@c Copyright (C) 1996 John W. Eaton
@c This is part of the Octave manual.
@c For copying conditions, see the file gpl.texi.

@cindex manual, using this
@cindex using this manual
@cindex language, Octave
@cindex program, @code{octave}
@cindex Octave language
@cindex @code{octave} program

@node Using this Manual, Introduction, Acknowledgements, Top
@chapter Using the Manual

The term Octave refers to a particular program, and to the language you
use to tell this program what to do.  When we need to be careful, we
call the program ``the @code{octave} interpreter'' and the language
``the Octave language.''  The purpose of this manual is to explain both
the Octave language and how to run the @code{octave} interpreter.

The term @dfn{Octave program} refers to a program written by you in
the Octave programming language.

@xref{Introduction, ,Introduction}, for the bare essentials you need to
know to start using @code{octave}.

@c XXX FIXME XXX -- need example program
@c
@c A sample Octave program has been provided for you (@pxref{Sample Program}).

@c XXX FIXME XXX -- should we also have a glossary?
@c
@c If you find terms that you aren't familiar with, try looking them
@c up in the glossary (@pxref{Glossary}).@refill

@c XXX FIXME XXX -- how about a language summary too?
@c
@c The entire Octave language is summarized for quick reference in
@c @xref{Octave Summary}.  Look there if you just need
to refresh your memory about a particular feature.

Most of the time complete Octave programs are used as examples, but in
some of the more advanced sections, only the part of the Octave program
that illustrates the concept being described is shown.

@c XXX FIXME XXX -- should also explain typesetting conventions.

@ifinfo
If you are reading this in GNU Emacs using Info, you can copy the regions
of text showing these sample files into your own test files.  This way you
can try out the examples shown in the remainder of this document.  You do
this by using the command @kbd{M-x write-region} to copy text from the Info
file into a file for use with @code{octave}.
@end ifinfo