From bug-octave-request at che dot utexas dot edu  Sat Jun 18 01:20:05 1994
From: Bryce K Gardner <gardner at ecn dot purdue dot edu>
To: bug-octave at che dot utexas dot edu
Date: Sat, 18 Jun 1994 01:20:02 -0500

Hi,

I've written some mfiles for Octave and I was wondering if you 
would be interested in them.  If so, could you tell me how you 
want them wrapped up and where to put or send them.

I have done a ton of Matlab programming and I noticed these
things missing very quickly (a couple of them are missing from
Matlab too).  Anyhow I put them together on Octave 1.0 on a
Linux system mostly at one sitting so I didn't look at any Matlab
code if that's a problem.  

Also I have a suggestion for an added feature for Octave that would make
some of the work better (I know -- get in line).  

Anyhow these are the routines:

Matlab compatability graphics functions
    axis.m
    text.m
Matlab compatability function
    meshgrid.m
    findstr.m
Matlab/unix utility functions (these use findstr.m)
    cat.m
    type.m
    vi.m
    what.m
    which.m
The matlab/unix utility functions work fine, but they would be more
useful if the Octave interpeter were extended (like Matlab, sorry I'm
a die-hard Matlab programmer) so that a function which takes a single
string argument could be alternatively called by the function followed
by a space and then the string (with or without quotes).
For example, the routine, type.m.
Presently called like this:
	type("filename")
I am suggesting that these options be allowed:
	type "filename" 
and
	type filename

One reason for this is that the Octave language can then be used
to extend Octave in a seamless manner.  The functions that I have
written would add some functionality that is not time sensitive
so a compiled function is not necessary.  I think that you could
reduce the amount of additions that need to be made to the source
which should help keep bugs and strange interactions down (or at
least out of the source code).

Thanks for Octave and let me know if you want the routines.

Bryce 

Bryce Gardner
gardner at ecn dot purdue dot edu
(317)-494-0231