NAME
regina-python - Regina command-line Python interface
SYNOPSIS
regina-python [ -q, --quiet | -v, --verbose ] [ -n, --nolibs ]
regina-python [ -q, --quiet | -v, --verbose ] [ -n, --nolibs ] [ -i,
--interactive ] script [ script-args ]
DESCRIPTION
Regina is a topological calculator with a bent towards normal surface
theory. It allows 3-manifolds to be created and manipulated and their
properties of interest to be determined.
This command starts an interactive Python session for Regina. This
will be a command-line Python session, with direct text input/output
and no graphical user interface. All of the objects, clases and
methods from the Regina calculation engine will be made available to
the user in the module regina, which will be imported on startup.
Before the session begins, a number of libraries may be loaded.
Libraries are simply files containing Python code to be run at the
beginning of each Python session. The list of libraries to load will
be read from the text file ~/.regina-libs, which should contain one
library filename per line. Blank lines and lines beginning with a hash
(#) will be ignored. Note that the list of currently active libraries
can also be configured through the KDE user interface on the Python
options page.
Instead of starting an interactive Python session, a python script can
be passed (with arguments if desired). In this case the script will be
run, again with the regina module imported and libraries loaded
beforehand. Once the script has finished the user will be returned to
the command-line, i.e., there will be no subsequent Python interaction
(this behaviour can be changed by passing --interactive).
Note that regina-python may be run directly out of its source tree
without being properly installed. Default locations for various Regina
components will be transparently modified to look inside the source
tree.
OPTIONS
-q
--quiet
Start in quiet mode. No output will be produced except for
serious errors. In particular, warnings will be suppressed.
This is equivalent to setting the environment variable
REGINA_VERBOSITY=0.
-v
--verbose
Start in verbose mode. Additional diagnostic information will
be output.
This is equivalent to setting the environment variable
REGINA_VERBOSITY=2.
-n
--nolibs
Do not load any user libraries. This refers to the libraries
specified in ~/.regina-libs and/or configured through the KDE
user interface, as described in the overview above.
-i
--interactive
Run the script in interactive mode. The given script will be
executed, and then the user will be left in the Python
interpreter to run their own additonal commands.
This option is only available when a script is passed. If no
script is passed, regina-python will always start in interactive
mode.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
The following environment variables influence the behaviour of this
program. Each of these variables can also be set in the local
configuration file ~/.regina-python using a line of the form
option=value. Environment variables will take precedence over values
read from this configuration file.
REGINA_VERBOSITY
Specifies how much output should be generated. Recognised
values are:
0 Display errors only; this is equivalent to passing the
option --quiet.
1 Display errors and warnings; this is the default.
2 Display errors, warnings and diagnostic output; this is
equivalent to passing the option --verbose.
REGINA_PYTHON
The command used to start the Python interpreter. If the
command python can be found on the path then this option
defaults to the full path of that command (such as
/usr/bin/python).
Note that this must be the same version of Python that Regina
was compiled against. Otherwise the regina module will be
unable to be loaded.
REGINA_HOME
The directory in which Regina data files are installed. This
should be the directory containing the scripts/ subdirectory,
the icons/ subdirectory and so on.
If Regina is being run directly out of the source tree, this
defaults to the top-level source directory. If Regina is being
run from a proper installation, this defaults to the
corresponding installation directory.
In normal situations you should never need to set this option
yourself.
Warning: When running from a proper installation, the default
REGINA_HOME is actually hard-wired into the startup script (it
is derived at compile-time from the options passed to
./configure). This means that if Regina is installed into one
directory using make install and then moved to another directory
by hand, the default REGINA_HOME will be incorrect.
REGINA_PYLIBDIR
The directory containing the Python module regina.so.
If Regina is being run directly out of the source tree, this
defaults to a directory within this source tree. If Regina is
being run from a proper installation, this defaults to the
corresponding installation directory.
In normal situations you should never need to set this option
yourself.
Warning: Like REGINA_HOME, when running from a proper
installation the default REGINA_PYLIBDIR is hard-wired into the
startup script. This means that if Regina is installed into one
directory using make install and then moved to another directory
by hand, the default REGINA_PYLIBDIR will be incorrect.
SEE ALSO
regina-kde.
The calculation engine documentation should also be installed,
describing in detail all of the Regina objects, classes and methods
that are available. This is generally installed in
/usr/share/regina/engine-docs/ or /usr/local/share/regina/engine-docs/,
though your distribution may differ.
AUTHOR
Regina was written by Ben Burton <bab@debian.org> with help from
others; see the documentation for full details.
12 May 2009