Changes between Initial Version and Version 1 of Ticket #2024, comment 19


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Timestamp:
Jul 10, 2025, 5:00:29 PM (4 months ago)
Author:
Greg Couch

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  • Ticket #2024, comment 19

    initial v1  
    1 {{{
    21Hi Elaine,
    32
    … …  
    1817
    1918     -- Greg
    20 
    21 On 7/7/25 12:39, Elaine Meng wrote:
    22 >
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    32 >
    33 >> On Jul 7, 2025, at 12:18\u202fPM, Elaine Meng <meng@cgl.ucsf.edu> wrote:
    34 >>
    35 >> I know they are optional, obviously.  I still don't understand, however, since my example works fine, i.e. I tested all of the commands exactly as shown.  Did you try it?  What about the example is wrong?
    36 >>
    37 >>>> https://www.cgl.ucsf.edu/home/meng/chimerax/vdocs/user/commands/alias.html#optional
    38 >> Or maybe you meant my example is right, but my explanation is incomplete?  In the example, both $2 and $3 are indeed optional, and $2 can be given without $3, but $3 can't be given without $2.  Your modified example seems less useful since if I understand it correctly, you couldn't give $2 without $3.
    39 >>
    40 >> But maybe you didn't mean it as a practical example of what the person would want to do, but a further illustration of how this stuff works.  Sorry for being dense...
    41 >>
    42 >> Elaine
    43 >>
    44 >>
    45 >>> On Jul 7, 2025, at 11:00\u202fAM, Greg Couch <gregc@cgl.ucsf.edu> wrote:
    46 >>>
    47 >>> Close.  The $[stuff$] are optional sections/expansions of the alias.   They are included the alias expansion only if all of the $n arguments inside the optional section are present.
    48 >>>
    49 >>> Changing your example a little:
    50 >>>
    51 >>>     alias myzone zone clear; zone $1 $[residueDistance $2 label $3$]
    52 >>>
    53 >>> would require that both $2 and $3 be given for the optional section to be expanded.
    54 >>>
    55 >>> To figure out which $n arguments to present as optional in the usage of the alias, the highest numbered $n argument that is outside of the optional sections is considered to be the last required argument.
    56 >>>
    57 >>>     -- Greg
    58 >>>
    59 >>> On 7/7/2025 10:44 AM, Elaine Meng wrote:
    60 >>>> Hi Greg,
    61 >>>> does this explanation of the optional arguments seem OK?
    62 >>>>
    63 >>>> <https://www.cgl.ucsf.edu/home/meng/chimerax/vdocs/user/commands/alias.html#optional>
    64 >>>>
    65 >>>> I didn't understand this sentence in your presentation slides
    66 >>>>         \u2022 an optional part is only included if all of the alias arguments referenced are given
    67 >>>>
    68 >>>> ... but maybe the last part of the example I put in the documentation (link above) covers it...
    69 >>>> Thanks,
    70 >>>> Elaine
    71 >
    72 }}}