[Gretl-users] Assorted little bugs

[Sven Schreiber]

Allin Cottrell schrieb:
> On Thu, 26 Apr 2007, Sven Schreiber wrote:
> 
>> 1) x = (obs>1991:1) isn't working ("expected ')' but found ':'" or
>> something like that -- this is with quarterly data).
> 
> (obs>"1991:1") will work.  I'll see if I can avoid the need for 
> the quotes.

Maybe it's enough if the description in the user manual (and possibly
online help) is corrected.

> 
>> 2) In a "new variable" dialog, x=0 produces scalar, which is 
>> correct, but having to type series x = 0 in the GUI is 
>> suboptimal IMHO. Maybe the desired data type could be set by 
>> radio buttons in the dialog?
> 
> Point taken, but radio buttons are (I think) problematic.  You 
> can't coerce a series to be a scalar.  Maybe a checkbox, "Result 
> should be a series"?  Even that will look a bit odd, since in most 
> cases the result can't fail to be a series.  Maybe a little a 
> post-entry dialog, if we get a scalar result: "Make this variable 
> a series"? (Yes/No).

Yeah, I don't know what's the best interface, either. Actually, I came
across this problem while trying to construct impulse and step dummies
(time series). Maybe the best thing is to write a generic script to help
with that (ooh, I see a new function package coming ;-)


>> 6) are named lists of variables visible somewhere, like matrices in the
>> session window?
> 
> Not yet.

I guess when no related bugs are remaining, then this isn't really
important anyway...

> 
>> 7) Is there any way to start gretl with a console window showing error
>> messages on Windows? 
> 
> Not that I'm aware of; I'll try researching that -- I agree it 
> would be useful.

Well that could be something where I could actually help -- so maybe
leave that to me and feel free to remind me in case I forget...

-sven