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How to LEARN to use Maple

Maple is available for Sun and SGI workstations.  It is also available
for Linux, and SIPB supports Linux-specific questions via the
linux-help@mit.edu mailing list.  For people that have their own Mac
or Windows computers, Maple is also available inexpensively through
the MCC.

To start Maple on Athena you can invoke it either from Dash or from
the Athena prompt by typing:

        athena% add maple
        athena% maple

This will bring up the graphical "worksheet interface" version if you
are running X, or a TTY version if you're not (to use the TTY version
under X, type add maple; maple.tty).  When the prompt appears (">"),
you can type in commands.  In the TTY version, you can use the cursor
keys for command-recall; in the X version, you can use the mouse or
cursor keys to go back and edit previous commands.  In both versions,
you can enter multiple commands on a single line, as long as each one
is terminated.

Commands must be terminated with either a semicolon (";") for normal
display or a colon (":") to suppress display of output.  In the TTY
version, Maple doesn't care how many lines you type; it wait until you
type ":" or ";" to evaluate the entire input.  In the X version, the
Return key triggers evaluation: you will see the message "Warning,
premature end of input" if you enter a line without a terminator.  To
fix this, either go back and add a ";" or ":" to the line, or just
type one at the next prompt.

To quit Maple in the TTY version, type:

        > quit;

To quit Maple in the X version, go to the File menu and select Exit
(the quit command closes the current worksheet).

Maple Vr5 no longer contains a tutorial, but there is a "New User's
Tour" which can be run in the X version from the Help menu (upper
right corner).  For more help, see the next answer.