The Settings command queries and sets general settings in the Typesetting package.

An argument of the form name returns the current value of the named variable. An argument of the form name = value returns the current value of the named variable and sets the named variable to value. The special argument all returns all current settings in equation form.

Each setting, its allowable values, and its effect on typesetting and parsing is described here.

autoatomic = true or false

Specifies whether simple decorated expressions (single level scripts) that do not otherwise parse are automatically assumed to be atomic identifiers. Examples include an  with an arrow over it, or a  with  as an exponent. By default, this is set to true. Setting it to false will instead result in a parsing error when these expressions are input. Note that the setting of this option does not affect expressions that are explicitly made atomic via context menus.

dot = name

Specifies the variable to which dot derivatives correspond. By default this value is .

As with the usedot option, the effect of this option is identical to that of prime for prime derivatives.

functionassign = true, false, or query

Specifies whether the notation  corresponds to creation of the function  (true), or a remember table assignment (false). The latter is the only option in 1-D input mode.

By default this option is query, which means in any cases where both forms are possible (i.e.  is a name or sequence of names, and expression is a viable expression for an inline procedure), a dialog will be used to query the meaning.

globalderivs = true or false

Specifies whether global information should be used when typesetting derivatives. Normally, derivatives are examined individually to determine if partial or total derivative symbols should be used in the typeset output.  Setting this option to 'true' will cause the entire expression to be examined.  This option is useful for ensuring that partial derivatives are used for every component of a partial differential equation.  By default this option is false.

italicizesuppressedfunctions = true or false

By default, functions that have dependencies suppressed on display using Suppress are displayed in upright font, in order to provide a visual difference from identifiers, which are displayed in italic font. Setting this option to 'true' will cause suppressed functions to display in italics, meaning that there will be no visual difference between the identifier 'f' and a suppressed function 'f(x,y,z)' displayed as 'f'.

numberfunctions = true or false

Specifies whether the notation  corresponds to the operator  applied to the arguments  (true) or represents the implicit multiplication  (false).

By default this option is false, which is in contrast to 1-D input mode for which this is always true.

numericalderivs = true, false, or query

Specifies whether a superscript containing either a positive integer or a simple name, that also possesses a redundant set of brackets, should be interpreted as a numerical notation differentiation with respect to the prime variable.

By default this option is query, which means in any cases where this is possible a dialog will be used to query if differentiation is intended, or if the superscript simply represents an exponent with redundant brackets. Setting this to true will allow the expression to parse to a differentiation without query, and setting this to false will allow the expression to parse to an exponent without query.

Note that this option does not apply to exponents attached to the base name of a function. Parsing of known functions always uses the internal rules of the parser. For unknown functions this can be controlled by the useprime setting. When set to true then functions are parsed as though numericalderivs = true, and when set to false functions are parsed as though numericalderivs = false.

prime = name

Specifies the variable to which prime derivatives correspond. By default this value is .

Parsing of a function with a prime and an explicit dependence other than the prime variable assumes that what is meant is the derivative of the function considered as a function of  evaluated at another value. (for example, if , then  is parsed as  or ).

The value `` is a special value that tells the parser to always parse prime derivatives as D operators.

primenotationbound = posint

Specifies the bound, after which differentiations of a univariate function of the prime variable are displayed with numbers instead of primes. By default this value is 4.

striptrailing = true or false

Specifies whether floating-point numbers with extra trailing significant zeros should have those zeros stripped on display. By default this option is false.

tolerance = true or false

Specifies whether the +/- symbol should be interpreted as an option selection (unary operator that parses similar to '+' or '-') for false, or as a tolerance (binary operator with strong precedence) for true. In any case, the +/- symbol parses to the  function.

Note that this has a significant effect on the parsing of an expression. For example, if set to false, the expression  will parse to , and if set to true the same expression will parse to .

used = true, false, or query

Specifies whether the identifier  can be used when entering Leibniz notation derivatives. The alternative is to use the  or  operators available in the palette or via completion for all s in a Leibniz notation derivative.

By default this option is false. When set to true, use of identifier  is allowed. When set to query, any cases where identifier  can be interpreted as a  in a fraction or as part of a Leibniz notation derivative, will pop up a dialog allowing a selection between the two.

usedot = true or false

Specifies the use of dot notation for derivatives of univariate functions in the dot variable (see dot above).

The rules for use of dot notation are identical to those for use of prime notation, except that by default this option is set to false, and dot differentiation only applies to functions and names, and not to expressions.

useprime = true or false

Specifies the use of prime notation for derivatives of univariate functions in the prime variable (see prime above).

When set to true (the default), derivatives of functions of the prime variable (for example, ) are displayed using prime notation (for example,  ). Furthermore, use of a prime on an identifier without an explicit dependence assumes a univariate dependence on the prime variable during parsing (for example,   parses to  ). Finally, use of a prime on a mathematical expression corresponds to differentiation of that expression by the prime variable.

When set to false, use of prime notation for unknown functions is disabled, though it may still be used for typesetting and parsing of special functions. In this case a prime does not correspond to a derivative, and if present on input will likely give a parse error.

userep = true or false

Specifies use of repeated index notation for derivatives of multivariate functions that have dependency suppression enabled with the Suppress command.

By default this option is false. Examples of the use of this option can be found in the Suppress help page.

Note that in order to be able to use repeated index notation derivatives this option must be set to true, and the function for which the repeated index derivatives are to be displayed/entered must be declared via Suppress.

Note that these options can also be queried or changed in the Differential Options and General Options areas of the interactive Typesetting Assistant.