PyWavelets is a free Open Source wavelet transform software for Python programming language. It is written in Python, Pyrex/Cython and C for a mix of easy and powerful high-level interface and the best performance.
PyWavelets is very easy to start with and use. Just install the package, open the Python interactive shell and type:
>>> import pywt >>> cA, cD = pywt.dwt([1, 2, 3, 4], 'db1')
Voilà! Computing wavelet transforms never before has been so simple :)
The main features of PyWavelets are:
- 1D and 2D Forward and Inverse Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT and IDWT)
- 1D and 2D Stationary Wavelet Transform (Undecimated Wavelet Transform)
- 1D and 2D Wavelet Packet decomposition and reconstruction
- Approximating wavelet and scaling functions
- Over seventy built-in wavelet filters and custom wavelets supported
- Single and double precision calculations supported
- Results compatibility with Matlab Wavelet Toolbox™
PyWavelets is a Python programming language package and requires Python 2.4, 2.5 or 2.6 installed. The only external requirement is a recent version of NumPy numeric array module.
Current release, including source and binary release for Windows, is available for download from the Python Package Index at:
The latest development version can be found in the wavelets.scipy.org’s SVN source code repository:
svn co http://wavelets.scipy.org/svn/multiresolution/pywt/trunk pywt
The most convenient way to install PyWavelets is to use the setuptools‘ Easy Install manager:
easy_install -U PyWavelets
In order to build PyWavelets from source, a working C compiler and a recent version of Cython is required.
After completing the build environment, open the shell prompt, go to the PyWavelets source code directory and type:
python setup.py install
See also
Development notes section contains more information on building from source code.
For Windows users there is a standard binary installer available for download from the Python Package Index. Just execute it to install the package on your computer.
Also binary packages for several Linux distributors are maintained by Open Source community contributors. Please consult your favourite package manager tool for python-wavelets, python-pywt or similar package name.
Note
If you happen to maintain a PyWavelets Linux binary package please put information and your name on the wiki download page or contact me and I will update the page. Thanks for help!
To verify the installation process try running tests and examples from the tests and demo directories included in the source distribution. Note that most of the examples relies on the matplotlib plotting package.
PyWavelets is a free Open Source software available under the MIT license terms.
Post your suggestions and guestions to PyWavelets discussions group (pywavelets@googlegroups.com). You can also contact me directly at en@ig.ma. Comments, bug reports and fixes are welcome.
There’s also a wiki and trac system available at the wavelets.scipy.org site to improve documentation, post cookbook recipes or submit enhancement proposals and bug reports.