writing gnumeric functions in python

[Skip Montanaro]

I'm using Gnumeric 0.64 as delivered with Mandrake 8.0.  I'm trying to
figure out what you can do in Python to program the Gnumeric spreadsheet.  I
couldn't find anything in the Gnumeric manual.  I have a few questions and
was hoping someone here could steer me in the right direction.

    1. Do I have to add functions to the central startup file
       (.../python/gnumeric_startup.py) or can I define a Python module
       somewhere in my personal directory tree that will get loaded?

    2. Is there any documentation about writing functions for Gnumeric in
       Python?

    3. Can you define some sort of macro in Python or are you limited to
       functions?  (In fact, does Gnumeric have *any* sort of macro
       recording facility?)

    4. Is there some way I can explore the available functionality in the
       gnumeric and gnumeric_defs modules that are imported in
       gnumeric_startup.py? 

I ask the last two because my main use for spreadsheets is to generate
tabular lists, not do data analysis.  For that purpose, it's more important
for me to use macros to simplify data entry than it is to expand the
repertoire of data analysis functions.

Thanks,

-- 
Skip Montanaro (skip at pobox.com)
(847)971-7098