Optional

p:v

is a pattern object that represents an expression of the form p, which, if omitted, should be replaced by v.

Details

  • Optional is used to specify "optional arguments" in functions represented by patterns. The pattern object p gives the form the argument should have, if it is present. The expression v gives the "default value" to use if the argument is absent.
  • The form s_:v is equivalent to Optional[s_,v]. This form is also equivalent to s:_:v. There is no syntactic ambiguity since s must be a symbol in this case.
  • The special form s_. is equivalent to Optional[s_] and can be used to represent function arguments which, if omitted, should be replaced by default values globally specified for the functions in which they occur.
  • Values for Default[f,…] specify default values to be used when _. appears as an argument of f. Any assignments for Default[f,…] must be made before _. first appears as an argument of f.
  • Optional[s_h] represents a function which can be omitted, but which, if present, must have head h. There is no simpler syntactic form for this case.
  • Functions with built‐in default values include Plus, Times, and Power.

Examples

Basic Examples  (1)

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Use the function with both arguments specified explicitly:

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The second argument is now taken to have its default value:

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See Also

Default  Alternatives  PatternSequence  Shortest  BlankNullSequence  StringExpression  OptionalElement

Tutorials

Introduced in 1988
(1.0)