7. Reference Guide

7.1. Procedures

A procedure is a code block that will be inlined at the call-site.

proc name(args; localargs) { [statements] }
Parameters:
  • args – arguments to the function
  • localargs – variables local to the procedure. They will shadow existing variables.

Define a code block that will be placed inline in the code when called with call. All variables in the arguments args are replaced. localargs will shadow arguments from the outer scope.

The code block can contain apply statements.

proc derivative(x, n) {
    for $i in 1..(n+1) {
        id x^m? = m? * x^(m? - 1);
    }
}

expr F = u^5;

apply {
    call derivative(u, 2);
}

yields

20*u^3

7.2. User-defined functions

Users can define their own functions in the global scope with the following statement:

fn name(args) = expression;
Parameters:
  • name – Name of the function
  • args – Arguments to the function
  • expression – The resulting expression

Replace the function name with expression where all occurences of the args are replaced by the given function arguments.

Note

Functions in already existing expressions will not be automatically substitued when they are defined as custom functions at a later stage. Use id myfunc(?a) = myfunc(?a); to trigger the substitution.

fn factorial(n) = ifelse_(n > 0, n * factorial(n-1), 1);
$a = factorial(10);
print $a;

yields

3628800

7.3. Statements

apply [name for F1,...,F2 exclude F3,...,] { [statements] };
Parameters:
  • name – Optional name of the module
  • statements – A list of statements that will be applied

Apply a list of statements (a module) to all active expressions. If for F1,...,F2 is specified, the module is only applied to these expressions. It is also possible to apply the module to all expressions excluding some by using excluding F3,.... The apply statement cannot be nested.

For example:

expr F = f(5);
apply {
    id f(x?) = f(x? + 1);
    id f(6) = f(3);
}

The statements will be processed term by term.

argument f1,f2,... { [statements] }
Parameters:
  • f1,... – Functions the statements should be applied to.
  • statements – Statement block to be executed on function arguments

Execute a block of statements on the arguments of specific functions.

expr F = f(1+x,y*x);

apply {
    argument f {
        id y = 5;
    }
}

yields

F = f(1+x,5*x)
assign x = expr;
Parameters:
  • x – A variable
  • expr – A reFORM expression

Assign the expression to the variable x.

$a = 1 + x;
print $a;

yields

1 + x
attrib f = Linear + NonCommutative + Symmetric;
Parameters:
  • f – A function name.

Assign attributes to a function. At the moment the options are Linear, NonCommutative, and Symmetric. Multiple options can be given with a +.

expr F = f(x, y);

attrib f = Linear;

apply {
    id f(x1?,x2?) = f(x1?+2,x2?+5);
}

yields

+f(x,y)
+f(x,5)
+f(2,y)
+f(2,5)
call proc(args);
Parameters:
  • proc – A procedure
  • args – Arguments to the procedure

Call a procedure (see Procedures) with arguments.

procedure derivative(x, n) {
    for $i in 1..(n+1) {
        id x^m? = m? * x^(m? - 1);
    }
}

expr F = u^5;

apply {
    call derivative(u, 2);
}

yields

u^3*20
collect fn;
Parameters:
  • fn – A function name.

If this statement is called inside a module, it will wrap the entire term in a function fn. if this statement is called outside the module, it will wrap the entire expression in a function fn. The latter is only possible if the expression fits in memory.

Note

The collect statement must currently be placed before the apply block. This will be fixed in the future.

expr F = (1+x)^4;

collect f;
print;
apply {
    expand;
}

yields

+f(x*4+x^2*6+x^3*4+x^4+1)
discard;

Discard the current term.

expr F = x + y;
apply {
    if match(x) {
        Discard;
    }
}

yields

y
expand;

Expand all structures. For example, `(1+x)^5`, and `(1+x)*(1+y)` will be completely written out.

expr F = (1+x)^2*(1+y);
apply {
    expand;
}

yields

+x*y*2
+x*2
+x^2
+x^2*y
+y
+1
expr name = expression;
Parameters:
  • name – The name of a new expression
  • expression – Any valid reFORM expression.

Create a new expression. An expression is processed term-by-term and can be larger than memory. Use apply to operate on the terms of the expression.

extract $i x1,...,xn;
Parameters:
  • $i – A reFORM variable.
  • x1,...,xn – A list of algebraic variables.

Construct a Horner scheme in the variables x1 to xn for the expression in variable $i.

$a = x + x*y + x*y*z + y*z + x^2 + x^2*y + 2;

extract $a x,y;
print $a;

yields

(y+1)*x^2+y*z+2+((z+1)*y+1)*x
fn name(args) = expression;

See User-defined functions.

for i in lb..ub { [statements] };
for i in {s1,s2,...} { [statements] };
Parameters:
  • i – The loop variable.
  • lb..ub – A numerical range.
  • {s1,s2,...} – A list of expressions.

Loop over a numerical range or over a list of expressions. Loops can be made both inside and outside of modules.

expr F = f(2);

for $i in 1..4 {
    print;
    apply {
        id f($i) = f($i+1);
    }
}

yields

F = f(2);
F = f(3);
F = f(4);
id lhs = rhs;
Parameters:
  • lhs – Any valid reFORM expression with wildcards.
  • rhs – Any valid reFORM expression with wildcards.

Apply the lhs to an active term (therefore an id statement needs to be in an inside or apply block (module).

See Pattern matching for the patterns that are allowed to match.

For example:

expr F = f(5);

apply {
    id f(x?) = f(x? + 1);
}
if cond { [statements] } [else { [statements] } ]
if match(expr) { [statements] } [else { [statements] } ]
if defined(dollar) { [statements] } [else { [statements] } ]
Parameters:
  • cond – A boolean condition
  • match(expr) – A test to see if an expression matches
  • defined(dollar) – A test to see if a dollar variable is defined
  • statements – Statement block to be executed

Only execute if a condition holds. If there is an else block, that will only be executed if cond does not hold.

The condition can test if a pattern exists (see frm:st:id) using the match option. The condition can also be a comparison of two expressions, i.e., <=, >=, <, >, ==.

Note

Inequalities use reFORM’s internal ordering which may give unexpected results.

expr F = f(1);

apply {
    if match(f(1)) {
        id f(1) = f(2);
    } else {
        id f(x?) = f(1);
    }

    if defined($a) {
        Multiply $a;
    }

    if f(1) < f(2) {
        id f(2) = f(3);
    }
    print;
}

yields

f(3)
inside x1,x2,... { [statements] }
Parameters:
  • x1,... – Variables the statements should be applied to.
  • statements – Statement block to be executed on the terms in variables.

Execute a block of statements on specific variables.

$x = 1 + x + y*x;

inside $x {
    id x = 5;
}
print $x;

yields

6 + 5*y
matchassign pattern { [assigns] };
Parameters:
  • pattern – A pattern to match the current expression to.
  • assigns – A list of assign statements.

Match the current term and use the matched wildcards in the assignment of dollar variables.

expr F = f(x,1,2,3);

$a = 0;
$b = 0;
apply {
    matchassign f(y?,?b) {
        $a = 2*y?*f(?b);
        $b = y?^5;
    }
}
print $a,$b;

yields

2*f(1,2,3)*x
x^5
maximum x;
Parameters:
  • x – A variable

Get the maximum of the variable x over all terms in the module.

$a = 0;
apply {
    if match(f(1)) {
        $a = 2;
    } else {
        $a = 1;
    }

    maximum $a;
}
print $a;

yields

2
multiply expr;
Parameters:
  • expr – An expression to multiply.

Multiply the expression into the current active term. Multiply can only be used in a module.

expr F = y;
apply {
    Multiply 1 + x;
}

yields

y*(1+x)
print [format] [vars];
print [format] format_string;
Parameters:
  • format – Optional format for printing. It can either be Form or Mathematica.
  • vars – A list of variables to print.
  • format_string – a list of variables to print

Print objects or a formatted string to the screen.

If the Print statement without arguments vars or format_string is used in a module, the current term is printed. If it is used outside a module without these arguments, it will print all active expressions.

The format option can be used to format the terms in a way such that it is compatible with other software. The current supported options are Form (default) and Mathematica.

If a list of variables vars is specified, each variable will be printed on a new line. If a format string is specified, the formatted string is printed. Variables and special objects can be printed by putting them between { } in the format string. Special objects are:

  • {data_}: print the current date and time
  • {time_}: print the current time
  • {term_}: print the current term
  • {$a}: print the value of $a
$a = f(x);
print mathematica $a;

expr F = 1 + x;
apply {
    print; // print the current term
    print "{date_}: current term={term_}, $a={$a}";
}
print; // print F
procedure name(args; localargs) { [statements] }

See Procedures.

repeat { [statements] }
Parameters:
  • statements – Statement block to be repeated until no terms change anymore.

Repeat a block of statements until the term does not change anymore.

The code below does a naive Fibonacci series evaluation. The repeat block will continue until none of the three id statements match.

expr F = f(30);

apply {
    repeat {
        id f(x?{>1}) = f(x? - 1) + f(x? - 2);
        id f(1) = 1;
        id f(0) = 0;
    }
}

yields

F = f(1,x,2*y)
replaceby expr;
Parameters:
  • expr – An expression

Replace the current term by expr.

expr F = x*y + y;
apply {
    if match(x) {
        ReplaceBy z;
    }
}

yields

y + z
splitarg fn;
Parameters:
  • fn – A function

Split a subexpression in a function argument into new function arguments. For example:

expr F = f(1+x+2*y);

apply {
    splitarg f;
}

yields

F = f(1,x,2*y)
symmetrize fn;
Parameters:
  • fn – A function name.

Symmetrize the function arguments based on reFORM’s internal ordering.

expr F = f(3,2,x,1+y,g(5));

apply {
    symmetrize f;
}

yields

f(g(5),y+1,x,2,3)

7.4. Functions

delta_(x1)
Parameters:
  • x1 – A reFORM expression

Returns 1 if x1 is 0. If it is a number other than 0, it will return 0.

If x1 is not a number, nothing happens.

expr F = delta_(0)*x + delta_(1)*y + delta_(x);

yields

x + delta_(x)
gcd_(p1, p2)
Parameters:
  • p1 – A multivariate polynomial with integer numbers as coefficients
  • p2 – A multivariate polynomial with integer numbers as coefficients

Compute the greatest common divisor of two multivariate polynomials with integer numbers as a coefficient.

If the arguments are not valid polynomials, no replacement will be made.

expr F = gcd_(100+100*x-90*x^3-90*x^4+12*y+12*x*y+3*x^3*y^2+3*x^4*y^2,
              100-100*x-90*x^3+90*x^4+12*y-12*x*y+3*x^3*y^2-3*x^4*y^2);

yields

+x^3*y^2*3
+x^3*-90
+y*12
+100
ifelse_(cond, truebranch, falsebranch)
Parameters:
  • cond – A comparison, i.e., $a < 2
  • truebranch – An expression that will be the result of the function if the condition is true
  • falsebranch – An expression that will be the result of the function if the condition is false

Return truebranch if the condition cond is true and falsebranch if it is false. At the moment cond should be a comparison between expressions. If the expressions are both numbers, all both equality and inequality tests are evaluted. In all other cases, only an equality test will be evaluated.

Note

The expressions in both branches are not normalized (simplified), since that will take extra work (only one of the branches should be executed) and could cause infinite loops. As a result, pattern matching on the arguments of ifelse_ will likely not work.

expr F = f(5);
apply {
    id f(n?) = ifelse_(n? <= 6, n? + 10, n?);
}

yields

15
list_(i, lb, ub, expr)
Parameters:
  • i – A variable used as a counter
  • lb – A numeric lower bound for i
  • ub – A numeric upper bound for i

Return a list of expr with i going from lb to (and including) ub. This function will only be replaced when it is a function argument.

expr F = f(1,2,list_($i,2,5,$i^2),3,4);

yields

f(1,2,4,9,16,25,3,4)
nargs_(a1,...,an)
Parameters:
  • a1,...,an – A list of expressions

Returns the number of arguments the function has. It is especially useful in combination with the ranged wildcards.

expr F = f(1,2,3,4,5);

apply {
    id f(?a) = nargs_(?a);
}

yields

5
prod_(i, lb, ub, expr)
Parameters:
  • i – A variable used as a counter
  • lb – A numeric lower bound for i
  • ub – A numeric upper bound for i

Return the product of expr with i going from lb to (and including) ub.

expr F = prod_($i, 2, 5, $i^2);

yields

14400
rat_(num, den)
Parameters:
  • num – A multivariate polynomial with integer numbers as coefficients
  • den – A multivariate polynomial with integer numbers as coefficients

The rat_ function can be used to have a ratio of multivariate polynomials as a coefficient . It will compute multivariate gcds to make sure the fraction does not grow more than necessary.

If the arguments are not valid polynomials, no replacement will be made.

expr F = rat_(x^2+2*x+1,1)*rat_(1,1+x)+rat_(2,1);

yields

rat_(3+x,1)
sum_(i, lb, ub, expr)
Parameters:
  • i – A variable used as a counter
  • lb – A numeric lower bound for i
  • ub – A numeric upper bound for i

Return the sum of expr with i going from lb to (and including) ub.

expr F = sum_($i, 2, 5, $i^2);

yields

54
takearg_(k,a1,...,an)
Parameters:
  • k – The index of the argument to take
  • a1,...,an – Arguments

Return the k th argument of the list a1,...,an . If the index is out of bounds, no substitution takes place.

expr F = takearg_(2, x1, x2, x3);

yields

x2