packages -- Macaulay2 packages

A package is a body of Macaulay2 source code devoted to a particular topic. Many packages are distributed with Macaulay2, and others are available from the author's homepage.

To load a package, say FirstPackage, use either of the following methods.

i1 : loadPackage "FirstPackage"

o1 = FirstPackage

o1 : Package

i2 : needsPackage "FirstPackage"

o2 = FirstPackage

o2 : Package

For technical information about packages, see Package.

Macaulay2 searches for the file FirstPackage.m2 on your search path. The packages provided with Macaulay2 are on your search path, as is your current working directory.

Using existing packages

• loadPackage -- load a package
• needsPackage -- load a package if not already loaded
• dismiss -- dismiss a package
• importFrom -- import symbols to the current private dictionary
• loadedPackages -- the list of loaded packages

Creating a new package

• creating a package
• newPackage -- the preamble of a package
• installPackage -- load and install a package and its documentation
• uninstallPackage -- uninstall a package and remove its documentation

Writing documentation for a package

• writing documentation
• doc -- a simple documentation function

Debugging a package

• the debugger
• debug(Package) -- open the private dictionary of a package
• check(Package) -- perform tests of a package

Documentation for the packages provided with Macaulay2 is already installed. To install documentation for another package, use installPackage.

installPackage FirstPackage

You may see what packages have been loaded with the variable loadedPackages.