Calc also allows apostrophes and @code{#} signs in variable names.
(The Calc variable @code{foo} corresponds to the Emacs Lisp variable
@code{var-foo}, but unless you access the variable from within Emacs
-Lisp, you don't need to worry about it.)
+Lisp, you don't need to worry about it. Variable names in algebraic
+formulas implicitly have @samp{var-} prefixed to their names. The
+@samp{#} character in variable names used in algebraic formulas
+corresponds to a dash @samp{-} in the Lisp variable name. If the name
+contains any dashes, the prefix @samp{var-} is @emph{not} automatically
+added. Thus the two formulas @samp{foo + 1} and @samp{var#foo + 1} both
+refer to the same variable.)
In a command that takes a variable name, you can either type the full
name of a variable, or type a single digit to use one of the special
stack, enter its name as an algebraic expression using the apostrophe
(@key{'}) key.
-xxx
- Variable names in algebraic formulas implicitly have
-@samp{var-} prefixed to their names. The @samp{#} character in variable
-names used in algebraic formulas corresponds to a dash @samp{-} in the
-Lisp variable name. If the name contains any dashes, the prefix @samp{var-}
-is @emph{not} automatically added. Thus the two formulas @samp{foo + 1}
-and @samp{var#foo + 1} both refer to the same variable.
-
@kindex =
@pindex calc-evaluate
@cindex Evaluation of variables in a formula
need to write @samp{(5%)-2} to get the former interpretation.
@cindex Function call notation
-A function call is, e.g., @samp{sin(1+x)}. Function names follow the same
-rules as variable names except that the default prefix @samp{calcFunc-} is
-used (instead of @samp{var-}) for the internal Lisp form.
-Most mathematical Calculator commands like
+A function call is, e.g., @samp{sin(1+x)}. (The Calc algebraic function
+@code{foo} corresponds to the Emacs Lisp function @code{calcFunc-foo},
+but unless you access the function from within Emacs Lisp, you don't
+need to worry about it.) Most mathematical Calculator commands like
@code{calc-sin} have function equivalents like @code{sin}.
If no Lisp function is defined for a function called by a formula, the
call is left as it is during algebraic manipulation: @samp{f(x+y)} is
key could invoke a command, which in turn calls an algebraic function,
which might have one or more special display formats. A single @kbd{Z P}
command will save all of these definitions.
-
-To save a command or function without its key binding (or if there is
-no key binding for the command or function), type @kbd{'} (the apostrophe)
-when prompted for a key. Then, type the function name, or backspace
-to change the @samp{calcFunc-} prefix to @samp{calc-} and enter a
-command name. (If the command you give implies a function, the function
-will be saved, and if the function has any display formats, those will
-be saved, but not the other way around: Saving a function will not save
-any commands or key bindings associated with the function.)
+To save an algebraic function, type @kbd{'} (the apostrophe)
+when prompted for a key, and type the function name. To save a command
+without its key binding, type @kbd{M-x} and enter a function name. (The
+@samp{calc-} prefix will automatically be inserted for you.)
+(If the command you give implies a function, the function will be saved,
+and if the function has any display formats, those will be saved, but
+not the other way around: Saving a function will not save any commands
+or key bindings associated with the function.)
@kindex Z E
@pindex calc-user-define-edit
@kbd{Z F @key{RET} spam @key{RET}} defines the new command as
@kbd{M-x calc-spam}, with no keyboard equivalent.
-The third prompt is for a function name. The default is to use the same
-name as the command name but with @samp{calcFunc-} in place of
-@samp{calc-}. This is the name you will use if you want to enter your
+The third prompt is for an algebraic function name. The default is to
+use the same name as the command name but without the @samp{calc-}
+prefix. (If this is of the form @samp{User-m}, the hyphen is removed so
+it won't be taken for a minus sign in algebraic formulas.)
+This is the name you will use if you want to enter your
new function in an algebraic formula. Suppose we enter @kbd{yow @key{RET}}.
Then the new function can be invoked by pushing two numbers on the
stack and typing @kbd{z m} or @kbd{x spam}, or by entering the algebraic