--- loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Spreadsheet_Functions.tex	2003/10/14 16:03:51	1.7
+++ loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Spreadsheet_Functions.tex	2016/12/29 02:12:15	1.11
@@ -32,34 +32,47 @@ for information on specifying cells and
   range 
 \index{MIN}
 
-\item \texttt{\&SUMMAX(n ,range)} - sum of the maximum n non-empty
+\item \texttt{\&SUMMAX(n ,range)} - sum of the maximum $n$ non-empty
   cells in range
 \index{SUMMAX}
 
-\item \texttt{\&SUMMIN(n, range)} - sum of the minimum n non-empty
+\item \texttt{\&SUMMIN(n, range)} - sum of the minimum $n$ non-empty
   cells in range
 \index{SUMMIN}
 
 \item \texttt{\&EXT(expression)} - access to EXT function in lonnet.
-Use \&EXT(``system.time'') to retrieve the current time.
+Use \texttt{\&EXT(`system.time')} to retrieve the current time.
 \index{EXT}
 
+\item \texttt{\&PARM(parameter)} - get the value of a specific parameter 
+\index{PARM}
+
+\item \texttt{\&MINPARM(expression)} - get the value of a parameter that 
+matches the expression that is the smallest in value (If one specified 
+'opendate' it would return the smallest opendate set on the problem.)
+\index{MINPARM}
+
+\item \texttt{\&MAXPARM(expression)} -  get the value of a parameter that 
+matches the expression that is the largest in value (If one specified 
+'opendate' it would return the largest opendate set on the problem.)
+\index{MAXPARM}
+
 \item \texttt{\&SUMSEQ(column,sequence1,sequence2,sequence3,...)} -
-sum the given column across the folders or sequences listed.  
+sum the given column across the folders or sequences listed.
 
 When specifying a sequence use the full title.  Instead of a sequence title
-the word ``all'' can be used to sum over all sequences.  Regular expressions
-can be entered as well, if prefixed by ``regexp:''.  See below for examples.
+the word \texttt{all} can be used to sum over all sequences.  Regular expressions
+can be entered as well, if prefixed by \texttt{regexp:}.  See below for examples.
 
 \begin{itemize}
 
-\item \texttt{\&SUMSEQ(``Z'',''Chapter 1'');}
+\item \texttt{\&SUMSEQ(`Z',`Chapter 1');}
 
-\item \texttt{\&SUMSEQ(``Z'',''Chapter 1'',''Chapter 2'',''Chapter 3'');}
+\item \texttt{\&SUMSEQ(`Z',`Chapter 1',`Chapter 2',`Chapter 3');}
 
-\item \texttt{\&SUMSEQ(``Z'',''all'');} - sum over all sequences.
+\item \texttt{\&SUMSEQ(`Z',`all');} - sum over all sequences.
 
-\item \texttt{\&SUMSEQ(``Z'',''regexp:Large Biomolecules'');} -
+\item \texttt{\&SUMSEQ(`Z',`regexp:Large Biomolecules');} -
  sum over all sequences which match the regular expression 
 /Large Biomolecules/.
 
@@ -67,4 +80,23 @@ can be entered as well, if prefixed by `
 
 \end{itemize}
 
-In addition, most non-IO Perl functions work in cells.
+\noindent
+In addition, most non-IO Perl functions work in cells. Perl offers a compact \texttt{if} structure using the logic
+\texttt{TEST\char`_EXPR?IF\char`_TRUE\char`_EXPR\char`:IF\char`_FALSE\char`_EXPR;}. The \texttt{if} statements can be nested. Suppose that students are to receive full credit for a correct answer on the first attempt, 3/4 credit for a correct answer on two attempts, and half credit for a correct answer on more than two attempts. To scale the points awarded on the assessment spreadsheet (by default in \texttt{Z0}) with the number of tries (by default in \texttt{C0}), the adjusted score can be programmed in an empty export cell in the Assessment Spreadsheet row 0, as illustrated by the following example:\\
+
+\noindent
+\texttt{C0$>$2 ? (0.5*Z0) \char`: (C0$>$1 ? (0.75*Z0) \char`: Z0);}\\
+
+\noindent
+is equivalent to
+ 
+\begin{verbatim}
+if (C0 > 2) {
+  $cellvalue = 0.5*Z0; 
+} elsif (C0 > 1) {
+  $cellvalue = 0.75*Z0;
+} else {$cellvalue = Z0;}
+$cellvalue;
+\end{verbatim}
+
+Use of parantheses is usually necessary in the compact \texttt{if} statement to assure correct precedence.