Maple Labs

Extra package - vec_calc

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.

The Maple at all computers in ECA 225 and ECA 221 is already upgraded. Clicking on the desktop icon (either version), or on any Maple worksheet file (extension .mws) will open Maple with the vec_calc package.
The Maple at other computer sites at the ASU, such as Computer Commons and Goldwater Building, is NOT upgraded. Still, you are able to access the vec_calc package from those computers, but you have to follow special instructions by Professor Kurtz. Proceed as follows.
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.
If you got your own personal computer with Maple (Maple 6, 7 or 8 will do), you may install this extra package for free. Please follow the following instructions.
- Click here for Maple 7.
- Click here for Maple 8.
- For Maple 6, you have to do the following. Create a directory called vec_calc and download into it the following four files: maple.hdb, maple.ind, maple.lib, vc.txt. Then open the file vc.txt and follow the instructions contained there.
- If these instructions don't work (it happens), there is another way. Create a directory on the hard drive and call it, say, vec_calc. Save the following files in this directory:
  - For Maple 7 or 8 - maple.hdb, maple.ind, maple.lib, maple.rep.
  - For Maple 6 - maple.hdb, maple.ind, maple.lib. (Same names but different files!)
  Then, having a standard Maple 6, 7, or 8 open, execute the following command in Maple:
  > libname := libname, "C:\\vec_calc";
  (This command should involve the actual address of the directory where you put these files. Mind the double backslashes!)
  This should install the package vec_calc.
Alternatively, you may carry this package around with you on a dikette and use it on any computer with a standard Maple. Create a new directory on your diskette, say vec_calc, and save the following files in this directory:
- For Maple 7 or 8 - maple.hdb, maple.ind, maple.lib, maple.rep.
- For Maple 6 - maple.hdb, maple.ind, maple.lib. (Same names but different files!)
Altogether these files take less than 400K.
Then, having a standard Maple 6, 7, or 8 open, execute the following command in Maple:
> 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.

To make sure that your vec_calc package is installed, try to perform the following command at the Maple prompt:

> 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.

Dowloading and saving files

For each lab, except the very first one, you will need 2 files: the worksheet file that you are supposed to read through, try the commands and understand the material, and the assignment file containing exercises that you are supposed to complete, print out (together with the output) and turn in to obtain the credit.

To download a file from a web browser, click on the file name with your right mouse button and do "Save Link" or "Save Target". 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, you may save it on on your computer account via FTP.

To save a file on a floppy on a Unix/Linux machine, like in ECA 221, you may do one of the two things.
- Double-click on "Home". You will see the picture of your home directory "/ud/home". Click on "Up", then again on "Up", then click on "floppy", then on "unnamed floppy". This way, you will change the directory to "/floppy/unnamed floppy". This directory should reftect the contents of the floppy diskette inserted. Then, double-click the "Home" again. The home directory will open in a separate window. Now you may copy around your files using the "drag and drop" or "copy-paste" features.
- Alternatively, you may do it at a system prompt. Open an X-terminal - a window with system prompt. Type the following command at the prompt:
  > mcopy myfile.mws a:
  where myfile.mws is the file that you want to copy.
  You may check the files on your floppy with the following command:
  > mdir a:
  and copy a file from your floppy to your current directory:
  > mcopy a:myfile.mws
If you have a computer account at the ASU or anywhere else, you may copy your file to your account using "FTP" or email with this file as an attachment (although, email in labs is not always working well).
Remember that every student can use his/her ASURITE account to store files! This is the same as M-drive. To access the ASURITE account via FTP or otherwise, use the domain name general.asu.edu and your ASURITE id.
- You may access your account from an FTP icon. Double-click on that icon, then within the new window click on "Connect", scroll down and click on "Connect to Remote". Type in general.asu.edu as your domain, and your ASURITE login. When asked, type in your ASURITE password. Then you will see the FTP window divided in two sections: local files and remote files. You may copy files from local to remote machine and back by clicking on the file and then clicking on the button "Copy".
- Alternatively, you may 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. If Netscape 8 doesn't work, try Netscape 4.7.
- Also, you may use FTP from a window with the system prompt (MS-DOS prompt in Windows or X-terminal in Unix/Linux like in ECA 221). To use the system prompt, open the window and type:
  > ftp general.asu.edu
  Then type in your ASURITE login name and password. After successful login, to save a file on the remote computer, use the command
  > put myfile.mws
  To download a file from the remote computer, use
  > get myfile.mws
  To check the list of files on the remote computer, use
  > ls

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.

Important!!! Every worksheet file should begin with four commands: restart; with(vec_calc); with(linalg); with(plots); The first command clears the memory. The other three commands allow access to the vec_calc package and other necessary packages.

Files: right-click and save

Lab 1 - Introduction to Maple
- Lab 1 worksheet;
- No assignment for this lab.
Lab 2 - Vectors, Lines, and Planes
- Lab 2 worksheet;
- Lab 2 assignment -- postponed until Monday, February 24.
  Put restart; with(vec_calc); with(linalg); with(plots); at the beginning of the worksheet!
  Use cross and dot - they work better than crossprod and dotprod.
Lab 3 - Conics, Quadrics, and Parametric Curves
- Lab 3 worksheet;
- Lab 3 assignment -- due on Wednesday, March 5 (resp. Thursday, March 6).
Lab 4 - Functions of Several Variables
- Lab 4 worksheet;
- Lab 4 assignment -- due on Wednesday, March 26 (resp. Thursday, March 27).
Lab 5 - Maximum and Minimum
- Lab 5 worksheet;
- Lab 5 assignment -- due on Wednesday, April 9 (resp. Thursday, April 10).
Lab 6 - Double Integrals
- Lab 6 worksheet;
- Lab 6 assignment -- due on Wednesday, April 23 (resp. Thursday, April 24).
Lab 7 - Triple Integrals
- Lab 7 worksheet;
- Lab 7 assignment -- due before the end of semester.
Honor Degree Project
- Assignment -- due on Monday, May 5.