MagicPlot Manual

Plotting and nonlinear fitting software

User Tools

Site Tools


expressions

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Next revision
Previous revision
expressions [Tue Jan 12 13:37:16 2021]
Alexander created
expressions [Sat Jan 16 17:25:32 2021] (current)
Alexander
Line 9: Line 9:
  
 ==== Syntax Highlighting ==== ==== Syntax Highlighting ====
-MagicPlot formula editor highlights expression syntax. It also marks matching brackets:\\+MagicPlot formula editor highlights expression syntax. It also marks matching brackets and highlights variables: 
 {{:hightlight1.png?nolink|}} {{:hightlight1.png?nolink|}}
  
 ===== General Rules ===== ===== General Rules =====
 ==== Case Sensitivity ==== ==== Case Sensitivity ====
-MagicPlot formula translator is generally **case sensitive**, i.e. you can write ''sin'' but not ''Sin''. +MagicPlot formula translator is generally **case sensitive**, i.e. you can write ''sin'' but not ''Sin''. Note that ''x'' and ''X'' are different variables. You can use this feature when naming ''Custom Equation'' Fit Curve parameters.
- +
-Note that ''x'' and ''X'' are different variables. You can use this feature when naming ''Custom Equation'' Fit Curve parameters.+
  
 ==== Entering Numbers ==== ==== Entering Numbers ====
-  * You can use **dot (''.'') or comma ('','')** as decimal separator, and separate function arguments with a semicolon ('';'') in the following cases: 
-    * Cell editing in [[Table|Tables]] 
-    * Entering value in any numeric field 
-    * Using [[Calculator]] 
  
-  * You can use **dot (''.'') only** as decimal separator, and separate function arguments  with a comma ('',''or a semicolon ('';''), in:+  * You can use **dot (''.'') only** as decimal separator, and separate function arguments  with a comma ('','') in:
     * [[Set Column Formula]]     * [[Set Column Formula]]
     * [[fitting|Custom Fit Curve]]     * [[fitting|Custom Fit Curve]]
 +    * Using [[Calculator]]
 +
 +  * You can use **dot (''.'') or comma ('','')** as decimal separator, and separate function arguments with a semicolon ('';'') in the following cases:
 +    * Cell editing in [[Table|Tables]]
 +    * Entering value in any numeric field
  
 You can use ''e'' or ''E'' for scientific notation: ''1.45e-3'' or ''1.45E-3''. You can use ''e'' or ''E'' for scientific notation: ''1.45e-3'' or ''1.45E-3''.
Line 32: Line 32:
 ==== Using Spaces and Line Breaks ==== ==== Using Spaces and Line Breaks ====
 You can freely insert space characters and line breaks in formula, but do not break function names, numbers, operators. You do not need to enter special characters to indicate line break. You can freely insert space characters and line breaks in formula, but do not break function names, numbers, operators. You do not need to enter special characters to indicate line break.
 +
 +===== Local variables in expression =====
 +
 +You can set a local variables in expression. Use semicolon to separate variable assignments and the result expression: ''a=5; a*a + 2*a + 1''. The expression after the last semicolon is the result expression. The variables are calculated in the present order so you need to assign the variable before usage.
  
 ===== Functions ===== ===== Functions =====
Line 37: Line 41:
  
 MagicPlot uses functions of Java programming language library ''[[http://download.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/StrictMath.html|StrictMath]]'' to evaluate ''sin'', ''cos'', ''exp'', etc. These functions are available from the well-known network library ''netlib'' as a "Freely Distributable Math Library", ''fdlibm'' package. The same library is widely used in many scientific computing applications. MagicPlot uses functions of Java programming language library ''[[http://download.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/StrictMath.html|StrictMath]]'' to evaluate ''sin'', ''cos'', ''exp'', etc. These functions are available from the well-known network library ''netlib'' as a "Freely Distributable Math Library", ''fdlibm'' package. The same library is widely used in many scientific computing applications.
 +
 +Special functions (Bessel, Erf, Gamma, Beta) calculation is based on [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_(libraries)|Colt 1.2 library]].
  
 ==== Trigonometric Functions ==== ==== Trigonometric Functions ====
Line 60: Line 66:
  
 ===== Boolean Logic ===== ===== Boolean Logic =====
-MagicPlot can interpret boolean logic expressions. Zero and negative values (''<nowiki><=0</nowiki>'') are interpreted as ''false'' and positive values (''>0''are interpreted as ''true'' similarly to C programming language. +MagicPlot can interpret boolean logic expressions. Zero is interpreted as ''false'' and non-zero values are interpreted as ''true'' similarly to C programming language (Note: legacy MagicPlot versions 2.9 and older interpret zero //and negative// values as ''false'', this was changed in the 3.0 version). You can use simple logical operators which are described below. Use ''1'' as ''true'' and ''0'' as ''false''.
-You can use simple logical operators which are described below. Use ''1'' as ''true'' and ''0'' as ''false''.+
  
-==== 'if' Function ====+==== The conditional function 'if' ====
  
-The basic logical function is ''if(condition, a, b)''. If ''condition'' argument is ''true'' (greater than 0) it returns the second argument (''a''), else returns the third argument (''b'').+The conditional logical function is ''if(condition, a, b)''. If ''condition'' argument is ''true'' (non-zero) it returns the second argument (''a''), otherwise it returns the third argument (''b'').
  
 == Examples == == Examples ==
Line 75: Line 80:
 ==== Equality Checking ==== ==== Equality Checking ====
  
-You have to be careful if you need to check equality of two values. Due to inaccuracy of computer floating-point calculations the result of evaluation is always approximate. For example, result of ''sqrt(3)^2'' is number ''2.9999999999999996'', not exactly ''3''. The expression ''sqrt(3)^2 == 3'' is ''false'' (it returns ''0''). Keep in mind that for convenience MagicPlot rounds numbers when showing on the screen, so this value will be shown as ''3'' in table if the number of shown fractional digits in MagicPlot preferences is not big enough.+You have to be careful if you need to check equality of two values. Due to inaccuracy of computer floating-point calculations the result of evaluation is always approximate. For example, result of ''sqrt(3)^2'' is the number ''2.9999999999999996'', not exactly ''3''. The expression ''sqrt(3)^2 == 3'' is ''false'' (it returns ''0''). Keep in mind that for convenience MagicPlot rounds numbers when showing on the screen, so this value will be shown as ''3'' in table if the number of shown fractional digits in MagicPlot preferences is not big enough.
  
 Generally, if you want to check equality of two values you need to use some equality threshold for relative difference. That is, you should compare the modulus of relative difference of two values ''a'' and ''b'' with threshold ''t'': ''<nowiki>if(abs((a-b)/a) < t,</nowiki> ..., ...)''. Generally, if you want to check equality of two values you need to use some equality threshold for relative difference. That is, you should compare the modulus of relative difference of two values ''a'' and ''b'' with threshold ''t'': ''<nowiki>if(abs((a-b)/a) < t,</nowiki> ..., ...)''.
Line 84: Line 89:
  
 ===== Operators ===== ===== Operators =====
-^ Operator               ^ Description    ^ Operator                ^ Description              ^ +^ Operator               ^ Description              ^ Operator                ^ Description              ^ 
-| ''+''                  | addition       | ''==''                  | equal to                 | +| ''+''                  | addition                 | | ''==''                  | equal to                 | 
-| ''-''                  | subtraction    | ''!=''                  | not equal to             | +| ''-''                  | subtraction              | ''!=''                  | not equal to             | 
-| ''*''                  | multiplication | ''<''                   | less than                |  +| ''*''                  | multiplication           | | ''!''                   | logical negation         | 
-| ''/''                  | division       | ''>''                   | greater than             | +| ''/''                  | division                 | ''<''                   | less than                |  
-| ''<nowiki>^</nowiki>''power          | ''<nowiki><=</nowiki>'' | less than or equal to    | +| ''%''                  | remainder after division | ''>''                   | greater than             | 
-| ''<nowiki>|</nowiki>'' | or             | ''>=''                  | greater than or equal to | +| ''^''                  | exponentiation           | | ''<nowiki><=</nowiki>''                  | less than or equal to    | 
-| ''&''                  | and                                    ||+| ''|''                  logical or               | | ''>=''                  | greater than or equal to | 
 +| ''&''                  | logical and               ||
  
 ==== Operations Priority ==== ==== Operations Priority ====
-Operators with **lower** precedence value are evaluated **earlier**. You can use brackets to change calculation sequence. 
  
-Expression is evaluated left-to-right, excluding repeated exponentiation operator ''^''. The ''^'' operator is [[wp>Operator_associativity|right-associative]] like in Fortran language (evaluated right-to-left; note that in general case ''a^(b^c) ≠ (a^b)^c''). Hence ''a^b^c'' is evaluated as ''a^(b^c)''+^ Operations  ^ Precedence  ^ Associativity ^ 
 +| ''function()''               | 1 (is evaluated first) | ---  | 
 +| ''^''                        | 2 | Right-to-left  | 
 +| ''!'', ''-'' (unary minus)   | 3 | ---   | 
 +| ''*'', ''/'', ''%''          | 4 | Left-to-right  | 
 +| ''+'', ''-''                 | 5 | Left-to-right 
 +''<'', ''>'', ''<nowiki><=</nowiki>'', ''>='' 6 | Left-to-right  | 
 +| ''=='', ''!=''               | 7 | Left-to-right  | 
 +''&''                        | 8 | Left-to-right 
 +''|''                        | 9 | Left-to-right 
 +''='' (assignment)           | 10 (is evaluated last) | Left-to-right  |
  
-The reason for exponentiation being right-associative is that a repeated left-associative exponentiation operation would be less useful. Multiple appearances could (and would) be rewritten with multiplication: ''(a^b)^c = a^(b*c)''.+Operators with **lower** precedence value are evaluated **earlier**. You can use brackets to change calculation sequence.
  
-^ Operations  ^ Precedence  ^ Associativity ^ +Expression is evaluated left-to-right, excluding repeated exponentiation operator ''^''. The ''^'' operator is [[wp>Operator_associativity|right-associative]] like in Fortran language (evaluated right-to-left; note that in general case ''a^(b^c) ≠ (a^b)^c''). Hence ''a^b^c'' is evaluated as ''a^(b^c)''. The reason for exponentiation being right-associative is that a repeated left-associative exponentiation operation would be less useful: Multiple appearances could (and would) be rewritten with multiplication: ''(a^b)^c a^(b*c)''.
-| ''foo()'' (function call) | 1 | ---  | +
-| ''<nowiki>^</nowiki>'' | 2 | Right-to-left  | +
-| ''-'' (unary minus)    | 3 | ---   | +
-| ''*'', ''/''           | 4 | Left-to-right  | +
-| ''+'', ''-''           | 5 | Left-to-right +
-''<'', ''>'', ''<nowiki><=</nowiki>'', ''>=''  6 | Left-to-right  | +
-''==''''!=''         | 7 | Left-to-right +
-''&''                  | 8 | Left-to-right  | +
-|''<nowiki>|</nowiki>''  | 9 | Left-to-right  | +
-|''='' (assignment)      | 10 | Left-to-right  |+
  
 == Examples == == Examples ==
Line 119: Line 124:
   * ''(-3)^2'' returns ''9''.   * ''(-3)^2'' returns ''9''.
   * ''2^2^3'' is equal to ''2^(2^3)'', because ''^'' is right-associative operator. The result is ''256''.   * ''2^2^3'' is equal to ''2^(2^3)'', because ''^'' is right-associative operator. The result is ''256''.
 +
 +===== Comments in formulas =====
 +
 +You can insert comments in any formula using ''/*…*/'' notation.
 +
 +Press ''Ctrl+/'' on Windows/Linux or ''Cmd-/'' on Mac OS to comment selection. Comments can be multi-line. Note that the single line comments using a symbol at the line start are not supported because line breaks are not taken into account in MagicPlot formula syntax.
  
expressions.1610447836.txt.gz · Last modified: Tue Jan 12 13:37:16 2021 by Alexander