Dan, You just wrote a part of my "Read This First" page that I am proposing for the NuVoc site. Thanks.
Skip Cave Dan Bron wrote: >> You could show the J code using variables such as x and y, and display the >> values of x and y graphically without showing how they were created. >> > > In the front matter of the dictionary, we could declare some notational > conventions, such as > > N is a noun and always refers to a scalar nonnegative integer > (e.g. the output of monad #). > Np is a noun and always refers to a scalar positive integer. > Nn is a noun and always refers to a scalar negative integer. > Nn0 is a noun and always refers to a scalar non-positive integer. > P is a noun and always refers to a scalar prime integer. > > T is a noun and always refers to a table of numbers, > unless otherwise specified, T is equal to the rank 2 numeric > array > i. 4 4 > 0 1 2 3 > 4 5 6 7 > 8 9 10 11 > 12 13 14 15 > > that is, T=:i. 4 4 . > > B is a noun and always refers to an (arbitrary rank) array of > boxes. > > G is a gerund, normally a vector of boxes (each box the atomic > representation of some entity, but normally the entity is a verb). > > f is a verb, and if another verb is needed, it is named g. > Further verbs are named v0, v1, v2, etc > .... > > u is the left argument to a conjunction or adverb; it may refer to a > noun or verb. Unqualified, it often its often a proverb; context will > resolve any ambiguities. > > v is the right argument to a conjunction; it may refer to a pronoun > or proverb. Unqualified, it often its often a proverb; context will > resolve any ambiguities. > > m is the left argument to a conjunction or adverb when it > unambiguously refers to a noun. > > n is the right argument to a conjunction when it unambiguously > refers a noun. > > When defining adverbs or conjunctions which consume verbal > arguments, we may refer to the ranks of these verbal arguments as > follows: > > adverb or left argument to a conjunction: > lr the entire (3 atom) rank of the verbal argument > lmr the monadic rank of the monadic argument > llr the left rank of the dyadic argument > lrr the right rank of the dyadic argument > > with intial "l"s replaced with "r"s for verbal right arguments to > conjunctions. > > Mnemonic: left arguments always have single-letter names which, > in the alphabet, appears one letter to the left of the letter selected > for the corresponding right argument; x vs y, u vs v, m vs n, f vs g. > Note that this may run counter to the mathematical convention > which reverses these roles (e.g. a math function with a single > argument will name it x, and if a second argument is added it is > named y; but in J the initial argument is always named y and a > second argument is always named x) > > .... > > Unless otherwise specified, "vector" and "list" mean a rank 1 noun. > For example, 0 1 2 3 and 'abcd' are both (unqualified) vectors or > lists. We may also refer to vectors or lists "of" items, such as > vectors of tables or vectors of vectors. For example i. 4 4 can be > seen as a table, or as a vector of vectors, and i. 4 4 4 can be seen > as a cube or a vector of squares. > > Unless otherwise specified, "table" means a rank 2 noun. For > example, i. 4 4 is an (unqualified) table of 16 integers. We > may also refer to tables OF items, such as tables of vectors. > For example > .... > > This is in the tradition of the current DoJ [1] (and other reference texts), > while being more verbose and "tutorial", which is how > the new dictionary differs from the current one. > > -Dan > > [1] http://www.jsoftware.com/help/dictionary/dict3.htm > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
