Cleaned up handling of new species

3 files changed, 10 insertions, 5 deletions

diff --git a/Python/pywarpx/Particles.py b/Python/pywarpx/Particles.py
index 395a888d7..757a49d00 100644
--- a/Python/pywarpx/Particles.py
+++ b/Python/pywarpx/Particles.py
@@ -22,3 +22,8 @@ particle_dict = {'electrons':electrons,
                  'positrons':positrons,
                  'protons':protons
                  }
+
+def newspecies(name):
+    result = Bucket(name)
+    particles_list.append(result)
+    return result
diff --git a/Python/pywarpx/WarpX.py b/Python/pywarpx/WarpX.py
index 7a05c40fb..d7a37a6fa 100644
--- a/Python/pywarpx/WarpX.py
+++ b/Python/pywarpx/WarpX.py
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ class WarpX(Bucket):
         argv += particles.attrlist()
         argv += laser.attrlist()
 
-        if not particles_list:
-            # --- This is needed in case only species_names has been set,
-            # --- assuming that only the built in particle types are being used.
-            for pstring in particles.species_names.split(' '):
+        # --- Search through species_names and add any predefined particle objects in the list.
+        # --- assuming that only the built in particle types are being used.
+        for pstring in particles.species_names.split(' '):
+            if hasattr(Particles, pstring):
                 particles_list.append(getattr(Particles, pstring))
 
         for particle in particles_list:
diff --git a/Python/pywarpx/__init__.py b/Python/pywarpx/__init__.py
index 14d028a45..c3f824e8f 100644
--- a/Python/pywarpx/__init__.py
+++ b/Python/pywarpx/__init__.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from .Geometry import geometry
 from .Algo import algo
 from .Langmuirwave import langmuirwave
 from .Interpolation import interpolation
-from .Particles import particles, electrons, positrons, protons
+from .Particles import particles, electrons, positrons, protons, newspecies
 from .Laser import laser
 
 #from .timestepper import TimeStepper