describe -- real description

describe -- real description

describe x -- returns an Expression containing the real description of x, bypassing the feature which causes certain types of things to acquire the names of global variables to which they are assigned.

i1 : R = ZZ/101[a,b,c_1,c_2];

i2 : R



o2 = R



o2 : PolynomialRing

i3 : describe R



      ZZ

o3 = --- [a, b, c , c ]

     101         1   2

i4 : toString describe R



o4 =  ZZ

     --- [a, b, c , c ]

     101         1   2

Currently, this function works by temporarily removing the value stored under name from the hash table x, which therefore must be mutable.

See also:

toString -- convert to a string

Ways to use describe :

describe MutableHashTable

describe Thing