Activate[Inactivate] doesn't evaluate the return "sometimes"

Question

I have a behavior that I don't understand.

I didn't found a way to have a smaller code to reproduce it, so here is the entire code (you really don't need to understand the functions in details to see and understand the problem)

In[19]:= SetOptions[$FrontEnd, "ClearEvaluationQueueOnKernelQuit" -> False]

In[20]:= Quit[]

In[1]:= Off[SixJSymbol::tri] (* On enlève les messages d'erreurs pour le 6j *)

In[2]:= SetOptions[$FrontEndSession, EvaluationCompletionAction -> "ShowTiming"]

In[3]:= alphaMoins[j1_,j2_,j3_,j4_,j5_,j6_]:=Module[{},

If[j4 >= 1/2,
(j4(j4+1))/(4*(2j4+1))*1/(j4^2)*Sqrt[(j4+j5-j3)(j4-j5+j3)(1-j4+j5+j3)(1+j4+j5+j3)]*Sqrt[(j4+j2-j6)(j4-j2+j6)(1-j4+j2+j6)(1+j4+j2+j6)],0]
];

alphaPlus[j1_,j2_,j3_,j4_,j5_,j6_]:=Module[{},
If[j4+1>=0,(j4*(j4+1))/(4*(2j4+1))*1/((j4+1)^2)*Sqrt[(1+j4+j5-j3)(1+j4-j5+j3)(-j4+j5+j3)(2+j4+j5+j3)]*Sqrt[(1+j4+j2-j6)(1+j4-j2+j6)(-j4+j2+j6)(2+j4+j2+j6)],0]

];

alpha0[j1_,j2_,j3_,j4_,j5_,j6_]:=If[j5==0 && j6==0, j4(j4+1),(j4(j4+1)+j5(j5+1)-j3(j3+1))(j4(j4+1)+j6(j6+1)-j2(j2+1))/4/j4/(j4+1)]
triple456[j1_,j2_,j3_,j4_,j5_,j6_]:=Module[{},

If[j4 > 0,
Return[alphaMoins[j1,j2,j3,j4,j5,j6]*SixJSymbol[{j1,j2,j3},{j4-1,j5,j6}]-alpha0[j1,j2,j3,j4,j5,j6]*SixJSymbol[{j1,j2,j3},{j4,j5,j6}]-alphaPlus[j1,j2,j3,j4,j5,j6]*SixJSymbol[{j1,j2,j3},{j4+1,j5,j6}]]
,Return[0]]

];

In[7]:= opVolume[j1_,j2_,j3_,j4_,j5_,j6_]:=Module[{},
1/4 (triple456[j1,j2,j3,j4,j5,j6]+triple456[j1,j5,j6,j4,j2,j3]+triple456[j4,j2,j6,j1,j5,j3]+triple456[j4,j5,j3,j1,j2,j6])
]

In[8]:= sommeTriple[j1_,j2_,j3_,j4_,j5_,j6_]:=(4*opVolume[j1,j2,j3,j4,j5,j6])

In[9]:= Clear[j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, j6]

In[10]:= zz = Inactivate[opVolume[j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, j6]]

Out[10]= Inactive[opVolume][j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, j6]

In[11]:= zz2 = Activate[zz]

Out[11]= 1/4 (If[j1 > 0, 
    Return[alphaMoins[j4, j2, j6, j1, j5, 
        j3] SixJSymbol[{j4, j2, j6}, {j1 - 1, j5, j3}] - 
      alpha0[j4, j2, j6, j1, j5, j3] SixJSymbol[{j4, j2, j6}, {j1, j5, j3}] - 
      alphaPlus[j4, j2, j6, j1, j5, 
        j3] SixJSymbol[{j4, j2, j6}, {j1 + 1, j5, j3}]], Return[0]] + 
   If[j1 > 0, 
    Return[alphaMoins[j4, j5, j3, j1, j2, 
        j6] SixJSymbol[{j4, j5, j3}, {j1 - 1, j2, j6}] - 
      alpha0[j4, j5, j3, j1, j2, j6] SixJSymbol[{j4, j5, j3}, {j1, j2, j6}] - 
      alphaPlus[j4, j5, j3, j1, j2, 
        j6] SixJSymbol[{j4, j5, j3}, {j1 + 1, j2, j6}]], Return[0]] + 
   If[j4 > 0, 
    Return[alphaMoins[j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, 
        j6] SixJSymbol[{j1, j2, j3}, {j4 - 1, j5, j6}] - 
      alpha0[j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, j6] SixJSymbol[{j1, j2, j3}, {j4, j5, j6}] - 
      alphaPlus[j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, 
        j6] SixJSymbol[{j1, j2, j3}, {j4 + 1, j5, j6}]], Return[0]] + 
   If[j4 > 0, 
    Return[alphaMoins[j1, j5, j6, j4, j2, 
        j3] SixJSymbol[{j1, j5, j6}, {j4 - 1, j2, j3}] - 
      alpha0[j1, j5, j6, j4, j2, j3] SixJSymbol[{j1, j5, j6}, {j4, j2, j3}] - 
      alphaPlus[j1, j5, j6, j4, j2, 
        j3] SixJSymbol[{j1, j5, j6}, {j4 + 1, j2, j3}]], Return[0]])

In[12]:= {j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, j6} = {1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1}

Out[12]= {1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1}

In[13]:= zz2

Out[13]= -(2/3)

In[14]:= Clear[j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, j6]

In[15]:= ww = Inactivate[sommeTriple[j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, j6]]

Out[15]= Inactive[sommeTriple][j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, j6]

In[16]:= ww2 = Activate[ww]

Out[16]= If[j1 > 0, 
  Return[alphaMoins[j4, j2, j6, j1, j5, 
      j3] SixJSymbol[{j4, j2, j6}, {j1 - 1, j5, j3}] - 
    alpha0[j4, j2, j6, j1, j5, j3] SixJSymbol[{j4, j2, j6}, {j1, j5, j3}] - 
    alphaPlus[j4, j2, j6, j1, j5, 
      j3] SixJSymbol[{j4, j2, j6}, {j1 + 1, j5, j3}]], Return[0]] + 
 If[j1 > 0, 
  Return[alphaMoins[j4, j5, j3, j1, j2, 
      j6] SixJSymbol[{j4, j5, j3}, {j1 - 1, j2, j6}] - 
    alpha0[j4, j5, j3, j1, j2, j6] SixJSymbol[{j4, j5, j3}, {j1, j2, j6}] - 
    alphaPlus[j4, j5, j3, j1, j2, 
      j6] SixJSymbol[{j4, j5, j3}, {j1 + 1, j2, j6}]], Return[0]] + 
 If[j4 > 0, 
  Return[alphaMoins[j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, 
      j6] SixJSymbol[{j1, j2, j3}, {j4 - 1, j5, j6}] - 
    alpha0[j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, j6] SixJSymbol[{j1, j2, j3}, {j4, j5, j6}] - 
    alphaPlus[j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, 
      j6] SixJSymbol[{j1, j2, j3}, {j4 + 1, j5, j6}]], Return[0]] + 
 If[j4 > 0, 
  Return[alphaMoins[j1, j5, j6, j4, j2, 
      j3] SixJSymbol[{j1, j5, j6}, {j4 - 1, j2, j3}] - 
    alpha0[j1, j5, j6, j4, j2, j3] SixJSymbol[{j1, j5, j6}, {j4, j2, j3}] - 
    alphaPlus[j1, j5, j6, j4, j2, 
      j3] SixJSymbol[{j1, j5, j6}, {j4 + 1, j2, j3}]], Return[0]]

In[17]:= {j1, j2, j3, j4, j5, j6} = {1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1}

Out[17]= {1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1}

In[18]:= ww2

Out[18]= 4 Return[-(2/3)]

The strange thing is that opVolume and sommeTriple are the same functions (only a *4 of difference).

And the behavior when I inactivate/activate one is different than for the others.

In the first case (variable zz2) I have (-2/3) as a result and in the other case (variable ww2) I have 4*Return[-(2/3)].

The question is : why do I have an unvealuated return in the second case ?

Can you try to reduce your example? Here are some general tips how to create a minimal working example. — Kuba, Jul 10 '17 at 13:28

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 10 '17 at 13:40

3

This is just an extended comment, but your problem has nothing to do with Inactivate and can be shown much more simply:

In[57]:= Clear[s]
r1 = If[s > 0, Return[1], Return[2]];
r2 = 2 If[s > 0, Return[1], Return[2]];

In[60]:= s = 1;
r1
r2

Out[61]= 1

Out[62]= 2 Return[1]

It's weird, yes, but Return is a weird symbol with ambiguous usage outside of its core case of returning from a Module.

answered Jul 10 '17 at 13:40

b3m2a1

46,870
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Ok ! So I shouldn't use Return outside of a Module to avoid thoose strange behaviors if I understand well ? – StarBucK Jul 10 '17 at 13:42
1

@StarBucK I mean you can, but it's never entirely clear from what Return will be returning if you have a more complex functional chain than just a plain Module or something simple like a Scan. In any case when you see a raw Return now you know what's up. – b3m2a1 Jul 10 '17 at 13:45
3

@StarBucK https://mathematica.stackexchange.com/q/29353/5478, I have never had a case that I needed to use Return. You can make use of it but it is rather exotic expression and I recommend avoiding it. – Kuba Jul 10 '17 at 13:54

Activate[Inactivate] doesn't evaluate the return "sometimes"

1 Answers1