Glossary

This glossary contains the description of terms used throughout the HelloTriangle documentation and that might not be immediately clear to first time users. Since it is expected that users will have at least a basic knowledge of Python, typical Python terms will not be explained here. Some NumPy terms are included.

array_like

Any sequence that can be interpreted as a Numpy ndarray. This includes nested lists, tuples, scalars and existing arrays.

coords_like

A Coords object or data that can be used to initialize a Coords object.

eltype_like

Either an ElementType instance or the name of such an instance.

control

The widget a declared parameter is rendered as — a slider, number box, toggle, dropdown, file picker or text box. Which one appears is inferred from the parameter’s default and bounds rather than chosen directly. See Parameters.

level

The dimensionality of a basic geometric entity. The highest level (3) are volumetric entities (cells). Surfaces (and faces of cells) are level 2. Lines (including face edges) are level 1. Finally, points are level 0.

parameter

A value a script exposes as a control, declared with param() and related functions. Declaring one both creates the control and returns its current value, so a script is its own description of what can be configured. The controls are discovered by running the script. See Parameters.

plexitude

The number of points used to describe a basic geometric entity. For example, a straight line segment has plexitude 2, a triangle has plexitude 3, a quadrilateral and a tetrahedron have plexitude 4. And a point obviously has plexitude 1.

preset

A named set of parameter values a script offers, declared with param_preset(), that the controls can be filled from in one click. A preset sets only the parameters it names. See Parameters.

seed

Data that can be used as argument in the smartSeed() function. This means either a single int, a tuple containing an int ant optionally one or two end attractors, or a sorted list of float values in the range 0.0 to 1.0.