README
=======

                                   EXACUS
           Efficient and Exact Algorithms for Curves and Surfaces
         Max-Planck-Institut für Informatik in Saarbrücken, Germany
                http://www.mpi-inf.mpg.de/projects/EXACUS/

EXACUS -- Efficient and Exact Algorithms for Curves and Surfaces -- is a
project at the Algorithms and Complexity Group (D1) at the Max-Planck-
Institut für Informatik in Saarbrücken, Germany, since 2001. We work on 
a set of C++ libraries for efficient and exact algorithms for curves and 
surfaces.

See the files

  - COPYING:      for the license overview.
  - LICENSE.QPL:  for the Q Open Source license applicable to most files.
  - LICENSE.AS:   for the license of some files in Module SoX derived
                  from work in LEDA and licensed by Algorithmic Solutions
                  Software GmbH (needs separate download)
  - INSTALL:      for detailed installation instructions.
  - index.html:   entry page for tutorials and reference documentation.

EXACUS consists of several libraries (or modules), namely Support, NumeriX,
SweepX and ConiX. Other modules are expected in future releases. The
modules have an abbreviated name given in parentheses that is used in
the directory structure, as name prefix, and as namespace scope. 

  - Library Support (LiS): Acts as a foundation layer and provides 
    configuration, assertion, IO, memory management, generic algorithms, 
    and other low level support for software libraries. 

  - NumeriX Library (NiX): Provides the algebraic and numerical foundations 
    with number type support, polynomials, matrices, numerical and exact
    methods for solving polynomial equations, determinants, resultants, and 
    more. 

  - SweepX Library (SoX): Provides a generic sweep line algorithm to 
    compute the planar arrangement of segments of algebraic curves.

  - ConiX Library (CnX): Provides conics in the plane, predicates on conics
    and their intersections, and computes the arrangement of conics in the
    plane.

In each module, the directory structure is as follows:

<module>
  |
  +--- include/<mod>/    include files (<mod> is the abbreviated library name)
  |
  +--- src/              source files (i.e., non-templated code that is
  |                      compiled into a library upon installation)
  |
  +--- manual/           additional documentation files
  |
  +--- demos/            demo programs and data
  |      |
  |      +--- examples/  example programs used in the tutorials
  |
  +--- benchmarks/       benchmark programs
  |
  +--- test/             test programs
  |
  +--- doc/html/         HTML documentation (created during the build process
                         or available as a separate archive)