PyVTK - Manipulate VTK files in Python
Author: Pearu Peterson
Keywords: python,vtk,pyvtk

# PyVTK Tools for manipulating VTK files in Python

by Pearu Peterson

## What's new?

0.4.73 (Feb 22, 2007)
  Minor bug fixes.
0.4.71 (May 18, 2006)
  Added numpy support. Bug fixes.
0.4.66 (January 26, 2003)
  Fixed binary write of UnstructuredGrid.
0.4.62 (November 19, 2002)
  Minor fixes.
0.4 (September 2, 2002)
  Writing binary files works (thanks to Hans Fangohr).
0.4 (June 8, 2001)
  VTK files reader (only for Python 2.x). Usage: `VtkData(filename)`
0.3 (May 21, 2001)
  First release.

## Introduction

PyVTK provides the following tools for manipulating Visualization Toolkit (VTK) files in Python:

VtkData
  Create VTK file from Python objects. It fully supports VTK File Formats Standard 2.0 (see also VTK File Formats Standard 3.0). The features include:
  - ascii and binary output, ascii input from VTK file
  - DataSet formats: StructuredPoints, StructuredGrid, RectilinearGrid, PolyData, UnstructuredGrid
  - Data formats: PointData, CellData
  - DataSetAttr formats: Scalars, ColorScalars, LookupTable, Vectors, Normals, TextureCoordinates, Tensors, Field

### Related software

- MayaVi - free, easy to use scientific data visualizer, written in Python by Prabhu Ramachandran.

### Requirements

1. Python (PyVTK is developed under Python 2.1, but it is tested to work also with Python 1.5.2 and 2.0)

### Download

Snapshots of release:
  rel-0.x/PyVTK-0.latest.tar.gz

### Installation

To install `PyVTK`, unpack the source file, change to directory `PyVTK-?.?.?` and run `python setup.py install`, or `make install` if under Python 1.x.

### CVS Repository

`PyVTK` is being developed under CVS and those who are interested in the latest version of `PyVTK` (possibly unstable) can get it from the repository as follows:

1. First you need to login (the password is `guest`):

       > cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@cens.ioc.ee:/home/cvs login

2. and then do the checkout:

       > cvs -z6 -d :pserver:anonymous@cens.ioc.ee:/home/cvs checkout python/pyvtk

3. In the directory `pyvtk` you can get the updates by hitting

       > cvs -z6 update -P -d

You can browse `PyVTK` CVS repository here.