CAS Configuration

In order to run interactive exercises, ActiveMath needs a Computer Algebra System (CAS) to evaluate the user's input for correctness. Since a CAS is not part of ActiveMath's distribution, you have to install it separately and configure ActiveMath accordingly.

ActiveMath can work with these systems:

• Yacas
• Wiris-CAS
• Maxima

Always configure the CAS when ActiveMath is shut down.

After configuration, you can test the CAS connection with these commands:

bin/amcas  for Unix
bin\wamcas  for Windows

If the connection works, you are ready to restart ActiveMath.

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Yacas

Yacas needs to be installed locally on your server machine. It will be invoked as a shell command on every input evaluation.

• Download
  • from http://yacas.sourceforge.net and install locally.
• Notes:
  • You need version 1.0.61 or later.
• Configuration
  • For Unix, just configure in conf/ActiveMath-individual.properties, e.g.:
    
    exercises.cas.command=/opt/local/home/local/apps/local/bin/yacas -pc --read-eval-print "OMREP(1);"
    
  • For Windows, you need two steps:
    • Edit bin\yacas.bat and set the variable YACAS_HOME according to your Yacas installation, e.g.
      
      set YACAS_HOME=D:\activemath\yacas

• Make exactly this configuration in conf/ActiveMath-individual.properties:
  
  exercises.cas.command=bin\\yacas.bat

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Wiris Web-Service

The Wiris-CAS is running as a Web Service, no local installation is necessary.
You need to be legally entiled to use it by a usage licencse from Wiris.

• Configuration
  • In conf/ActiveMath-individual.properties, configure the URL where the Wiris Web Service can be reached, e.g.:
    
    exercises.cas.command=http://analysis.activemath.org:38080/wirisservice/servlet/xmlrpc

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Maxima

Maxima is used as a server-based CAS and is accessed through a socket connection. You need to start a special interface client to connect ActiveMath to Maxima.

IMPORTANT: At the time of writing, ActiveMath did not work when Maxima is running on Windows! See AMATH-1126.

• Download
  • Download Maxima from http://maxima.sourceforge.net and install.
• Notes:
  
  • ActiveMath has been tested with Maxima versions 5.13.0 and 5.9.1
• Configuration
  • In thirdParty/maxima/service/var/service/maxima/etc/service.properties, set the path to the Maxima executable, and the port to use, e.g.
    
    port = 1239
    command = /share/opt/maxima/bin/maxima --preload-lisp=var/service/maxima/OMdisplay.lisp
    
    
  • In conf/ActiveMath-individual.properties, set the connection to the Maxima interface server, eg:
    
    exercises.cas.command = maxima://localhost:1239

• Startup
  1. Go to thirdParty/maxima/service/bin
  2. Start the server:
     sh server.sh   for Unix
     server.bat     for Windows

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