manual/intro.tex

   1 \chapter{Introduction}
   2 \label{intro}
   3
   4 \PyX{} is a Python package for the creation of vector graphics. As
   5 such it readily allows one to generate encapsulated PostScript files
   6 by providing an abstraction of the PostScript graphics model.  Based
   7 on this layer and in combination with the full power of the Python
   8 language itself, the user can just code any complexity of the figure
   9 wanted. \PyX{} distinguishes itself from other similar solutions by
  10 its \TeX{}/\LaTeX{} interface that enables one to make direct use of
  11 the famous high quality typesetting of these programs.
  12
  13 A major part of \PyX{} on top of the already described basis is the
  14 provision of high level functionality for complex tasks like 2d plots
  15 in publication-ready quality.
  16
  17 \section{Organisation of the \PyX{} package}
  18
  19 The \PyX{} package is split in several modules, which can be
  20 categorised in the following groups
  21
  22 \begin{tableii}{l|l}{textrm}{Functionality}{Modules}
  23   basic graphics functionality &   \module{canvas}, \module{path}, \module{deco}, \module{style}, \module{color},
  24   and \module{connector}
  25   \\
  26   text output via \TeX{}/\LaTeX{} &   \module{text} and \module{box}
  27   \\
  28   linear transformations and units &   \module{trafo} and \module{unit}
  29   \\
  30   graph plotting functionality &  \module{graph} (including submodules)
  31   and \module{graph.axis} (including submodules)
  32   \\
  33   EPS file inclusion & \module{epsfile}
  34 \end{tableii}
  35
  36 These modules (and some other less import ones) are imported into the
  37 module namespace by using
  38 \begin{verbatim}
  39 from pyx import *
  40 \end{verbatim}
  41 at the beginning of the Python program.  However, in order to prevent
  42 namespace pollution, you may also simply use \samp{import pyx}.
  43 Throughout this manual, we shall always assume the presence of the
  44 above given import line.a
  45
  46
  47
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