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1 @c Copyright (C) 1996 John W. Eaton |
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2 @c This is part of the Octave manual. |
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3 @c For copying conditions, see the file gpl.texi. |
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4 |
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5 @cindex manual, using this |
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6 @cindex using this manual |
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7 @cindex language, Octave |
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8 @cindex program, @code{octave} |
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9 @cindex Octave language |
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10 @cindex @code{octave} program |
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11 |
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12 @node Using this Manual, Introduction, Acknowledgements, Top |
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13 @chapter Using the Manual |
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14 |
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15 The term Octave refers to a particular program, and to the language you |
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16 use to tell this program what to do. When we need to be careful, we |
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17 call the program ``the @code{octave} interpreter'' and the language |
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18 ``the Octave language.'' The purpose of this manual is to explain both |
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19 the Octave language and how to run the @code{octave} interpreter. |
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20 |
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21 The term @dfn{Octave program} refers to a program written by you in |
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22 the Octave programming language. |
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23 |
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24 @xref{Introduction, ,Introduction}, for the bare essentials you need to |
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25 know to start using @code{octave}. |
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26 |
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27 @c XXX FIXME XXX -- need example program |
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28 @c |
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29 @c A sample Octave program has been provided for you (@pxref{Sample Program}). |
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30 |
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31 @c XXX FIXME XXX -- should we also have a glossary? |
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32 @c |
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33 @c If you find terms that you aren't familiar with, try looking them |
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34 @c up in the glossary (@pxref{Glossary}).@refill |
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35 |
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36 @c XXX FIXME XXX -- how about a language summary too? |
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37 @c |
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38 @c The entire Octave language is summarized for quick reference in |
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39 @c @xref{Octave Summary}. Look there if you just need |
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40 to refresh your memory about a particular feature. |
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41 |
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42 Most of the time complete Octave programs are used as examples, but in |
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43 some of the more advanced sections, only the part of the Octave program |
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44 that illustrates the concept being described is shown. |
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45 |
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46 @c XXX FIXME XXX -- should also explain typesetting conventions. |
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47 |
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48 @ifinfo |
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49 If you are reading this in GNU Emacs using Info, you can copy the regions |
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50 of text showing these sample files into your own test files. This way you |
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51 can try out the examples shown in the remainder of this document. You do |
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52 this by using the command @kbd{M-x write-region} to copy text from the Info |
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53 file into a file for use with @code{octave}. |
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54 @end ifinfo |
