Re: [igraph] Language remmendations

[Tom Backer Johnsen]

Tamas Nepusz wrote:
> > I have downloaded the documentation for the R version of igraph 
> > package.   However, I have not been able to locate anything 
> > specifically for the 2.5 version of Python.  Does that mean that the
> > calls on functions are essentially the same?
> Not exactly, but there are no huge differences. The most notable difference is that in Python, igraph's 
> functionality is mostly implemented as methods on instances of a Graph object, while you just simply 
> call functions in R. So, in Python, you do something like this:
>
> > > > from igraph import *
> > > > g = Graph([(0,1), (1,2), (2, 0), (0,3)])
> > > > print g.diameter()
>
> (Note that "diameter" is a method of the newly created Graph object, not an independent function of 
> its own).
>
> At any point in Python, you can simply type help(Graph) to get the documentation of the Graph 
> object which encapsulates most of igraph's functionality. (Of course this works only if you executed 
> "from igraph import *" before to import igraph's objects into the main namespace). Note that the list 
> of Graph methods is fairly long; if you are looking for the documentation of a specific method, you 
> can call help() with that specific method.
>
> By the way, the full API of igraph's Python interface is to be found here:
>
> http://cneurocvs.rmki.kfki.hu/igraph/doc/python/
>
> The best starting points are the documentation for the Graph and GraphBase 
> classes:
>
> http://cneurocvs.rmki.kfki.hu/igraph/doc/python/igraph.Graph-class.html
> http://cneurocvs.rmki.kfki.hu/igraph/doc/python/igraph.GraphBase-class.html

For some reason the links do not work for me at the moment, but that may 
be temporary.
> (Note that Graph is inherited from GraphBase and you shouldn't use GraphBase 
> directly)
>
> I'm in the process of writing a tutorial for the Python interface; it should be ready in a week or so, 
> please let me know if you want to take a look at it before the next release.

I would really appreciate that.  At the moment I am leaning towards the 
use of Python, and that might be a help.
> > Also, the R documentation I have is at least half a year old, which
> > may make a difference, given the fair amount of activity on this list.
> The most recent stable version of igraph is 0.5.1; if your R docs are for that 
> version, then that's fine.

That is the version I have.
> > For instance, would it be advisable to drop Python altogether and exclusively 
> > work
> > with a combination of Netlogo and R?  Or is the versatility of Python useful?
> I'm not really familiar with NetLogo; if you feel that connecting NetLogo with R can be done without 
> too much effort, then I think it's better for you to go with them as you know both of these tools. On 
> the other hand, I use Python extensively and I do all my network-related research using Python and 
> igraph's Python interface - but I know that the docs for the Python interface could be made better 
> (and I'm working on it).

That is reassuring.  In any case, that you for a very informative 
response to my somewhat vague questions!

Tom