Singular

i would try something along the following lines :

[code]
if ( !( (char(basering) == 0) || (npars(basering) > 1) || ( (npars(basering) == 1)&&(string(minpoly) == "0") ) ) )
{
"field is finite...";
}
[/code]

ps: here i don't consider the case of integer coeff. rings

for the cardinality one will need the degree of minpoly: just watch the powers: par(1)^i until reduction happen.

O.

Hello,


when defining a ring over a finite field, e.g.
[code]
ring rng = (49,a),x,dp;
basering;
// # ground field : 49
// primitive element : a
// minpoly : 1*a^3+6*a^2+4*a^0
// number of vars : 1
// block 1 : ordering dp
// : names x
// block 2 : ordering C

[/code]
howto
- check, that the coefficient ring is a (finite) field
- get a generator of the finite coefficient field
- get the cardinality of the finite coefficient field
(without parsing the string output above)

?