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root/radiance/ray/doc/man/man1/icalc.1
Revision: 1.1
Committed: Thu Jan 1 19:31:45 2004 UTC (20 years, 4 months ago) by greg
Branch: MAIN
CVS Tags: rad3R7P2, rad3R7P1, rad3R6, rad3R6P1, rad3R8
Log Message:
Renamed rview, lam, calc, and neat to rvu, rlam, icalc, and neaten

File Contents

# Content
1 .\" RCSid "$Id$"
2 .TH ICALC 1 2/3/95 RADIANCE
3 .SH NAME
4 icalc - interactive calculator
5 .SH SYNOPSIS
6 .B icalc
7 [
8 .B file
9 ]
10 .SH DESCRIPTION
11 .I Icalc
12 is a algebraic calculator designed primarily for
13 interactive use.
14 Each formula definition
15 .I file
16 is read and compiled.
17 The standard input is then read, expressions are evaluated
18 and results are sent to the standard output.
19 If a newline is escaped using a backslash, input is continued
20 on the next line.
21 .PP
22 An expression contains real numbers, variable names, function calls,
23 and the following operators:
24 .PP
25 + - * / ^
26 .PP
27 Operators are evaluated left to right, except '^',
28 which is right associative.
29 Exponentiation has the highest precedence; multiplication and
30 division are evaluated before addition and subtraction.
31 Expressions can be grouped with parentheses.
32 Each result is assigned a number, which can be used in future expressions.
33 For example, the expression ($3*10) is the result of the
34 third calculation multiplied by ten.
35 A dollar sign by itself may be used for the previous result.
36 All values are double precision real.
37 .PP
38 In addition, variables and functions can be defined by the
39 user.
40 A variable definition has the form:
41 .PP
42
43 var = expression ;
44
45 .PP
46 Any instance of the variable in an expression will be replaced
47 with its definition.
48 A function definition has the form:
49 .PP
50
51 func(a1, a2, ..) = expression ;
52
53 .PP
54 The expression can contain instances of the function arguments
55 as well as other variables and functions.
56 Function names can be passed as arguments.
57 Recursive functions can be defined using calls to the defined
58 function or other functions calling the defined function.
59 .PP
60 To define a constant expression, simply replace the equals sign ('=')
61 with a colon (':') in a definition.
62 Constant expressions are evaluated only once, the first time they are used.
63 This avoids repeated evaluation of expressions whose values never change.
64 Ideally, a constant expression contains only numbers and references
65 to previously defined constant expressions and functions.
66 Constant function definitions are are
67 replaced by their value in any expression that uses them with constant
68 arguments.
69 All predefined functions and variables have the constant attribute.
70 Thus, "sin(PI/4)" in an expression would be immediately replaced by ".707108"
71 unless sin() or PI were redefined by the user.
72 (Note that redefining constant expressions is not a recommended practice!)\
73 .PP
74 A variable or function's definition can be displayed with the '?'
75 command:
76 .PP
77 ? name
78 .PP
79 If no name is given, all definitions are printed.
80 The '>' command writes definitions to a file:
81 .PP
82 > file
83 .PP
84 Similarly, the '<' command loads definitions.
85 .PP
86 The following library of predefined functions and variables is provided:
87 .TP 10n
88 .BR PI
89 the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.
90 .TP
91 .BR "if(cond, then, else)"
92 if cond is greater than zero,
93 then is evaluated, otherwise else is evaluated.
94 This function is necessary for recursive definitions.
95 .TP
96 .BR "select(N, a1, a2, ..)"
97 return aN (N is rounded to the nearest integer).
98 This function provides array capabilities.
99 If
100 .I N
101 is zero, the number of available arguments is returned.
102 .TP
103 .BR "rand(x)"
104 compute a random number between 0 and 1 based on x.
105 .TP
106 .BR "floor(x)"
107 return largest integer not greater than x.
108 .TP
109 .BR "ceil(x)"
110 return smallest integer not less than x.
111 .TP
112 .BR "sqrt(x)"
113 return square root of x.
114 .TP
115 .BR "exp(x)"
116 compute e to the power of x (e approx = 2.718281828).
117 .TP
118 .BR "log(x)"
119 compute the logarithm of x to the base e.
120 .TP
121 .BR "log10(x)"
122 compute the logarithm of x to the base 10.
123 .TP
124 .BR "sin(x), cos(x), tan(x)"
125 trigonometric functions.
126 .TP
127 .BR "asin(x), acos(x), atan(x)"
128 inverse trigonometric functions.
129 .TP
130 .BR "atan2(y, x)"
131 inverse tangent of y/x (range -pi to pi).
132 .SH AUTHOR
133 Greg Ward
134 .SH "SEE ALSO"
135 ev(1), rcalc(1), tabfunc(1)