The first thing to say is that with just a couple of exceptions, every matix function from the Advantage pac is kept untouched, same functionality, same XROM id#, etc. The "Advanced Matrix Pac" builds upon the Matrix set of the advantage, leaving that one unmodified.
So you'll start by using MATDIM to create your matrix, same as always. Then it comes your choices to enter/input the matrix elements. You can used MEDIT as always, or you can use IMR (Input Matrix by Rows) or IMC (input Matrix by Columns). Either one of these three will prompt sequentially for each element, in the corresponding order until the matrix is completed.
Or you can use PMTM (Prompt Matrix), which will prompt for all row elements together as a single entry. To enter them just press ENTER^ after each element (which will write a blank space to separate the string into different numeric values), and terminate the sequence with R/S. The prompt will then ask for the next row, and so until all rows are completed.
The only input parameter is the matrix name in ALPHA. The advantage of this method is ithat it's much quicker and convenient than asking for each element individually. The limitation is that it doesn't support exponents. i.e. 1,23 E-02 - so you need to use the traditional methods if your matrix includes these.
Example: with "TEST" in ALPHA, type 3,004, MATDIM to create the matrix in X-MEM. Them execute PMTM to see:
"R1: _" -> type: 11 ENTER^ 12 ENTER 13 ENTER^ 14 R/S
"R2: _" -> type: 21 ENTER^ 22 ENTER^ 23 ENTER^ 24 R/S
"R3: _" -> type: 31 ENTER^ 32 ENTER^ 33 ENTER^ 34 R/S
Done. You can review the matrix using OMR or OMC to check.
The keyboard is redefined during data entry to accept only nummeric values plus control characters, so you're writing in Alpha and the display simultaneously even if no ALPHA indicator is on.
As you type in do you'll see the "strings" being filled with your entries, each separated by a blank space when you press ENTER^. You can use the back arrow to cancel wrong digits, and also the CHS key for negative numbers, as well as the radix key for decimal parts of course. The logic won't let you input wrong combinations of these.
If you input more elements per row than the number of matrix columns, the exceeding ones will just be ignored - so you need to remember your matrix dimension during the process. Also you can't exceed 24 characters in total, or the ALPHA register will overflow. If you do, only the rightmost 24 will be taken of course.
However inputing fewer elements that the number of columns on any of the ROW sequences will simply abort the data entry process after pressing R/S.
That's how it works, hopefully intuitive and sensible enough to be useful and practical - of course it ain't perfect and sure enough you can trick it if you really mean to.
Cheers,
"AM
Edited: 13 June 2011, 2:50 a.m.