Managing GAP packages

load(spec::String, version::String = ""; install::Union{Bool, String} = false, quiet::Bool = true)

Try to load the GAP package given by spec, which can be either the name of the package or a local path where the package is installed (a directory that contains the package's PackageInfo.g file).

If version is specified then try to load a version of the package that is compatible with version, in the sense of GAP's CompareVersionNumbers function, otherwise try to load the newest installed version. Return true if this is successful, and false otherwise.

If install is set to true or to a string and (the desired version of) the required GAP package is not yet installed and spec is the package name then install is called first, in order to install the package; if no version is prescribed then the newest released version of the package will be installed. A string value of install can be the URL of an archive or repository containing a package, or the URL of a PackageInfo.g file, like the first argument of install.

The function calls GAP's LoadPackage function. If quiet is set to false then package banners are shown for all packages being loaded. The quiet value is also passed on to install.

install(spec::String, version::String = "";
                      interactive::Bool = true, quiet::Bool = false,
                      debug::Bool = false,
                      pkgdir::AbstractString = GAP.Packages.DEFAULT_PKGDIR[])

Download and install the GAP package given by spec into the pkgdir directory.

spec can be either the name of a package or the URL of an archive or repository containing a package, or the URL of a PackageInfo.g file.

If spec is the name of a package then the package version can be specified by version, in the format described for GAP's CompareVersionNumbers function. In all other cases the newest released version of the package will get installed.

Return true if the installation is successful or if (a version compatible with version) of the package was already installed, and false otherwise.

The function uses the function InstallPackage from GAP's package PackageManager. The info messages shown by this function can be suppressed by passing true as the value of quiet. Specifying interactive = false will prevent PackageManager from prompting the user for input interactively. For details, please refer to its documentation.

update(spec::String; interactive::Bool = true, quiet::Bool = false,
                     debug::Bool = false,
                     pkgdir::AbstractString = GAP.Packages.DEFAULT_PKGDIR[])

Update the GAP package given by spec that is installed in the pkgdir directory, to the latest version. Return true if a newer version was installed successfully, or if no newer version is available, and false otherwise.

spec can be either the name of a package or the URL of an archive or repository containing a package, or the URL of a PackageInfo.g file.

The function uses the function UpdatePackage from GAP's package PackageManager. The info messages shown by this function can be suppressed by passing true as the value of quiet. Specifying interactive = false will prevent PackageManager from prompting the user for input interactively. For details, please refer to its documentation.

remove(spec::String; interactive::Bool = true, quiet::Bool = false,
                     debug::Bool = false,
                     pkgdir::AbstractString = GAP.Packages.DEFAULT_PKGDIR[])

Remove the GAP package with name spec that is installed in the pkgdir directory. Return true if the removal was successful, and false otherwise.

The function uses the function RemovePackage from GAP's package PackageManager. The info messages shown by this function can be suppressed by passing true as the value of quiet. Specifying interactive = false will prevent PackageManager from prompting the user for input interactively. For details, please refer to its documentation.

build(name::String; quiet::Bool = false,
                    debug::Bool = false,
                    pkgdir::AbstractString = GAP.Packages.DEFAULT_PKGDIR[])

Build the GAP package with name name that is installed in the pkgdir directory.

If no package with name name is installed in pkgdir but there is a version of name bundled with the GAP package distro, this version is copied to pkgdir and built.

Return true if the build was successful, and false otherwise.

The function uses the function CompilePackage from GAP's package PackageManager. The info messages shown by this function can be suppressed by passing true as the value of quiet.

locate_package(name::String)

Return the path where the GAP package with name name is installed if this package is loaded, and "" otherwise.