Before doing any lab, you should make sure that your Maple is upgraded with an additional software package called vec_calc. You will not be able to complete your lab assignments without this extra package.
Be sure you have logged on and the Windows desktop is showing. Open the "Applications" folder and then the "Instructor Volume" folder. Double-click on the MATH icon. You should see a brief hour-glass mouse cursor while the computer works. Then close the folders you have opened and you should now see a new U-Drive icon on your desktop with a MATH label. Double click on this icon, to open the U-Drive and you will see a Maple icon and perhaps some others. Use the Maple icon to launch Maple and you will have access to the vec_calc package.
> libname := libname, "A:\\vec_calc";
(This command should involve the actual address of the directory where you put these files. Mind the double backslashes!)
Now the vec_calc package should be installed.
> with(vec_calc);
If you got some blue output with a long list of names separated by commas - everything is OK. If you got a purple message saying the the package does not exist - then the vec_calc package has not been installed, you have to fix the problem.
To download any file for use within Maple, click on the file with your right mouse button and do "Save". Remember the directory on your local computer where you saved the files. Then, bring up the "Maple" from your desktop or by clicking on any .mws file icon. Within "Maple", open the file(s) you have just saved.
If you have no time to finish the exercise during one session, you may save your half-finished work on your local computer -- try to make a unique name for it, so that the file would not be accidentally erased or overwritten by other students. Still this is not 100% safe. A better solution is to always have with you a floppy disc and save your half-finished work on the floppy. Alternatively, if you have a computer account at the ASU or anywhere else, you may copy your file to your account using "FTP" or email (although, email in labs is not always working).
Remember that every student can use his/her ASURITE account to store files! To access the ASURITE account via FTP or otherwise, use the domain name general.asu.edu and your ASURITE id.
To access your account via a web prowser, click on "File" - "Open" and type in the following address: ftp://your_name@your_domain. For example, for your ASURITE account, type ftp://your_name@general.asu.edu then follow the instructions. Put your attention that what you type is NOT your email address! Also, put ftp in front, not http. While you are in, you may download files by clicking on them, and upload files by clicking "File" - "Upload". Alternatively, you may try to upload or download files using mouse menu. Click with right mouse button and do "Copy" at old location, then click at new location and do "Paste". If uploading does not work on Internet Explorer, try Netscape.
Another important notice!
Before saving a file on a diskette
or sending it via FTP or email, remove all the output by clicking on
"Edit" then pointing on "Remove output" then on "From worksheet". This
way, you will not lose any of your work but the file will become
considerably smaller. A file with output may be so large
that it will not fit on a diskette. In this case, an attempt to save
it may destroy the file! You may restore your output later, by
repeatedly pressing "Enter". Don't forget to restore all the output
before printing the file out.
Every assignment file should begin with two commands: restart; with(vec_calc); The first command will clear the memory. The second command will allow access to the vec_calc package.