core functionality

Core functionality available in all applications.

User Functions

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    Interactive

    These functions are available in the interactive shell only.

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    apropos (pattern)

    List all help topics matching the given pattern. bash-like syntax for wildcards is supported.

    Parameters
    String pattern
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    forget_extension (path)

    Removes all references to the specified extension, so that the following polymake session won't load anything from it. Beware that in the current session all the rules and functions defined in the extension remain active! Therefore it's strongly recommended to quit the current session right after executing this command.

    Parameters
    String path
    : URI or top-level directory of the extension.
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    found_application (name, path)

    Create a directory tree for a new application, rooted at the given extension. The apps and build subtrees are created unterneath if necessary. If it's the first application being created or extended there, the path will be inserted in the custom list @lookup_applications.

    The new application is neither loaded at this moment, nor it is inserted in the @start_applications list. Both must be done manually at the appropriate time.

    A new core application can be created by entering the string "core" instead of the path argument. This option is only available in developer's mode, i.e. when polymake is invoked from the SVN copy of the source tree.

    Parameters
    String name
    : new application's name
    String path
    : top-level directory of the new or existing extension. By default, the first writeable directory listed in @lookup_applications will be taken.
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    found_extension (path)

    Found the extension for the current application rooted at the given directory. The apps and build subtrees are created unterneath if necessary. If it's the first application being created or extended there, the path will be inserted in the custom list @lookup_applications.

    Parameters
    String path
    : top-level directory of the extension. By default, the first writeable directory listed in @lookup_applications will be taken.
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    help (item)

    Display the help information or comments associated with a given item.

    If a single word without path separators / is given, it is looked for in the entire help hierarchy. If there are more than 5 matches, the corresponding help commands with full paths are generated and placed into the shell history buffer, so you can choose the themes of interest using the standard history navigation (arrow up/down keys).

    You may use TAB completion to navigate thru the category tree. Start with '/' to see the description of the current application. Descend via 'functions', 'objects', 'types', or 'preferences' to the topics of interest. If you stop in an intermediate category level, both the comment specific to this category and the list of subtopics will be displayed.

    Parameters
    String item
    : "word" | "category/subcategory/.../item"
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    history ()

    Let you choose and edit the commands typed earlier in the interactive shell. The complete history list is written in a temporary file, which is opened with a text editor. Until you store your favorite editor in the custom variable $history_editor, the values of environment variables VISUAL and EDITOR are consulted.

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    import_extension (path)

    Load the extension installed in the given directory. The path is also included in the custom list @lookup_applications for future sessions.

    Parameters
    String path
    : top-level directory of the extension.
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    load_commands (filename)

    Read the lines from the given file, filter out comments and empty lines, append them to the history list of the interactive shell, and enter the replay mode (see replay_history) starting at the first inserted line.

    Parameters
    String filename
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    reconfigure (rulefile)

    Repeats the auto-configuration routines stored in the given rulefile, possibly asking for program paths, options, etc. If the configuration succeeds, and the rulefile wasn't configured until now, it will be loaded.

    Parameters
    String rulefile
    : name of the rulefile, optionally prefixed with "application::" if it does not belong to the current application.
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    replay_history ()

    Bring the interactive shell in the replay mode. In this mode you can revisit, edit and execute the commands stored in the history. Simply press RETURN if you want to execute the command as is; alternatively you can edit it or jump over it using the usual history navigation keystrokes. The replay mode is switched off when the last history line has been executed or navigated over. You can leave it prematurely by entering Control-C as well. The replay mode is visually signaled by the history line number in square brackets displayed in the shell prompt.

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    save_history (filename)

    Saves the commands entered in the current and recent sessions in the file. Polymake does it automatically at the end of each interactive session; this command is provided for the case that you might want to store the commands in an alternative file and/or don't want to exit the session. Commands can be loaded using load_commands.

    Parameters
    String filename
    : defaults to ~/.polymake/history
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    show_credits (brief)

    Prints the short descriptions of third-party software packages available from within polymake, including the copyright holders and project site URLs. Please note that here you will see only packages for which the polymake interface has been successfully configured; try show_unconfigured command to see what's you currently missing.

    Parameters
    Bool brief
    : list the product names only, no descriptive text
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    show_preferences ()

    Prints the currently active preference lists.

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    show_unconfigured ()

    Prints the names of all rulefiles visible from the current application, which could not be loaded because of configuration failures (in most cases, due to some lacking external software). You may use the command reconfigure to load some of them if you have installed the required software and/or cleared other configuration questions.

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    unconfigure (rulefile)

    Forgets the configuration made for the given rulefile and disables it for the following polymake sessions.

    Parameters
    String rulefile
    : name of the rulefile, optionally prefixed with "application::" if it does not belong to the current application.