ScientificPython is a collection of Python modules that are useful for
scientific applications. Most of them need the Numerical Python
extension (aka NumPy), which is available from SourceForge; see
http://numpy.sourceforge.net for details.

This is release 2.6 of ScientificPython. All the documentation is in
Doc. To browse the reference manual for all the modules, point your
browser at Doc/Reference/index.html.

If you find bugs, please tell me, and if you improve something, please
send me the modified version. I don't promise anything, but since I
use these modules a lot for my own work, I have an interest in keeping
them bug-free and usable.

For updates, check

  http://dirac.cnrs-orleans.fr/ScientificPython/

from time to time.


Konrad Hinsen
Centre de Biophysique Molculaire, CNRS Orlans, France
and
Synchrotron Soleil, Saint Aubin, France
E-Mail: hinsen@cnrs-orleans.fr

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Installation:
-------------

Required: Python 2.2 or higher. Most modules also require Numerical
Python. If you want to use the netCDF interface module, you also need
the netCDF library, version 3.0 or higher.

Installation is as simple as

    python setup.py build
    python setup.py install

(the second command requires root privileges on many installations).
This will build the netCDF module if it can find a netCDF installation
in either /usr/local or in /usr. If you you have installed netCDF
somewhere else, you must edit the file setup.py and replace "None" in
line 10 by the name of the base directory in quotes.


Note for Macintosh users: Scientific Python is available through the
fink project. However, you can also use the standard Unix installation
procedure if you prefer.


Using numpy or numarray:
------------------------

There are three nearly compatible implementations of numeric arrays for
Python: the original one, Numerical Python (module name "Numeric"),
a later rewrite called numarray, and an evolution of Numeric that integrates
features from numarray, called numpy. In the long run, NumPy will proabably
replace both Numeric and numarray.

Scientific Python was written for Numeric. A partial adaptation to
NumPy and numarray is available in the development releases. While the
numarray support will never be complete (numarray lacks some features
that Scientific Python requires), NumPy will be fully supported in the
future. However, the current NumPy integration is neither complete enough
nor well enough tested to include it in the stable release series.

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Examples:
---------

The directory Examples provides a few simple example applications,
including a C extension module that uses the netCDF C-API.


Using Scientific.Visualization.VMD under Windows
------------------------------------------------

If VMD is installed in its default location, everything should work
fine automatically. Otherwise, an error message will be printed. The
default location is

	c:\Program Files\University of Illinois\VMD\vmd.exe

or its equivalent on non-English Windows versions ("Program Files"
changes its name).
