NAME

       regina-python - Regina's command-line Python interface

SYNOPSIS

       regina-python [ -q, --quiet | -v, --verbose ] [ -n, --nolibs ] [ -a, --noautoimport ]

       regina-python [ -q, --quiet | -v, --verbose ] [ -n, --nolibs ] [ -a, --noautoimport ] [ -i, --interactive
       ] script [ script-args ]

DESCRIPTION

       Regina  is  a  software  package  for  studying 3-manifold triangulations and normal surfaces.  Other key
       features include angle structures, census enumeration, combinatorial recognition of  triangulations,  and
       high-level  tasks such as 3-sphere recognition and connected sum decomposition.  Regina comes with a full
       graphical user interface, and also offers Python bindings and a low-level C++ programming interface.

       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 Regina's mathematical engine will be made available through the module regina, which will be
       imported on startup (effectively running import regina).  Moreover, unless the option  --noautoimport  is
       passed, all of Regina's objects, classes and methods will be imported directly into the current namespace
       (effectively running from regina import *).

       If  you  have  frequently-used code, you can store it in a user library.  At the beginning of each Python
       session, Regina will automatically run all of the code in all of your user libraries.  The list  of  user
       libraries  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.  You can also configure this list
       of libraries through the graphical user interface: see the Python options page.

       Instead of starting an interactive Python session, you can  pass  a  Python  script  (with  arguments  if
       desired).   In  this case Regina will run the script (after first importing the regina module and loading
       any user libraries).  If you pass --interactive, Regina will leave you at a Python prompt once the script
       finishes; otherwise it will exit Python and return you to the command line.

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  when the session starts.  User libraries are discussed in the
              overview above.

       -a

       --noautoimport
              Still import the regina module, but do not automatically import all of Regina's  objects,  classes
              and  methods  into  the  current namespace (that is, do not run from regina import *).  This means
              that  (for  example)   the   main   3-manifold   triangulation   class   must   be   accessed   as
              regina.NTriangulation, not just NTriangulation.

       -i

       --interactive
              Run  the  script  in interactive mode.  After executing the given script, Regina will leave you in
              the Python interpreter to run your own additional 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 variable 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 in the 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.  By default, Regina tries to run the same
              version of Python that it was built against.

              In general you should use the same version of Python that  Regina  was  built  against;  otherwise
              Python might not be able to load the regina module.

              In normal situations you should never need to set this option yourself.

       REGINA_HOME
              The directory in which Regina's data files are installed.  This should be the directory containing
              the icons/ subdirectory, the examples/ subdirectory and so on.

              If  you  are running Regina directly out of the source tree, this defaults to the top-level source
              directory.  If  you  are  running  Regina  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 hard-wired into the
              startup script (it is set at compile time).  If you install Regina into  one  directory  but  then
              move it by hand into another, the default REGINA_HOME will be incorrect.

       REGINA_PYLIBDIR
              The directory containing the Python module regina.so.

              If  you  are  running  Regina directly out of the source tree, this defaults to a directory within
              this source tree.  If you are running Regina from a proper  installation,  this  defaults  to  the
              corresponding installation directory.

              If  you  have  installed  Regina's  Python  module in a standard Python location (i.e., Python can
              import it directly without extending sys.path), then  REGINA_PYLIBDIR  should  be  left  empty  or
              undefined.

              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.  If you install Regina into one directory but then move it  by
              hand into another, the default REGINA_PYLIBDIR will be incorrect.

MACOS X USERS

       If  you  downloaded a drag-and-drop app bundle, this utility is shipped inside it.  If you dragged Regina
       to the main Applications folder, you can run it as /Applications/Regina.app/Contents/MacOS/regina-python.

WINDOWS USERS

       The command regina-python is not available under Windows.  However, you can still use Python scripting in
       Regina's graphical user interface, by opening a graphical Python console or using script packets.

SEE ALSO

       regina-gui.

       Regina comes with thorough API documentation, which describes in detail all of the objects,  classes  and
       methods  that  Regina  makes available to Python.  You can access this documentation via Help->Python API
       Reference in the graphical user interface, or read  it  online  at  http://regina.sourceforge.net/engine-
       docs/.

AUTHOR

       Many  people  have been involved in the development of Regina; see the users' handbook for a full list of
       credits.

                                                 23 August 2014                                 REGINA-PYTHON(1)