9. Python interface

MathGL provide the interface to a set of languages via SWIG library. Some of these languages support classes. The typical example is Python – which is denoted in the chapter title.

To use Python classes just execute ‘import mathgl’. The simplest example will be:

import mathgl
a=mathgl.mglGraph()
a.Box()
a.WritePNG('test.png')

Alternatively you can import all classes from mathgl module and easely access MathGL classes:

from mathgl import *
a=mglGraph()
a.Box()
a.WritePNG('test.png')

It become aloud if you will create many mglData object.

There are 2 classes in Python interface:

• mglGraph – provide practically the same functionality as C++ class mglGraph (see section MathGL core). But it is not abstract class and it allows one to select at construction stage which plotter (ZB or PS and so on) will be used.
• mglData – is absolutely the same class as C++ mglData (see section mglData class). But an additional feature to acess data values is added. You can use construction like this: dat[i]=sth; or sth=dat[i] at this flat representation of data is used (i.e., i can be in range 0...nx*nx*nz-1.

There is main difference from C++ classes – Python class mglGraph don't have variables (options). All corresponding features are moved to methods. The core of MathGL Python class is mglGraph class. It contains a lot of plotting functions for 1D, 2D and 3D plots. So most of sections is describe its methods. Its constructor have following arguments:

Constructor on mglGraph (Python): mglGraph (int kind=0, int width=600, int height=400)

Create the instance of class mglGraph with specified sizes width and height. Parameter type may have following values: ‘0’ – use mglGraphZB plotter (default), ‘1’ – use mglGraphPS plotter, ‘2’ – use mglGraphGL plotter, ‘3’ – use mglGraphIDTF plotter.