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I can't get any function defined in $UserBaseDirectory/Kernel/init.m to work. For example:

SinDeg[d_] := Sin[d * Degree]; (* Only line in init.m *)

Output:

SinDeg[90]
(* => SinDeg[90] *)

However when copying the code and executing it inside a Mathematica notebook, it works fine: 

SinDeg[d_] := Sin[d * Degree];
SinDeg[90]
(* => 1 *)

The Mathematica front-end can definitely see the function definitions as it displays SinDeg as an autocompletion suggestion, when typing SinD.

I'm using Mathematica 9 Home Edition on OS X.

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  • $\begingroup$ To eliminate the obvious: you have restarted Mathematica after adding this line to init.m? $\endgroup$
    – Sjoerd C. de Vries
    Mar 11, 2013 at 23:50
  • $\begingroup$ @SjoerdC.deVries yes. $\endgroup$
    – Tyilo
    Mar 11, 2013 at 23:51
  • $\begingroup$ What do you get when you type ?SinDeg directly after Mathematica starts up? $\endgroup$
    – Sjoerd C. de Vries
    Mar 12, 2013 at 0:42
  • $\begingroup$ @SjoerdC.deVries I get this error: Information::notfound: Symbol SinDeg not found. >> $\endgroup$
    – Tyilo
    Mar 12, 2013 at 0:44
  • $\begingroup$ Could you check whether you really have an underscore in your definition in the init.m file? $\endgroup$
    – Sjoerd C. de Vries
    Mar 12, 2013 at 0:44

1 Answer 1

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This has to do with the Notebook's default context setting in the evaluation menu. If it isn't set to Global`, the definitions made in init.m are not seen.

As rm-rf says, a good way to put custom definitions in the init.m would be to use Begin and End to create an Init` context and append that context to the context path so that the definitions are available regardless of the notebook's context. (better still, use packages)

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