--- loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Problem_LON-CAPA_Functions.tex	2005/06/01 21:55:28	1.6
+++ loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Problem_LON-CAPA_Functions.tex	2007/05/24 11:29:16	1.10
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ erf = 2/sqrt(pi) integral (0,x) et-sq an
 \&format(\$x,'nn')  & Display or format \$x as nn where nn is nF or nE or nS and n is an integer. \\
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-\&prettyprint(\$x,'nn','optional target') &Display or format \$x as nn where nn is nF or nE or nS and n is an integer. Also supports the first character being a \$, it then will format the result with a a call to \&dollarformat() described below. If the first character is a , it will format it with commas grouping the thousands. In S mode it will fromat the number to the specified number of significant figures and display it in F mode. In E mode it will attempt to generate a pretty x10\^{}3 rather than a E3 following the number, the 'optional target' argument is optional but can be used to force \&prettyprint to generate either 'tex' output, or 'web' output, most people do not need to specify this argument and can leave it blank.\\
+\&prettyprint(\$x,'nn','optional target') & Note that that tag $<$num$>$ can be used to do the same thing. Display or format \$x as nn where nn is nF or nE or nS and n is an integer. Also supports the first character being a \$, it then will format the result with a a call to \&dollarformat() described below. If the first character is a , it will format it with commas grouping the thousands. In S mode it will fromat the number to the specified number of significant figures and display it in F mode. In E mode it will attempt to generate a pretty x10\^{}3 rather than a E3 following the number, the 'optional target' argument is optional but can be used to force \&prettyprint to generate either 'tex' output, or 'web' output, most people do not need to specify this argument and can leave it blank.\\
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 \&dollarformat(\$x,'optional target')  & Reformats \$x to have a \$ (or $\backslash$\$ if in tex mode) and to have , grouping thousands. The 'optional target' argument is optional but can be used to force \&prettyprint to generate either 'tex' output, or 'web' output, most people do not need to specify this argument and can leave it blank.\\
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ erf = 2/sqrt(pi) integral (0,x) et-sq an
 \&roundto(\$x,\$n)  & Rounds a real number to n decimal points. \$x and \$n can be pure numbers \\
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+\&cas(\$s,\$e)&Evaluates the expression \$e inside the symbolic algebra system \$s. Currently, only the Maxima symbolic math system is implemented. Example: \&cas('maxima','6*7')\\ 
+\hline 
+
 \&web(``a'',''b'',''c'') or \&web(\$a,\$b,\$c)  & Returns either a, b or c depending on the output medium. a is for plain ASCII, b for tex output and c for html output \\
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@@ -100,7 +103,7 @@ Option 1 - \&map(\$seed,[$\backslash$\$w
  \$w, \$x, \$y, and \$z are variables }  & The rmap functions does the reverse action of map if the same seed is used in calling map and rmap.  \\
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-\$a=\&xmlparse(\$string)   & Runs the internal parser over the argument parsing for display. \textbf{Warning}
+\$a=\&xmlparse(\$string)   & You probably should use the tag $<$parse$>$ instead of this function. Runs the internal parser over the argument parsing for display. \textbf{Warning}
  This will result in different strings in different targets. Don't use the results of this function as an answer. \\
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@@ -113,12 +116,12 @@ Option 1 - \&map(\$seed,[$\backslash$\$w
 \&to\_string(\$x), \&to\_string(\$x,\$y)  & If x is an integer, returns a string. If x is real than the output is a string with format given by y. For example, if x = 12.3456, \&to\_string(x,''.3F'') = 12.345 and \&to\_string(x,''.3E'') = 1.234E+01. \\
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-\&class(), \&section()  & Returns null string, class descriptive name, section number, set number and null string. \\
+\&class(), \&sec()  & Returns null string, class descriptive name, section number, set number and null string. \\
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-\&name(), \&student\_number()  & Return the full name in the following format: lastname, firstname initial. Student\_number returns the student 9-alphanumeric string. If undefined, the functions return null. \\
+\&name(), \&student\_number(), \&firstname(), \&lastname()  & Return the full name in the following format: lastname, firstname initial. Student\_number returns the student 9-alphanumeric string. The functions firstname and lastname return just that part of the name. If undefined, the functions return null. \\
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-\&check\_status(\$partid) &Returns a number identifing the current status of a part. Ture values mean that a part is ``done'' (either unanswerable becuase of tries exhuastion, or correct) or a false value if a part can still be attempted. If \$part is unspecfied, it will check either the current $<$part$>$'s status or if outside of a $<$part$>$, check the status of previous $<$part$>$. The full set of return codes are: 'undef' means it is unattempted, 0 means it is attmpted and wrong but still has tries, 1 means it is marked correct, 2 means they have exceed maximum number of tries, 3 means it after the answer date\\
+\&check\_status(\$partid) &Returns a number identifing the current status of a part. True values mean that a part is ``done'' (either unanswerable because of tries exhaustion, or correct) or a false value if a part can still be attempted. If \$part is unspecfied, it will check either the current $<$part$>$'s status or if outside of a $<$part$>$, check the status of previous $<$part$>$. The full set of return codes are: 'undef' means it is unattempted, 0 means it is attmpted and wrong but still has tries, 1 means it is marked correct, 2 means they have exceed maximum number of tries, 3 means it after the answer date\\
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 \&open\_date(), \&due\_date(), \&answer\_date()  & Problem open date, due date and answer date. The time is also included in 24-hr format. \\
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