python-loader

[John N S Gill <jng renre com>]

Background:  I'd love to be able to control gnumeric with python.  I'd
like to be able to bring up a python console from gnumeric to do some
scripting.  I would also like to be able to load data into and
manipulate a gnumeric spread-sheet.  I'd like to be able to write macros
in python.

I've been rooting around within gnumeric trying to get my head around
the python support that is in gnumeric.

So far I've done the following:

      * checked out gnumeric from CVS and compiled
      * had a root around in plugins/python-loader and plugins/py-func

python-loader has an interesting sounding python console, but the code
in the .xml.in file had this commented out.  Optimistically, I
uncommented it and re-compiled.

It compiles ok, but the when i fire up gnumeric i get a warning that the
'ui' service isn't around :(.

Is there somewhere I can look for some hints as to how all this plugin
stuff is supposed to work/where i can find a ui service?

Thanks for everyone's work on gnumeric -- this cvs compile was the first
time i've had it running under gnome 2 + it is all looking very pretty.

John

PS understand that all these scripting issues will require a firm API
first, at this stage I'm just trying to get a feel for what is involved
in the process.