Maple 10 Graphical User Interface (GUI) Updates
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With Maple you can create powerful interactive documents for use as business or education tools. Many features have been added or augmented in the Maple 10 Standard Worksheet interface.
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This page provides an overview of the following new and updated GUI features.
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Document and Worksheet Modes
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Document mode provides a blank sheet for solving problems immediately in standard math. No Maple commands are required and no input prompt regions are displayed.
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To start in Document mode:
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From the File menu, select New, and then Document Mode.
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Worksheet mode provides a worksheet with a Maple prompt. You can insert input regions with standard math (2-D Math default) or Maple Input, text regions, and Document blocks.
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To start in Worksheet mode:
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From the File menu, select New, and then Worksheet Mode.
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2-D Math
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2-D Math input is the default setting for Maple Worksheets and Documents. It is executable standard math displayed in a format similar to that found in business and education documents and tools.
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Compare 2-D Math and Maple Input (1-D Math) in Worksheet mode:
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2-D Math in Document mode:
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With 2-D Math, you do not require a semicolon to terminate the command and expression.
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In Worksheet mode, all 2-D Math input can be executed and displayed by pressing the ENTER key.
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In Document mode and in Document blocks, all 2-D Math input can be executed by using the Evaluate (ENTER) or Evaluate and Display (Ctrl=) context-menu options. For details, see 2-D Math.
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You can insert Maple Input and 2-D Math by using the Insert menu or by using the F5 key to switch between input modes.
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You can apply session or global display settings related to 1-D and 2-Math modes in the Options Dialog.
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From the Tools menu, select Options. In the Options dialog, click the Display tab. Select the appropriate mode from the Input and Output display drop-down lists.
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The Type Setting Rule Assistant is graphical user interface for changing the current Typesetting rules. These rules control the input and typesetting of 2-D Math within the Standard Worksheet interface. For more information, see worksheet/expressions/TypesettingRuleAssist.
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Palettes
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A palette is a collection of buttons representing items, such as predefined symbols, expressions, operators, and Matrices. By clicking the buttons on the palettes, you can build or edit mathematical expressions without having to remember the Maple command syntax. Maple provides over 20 palettes: 7 Expression, 11 Mathematical, and 8 Alphabetical.
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Symbol Recognition Palette
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With over 20 palettes and 800 symbols, sometimes finding the right symbol to insert can be time consuming. The Symbol Recognition palette provides an efficient way to find and insert the right symbol. You draw the symbol with your mouse and then Maple matches your input against symbols available in the system.
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Embedded Components
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You can embed simple graphical interface components, for example, a button, into your worksheet. These components can then be associated with actions that are to be executed. For example, the value of a slider component can be set to a worksheet variable, or a text field can be part of an input equation.
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The graphical interface components are inserted by using the Components palette. For details, see the Palettes and EmbeddedComponents help pages.
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Interactive ImportData Interface
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A new interactive interface has been added for importing data from external sources into Maple, which currently supports various source formats including image and audio files as well as many data sources, such as MatrixMarket, Matlab, and Delimited data.
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Tables
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Maple 10 allows you to insert tables in the Standard Worksheet interface. Tables provide a convenient mechanism for organizing content.
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From the Insert menu, select Table and specify the number of rows and columns in the table creation dialog. The default properties for the table include visible borders and auto-adjustment to 100% of the document width.
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Content that can be placed in a section can also be placed into a table cell including other sections and tables. Table cells can contain a mix of input commands, 2-D Math, plots, and images.
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You can control the visibility of cell borders and contents, table size and cell alignment, execution order of cell contents, and more.
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Document Blocks
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Document blocks can be created in Worksheet mode to enhance content formatting. Document blocks are also the basis of Maple Documents.
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With the Format>Create Document Block feature, you can create worksheets with better presentation flow. Text and 2-D Math output can be displayed in the same line, and extensive Maple procedures can be hidden, revealing only associated text and final results.
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Task Templates
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A task template is a section of worksheet content that helps you perform a specific task, such as:
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Performing a mathematical computation, for example, solving an equation symbolically or numerically, or determining the Taylor approximation of a function of one variable
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Constructing a Maple object, for example, a function
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Creating a mathematical document, for example, an application
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Over 100 task templates are available in Maple 10.
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The tasks are organized in the help system by subject, to help you quickly find the appropriate task. (Tools>Tasks>Browse)
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Each task is a collection of Maple worksheet content, such as 2-D Math, commands, and plots that you can directly insert into your worksheet. You need only specify the parameters of your problem, and then run.
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You can also create custom tasks.
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Autoexecute
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Execution groups are the fundamental computation and documentation elements of worksheets. If you place the cursor in an input command and press the ENTER or RETURN key, Maple executes all of the input commands in the current execution group.
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In Maple 10, the Autoexecute feature allows you to designate regions of worksheet for automatic execution.
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Setting the Autoexecution Feature
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Select the region that must be automatically executed when the worksheet o pens.
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From the Format menu, select Autoexecute, and then Set.
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Display Hidden Formatting Attributes of a Worksheet
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You can display icons that indicate the presence of hidden formatting attributes in the worksheet, such as document block boundaries, execution groups marked for autoexecution, and bookmarks.
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From the View menu, select Markers. A vertical bar is displayed along the left pane of the worksheet. Icons for hidden elements are displayed in the vertical bar next to the associated content in the worksheet.
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Calculator
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The Maplesoft(TM) Graphing Calculator is available as part of your installation. (Windows(R) only.)
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It is a convenient calculator interface using Maple technology.
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To access the calculator:
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From the Start menu, select Maple 10, and then Maple Calculator.
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Double-click the Maple Calculator icon on your Desktop
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Maplet Builder
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The Maplet Builder is a graphical interface to the Maplets package. Using the Maplet Builder, you can define the layout of a Maplet, drag and drop elements (visual and functional components of Maplets), set actions associated with elements, and directly run a Maplet. The Maplet Builder is available only in the Standard Worksheet interface.
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Note: A Maplet is a graphical user interface containing windows, textbox regions, and other visual interfaces, which gives a user point-and-click access to the power of Maple. For more information, see Overview of Maplets.
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To access the Maplet Builder:
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From the Tools menu, select Assistants, and then Maplet Builder.
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Equation Manipulator
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The Equation Manipulator is a graphical interface that allows you to perform standard operations on an equation without knowing the syntax of Maple commands. It is available in the context menu for an equation. For more information, see Using the Equation Manipulator.
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Installer Builder
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The Installer Builder is a graphical interface to the InstallerBuilder package in which you can create installers for your Maple Toolboxes. Toolbox installers are executable Maple archives, .mla files. For details, see InstallerBuilder.
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To access the Installer Builder:
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From the Tools menu, select Assistants, and then Installer Builder.
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Interactive Data Analysis
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The InteractiveDataAnalysis Assistant is a graphical interface to the data analysis routines in the Statistics package.
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You can display textual and graphical information about data sets, traverse data sets, and generate new data sets via standard operations on existing ones.
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To access the Interactive Data Analysis Assistant:
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From the Tools menu, select Assistants, and then Data Analysis.
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Maple T.A. Authoring Environment
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You can author a subset of Maple T.A. questions and assignments using the Maple worksheet interface. Using the authoring environment, you can create Maple-Graded, Multiple Choice, True-False, Fill-in-the-Blanks, and Essay type questions. You can then test these questions in Maple before loading them to Maple T.A. For details about the Maple T.A. authoring envirnoment, see the help page. For details about the Maple T.A. product, go to Maple T.A.
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Bookmarks
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Previously, bookmarks were inserted by using the Edit menu. In Maple 10, the Bookmarks option in the Format menu allows for the creation, modification, and deletion of all bookmarks.
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Additionally, using the View>Marker feature, hidden attributes such as bookmarks are now visible.
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Help System
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The Help Navigator has been expanded. You can search all or specific Resources such as Help Pages, Tasks, definitions in the Maple and Engineering dictionary, Tutorials, and Manuals.
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Search results are displayed as a list in the Search Results tab of the left pane.
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Topic searches reveal a list of matching topics sorted by exactness of match.
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Text searches reveal a list of topics based on keyword frequency.
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Help System Icons
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Icons are used to distinguish Resources in the help system.
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Question mark indicates a help page.
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WS indicates an example worksheet. Example worksheets open in a new window.
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D indicates a Math Dictionary term.
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T indicates a Task template.
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A folder icon in the Table of Contents tab indicates that a topic can be expanded into subtopics.
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Open Help Page as Worksheet
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In help pages, examples are not executable. The Maple help system allows you to open help pages as worksheets that you can execute.
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Ensure that the help page is displayed in the right pane of the Help Navigator. From the View menu, select Open Page as Worksheet. A new worksheet window opens.
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Alternatively, click the Open as Worksheet icon.
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Multiple Help Navigators
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By default, only one Help Navigator opens per session. To allow more than one help navigator open in a session, select the Multiple Help Navigators check box in the Options Dialog.
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New Manuals Available Online
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The Maple Getting Started Guide and the Maple User Manual (previously, the Learning Guide) have been rewritten. They are available online through the Help menu.
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Getting Started Guide
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The Getting Started Guide provides an introduction to the following Maple features.
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Worksheets and powerful interactive documents
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Point-and-click interaction with various interfaces to help you solve problems quickly
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Maple commands and standard math notation
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A road map for solving problems
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User Manual
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The User Manual provides an overview of the Maple product including:
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Performing computations
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Mathematical computations
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Creating mathematical documents
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Using and creating custom Maplet(TM) applications
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File input and output, including using Maple with third party products
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Accessing Manuals Online
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From the Help menu, select Manuals, Dictionary, and more.
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Select Manuals and then Getting Started Guide or User Manual.
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The manuals open with the Table of Contents displayed.
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Quick Help
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Every time you open a Document, Maple displays a Quick Help pop-up list of important shortcut keys. To invoke Quick Help any time, press F1. To learn more about items listed in the Quick Help pop-up list, see Quick Help Details.
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Quick Reference
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The Maple Quick Reference Card provides information on how to access commonly used commands, tools, interfaces, and more.
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Topics include Document mode versus Worksheet mode, common operations, 2-D Math editing operations and keyboard shortcuts, plotting and animation, mathematical operations, important Maple syntax, expressions versus functions, units and tolerances, input and output, and interactive tools and utilities.
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Accessing the Quick Reference Card
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From the Help menu, select Quick Reference.
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New User Tour
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The New User Tour has been rewritten and redesigned. Topics include:
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Numeric and Symbolic Computations
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Programming and Code Generation
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Dictionary of Math and Engineering
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Education, Assessment, Maple T.A.
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Accessing the New User Tour
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From the Help menu, select Take a Tour of Maple.
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Maple Resources List
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Your work in Maple is supported by many resources. The Maple Resources page provides an image and description of various tools, information sources, menu types, and Web sites, along with access information.
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From the Help menu, select Manuals, Dictionary, and more, and then Maple Resources.
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New User Roadmap
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For new users, a roadmap to solving problems or learning about Maple is provided.
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From the Help menu, select Manuals, Dictionary, and more, and then New User Roadmap.
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Manage Style Sets
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You can use the paragraph and character style set of a particular worksheet as the default style for all worksheets. Previously, style set management was accessed from the main Style Management dialog. This feature now has a separate dialog.
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From the Format menu, select Manage Style Sets. The Style Set Management dialog opens.
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Hyperlinks
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You now have the option of using an image as a hyperlink in your worksheet. In .mw files the image appears as a link. In .mws files, the link text you provide appears as the hyperlink.
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You can use hyperlinks in your worksheet to access information in a dictionary topic, help topic, Web page URL, and worksheet. You can also use hyperlinks to send an email or launch a Maplet application.
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Maintaining Help Database Files
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The menu items for adding and removing help pages from a help database (HDB) file have moved to the Tools>Help Database menu.
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Units
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The standard default context menus have been augmented with entries to assist in handling expressions containing Units. Submenu entries have been added to allow simplification, removal, conversion, and introduction of units into an expression.
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Also, two palettes have been added that allow you to insert a unit from the SI system, the FPS system, or any general unit.
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Sketch Regions
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The Sketch feature has been updated. You can modify the sketch pad appearance by accessing the Canvas Style dialog.
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With your cursor positioned in an inserted sketch pad, select the Sketch menu, and then Canvas Style. You can change background and grid color and set grid spacing.
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Window or Tabbed Pane
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Depending on the settings in the Options dialog, new worksheets or documents can open in a new window or tabbed pane. For details, see the Interface section in the Options Dialog help page.
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Command-Symbol Completion
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To list all Maple packages, commands, functions, or symbols that match entered text, select Tools>Command Complete or use the following shortcut keys.
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Command + Shift + Space, Macintosh
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Ctrl + Shift + Space, UNIX
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Equation Labeling
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Equation labeling allows you to reference Maple input and output in math areas of your worksheet. The label is associated with the last output within an execution group and with the all of the input group.
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