FriCAS FAQ

General Questions

What is FriCAS?

FriCAS is an advanced computer algebra system. Its capabilities range from calculus (integration and differentiation) to abstract algebra. It can plot functions and has an integrated help system.

What is the relation between FriCAS and Axiom?

FriCAS forked from Axiom in 2007. FriCAS seeks different development methodology and after fork removed several unused parts (without removing functionality). FriCAS fixed a lot of bugs and added new functionality. As of April 2013, in the src/algebra subdirectory, which hosts mathematical functionality about 25% of code was added after the fork.

What does the FriCAS name mean?

The prefix Fri is a deliberate misspelling of Free – FriCAS sounds like Free CAS.

There is also a second meaning: the Polish word “frykas” (which sounds similar to FriCAS) denotes generally tasty food (dainty); the French word “fricassee” and the German “Frikassee” name a particular food.

Where can I find online information about FriCAS?

The main entrance point to documentation about FriCAS is http://fricas.github.io.

The mailing list https://groups.google.com/group/fricas-devel?hl=en is intended both for users and developers. Please sign up before posting a message.

Where can I find documentation?

The main source of information about FriCAS is the “Axiom book” by Jenks and Sutor in its adaptation for FriCAS. FriCAS continues to update that contents of that book along with its development and calls it FriCAS Book. Its content is shown by the integrated HyperDoc help system. You can also access the book in .pdf form at http://fricas.github.io/book.pdf. An older version is available in in .xhtml form at http://wiki.fricas.org/JenksSutorInXhtml.

Where should I report bugs?

FriCAS moved to GitHub in March 2020. Issues should be reported to https://github.com/fricas/fricas/issues.

The older bugtrackers at SourceForge and the FriCAS wiki should not be used anymore.

How one can use FriCAS in a pipe or in batch mode?

Currently trying to run plain fricas command in a pipe hangs (this is a bug, but fix requires substantial change). Instead, one needs to pass -nosman option.

There several ways to let FriCAS process commands from a file.

fricas -nosman < tst.input > tst.output
cat tst.input | fricas -nosman > tst.output
echo ')read tst.input' | fricas -nosman > tst.output

Whereas the first two versions do not show the input in tst.ouput, the last command does. However, in the latter case it is hard to distinguish input from output.

Note: Similarly to the commandline, pipe mode requires each function to be defined in a single line.

How to find where an exported function is implemented?

In Hyperdoc ‘Browse’ window enter the constructor name or its abbreviation and click on ‘Constructors’. In the resulting form specify all parameters. Then click on ‘Operations’ and finally on ‘Implementations’. If you are interested in a single operation, after clicking on ‘Operations’ click on an operation name and then click on ‘Implementations’.

Clef does not work. Is there an alternative?

If you have GNU Readline and rlwrap installed, the -rl option will use GNU Readline editing, tab completion, and history, i.e. call FriCAS like this:

fricas -rl

Default HyperDoc window is too small. How to enlarge it?

Put the lines like below in file called ~/.Xresources.

FriCAS.hyperdoc.FormGeometry: =1200x700+40+40
FriCAS.hyperdoc.Geometry: =1200x700+40+40

They should take effect the next time you log in. If not you may have to manually run

xrdb -m ~/.Xresources

If you work with a 4K-display and want to make the font bigger, you can add the following to your .Xresources file.

FriCAS.hyperdoc.Geometry: =1500x800+0+0
FriCAS.hyperdoc.RmFont: -adobe-courier-bold-r-*-*-34-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
FriCAS.hyperdoc.RmColor: black
FriCAS.hyperdoc.ActiveFont: -adobe-courier-bold-r-*-*-34-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
FriCAS.hyperdoc.ActiveColor: blue
FriCAS.hyperdoc.FriCASFont: -adobe-courier-bold-r-*-*-34-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
FriCAS.hyperdoc.FriCASColor: #008000
FriCAS.hyperdoc.BoldFont: -adobe-courier-bold-r-*-*-34-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
FriCAS.hyperdoc.BoldColor: red
FriCAS.hyperdoc.TtFont: -adobe-courier-bold-r-*-*-34-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
FriCAS.hyperdoc.TtColor: black
FriCAS.hyperdoc.EmphasizeFont: -adobe-courier-bold-r-*-*-34-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
FriCAS.hyperdoc.EmphasizeColor: #800080
FriCAS.hyperdoc.InputBackground: #FFFF80
FriCAS.hyperdoc.InputForeground: black
FriCAS.hyperdoc.BorderColor: black
FriCAS.hyperdoc.Background: white

Of course, you might want to choose other fonts that are available on your computer. Use xfontsel to find out.

Why does FriCAS behave differently after loading new code?

When FriCAS loads new code, current variables become invalid. This happens when you use

)lib SOMELIB

or automatically when you compile a file via

)compile foo.spad

You have to load and compile code before you start your computation.

Old Axiom FAQ

This list has been slightly adapted to match the new name FriCAS.

The fricas command fails.

This is likely one of two problems.

1. FriCAS uses clef as its command line editor. This has functionality similar to GNU Readline but was written independently. The fricas command uses

clef -e $FRICAS/bin/FRICASsys

Clef attempts to create new terminals and this might fail. The first thing to check is the permission bits on /dev/pty.

2. It is possible to run the fricas image, called FRICASsys, directly. Just type FRICASsys. It won’t have command recall or command line editing but everything else is there. A direct call to FRICASsys (with the FRICAS environment variable set appropriately) can be done by calling

fricas -nosman

How can I create and access Lisp functions from FriCAS?

SExpression is the domain that handles raw lisp objects. It is possible to create SExpression elements directly.

m:=[1::SEX, 2::SEX]
  [1,2]
                          Type: List SExpression
n:=m::SEX
  (1 2)
                             Type: SExpression
car(n)
  1
                             Type: SExpression

You can access lisp functions directly as in

GENSYM()$Lisp

Lisp is the domain, known to the interpreter and compiler, that contains lisp functions and symbols.

Notice that FriCAS is case-sensitive and that generally lisp symbols are upper case.

You can also create and call lisp functions.

)lisp (defun foo () (print "it works"))
    Value = FOO

FOO()$Lisp
 "it works"

    it works
                             Type: SExpression

While accessing and writing functions in Lisp is possible it is discouraged. FriCAS contains a programming language that should be able to achieve almost everything you need.

Use Lisp only when you cannot achieve your goal otherwise!

How can I see what the interpreter is trying to do?

The command

)set message bottomup on

will tell you the signatures that the interpreter is trying to use.

Another method is to do

)boot $monitorNewWorld := t

and you can view database calls with

)lisp (setq *miss* t)

How can I record console output?

Use )spool.

)spool filename

starts sending output to the file called filename and

)spool )off

stops sending output to the file.

Graphics doesn’t work or sman fails to start ?

First try running sman as

sman -debug -noclef -noht

If graphics still doesn’t work or sman fails to start then look at the error messages.

What is the purpose of the domain HACKPI?

HACKPI is a hack provided for the benefit of the FriCAS interpreter. As a mathematical type, it is the simple transcendental extension \(Q(\pi)\) of the rational numbers. This type allows interactive users to use the name %pi without a type both where a numerical value is expected as in

draw(sin x,x=-%pi..%pi)

or when the exact symbolic value is meant. The interpreter defaults a typeless %pi to HACKPI and then uses the various conversions to cast it further as required by the context.

One could argue that it is unfair to single %pi out from other constants, but it occurs frequently enough in school examples (specially for graphs) so it was worth a special hack. In a non-interactive environment (library), HACKPI would not exist.

Why do .fricas.input defined functions fail in fricas?

You write this in your .fricas.input file:

mrd(x:Integer,v:Integer):Integer == x+y

You can’t see this function even though it appears to be defined. That’s because FriCAS is working in a new frame.

When you start FRICASsys you are running the interpreter talking directly to the terminal. So the .input file is actually talking to a frame at the top level. Your function is defined.

The .fricas.input file is read in a “frame” called “initial”. FRICASsys only uses the “initial” frame (although you can define and use new ones). A frame contains its own variables and function definitions.

The fricas command does several things that FRICASsys does not. In particular the fricas shell script starts up the sman process which starts FRICASsys (which reads the .fricas.input file) and then sman creates a new frame (usually a random lisp gensym name). In this new frame (created after .fricas.input is read) your mrandom function is not defined.

To see this do

fricas -nosman   -- This starts FRICASsys directly.
mrandom(3,3,3)   -- compiles and runs the function
)quit

Now do

fricas
mrandom(3,3,3)   -- undefined function
)frame next
mrandom(3,3,3)   -- compiles and runs the function
)frame names     -- shows you all of the defined frames
)quit

So with the fricas shell script the process is

fricas
  start sman                    (done by fricas shell script)
    sman starts FRICASsys        (done by sman)
      create frame "initial"    (done by FRICASsys)
        read .fricas.input       (define your function here)
      create frame "G00234"     (done by sman)
        put up a command prompt (in frame G00234, no functions defined)
      )frame next               (done by you)
                      .... and now you're back in frame initial
                      .... and your function is there

So your function was read and it is defined. However the function got defined in the “initial” frame (because you defined it in the .fricas.input file) and is not known in the frame created by sman. The “)frame next” command will move you around the ring of frames. (See the )frame command in the appendix of the FriCAS Book).

How can I debug algebra code?

FriCAS contains some powerful commands to help with testing and debugging library modules written in Spad and also the FriCAS system itself. The most important of these commands is )trace.

This command is used to trace the execution of functions that make up the FriCAS system, functions defined by users, and functions from the system library. Almost all options are available for each type of function but exceptions will be noted below.

To list all functions, constructors, domains and packages that are traced, simply issue

)trace

To untrace everything that is traced, issue

)trace )off

When a function is traced, the default system action is to display the arguments to the function and the return value when the function is exited. Other information can be displayed or collected when a function is traced and this is controlled by the various options. If a domain or package is traced, the default action is to trace all functions exported. Individual interpreter, lisp or boot functions can be traced by listing their names after )trace. Any options that are present must follow the functions to be traced. For example

)trace f

traces the function f. To untrace f, issue

)trace f )off

Note that if a function name contains a special character, it will be necessary to escape the character with an underscore

)trace _/D_,1

To trace all domains or packages that are or will be created from a particular constructor, give the constructor name or abbreviation after )trace

)trace MATRIX
)trace List Integer

The first command traces all domains currently instantiated with Matrix. If additional domains are instantiated with this constructor (for example, if you have used Matrix(Integer) and Matrix(Float)), they will be automatically traced. The second command traces List(Integer).

The following are the general options for the )trace command.

)break after – causes a Common Lisp break loop to be entered after exiting the traced function.

)break before – causes a Common Lisp break loop to be entered before entering the traced function.

)break – is the same as )break before.

)count – causes the system to keep a count of the number of times the traced function is entered.

The total can be displayed with:

)trace )stats

and cleared with:

)trace )stats reset

)count n – causes information about the traced function to be displayed for the first n executions. After the n-th execution, the function is untraced.

)depth n – causes trace information to be shown for only n levels of recursion of the traced function.

The command:

)trace fib )depth 10

will cause the display of only 10 levels of trace information for the recursive execution of a user function fib.

)math causes – the function arguments and return value to be displayed in the FriCAS monospace two-dimensional math format.

)nonquietly – causes the display of additional messages when a function is traced.

)nt – This suppresses all normal trace information. This option is useful if the )count or )timer options are used and you are interested in the statistics but not the function calling information.

)off – causes untracing of all or specific functions. Without an argument, all functions, constructors, domains and packages are untraced. Otherwise, the given functions and other objects are untraced.

To immediately retrace the untraced functions, issue:

)trace )restore

)only listOfDataToDisplay – causes only specific trace information to be shown.

)restore – causes the last untraced functions to be retraced. If additional options are present, they are added to those previously in effect.

)stats – causes the display of statistics collected by the use of the )count and )timer options.

)stats reset – resets to 0 the statistics collected by the use of the )count and )timer options.

)timer – causes the system to keep a count of execution times for the traced function. The total can be displayed with )trace )stats and cleared with )trace )stats reset.

)varbreak var1 ... varN – causes a Common Lisp break loop to be entered after the assignment to any of the listed variables in the traced function.

)vars – causes the display of the value of any variable after it is assigned in the traced function. Note that library code must have been compiled using the )vartrace option in order to support this option.

)vars var1  ... varN – causes the display of the value of any of the specified variables after they are assigned in the traced function. Note that library code must have been compiled using the )vartrace option in order to support this option.

)within executingFunction – causes the display of trace information only if the traced function is called when the given executingFunction is running.

The following are the options for tracing constructors, domains and packages.

)local op1 ... opN – causes local functions of the constructor to be traced. Note that to untrace an individual local function, you must use the fully qualified internal name, using the escape character before the semicolon. For example:

)trace FRAC )local
)trace FRAC_;cancelGcd )off

)ops op1 ... opN – By default, all operations from a domain or package are traced when the domain or package is traced. This option allows you to specify that only particular operations should be traced.

The command:

)trace Integer )ops min max _+ _-

traces four operations from the domain Integer. Since + and - are special characters, it is necessary to escape them with an underscore.

Also See: )boot, )lisp , and )ltrace. Please refer to the FriCAS Book section “FriCAS System Commands” for more detailed information.

How can I access lisp code from the FriCAS command line?

To run a lisp command from the command line use )lisp:

--> )lisp (+ 2 3)

If you want to run a lot of lisp commands from the command line do

--> )lisp (setq $dalymode t)
--> (+ 2 3)
--> (defun foo (x y) (+ x y))
--> (foo 2 3)
--> 2 + 3

$dalymode says:

If the first character is a '('
   then it is lisp
   else it is fricas

to disable it do

--> (setq $dalymode nil)

Tim Daly wrote this change to the interpreter because he used lisp a lot during maintenance. It breaks some syntax but you can work around that.

If you really want to “drop” into lisp do

--> )fin
BOOT> (+ 2 3)

and now you are talking only to lisp at a lisp command prompt in the BOOT package. To restart FriCAS type

BOOT>(restart)

Note: ‘)fin’ does not work when using Clozure CL or ECL. Due to this do not use it in portable scripts.