
                           The GAP 4 package 'simpcomp'
                           ============================


About
=====

simpcomp is a GAP package for working with simplicial complexes. It allows the 
computation of many properties of simplicial complexes (such as the f-, g- and 
h-vecors, the face lattice, the automorphism group, (co-)homology with explicit
basis computation, intersection form, etc.) and provides the user with functions
to compute new complexes from old (simplex links and stars, connected sums,
cartesian products, handle additions, bistellar flips, etc.). Furthermore, it
comes with an extensive library of known triangulations of manifolds and
provides the user with the possibility to create own complex libraries.
simpcomp caches computed properties of a simplicial complex, thus avoiding
unnecessary computations, internally handles the vertex labeling of the
complexes and insures the consistency of a simplicial complex throughout all
operations.
simpcomp relies on the GAP package homology for its homology computation, but
also provides the user with an own (co-)homology algorithm in case the packacke
homology is not available. For automorphism group computation the GAP package
GRAPE is used, which in turn uses the program nauty by Brendan McKay. An
internal automorphism group calculation algorithm in used as fallback if the
GRAPE package is not available.


License
=======

simpcomp is free software. The code is released under the GPL version 2 or later (at your preference).
For the text of the GPL see the file COPYING in the simpcomp directory or http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.


Dependencies
============

* GAP (>=4.4)
* Depending on GAP packages: GAPDoc (>= 0.9999), part of the core GAP system.
* Strongly suggested other packages: Homology (>= 1.4.2), GRAPE (>= 4.2)


Download and installation
=========================
   
   0. Download simpcomp
   1. Install the GAP system, version 4.4 or higher.
   2. (recommended) Install the GAP-packages Homology, version 1.4.2 or higher 
      and GRAPE, version 4.2 or higher.
   3. Download one of the simpcomp archives .zip, .tar.gz, .zoo
   4. Unpack the archive to the directory GAPROOT/pkg/.
   5. From within GAP, run "ReadPackage("simpcomp","tst/testshort.gap");" for a
      quick test, run "ReadPackage("simpcomp","tst/testall.gap");" for an
      extensive test.


Roadmap
=======

There are currently a few features that are planned to be supported in future
versions of simpcomp:

   * Extension of the library (pseudo manifolds, etc.)


Changes
=======

14/01/2010 - Version 1.1.21
- Improved performance of f-vector calculation (does not need face lattice
  any more)

26/11/2009 - Version 1.1.9
- Fixed loading errors of package when package `homology' is not loaded
- Added support for normal surfaces, along with additional documentation
- Complexes in library updated

16/11/2009 - Version 1.0.440
- Updated file and directory attributes to comply with GAP standard.
- Added function SCIntersectionFormSignature. Thanks to Michael Eisermann for
  helpful comments on calculating signatures of matrices without the need of
  calculating eigenvalues.

11/11/2009 - Version 1.0.435
- Updated Documentation 
- Updated GRAPE availability test to reliably work with GRAPE 4.3

26/10/2009 - Version 1.0.403
- Minor compatibility fixes in this release
- Fixed some error messages on undefined global variables during loading of 		
  simpcomp when the packages `homology' and/or `GRAPE' are not present
- Fallback to functions of `homology' package are now handled correctly
- Added extended testing functionality and SCRunTest

13/10/2009 - Version 1.0.389 
- Initial version

		
Bugs
====

We have thorougly tested simpcomp on errors. If you none the less encouter
errors or inconsistencies when working with simpcomp, please contact the
authors.


Contact
=======

Felix Effenberger (effenberger@mathematik.uni-stuttgart.de)

and

Jonathan Spreer (spreer@mathematik.uni-stuttgart.de).

Address: University of Stuttgart
Department of Mathematics
Institute of Geometry and Topology
D-70550 Stuttgart, Germany