1 Introduction
  
  The  Utils  package provides a space for utility functions from a variety of
  GAP  packages to be collected together into a single package. In this way it
  is  hoped  that they will become more visible to other package authors. This
  package was first distributed as part of the GAP 4.8.2 distribution.
  
  The package is loaded with the command
  
    Example  
    
    gap> LoadPackage( "utils" ); 
    
  
  
  Functions have been transferred from the following packages:
  
      Conversion of a GAP group to a Magma output string, taken from various
        sources including other.gi in the main library.
  
  Transfer is complete (for now) for functions from the following packages:
  
      AutoDoc [GH16] (with function names changed);
  
      ResClasses [Koh17b];
  
      RCWA [Koh17a];
  
      XMod [WAOU17].
  
  The  package  may  be obtained either as a compressed .tar file or as a .zip
  file, utils-version_number.tar.gz, by ftp from one of the following sites:
  
      the Utils GitHub release site: https://gap-packages.github.io/utils/.
  
      any                  GAP                 archive,                 e.g.
        https://www.gap-system.org/Packages/packages.html;
  
  The      package      also      has      a     GitHub     repository     at:
  https://github.com/gap-packages/utils.
  
  Once  the  package  is loaded, the manual doc/manual.pdf can be found in the
  documentation  folder.  The  html  versions, with or without MathJax, may be
  rebuilt as follows:
  
    Example  
    
    gap> ReadPackage( "utils", "makedoc.g" ); 
    
  
  
  It  is  possible  to  check that the package has been installed correctly by
  running the test files (which terminates the GAP session):
  
    Example  
    
    gap> ReadPackage( "utils", "tst/testall.g" );
    Architecture: . . . . . 
    testing: . . . . . 
    . . . 
    #I  No errors detected while testing
    
  
  
  Note  that functions listed in this manual that are currently in the process
  of  being  transferred are only read from the source package Home (say), and
  so  can  only  be  used  if  Home has already been loaded. There are no such
  functions in transition at present.
  
  
  1.1 Information for package authors
  
  A  function  (or  collection  of  functions) is suitable for transfer from a
  package Home to Utils if the following conditions are satisfied.
  
      The  function  is  sufficiently non-specialised so that it might be of
        use to other authors.
  
      The function does not depend on the remaining functions in Home
  
      The  function  does not do what can already be done with a GAP library
        function.
  
      Documentation of the function and test examples are available.
  
      When  there is more than one active author of Home, they should all be
        aware (and content) that the transfer is taking place.
  
  Authors  of  packages may be reluctant to let go of their utility functions.
  The  following  principles  may help to reassure them. (Suggestions for more
  items here are welcome.)
  
      A  function  that  has  been  transferred to Utils will not be changed
        without the approval of the original author.
  
      The  current  package  maintainer has every intention of continuing to
        maintain  Utils.  In  the  event  that this proves impossible, the GAP
        development team will surely find someone to take over.
  
      Function  names  will  not be changed unless specifically requested by
        Home's author(s) or unless they have the form HOME_FunctionName.
  
      In  order  to  speed  up the transfer process, only functions from one
        package  will  be in transition at any given time. Hopefully a week or
        two will suffice for most packages.
  
      Any  package  author  who transfers a function to Utils will become an
        author  of Utils. (In truth, Utils does not have authors, just a large
        number of contributors.)
  
  The  process  for  transferring  utility  functions  from  Home  to Utils is
  described in Chapter 11.