ATOMS

Contents

ATOMS
1. Supported platforms
2. How to use ATOMS?
ATOMS for developers

ATOMS is the packaging system of Scilab external modules. Through this tool, it is trivial to install prebuilt Scilab modules.

The idea is similar to the one developed by most of the Linux/BSD distributions. With just one function, a module can be installed including its dependencies.

Supported platforms

ATOMS modules are available for all supported Scilab platforms. That means Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux & Mac OS X.

However, modules which only contains Scilab macros are available on non-supported operating system.

How to use ATOMS?

Use ATOMS GUI

Scilab includes a GUI to facilitate the use of ATOMS. This GUI is also available through the Scilab menu "Applications".

atomsGui();

Search of a module

The function atomsSearch("keywords") allows the search of available modules.

For example:

-->atomsSearch("network")
 ans  =

!lolimot  A fast neural network - LOcal LInear MOdel Tree  !
!                                                          !
!metanet  Graph and Network toolbox                        !

The first column is the name of the module.

Install a module

The function atomsInstall("name_of_the_module") allows to install a Scilab module packaged in ATOMS.

For example:

-->atomsInstall("metanet");

On the next start of Scilab, the module will be loaded automatically. To load it manually, call:

atomsLoad("metanet");

[1]Voir atomsInstall

Remove a module

The function atomsRemove("name_of_the_module") allows to uninstall a Scilab module packaged in ATOMS.

For example:

atomsRemove("metanet");

[1]Voir atomsRemove

Configure the network proxy

See the Scilab documentation on http://help.scilab.org/docs/current/en_US/atomsSetConfig.html

ATOMS for developers

How can I have my module included to ATOMS?

Your steps are:

Develop your toolbox following the example of toolbox_skeleton
Register on http://atoms.scilab.org/login
Fill the form on http://atoms.scilab.org/add/

Once it is done, we will process your module shortly (generation of binary versions for available platforms, ...).

Note : if you are posting your sources, don't forget to set its class as "sources of a valid Scilab package".

When you receive a feedback from us, your module will be available for all users.

Once it has been validated, to take this change into account in your local Scilab, update your package list by running:

atomsSystemUpdate()

[1]Voir atomsSystemUpdate

What are the technical expectations ?

To make an ATOMS module from a contribution, we need several things:

follow the module structure of toolbox_skeleton. If your module only contains macros, sci_gateway and src folders are not necessary. However, a .start and a .quit are mandatory in etc folder (to load the module), as well as a builder.sce (to build the module) and DESCRIPTION/DESCRIPTION-FUNCTIONS files (formatted in the same way as toolbox_skeleton).
it is not mandatory but help pages and tests are most welcome (and may become mandatory in the next releases, so please do not skip them, you will also help your users this way).
features must be available as functions (.sci with a function in it and not .sce calling straight the feature)

Scilab distribution is providing a skeleton/template for Scilab modules: SCI/contrib/toolbox_skeleton or on the ATOMS website

If you work depends on a third party native library, let us know and please provide as much as information as possible. If you don't want your module to be packaged under a certain OS, please let us know after posting it.

What kind of restrictions is there?

There is no restriction on the kind of modules which are accepted into ATOMS as long as they provide a new Scilab feature (whatever it is).

Since we need to build the module, sources must be available. However, there is no restriction on the license of a module (even if we prefer free licenses).

In any case, do not submit binary files, as they are often not working on different OS or configurations.

Will you modify my module?

Sometimes, we have to patch to make sure that the module builds and runs perfectly. We usually send back the patches for upstream incorporation. Those change are usually :

wrapping your module in a folder named "yourmodulename"
adding a yourmodulename.quit in etc folder
fixing typo/case sensitive problems for building/loading the module (mostly in builder.sce, yourmodulename.start, yourmodulename.quit)

Consider those points before submitting a module, as they are quickly fixed by you and often make us lose a lot of time, which could be used improving ATOMS and fixing its bugs!

I have just a Scilab function/macro and I would like to have it into ATOMS

No problem, just submit it.

I have some modules/toolboxes on the toolboxes center, what will happen to them?

If your work is available on Scilab Toolboxes Center, please migrate it to ATOMS website. Even if you do not want to have your module available in Scilab through ATOMS, please migrate it.

Note : the contribution website ("Scilab Toolboxes Center" not ATOMS website) is now deprecated and is only kept for historic reasons.

ATOMS admin created a new version of my module

This is usually because you set your module as available for Scilab greater or equal to 5.3.0. In order to package it for Scilab 5.4, we need to create a new module, with the same archive and the same code, but in a different version number than 5.3 (you can notice it is set as greater or equal to 5.4). This is mainly due to some change we will bring in Scilab 5.4 way of managing ATOMS modules, in order to make it more precise. Another change like this may appear for Scilab 6.0.

If you package your modules on your own, please note that a working compiled module for 5.3.0 may not be functional for 5.4.x, especially if you are not only dealing with macros but also with C, C++ or Fortran.

Guidelines while submitting a module

clean your package : do not include binary files (.bin, .lib, .dif, .o, .obj files).
create tests for your package : this way, using atomsTest, we can check much quickier if it works on every platform.
name you .zip or .tar.gz as nameoftoolbox-x.x-src.zip or nameoftoolbox-x.x-src.tar.gz, where x.x represent the version number.
create a folder, in the zip/tar.gz file, named nameoftoolbox, in which you put everything.
while submitting, declare it as sources of a package, not as simple file, if you want it to be compiled by our compilation chain.
make it coherent : if you named it with special uppercases on atoms, name it with special uppercases in the folders names and in the builders files, at least.
be sure to have a yourtoolbox.start AND yourtoolbox.quit, and that they respect the uppercases of your module. It should match the url of your module, for example http://atoms.scilab.org/toolboxes/Cardiovascular will have a Cardiovascular.start, Cardiovascular.quit, and a TOOLBOX_NAME Cardiovascular, and not CardioVascular.