Chris, I think Skip is really trying to suggest a way to make it easier for “novice users of J” to seek and learn for themselves.
Skip’s points are actually good suggestions…/Regards Rob > On 2 Nov 2017, at 10:39 am, chris burke <cbu...@jsoftware.com> wrote: > >> 1. I had no idea about 'dirss' > > dirss is part of the standard library, see > jsoftware.com/help/user/library.htm . > >> 2. I had no idea about '~addons' - what's with the tilde?? > > The tilde expression is documented in > code.jsoftware.com/wiki/Guides/Folders_and_Projects > >> 3. rand11 references rand01, which requires another search, which may > require different unknown parameters for dirss. > > Why not open up the script that defines rand11 and see if it defines > rand01? It does so, on the previous line. > >> 4. ... This is a lot of knowledge required for someone just learning or > exploring J. > > The same can be said for pretty well any programming system. But long time > users of J should be aware of these things. > > > On Wed, Nov 1, 2017 at 1:42 PM, 'Skip Cave' via Programming < > programm...@jsoftware.com> wrote: > >> Chris suggests: >> 'rand11' dirss '~addons' >> >> On my system, this results in: >> >> 'rand11' dirss '~addons' >> >> c:/program files/j64-805/addons/stats/base/random.ijs (2) >> >> interval (0,1) NB.*rand11 v generate y rando >> >> in interval (0,1) rand11=: <: @: +: @: rand01 N >> >> >> Buried in the answer is the one-line code for rand11! Which is getting >> closer to what I would like to see. However, >> >> >> 1. I had no idea about 'dirss' >> >> 2. I had no idea about '~addons' - what's with the tilde?? >> >> 3. rand11 references rand01, which requires another search, which may >> require different unknown parameters for dirss. >> >> 4. All this assumes I knew previously that: >> >> A. I knew that the code may be on my local system. >> >> B. That I needed to install the appropriate package on my local >> system. >> >> D. That I knew *how* to install the right package. >> >> C. That the location of rand11 was in 'addons. >> >> >> This is a lot of knowledge required for someone just learning or exploring >> J. >> >> Luckily, I had recently installed ALL addons on my local system, so I >> wouldn't have to guess on package names. >> >> >> How would I know that the code for rand11 isn't even on the Jsoftware >> website? And that I had to install a specific addon to my local machine get >> it? It would seem to make sense that if the J interpreter code is open >> source, with a link to the open-source J interpreter code on the Jsoftware >> website (http://code.jsoftware.com/wiki/Git), that there would also be >> links to the code for various addon modules written in J, on the website. >> >> >> I guess I'm just spoiled with the effectiveness of Google search, which >> usually gets me an answer by typing something like "where is the code for >> rand11" in the main search bar. Why couldn't J provide the same ease of >> access on their website? >> >> >> Skip >> >> >> >> On Wed, Nov 1, 2017 at 2:37 PM, chris burke <cbu...@jsoftware.com> wrote: >> >>> Skip asked how to find rand11 in the J system. I would either use dirss, >>> e.g. >>> >>> 'rand11' dirss '~addons' >>> /home/chris/j8/addons/stats/base/random.ijs (2) >>> interval (0,1) NB.*rand11 v generate y rando >>> s in interval (0,1) rand11=: <: @: +: @: rand01 N >>> >>> or menu Edit|Find in Files with the same result. Find in Files does >> require >>> that folder names be set up for locations where you want to search, e.g. >>> define Addons as the addons directory, or the addons svn if you have that >>> available. >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Nov 1, 2017 at 12:29 PM, 'Skip Cave' via Programming < >>> programm...@jsoftware.com> wrote: >>> >>>> Raul said: "It might be reasonable to expect someone to use >>>> code.jsoftware.com to >>>> see jsoftware code? >>>> " >>>> >>>> It might be reasonable to expect that knowledge for someone who is >>>> intimately familiar with the structure of the multiple Jsoftware >>>> websites/wikis, but not to the average new user or curious explorer. >> Even >>>> if the user figures out that there are other websites associated with >> the >>>> Jsoftware site but not covered by the main search engine, then finds >> the >>>> second code website, and finds the rand11 description, the only clue to >>> the >>>> rand11 code's whereabouts is the cryptic psuedo-path " >>>> Addons/stats/base/random >>>> " with no indication whether this path is somewhere on the website, or >>>> elsewhere. Not very helpful except for very experienced and >>> knowledgable >>>> J experts. >>>> >>> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.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
