def write_lammps_inputs(output_dir, script_template, settings=None,
                        data=None, script_filename="in.lammps",
                        make_dir_if_not_present=True, **kwargs):
    """
    Writes input files for a LAMMPS run. Input script is constructed
    from a str template with placeholders to be filled by custom
    settings. Data file is either written from a LammpsData
    instance or copied from an existing file if read_data cmd is
    inspected in the input script. Other supporting files are not
    handled at the moment.

    Args:
        output_dir (str): Directory to output the input files.
        script_template (str): String template for input script with
            placeholders. The format for placeholders has to be
            '$variable_name', e.g., '$temperature'
        settings (dict): Contains values to be written to the
            placeholders, e.g., {'temperature': 1}. Default to None.
        data (LammpsData or str): Data file as a LammpsData instance or
            path to an existing data file. Default to None, i.e., no
            data file supplied. Useful only when read_data cmd is in
            the script.
        script_filename (str): Filename for the input script.
        make_dir_if_not_present (bool): Set to True if you want the
            directory (and the whole path) to be created if it is not
            present.
        **kwargs: kwargs supported by LammpsData.write_file.

    Examples:
        >>> eam_template = '''units           metal
        ... atom_style      atomic
        ...
        ... lattice         fcc 3.615
        ... region          box block 0 20 0 20 0 20
        ... create_box      1 box
        ... create_atoms    1 box
        ...
        ... pair_style      eam
        ... pair_coeff      1 1 Cu_u3.eam
        ...
        ... velocity        all create $temperature 376847 loop geom
        ...
        ... neighbor        1.0 bin
        ... neigh_modify    delay 5 every 1
        ...
        ... fix             1 all nvt temp $temperature $temperature 0.1
        ...
        ... timestep        0.005
        ...
        ... run             $nsteps'''
        >>> write_lammps_inputs('.', eam_template, settings={'temperature': 1600.0, 'nsteps': 100})
        >>> with open('in.lammps') as f:
        ...     script = f.read()
        ...
        >>> print(script)
        units           metal
        atom_style      atomic

        lattice         fcc 3.615
        region          box block 0 20 0 20 0 20
        create_box      1 box
        create_atoms    1 box

        pair_style      eam
        pair_coeff      1 1 Cu_u3.eam

        velocity        all create 1600.0 376847 loop geom

        neighbor        1.0 bin
        neigh_modify    delay 5 every 1

        fix             1 all nvt temp 1600.0 1600.0 0.1

        timestep        0.005

        run             100


    """
    variables = {} if settings is None else settings
    template = Template(script_template)
    input_script = template.safe_substitute(**variables)
    if make_dir_if_not_present and not os.path.exists(output_dir):
        os.makedirs(output_dir)
    with open(os.path.join(output_dir, script_filename), "w") as f:
        f.write(input_script)
    read_data = re.search(r"read_data\s+(.*)\n", input_script)
    if read_data:
        data_filename = read_data.group(1).split()[0]
        if isinstance(data, LammpsData):
            data.write_file(os.path.join(output_dir, data_filename), **kwargs)
        elif isinstance(data, str) and os.path.exists(data):
            shutil.copyfile(data, os.path.join(output_dir, data_filename))
        else:
            warnings.warn("No data file supplied. Skip writing %s."
                          % data_filename)