IBB-Helper 0.2.0

Helper functions for symbolic math, matrix visualization, and plotting

Matrix and Plotting Helper Toolkit

Author: University of Stuttgart, Institute for Structural Mechanics (IBB) License: BSD3
Version: 2.0
Date: October 10, 2025

Description

This helper module currently provides 11 specialized functions for symbolic mathematics, matrix visualization, and plotting operations. Designed for SymPy, NumPy, Matplotlib, and Plotly integration in Jupyter Notebooks and Python environments.

Note: This toolkit is under active development with frequent updates and improvements. Please check back regularly for new features, bug fixes, and enhanced functionality.

Helper Functions

1. DMAT - Display truncated matrices with optional numerical evaluation
2. DIS - Format scalars, vectors, or matrices in LaTeX for display
3. DIS_EI - Compute and display eigenvalues/eigenvectors with LaTeX formatting
4. plot_2d - Plot symbolic expressions or datasets in 2D using Matplotlib
5. plot_3d - Plot symbolic 3D surfaces using Plotly for interactive visualization
6. extend_plots - Merge multiple plots side-by-side with horizontal offsets
7. append_plots - Stack multiple Matplotlib/Plotly plots into combined figures
8. plot_param_grid - Plot 2D parametric surface grids with control points
9. symbolic_BSpline - Generate symbolic B-spline basis functions with plotting
10. num_int - Numerically integrate symbolic expressions over 1D domains
11. Minimize - General optimization wrapper for symbolic expressions with constraints

Dependencies

• Python 3.8+
• numpy, sympy, matplotlib, plotly
• IPython (for LaTeX rendering)

Quick Start

from IBB_Helper import DIS,DMAT,plot_2d,plot_3d

# Display matrix
DMAT(np.array([[1, 2], [3, 4]]), name="A")

# Show symbolic expression  
DIS(sp.sin(x)**2 + sp.cos(x)**2, name="Identity")

# Plot 2D curves
plot_2d([sp.sin(x), sp.cos(x)], var=(x, (-np.pi, np.pi)))

# Plot 3D surface
plot_3d(sp.sin(x*y), var=(x, (-2, 2), y, (-2, 2)))

Development Status

This is an ongoing project with regular enhancements. Updates might include:

• New helper functions
• Performance optimizations
• Extended compatibility
• Bug fixes and stability improvements

Notes

• Optimized for education, research, and technical documentation
• Seamless SymPy/NumPy integration
• Enhanced LaTeX formatting for presentations