 'a' or 'b' and is equivalent to the expression: a ? b : a In other words, if 'a' is true, then 'b' is returned, otherwise 'a' is returned. / is fractional divide, // is integral divide ============================================= In C: x/y performs integer division when 'x' and 'y' are integer types. In calc, this expression yields a rational number. Calc uses: x//y to perform division with integer truncation and is the equivalent to: int(x/y) | and & have higher precedence than ==, +, -, *, / and % ======================================================== Is C: a == b | c * d is interpreted as: (a == b) | (c * d) and calc it is interpreted as: a == ((b | c) * d) calc always evaluates terms from left to right ============================================== Calc has a definite order for evaluation of terms (addends in a sum, factors in a product, arguments for a function or a matrix, etc.). This order is always from left to right. but skipping of terms may occur for ||, && and ? : . Consider, for example: A * B + C * D In calc above expression is evaluated in the following order: A B A * B C D C * D A * B + C * D This order of evaluation is significant if evaluation of a term changes a variable on which a later term depends. For example: x++ * x++ + x++ * x++ in calc returns the value: x * (x + 1) + (x + 2) * (x + 3) and increments x as if by x += 4. Similarly, for functions f, g, the expression: f(x++, x++) + g(x++) evaluates to: f(x, x + 1) + g(x + 2) and increments x three times. &A[0] and A are different things in calc ======================================== In calc, value of &A[0] is the address of the first element, whereas A is the entire array. *X may be used to to return the value of X ========================================== If the current value of a variable X is an octet, number or string, *X may be used to to return the value of X; in effect X is an address and *X is the value at X. freeing a variable has the effect of assigning the null value to it =================================================================== The freeglobals(), freestatics(), freeredc() and free() free builtins to not "undefine" the variables, but have the effect of assigning the null value to them, and so frees the memory used for elements of a list, matrix or object. Along the same lines: undefine * undefines all current user-defined functions. After executing all the above freeing functions (and if necessary free(.) to free the current "old value"), the only remaining numbers as displayed by show numbers should be those associated with epsilon(), and if it has been called, qpi().