help m1 source
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Title
[M-1] source -- Viewing the source code
Syntax
. viewsource functionname.mata
Description
Many Mata functions are written in Mata. viewsource will allow you to
examine their source code.
Remarks
Some Mata functions are implemented in C (they are part of Mata itself),
and others are written in Mata.
viewsource allows you to look at the official source code written in
Mata. Reviewing this code is a great way to learn Mata.
The official source code is stored in .mata files. To see the source
code for [M-5] diag(), for instance, type
. viewsource diag.mata
You type this at Stata's dot prompt, not at Mata's colon prompt.
If a function is built in, such as [M-5] abs(), here is what will happen
when you attempt to view the source code:
. viewsource abs.mata
file "abs.mata" not found
r(601);
You can verify that abs() is built in by using the mata which (see [M-3]
mata which) command:
. mata: mata which abs()
abs(): built-in
viewsource can be also used to look at source code of user-written
functions if the distribution included the source code (it might not).
Also see
Manual: [M-1] source
Help: [P] viewsource; [M-1] intro
