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PACKAGE  : maple.mu 
CONTENTS : Funtions to call Maple within a MuPAD session
AUTHOR   : Andreas Sorgatz (andi@uni-paderborn.de)
STATUS   : experimental, tested with MuPAD 1.4.0 and Maple V Release 4
SYSTEMS  : UNIX (Sun, SGI, HP, IBM/RS6000,...)
INSTALLED: 17.02.1998

INFO     : Users of MuPAD release 1.3.0 must use file 'maple_for_130.mu'


What is it for?
---------------

This library package provides a set of functions  to start a  'Maple'  slave
and to install a string based communication to it. Because of the similarity
of the 'Maple'  and  'MuPAD' syntax most expression can be exchanged without
any translation.  In most cases only the 'MuPAD' functions  'text2expr'  and
'expr2text' are needed to convert algebraic expressions.                    
                                                                            
By now this package supports only one 'Maple' slave at the time.  To use the
package you need a MuPAD version that supports dynamic modules.  This can be
checked by executing the command "loadmod();" (release 1.2.2 or later). This
function call should return "TRUE",  otherwise this feature is not supported
in your version. 'maple.mu' uses the dynamic modules  'slave' and 'string' .
Both are distributed with MuPAD versions that support this feature (refer to 
$MuPAD_ROOT_PATH/`sysinfo`/modules).

Dynamic modules are not documented in the MuPAD user's manual.  An English
reference manual will be available in summer 1998.
                                                                            
If there are any problems or questions, please contact andi@uni-paderborn.de 

FUNCTIONS:

open()         - start the Maple slave
close()        - close the Maple slave
put(strg)      - send a string to the Maple slave
get()          - receive a string from the Maple slave
eval(expr)     - let Maple evaluate a given expression
new(expr)      - == eval


How to install it?
------------------

Place the file 'maple.mu' in the current directory (or any directory listed
in your 'READ_PATH').


How to use it?
--------------

Load the library package with 'read("maple.mu");' and just use it. It seems
to be selfexplanatory.

EXAMPLE:

andi> mupad
   *----*    MuPAD 1.2.2a -- Multi Processing Algebra Data Tool
  /|   /|
 *----* |    Copyright (c) 1992-95 by B. Fuchssteiner, Automath
 | *--|-*    University of Paderborn.  All rights reserved.
 |/   |/
 *----*      Unregistered version, please register with                   
             MuPAD-distribution@uni-paderborn.de                  

>> read("maple.mu"):
>> maple::open():
Starting Maple ...
Initializing Maple ...
Ready.
>> maple::put("interface(version);\n"):
>> maple::data();
                                    61
>> maple::get();

     "Maple V, Release 3, SUN SPARC SOL23, Mar 3 1994, CAMPUS WIDE\n"

>> maple( int(x^3*sin(x), x) );

                3             2                               
             - x  cos(x) + 3 x  sin(x) - 6 sin(x) + 6 x cos(x)

>> diff(%,x);
                                  3       
                                 x  sin(x)
>>
>> maple::close():
>> quit


Known bugs
----------

* Using 'maple::eval(expr)' or simply 'maple(expr)', 'expr' must not
  evaluate to a string.   MuPAD tries to convert it to an expression
  which may not make sense.  This function is intend to solve/return
  algebraic expressions.

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