~vcs-imports/scipy/trunk

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Developing SciPy

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.. Contents::

What is SciPy?

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

SciPy (pronounced "Sigh Pie") is open-source software for mathematics,

science, and engineering.  It includes modules for statistics, optimization,

integration, linear algebra, Fourier transforms, signal and image processing,

ODE solvers, and more.  It is also the name of a very popular conference on

scientific programming with Python.

The SciPy library depends on NumPy, which provides convenient and fast

N-dimensional array manipulation. The SciPy library is built to work with

NumPy arrays, and provides many user-friendly and efficient numerical routines

such as routines for numerical integration and optimization. Together, they

run on all popular operating systems, are quick to install, and are free of

charge. NumPy and SciPy are easy to use, but powerful enough to be depended

upon by some of the world's leading scientists and engineers. If you need to

manipulate numbers on a computer and display or publish the results, give

SciPy a try!

SciPy structure

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

SciPy aims at being a robust and efficient "super-package" of a number

of modules, each of a non-trivial size and complexity.  In order for

"SciPy integration" to work flawlessly, all SciPy modules must follow

certain rules that are described in this document. Hopefully this

document will be helpful for SciPy contributors and developers as a

basic reference about the structure of the SciPy package.

Currently SciPy consists of the following files and directories:

  INSTALL.txt

    SciPy prerequisites, installation, testing, and troubleshooting.

  THANKS.txt

    SciPy developers and contributors. Please keep it up to date!!

  README.txt

    SciPy structure (this document).

  setup.py

    Script for building and installing SciPy.

  MANIFEST.in

    Additions to distutils-generated SciPy tar-balls.  Its usage is

    deprecated.

  scipy/

    Contains SciPy __init__.py and the directories of SciPy modules.

SciPy modules

+++++++++++++

In the following, a *SciPy module* is defined as a Python package, say

xxx, that is located in the scipy/ directory.  All SciPy modules should

follow the following conventions:

* Ideally, each SciPy module should be as self-contained as possible.

  That is, it should have minimal dependencies on other packages or

  modules.  Even dependencies on other SciPy modules should be kept to a

  minimum.  A dependency on NumPy is of course assumed.

* Directory ``xxx/`` must contain 

  + a file ``setup.py`` that defines

    ``configuration(parent_package='',top_path=None)`` function.  

    See below for more details.

  + a file ``info.py``. See below more details.

* Directory ``xxx/`` may contain 

  + a directory ``tests/`` that contains files ``test_<name>.py``

    corresponding to modules ``xxx/<name>{.py,.so,/}``.  See below for

    more details.

  + a file ``MANIFEST.in`` that may contain only ``include setup.py`` line.

    DO NOT specify sources in MANIFEST.in, you must specify all sources

    in setup.py file. Otherwise released SciPy tarballs will miss these sources.

  + a directory ``docs/`` for documentation.

For details, read:

  http://projects.scipy.org/numpy/wiki/DistutilsDoc

Documentation

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

The documentation site is here

    http://docs.scipy.org

Web sites

---------

The user's site is here

    http://www.scipy.org/

The developer's site is here

    http://projects.scipy.org/scipy/wiki

Mailing Lists

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

Please see the developer's list here

    http://projects.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/scipy-dev

Bug reports

-----------

To search for bugs, please use the NIPY Bug Tracker at

    http://projects.scipy.org/scipy/query

To report a bug, please use the NIPY Bug Tracker at

    http://projects.scipy.org/scipy/newticket

License information

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

See the file "LICENSE" for information on the history of this

software, terms & conditions for usage, and a DISCLAIMER OF ALL

WARRANTIES.