The GAP Character Table Library
===============================

The GAP Character Table Library is an add-on package for both GAP 3.4
and GAP 4.

To get the newest released version, download the archive file
(where 'xrypz' stands for the highest available version number)
    ctbllib-xrypz.tar.gz
from
     http://www.math.rwth-aachen.de/~Thomas.Breuer/ctbllib
and unpack it using
    gunzip ctbllib-xrypz.tar.gz; tar xvf ctbllib-xrypz.tar

Note that if you use a web browser for downloading the archive file the
'gunzip' step above may already be done by the browser, although the name of
your file may still have the misleading '.gz' extension.

The unpacking is done preferably (but not necessarily) inside the 'pkg'
subdirectory of your GAP 4 installation,
see the sections "Installing a GAP Package" and "GAP Root Directories"
in the GAP 4 Reference Manual.
Unpacking the archive creates a subdirectory called 'ctbllib'.

After this installation, the GAP Character Table Library is usually loaded
automatically when GAP is started;
if not then it can be loaded explicitly by typing

  gap> LoadPackage( "ctbllib" );

at the GAP prompt.
Then the functions and data of the package are available in the current
GAP session.

A few introductory examples can be found in the "Tutorial" chapter of the
package manual.
You can read this via GAP's online help by entering

  gap> ?Tutorial for the GAP Character Table Library

at the GAP prompt.

If you have found important features missing or if there is a bug,
let us know and we will try to address it in the next version of the
GAP Character Table Library.
Please send a short email to

          Thomas Breuer    <sam@math.rwth-aachen.de>

This holds also if you have used the GAP Character Table Library
to solve a problem.


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For those who want to use the package with GAP 3.4
--------------------------------------------------

The installation for GAP 3.4 works like the installation for GAP 4.5,
the package gets installed via unpacking the archive file in the `pkg'
directory of the GAP 3.4 installation.

When GAP 3 is started, the outdated character table library
is available by default.
For replacing it by the new one, one has to type

  gap> RequirePackage( "ctbllib" );

at the GAP prompt.

If one wants to use the new character table library as the default,
one can put the `RequirePackage' statement into one's .gaprc file
(see the GAP 3.4 Reference Manual for details).

The value of the global variable `TBLNAME' allows one to decide
which character table library is actually used.
Namely, it ends with "tbl/" if the outdated library is used,
and with "ctbllib/data/" if the new library is used.

The manual of the GAP Character Table Library is intended for GAP 4.5,
in particular the cross-references refer to the GAP 4.5 Reference Manual.
So when using the new character table library with GAP 3.4,
one should still consult the documentation of the character table library
contained in the Reference Manual of GAP 3.4.