README file for maxima MAXIMA is a fairly complete computer algebra system. This system MAXIMA is a COMMON LISP implementation due to William F. Schelter, and is based on the original implementation of Macsyma at MIT, as distributed by the Department of Energy. I now have permission from DOE to make derivative copies, and in particular to distribute it under the GNU public license. See the file COPYING included in the distribution. Thus these files may now be redistributed under the terms of GNU public license. The known shortfalls of being completely within the common lisp standard, are several calls to errset. This can be circumvented but not completely eliminated. Also there are some special variables which need to be proclaimed and then unproclaimed special later. On most common lisp systems, all necessary files are in the src directory. Basically one loads the file sysdef.lisp, after having set the directory paths in that file, and then does a (make :maxima :compile t). Before dumping it one does (make :maxima ). See the file src/compile-clisp.lisp as an example for doing this in clisp. BUILDING: ======== If building with GCL (GNU Common Lisp) version 2.0 or later, edit the file maxima-x.x/configure putting the correct pathnames in it. It presupposes your having the .o files from the GCL available, since a link will be done to produce a new image containing maxima. In the main maxima directory, % ./configure % make This should produce eventually a file maxima/src/saved_maxima TESTING ======= To test the system, in the main maxima directory do % make test If this completes successfully, then you may wish to eliminate those .o files no longer needed: % (cd src ; make clean) If you wish to eliminate the source to save space and just keep the necessary .o files, and autoloading .lisp and .mac files, as well as the documentation, you may % (cd src ; make eliminate-source) The maxima/info directory contains a first draft of a manual for maxima. The make in that directory can produce a .dvi file for printing and maxima.info for examination in the info system of emacs. We would MOST welcome some tutorial and beginner information for this manual. INSTALLING ========== After building and possibly removing source and .o files as above, do % cd maxima % make install to put things in /usr/local (recommended default). To put things under /public/bin and /public/lib/maxima-5.x.x you should edit the file 'configure' in the main directory of the distribution to set up the directories. Then after doing configure you can do: % make install PREFIX_DIR=/public The MAXIMA_DIRECTORY environment variable will be set to the maxima library directory, by the executable shell script 'maxima' which invokes maxima. Additional information is available at http://www.ma.utexas.edu/maxima.html There is now an alternative to the command line version, which is called xmaxima. That version runs under MS windows as well, and has a tcl/tk interface. If you install in PREFIX_DIR=/public then /public/bin/xmaxima should get the tcl/tk interface version. W. Schelter, the University of Texas, and other parties provide this program on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
