A user wonders if there is a straightforward way to show US states with names using the WorldMap Data Set in Maple

We suggest something like the attached: map-of-us-with-states.mw

Since we are getting many questions on how to create Math apps to add to the Maple Cloud. I wanted to go over the different GUI aspects of how you go about creating a Math App in Maple. The following Document also includes some code examples that are used in the the Math App but doesn't go into them in detail. For more details on the type of coding you do in a Math App see the DocumentTools package help page.

Some of the graphical features of the Math app don't display on Maple Primes so I'd recommend downloading this worksheet from here: HowToMathApp.mw to follow along.

How to make a Math App (An example of using the Document Tools).   This Document will provide a beginners guide on one way to make a Math app in Maple. It will contain some coding examples as well as where to find different options in the user interface. Step 1 Insert a Table     •  When making a Math App in Maple I often start with a table. You can enter a table by going to Insert > Table...      •  I often make the table 1 x 2 to start with as this gives an area for input and an area for the output (such as plots).   Add a plot component to one of the cells of the table     •  From the Components  Palette you can add a Plot Component . Add it to the table by clicking and dragging it over.     Add another table inside the other cell     •  In the other cell of the table I'll add another table to organize my use of buttons, sliders, and other components. Add some components to the new table     •  From the Components Palette I'll add a slider, or dial, or something else for interaction.   •  You may also want a Math region for an area to enter functions and a button to tell Maple to do something with it.   Arrange the Components to look nice     •  You can change how the components are placed either by resizing the tables or changing the text orientation of the contents of the cells.   Write some code for the interaction of the buttons.     •  Using the DocumentTools  package there are lots of ways you can use the components. I often will start writing my code using a code edit region  as it provides better visualization for syntax. On MaplePrimes these display as collapsed so I will also include code blocks for the code.   Let's write something that takes the value of the slider and applies it to the dial     •  Note that the names of the components will change in each section as they are copies of the previous section.   with(DocumentTools): with(DocumentTools): sv:=GetProperty('Slider2',value); SetProperty('Dial2',value,sv); •  This code will only execute when run using the  button. Change the value of the slider below then run the code above to see what happens.   Move the code 'inside' the slider     •  Instead of putting the code inside the code edit region where it needs to be executed, we'll next add the code to the value changed code of the slider.   •  Right click the Slider then select "Edit Value Changed Code".     •  This will open the code editor for the Slider     •  Enter your code (ensuring you're using the correct name for the slider and dial).   •  Notice that you don't need to use the with(DocumentTools): command as "use DocumentTools in ... end use;" is already filled in for you.   •  Save the code in the Slider and hit the  button inside it once. •  Now move the slider.   •  On future uses of the App you won't need to hit  as the code will be run on startup. Add some more details to your App     •  Let's make this app do something a bit more interesting than change the contents of a dial when a slider moves.   •  The plan in the next few steps is to make this app allow a user to explore parameters changing in a sinusoidal expression.   •  I'm going to add a second Math Component, put the expression into both then uncheck the box in the context panel that says "Editable".   •  To make the Math containers fit nicely I'll check the Auto-fit container box and set the Minimum Width Pixels to 200.   Add code to change the value of phi in the second Math Container when the Slider changes     Note: Maple uses Radians for trigonometric functions so we should convert the value of phi to Radians. use DocumentTools in   use DocumentTools in phi_s:=GetProperty(Slider5,value); expr:= GetProperty(MathContainer6,expression); new_expr:=algsubs(phi=phi_s*Pi/180,expr); SetProperty(MathContainer7,expression,new_expr); end use: Make the Dial go from 0 to 360°     •  Click the Dial and look at the options in the context panel on the right.   •  Update the values in the Dial so that the highest position is 360 and the spacing makes sense for the app.   Have the Dial update the theta value of the expression     •  Add the following code to the Dial   use DocumentTools in use DocumentTools in theta_d:=GetProperty(Dial7,value); phi_s:=GetProperty(Slider7,value); #This is added so that phi also has the value updated expr:= GetProperty(MathContainer10,expression); new_expr0:=algsubs(theta=theta_d*Pi/180,expr); new_expr:=algsubs(phi=phi_s*Pi/180,new_expr0); #This is added so that phi also has the value updated SetProperty(MathContainer11,expression,new_expr); end use:   •  Update the value in the slider to include the value from the dial   use DocumentTools in   use DocumentTools in theta_d:=GetProperty(Dial7,value); #This is added so that theta also has the value updated phi_s:=GetProperty(Slider7,value); expr:= GetProperty(MathContainer10,expression); new_expr0:=algsubs(theta=theta_d*Pi/180,expr); #This is added so that theta also has the value updated new_expr:=algsubs(phi=phi_s*Pi/180,new_expr0); SetProperty(MathContainer11,expression,new_expr); end use:   Notice that the code in the Dial and Slider are the same     •  Since the code in the Dial and Slider are the same it makes sense to put the code into a procedure that can be called from multiple places.   Note: The changes in the code such as local and the single quotes are not needed but make the code easier to read and less likely to run into errors if edited in the future (for example if you create a variable called dial8 it won't interfere now that the names are in quotes).     UpdateMath:=proc()  UpdateMath:=proc() local theta_d, phi_s, expr, new_expr, new_expr0; use DocumentTools in theta_d:=GetProperty('Dial8','value'); #Get value of theta from Dial phi_s:=GetProperty('Slider8','value'); #Get value of phi from slider expr:= GetProperty('MathContainer12','expression'); new_expr0:=algsubs('theta'=theta_d*Pi/180,expr); # Put value of theta in expression new_expr:=algsubs('phi'=phi_s*Pi/180,new_expr0); # Put value of phi in expression SetProperty('MathContainer13','expression',new_expr); # Update expression end use: end proc:   •  Now change the code in the components to call the function using .   •  Since the code above is only defined there it will need to be run once (but only once) before moving the components. Instead of leaving it here you can add it to the Startup code by clicking  or going to Edit > Startup code.  This code will run every time you open the Math App ensuring that it works right away.   •  The startup code isn't defined in this document to allow progression of these steps.   Make the button initialize the app     •  Since the startup code isn't defined in this document we are going to move this function into the button.   UpdateMath:=proc()   UpdateMath:=proc() local theta_d, phi_s, expr, new_expr, new_expr0; use DocumentTools in theta_d:=GetProperty('Dial9','value'); #Get value of theta from Dial phi_s:=GetProperty('Slider9','value'); #Get value of phi from slider expr:= GetProperty('MathContainer14','expression'); new_expr0:=algsubs('theta'=theta_d*Pi/180,expr); # Put value of theta in expression new_expr:=algsubs('phi'=phi_s*Pi/180,new_expr0); # Put value of phi in expression SetProperty('MathContainer15','expression',new_expr); # Update expression end use: end proc: •  First click the button to rename it, you'll see the  option in the context panel on the right. Then add the code above to the button in the same way as the Slider an Dial (Right click and select Edit Click Code).   Now it is easy to add new components     •  Now if we want to add new components we just have to change the one procedure.  Let's add a Volume Gauge to change the value of A.   •  Click in the cell containing the Dial, the context panel will show the option to Insert a row below the Dial. •  Now drag a Volume Gauge into the new cell.   •  Click in the cell and choose the alignment (from the context panel) that looks best to you. In this case I chose center:     Update the procedure code for the Gauge     •  Add two lines for the volume gauge to get the value and sub it into the expression UpdateMath:=proc() UpdateMath:=proc() local theta_d, phi_s, expr, new_expr, new_expr0; use DocumentTools in theta_d:=GetProperty('Dial11','value'); #Get value of theta from the Dial phi_s:=GetProperty('Slider11','value'); #Get value of phi from the Slider A_g:=GetProperty('VolumeGauge1','value'); #Get value of A from the Guage expr:= GetProperty('MathContainer18','expression'); new_expr0:=algsubs('theta'=theta_d*Pi/180,expr); # Put value of theta in expression new_expr1:=algsubs('phi'=phi_s*Pi/180,new_expr0); # Put value of phi in expression new_expr:=algsubs('A'=A_g,new_expr1); # Put value of A in expression SetProperty('MathContainer19','expression',new_expr); # Update expression end use: end proc: •  Now add UpdateMath();   to the Gauge.   Plot the changing expression     •  Make a procedure to get the value in the second Math Container and plot it   PlotMath:=proc() PlotMath:=proc() local expr, p; use DocumentTools in expr:=GetProperty('MathContainer21','expression'); p:=plot(expr,'t'=-Pi/2..Pi/2,'view'=[-Pi/2..Pi/2,-100..100]): SetProperty('Plot14','value',p) end use: end proc: •  Put this procedure in the Initialize button and the call to it in the components.   Tidy up the app     •  Now that we have an interactive app let's tidy it up a bit.   •  The first thing I'd recommend in your own app is moving the code from the initialize button to startup code. In this document we choose to use the button instead to preserve earlier versions.   •  You can also remove the borders around the components by clicking in the table and selecting "Interior Borders" > "None" and "Exterior Borders" > "None" from the context panel. Now you have a Math App     •  You can upload your Math App to the Maple Cloud to share with others by going to "File" > "Save to Cloud".   •  I'd recommend also including a description of what your app does. You can do this nicely using another table and Text mode.

HowToMathApp.mw

Playing mini-golf recently, I realized that my protractor can only help me so far since it can't calculate the speed of the swing needed.  I decided a more sophisticated tool was needed and modeled a trick-shot in MapleSim.

To start, I laid out the obstacles, the ball and club, the ground, and some additional visualizations in the MapleSim environment.

When running the simulation, my first result wasn't even close to the hole (similar to when I play in real life!).

The model clearly needed to be optimized. I went to the Optimization app in MapleSim (this can be found under Add Apps or Templates  on the left hand side).

Inside the app I clicked "Load System" then selected the parameters I wanted to optimize.

For this case, I'm optimizing 's' (the speed of the club) and 'theta' (the angle of the club). For the Objective Function I added a Relative Translation Sensor to the model and attached a probe to the Vector Norm of the output.

Inside the app, I switched to the Objective Function section.  Selecting Probes, I added the new probe as the Objective Function by giving it a weight of 1.

Scrolling down to "Execute Parameter Optimization", I checked the "Use Global Optimization Toolbox" checkbox, and clicked Run Parameter Optimization.

Following a run time of 120 seconds, the app returns the graph of the objective function. 

Below the plot, optimal values for the parameters are given. Plugging these back into the parameter block for the simulation we see that the ball does in fact go into the hole. Success!

Mini_golf_Global_Optimization.msim

We recently had a question about using some of the plotting commands in Maple to draw things. We were feeling creative and thought why not take it a step further and draw something in 3D.

Using the geom3d, plottools, and plots packages we decided to make a gingerbread house.

To make the base of the house we decided to use 2 cubes, as these would give us additional lines and segments for the icing on the house.

point(p__1,[2,3,2]):
point(p__2,[3,3,2]):
cube(c1,p__1,2):
cube(c2,p__2,2):
base:=draw([c1,c2],color=tan);

Using the same cubes but changing the style to be wireframe and point we made some icing lines and decorations for the gingerbread house.

base_decor1:=draw([c1,c2],style=wireframe,thickness=3,color=red,transparency=0.2):
base_decor2:=draw([c1,c2],style=wireframe,thickness=10,color=green,linestyle=dot):
base_decor3:=draw([c1,c2],style=point,thickness=2,color="Silver",symbol=sphere):
base_decor:=display(base_decor1,base_decor2,base_decor3);

To create the roof we found the vertices of the cubes and used those to find the top corners of the base.

v1:=vertices(c1):
v2:=vertices(c2):
pc1:=seq(point(pc1||i,v1[i]),i=1..nops(v1)):
pc2:=seq(point(pc2||i,v2[i]),i=1..nops(v2)):
topCorners:=[pc1[5],pc1[6],pc2[1],pc2[2]]:
d1:=draw(topCorners):

Using these top corners we found the midpoints (where the peak of the roof would be) and added the roof height to the coordinates.

midpoint(lc1,topCorners[1],topCorners[2]):
detail(lc1);

point(cc1,[-(2*sqrt(3))/3 + 2, (2*sqrt(3))/3 + 3+1, 2]):
d3:=draw(cc1):

midpoint(lc2,topCorners[3],topCorners[4]):
detail(lc2);

point(cc2,[(2*sqrt(3))/3 + 3, (2*sqrt(3))/3 + 3+1, 2]):
d4:=draw(cc2):

With the midpoints and vertices at the front and rear of the house we made two triangles for the attic of the gingerbread house.

triangle(tf,[topCorners[1],topCorners[2],cc1]):
front:=draw(tf,color=brown):

triangle(tb,[topCorners[3],topCorners[4],cc2]):
back:=draw(tb,color=tan):

Using these same points again we made more triangles to be the roof.

triangle(trl,[cc1,cc2,pc1[5]]):
triangle(trh,[pc2[2],pc1[6],cc1]):
triangle(tll,[cc1,cc2,pc2[2]]):
triangle(tlh,[pc2[1],pc1[5],cc2]):
roof:=draw([trl,trh,tll,tlh],color="Chocolate");

Our gingerbread house now had four walls, a roof, and icing, but no door. Creating the door was as easy as making a parallelepiped, but what is a door without more icing?

door:=display(plottools:-parallelepiped([1,0,0],[0,1.2,0],[0,0,0.8],[0.8,1.9,1.6]),color="DarkRed"):
door_decor1:=display(plottools:-parallelepiped([1,0,0],[0,1.2,0],[0,0,0.8],[0.8,1.9,1.6]),color="Gold",style=line):
door_decor2:=display(plottools:-parallelepiped([1,0,0],[0,1.2,0],[0,0,0.8],[0.8,1.9,1.6]),color="Silver", style=line,linestyle=dot,thickness=5):
door_decor:=display(door_decor1,door_decor2):

Now having a door we could have left it like this, but what better way to decorate a gingerbread house than with candy canes? Naturally, if we were going to have one candy cane we were going to have lots of candy canes. To facilitate this we made a candy cane procedure.

candy_pole:=proc(c:=[0,0,0], {segR:=0.1}, {segH:=0.1}, {segn:=7}, {tilt_theta:=0}, {theta:=0}, {arch:=true}, {flip:=false})
local cane1,cane2,cane_s,cane_c,cane0,cane,i,cl,cd,ch, cane_a,tmp,cane_ac,cane_a1,cane00,cane01,cane02,cane_a1s,tmp2,cane_a2s:
uses plots,geom3d:
cl:=c[1]:
cd:=c[2]:
ch:=c[3]:
cane1:=plottools:-cylinder([cd, ch, cl], segR, segH,style=surface):

cane2:=display(plottools:-rotate(cane1,Pi/2,[[cd,ch,cl],[cd+1,ch,cl]])):
cane_s:=[cane2,seq(display(plottools:-translate(cane2,0,segH*i,0)),i=1..segn-1)]:
cane_c:=seq(ifelse(type(i,odd),red,white),i=1..segn):

cane0:=display(cane_s,color=[cane_c]):

if arch then

cane_a:=plottools:-translate(cane2,0,segH*segn-segH/2,0):
tmp:=i->plottools:-rotate(cane_a,i*Pi/24, [ [cd,ch+segH*segn-segH/2,cl+segR*2] , [cd+1,ch+segH*segn-segH/2,cl+segR*2] ] ):

cane_ac:=seq(ifelse(type(i,odd),red,white),i=1..24):

                cane_a1s:=seq(plottools:-translate(tmp(i),0,segH*i/12,segR*i/4),i=1..12):

tmp2:=i->plottools:-rotate(cane_a1s[12],i*Pi/24,[[cd,ch+segH*segn-0.05,cl+segR*2],[cd+1,ch+segH*segn-0.05,cl+segR*2]]):

cane_a2s:=seq(plottools:-translate(tmp2(i),0,-segH*i/500,segR*i/4),i=1..12):
cane_a1:=display(cane_a1s,cane_a2s,color=[cane_ac]):
cane00:=display(cane0,cane_a1);

                if flip then

cane01:=plottools:-rotate(cane00,tilt_theta,[[cd,ch,cl],[cd+1,ch,cl]]):
cane02:=plottools:-rotate(cane01,theta,[[cd,ch,cl],[cd,ch+1,cl]]):
cane:=plottools:-reflect(cane01,[[cd,ch,cl],[cd,ch+1,cl]]):

                else

cane01:=plottools:-rotate(cane00,tilt_theta,[[cd,ch,cl],[cd+1,ch,cl]]):
cane:=plottools:-rotate(cane01,theta,[[cd,ch,cl],[cd,ch+1,cl]]):

                end if:

                return cane:

else

                cane:=plottools:-rotate(cane0,tilt_theta,[[cd,ch,cl],[cd+1,ch,cl]]):

                return cane:

end if:

end proc:

With this procedure we decided to add candy canes to the front, back, and sides of the gingerbread house. In addition we added two candy poles.

Candy Canes in front of the house:

cane1:=candy_pole([1.2,0,2],segn=9,arch=false):
cane2:=candy_pole([2.8,0,2],segn=9,arch=false):
cane3:=candy_pole([2.7,0.8,3.3],segn=9,segR=0.05,tilt_theta=-Pi/7):
cane4:=candy_pole([1.3,0.8,3.3],segn=9,segR=0.05,tilt_theta=-Pi/7,flip=true):
front_canes:=display(cane1,cane2,cane3,cane4):

Candy Canes at the back of the house:

caneb3:=candy_pole([1.5,4.2,2.5],segn=15,segR=0.05,tilt_theta=-Pi/3,flip=true):
caneb4:=candy_pole([2.5,4.2,2.5],segn=15,segR=0.05,tilt_theta=-Pi/3):}
back_canes:=display(caneb3,caneb4):

Candy Canes at the left of the house:

canel1:=candy_pole([0.8,1.5,2.5],segn=15,segR=0.05,tilt_theta=-Pi/7,theta=Pi/2):
canel2:=candy_pole([0.8,2.5,2.5],segn=15,segR=0.05,tilt_theta=-Pi/7,theta=Pi/2):
canel3:=candy_pole([0.8,4,2.5],segn=15,segR=0.05,tilt_theta=-Pi/7,theta=Pi/2):
left_canes:=display(canel1,canel2,canel3):

Candy Canes at the right of the house:

caner1:=candy_pole([3.2,1.5,2.5],segn=15,segR=0.05,tilt_theta=-Pi/7,theta=Pi/2):
caner2:=candy_pole([3.2,2.5,2.5],segn=15,segR=0.05,tilt_theta=-Pi/7,theta=Pi/2):
caner3:=candy_pole([3.2,4,2.5],segn=15,segR=0.05,tilt_theta=-Pi/7,theta=Pi/2):
right_canes:=display(caner1,caner2,caner3):

canes:=display(front_canes,back_canes,right_canes,left_canes):

With these canes in place all that was left was to create the ground and display our Gingerbread House.

ground:=display(plottools:-parallelepiped([5,0,0],[0,0.5,0],[0,0,4],[0,1.35,0]),color="DarkGreen"):

display([door,door_decor,d1,base,base_decor,d3,d4,front,back,roof,ground,canes],orientation=[-100,0,95]);

You can download the full worksheet creating the gingerbread house below:

Geometry_Gingerbread.mw

We are currently in the process of updating the support FAQs at https://faq.maplesoft.com. We’ve been working on updating the existing content for clarity, and have added several new articles already.

The majority of our FAQs are from questions people ask us in Technical Support by support request form, but we’d also like to like to add content from other sources.

Since we have such a great community here at MaplePrimes, we wanted to reach out and ask if there are any articles or questions that you'd like to see added to our FAQ.

We look forward to hearing your feedback!