Eval error with function and implicit multiplication

[ericman314]

I came across a bug in the last example in the docs for implicit multiplication:

math.eval('sqrt(4)(1+2)');   //  TypeError: fn is not a function

The output of console.log(util.inspect(math.parse('sqrt(4)(1+2)'), {depth:100}));

Node {
  fn: 
   Node {
     fn: Node { name: 'sqrt' },
     args: [ Node { value: '4', valueType: 'number' } ] },
  args: 
   [ Node {
       implicit: false,
       op: '+',
       fn: 'add',
       args: 
        [ Node { value: '1', valueType: 'number' },
          Node { value: '2', valueType: 'number' } ] } ],
  comment: '' }

The error occurs in the current develop branch but not the master branch.

[josdejong]

That's a good point. this behavior has been there for a long time though (I tried for example v3.10.0). Basically the output of sqrt(4) is expected to be a function, which is then invoked with argument (1+2). We can discuss whether this is desirable behavior or whether we want to change it in v4.

Here some example cases that we need to consider then I think:

//  function call or implicit multiplication?
(2)(3)           // current behavior: implicit multiplication
(fn)(2)          // current behavior: implicit multiplication
(obj.fn)(2)      // current behavior: implicit multiplication
fn(2)            // current behavior: function call
fn(2)(3)         // current behavior: function call          *** change this one? ***
obj.fn(2)        // current behavior: function call
obj['fn'](2)     // current behavior: function call

// get matrix subset or implicit multiplication?
fn(2)[3]         // current behavior: get matrix subset      *** change this one? ***
matrices[2][1:4] // current behavior: get matrix subset      *** change this one? ***

[josdejong]

Thinking about it, it makes sense to make this change. If you want to invoke the output of a function or access a matrix subset, you can always first store the result in a variable, and then use that variable as function or matrix.

[josdejong]

@ericman314 I've implemented your idea in #1037.

I think usage as implicit multiplication is more common in maths than immediately invoking a returned function, so this will be an improvement.

What do you think?

[ericman314]

You're probably right.

[josdejong]

I think it's the best choice, will merge #1037 now.