I am going by the assumption that when Maple returns ODESolStruct as solution, then it means it could not solve the ODE. (example below)

My only complaint is that the syntax it uses for saying that the solution is ODESolStruct is not clear. I guess one has to look for & in the solution to know the result is ODEStruct.

http://www.maplesoft.com/support/help/Maple/view.aspx?path=dsolve%2fODESolStruc

Only when I convert the solution to string, then I can see the word "ODESolStruct" displayed.

My question is, how can I make maple display on the screen the word "ODESolStruct" in the solution, instead of using those "&" As that will make it more clear.

I am using worksheet on maple 18. Not document style. Here is an example:

restart;
ode:=diff(y(x),x$2)+a*exp(x)*sqrt(y(x));
sol:=dsolve(ode,y(x));

 The above was using 2D math display as default. If I use Maple notation as output I get:

----------------------------------------

restart:
ode:=diff(y(x),x$2)+a*exp(x)*sqrt(y(x)):
sol:=dsolve(ode,y(x));
sol := y(x) = `&where`(_a/exp(-2*(Int(_b(_a), _a))-2*_C1), [{diff(_b(_a), _a).......

-------------------------------------------

But now

convert(sol,string);
"y(x) = ODESolStruc(_a/exp(-2*Int(_b(_a),_a)-2*_C1),[{diff(_b(_a\ .............."

You can see now that the solution is ODESolStruct, but it is much more clear than the default solution above. But only when looking at the solution as string do I get it to show the word "ODESolStruct". 

Since odetest does not return zero, then maple did not solve it:

odetest(sol,ode);

btw, Compare the above to when Maple returns "DESol" structutre. In this case, it does now display on the screen the word "DESol":

restart;
ode:=diff(y(x), x, x)-y(x)*(a^2*x^(2*n)-1);
dsolve(ode,y(x));

Again, my question is:  Could I configure Maple to display in worksheet the solution using explicit ODESolStruct words instead of using "&" there to indicate more clearly the solution.

Maple 18.01, windows

restart;
ode:=2*a^2*y(x)-2*y(x)^3+3*a*(diff(y(x), x))+diff(y(x), x$2)=0;
dsolve(ode,y(x));

           returns y(x)=0

So does

ode:=2*a^2*y(x)-20*y(x)^3+3*a*(diff(y(x), x))+diff(y(x), x$2)=0;

ode:=2*a^2*y(x)-200*y(x)^3+3*a*(diff(y(x), x))+diff(y(x), x$2)=0;

ode:=2*a^2*y(x)-2000*y(x)^3+3*a*(diff(y(x), x))+diff(y(x), x$2)=0;

etc...

Is this a bug?

restart;
ode:=diff(y(x), x, x)-y(x)*(a^2*x^(2*n)-1);
dsolve(ode,y(x));

gives

     DESol({diff(_Y(x), x, x)+(-a^2*x^(2*n)+1)*_Y(x)}, {_Y(x)})

as answer. I read the help on DESol, but what does the above actually mean? Where is the solution of the ode? It just returned the ode back to me. Can I consider that Maple did not solve this ode in this case?

from help

"DESol is a data structure to represent the solution of a differential equation. It is to dsolve as RootOf is to solve."

I'd like to try the new Maple IDE

http://www.maplesoft.com/products/toolboxes/IDE/index.aspx

Maple IDE - Integrated Development Environment

Is there a way to obtain a trial version even for a week just to try it out? I do not want to spend all this money then find out it does not work well.

any one here uses this and can recommend it or comment on how well it works? For example, can one run Maple code directly from it and have the code execute in Maple, or must one load the file manually from the editor into Maple to run it each time they make any changes to the code?

restart;
k:=1;
sum(k^2,k=1..10);
      (in sum) summation variable previously assigned, second argument

gives an error, since k is not free. Fine. No problem. But add() has no problem with an assigned variable:

restart;
k:=1;
add(k^2,k=1..10);

and seq() has no problem either

restart;
k:=1;
seq(k^2,k=1..10);

It is confusing when learning Maple since it does not seem to behave the same way in all its functions. What is the reason for this design?