7.4 Toolbar (Alg\en\Cocoa) 

Figure 7.3 The toolbar Alg\en\CoCoA (computer algebra in commutative algebra).

7.4.1 Description of the buttons (mod. 22/04/2003) 

1.   COCOA  : launches the CoCoA program in a command window. The command sent is:

   COMSPEC /cROSETBAS\astex\startprg.bat cocoa

   The window created is 50 lines high under Win9x, 200 lines high under WinNTx.
2.   EMACS/ast  : launches the Emacs program for Windows from the directory ASTEXDIR (necessary to use the button Ecocoa ).
3.   Ecocoa  : launches CoCoA in a shell of Emacs. Emacs must be already open. The command sent to the shell is runprg.bat cocoa.
4.   userinit.coc  : edit, with Wordpad, the initialization file of the user, ASTEXDIR\userinit.coc.
5.   << Doc>>  : marker of the group of buttons << Documentation>>. This button doesn't execute any action, it serves just as visual separator between the groups of buttons.
6.   Web site  : displays the site of CoCoA in the default web browser.
7.   Loc web  : displays a local copy of the site of CoCoA in the default web browser.
8.   Tutorial  : displays the part Tutorial of the user's manual of CoCoA.
9.   Manual  : displays the whole set of on line help of CoCoA.
10.   << Tests com>>  : marker of the group of buttons << Tests communs>> (common tests). This button doesn't execute any action, it serves just as visual separator between the groups of buttons.
11.   1+2  : add 1 and 2 in CoCoA.
12.   2*3  : multiply 2 by 3 in CoCoA.
13.   2^10  : calculate 2 to the power 10 in CoCoA.
14.   1/3+3/4  : add two fractions in CoCoA.
15.   100 !  : calculate the factorial of 100 in CoCoA.
16.   Quit  : quit the CoCoA program.
17.   << Tests spec>>  : marker of the group of buttons << Tests spécifiques au programme>>. (tests specific to the program). This button doesn't execute any action, it serves just as visual separator between the groups of buttons.
18.   1.5+2.3;  : illustrates the transformation of reals into fractions by CoCoA (cf. tutorial).
19.   A:=3;  : example of definition of a variable (cf. tutorial).
20.   2A;  : example of use of a variable (cf. tutorial).
21.   B=7;A^2+B;  : example of use of variables (cf. tutorial).
22.   << Tests btns>>  : marker of the group of buttons << Buttons under test>>. This button doesn't execute any action, it serves just as visual separator between the groups of buttons.
23.   COCOA ?  : launches the CoCoA program by start cocoa.bat.

7.4.2 Starter guide 

1.  Select the group of toolbars Alg-1 of assistant Rosetta.
2.  Open the toolbar Alg\en\Cocoa by clicking on the button  of the assistant's strip.
3.  Launch Emacs by clicking on the button EMACS/ast .
4.  Launch CoCoA in a window of Emacs by clicking on the button Ecocoa  : a session of CoCoA opens up in the lower window. Select this window by clicking on it¹ .
5.  Select Emacs as target program in the assistant, and perform the common tests, by clicking on the buttons 1+2 etc. All buttons have been verified and work under Windows 98SE / 2000. After having clicked on Quit , the message runprg.bat cocoa:finished is displayed at the bottom of the Emacs window. One can close Emacs with its option File / Exit Emacs, or restart a session by clicking again on Ecocoa .
6.  To become acquainted with CoCoA, display its tutorial, by clicking on the button Manual then on the elements CoCoA Manual, 1.2 Tutorial and 1.2.1 A Tutorial Introduction to CoCoA.