Re: [guppi-list] Re: Radical suggestion/question

[Conrad Steenberg <conrad srl caltech edu>]

On Wed, 26 Jan 2000, Jon Trowbridge wrote:

> On Wed, Jan 26, 2000 at 12:04:47PM -0800, Conrad Steenberg wrote:
> > 
> > How about switching to python for an embedded language? (Puts on asbestos
> > suit ;-)
> 
> Why switch?  Why not just offer both?

Maaiinntaanaaanncee. But hey, you're the maintainer ;-)

> 
> Seriously.  It has been my intention to get python bindings into Guppi
> eventually, and I don't see why they couldn't happily coexist with
> guile bindings.

Great!

> I'm hoping that some accomplished python hacker(s) will volunteer to
> add python scripting.  Anyone who wanted to work on that would get my
> full support.

OK, I'll bite. But accomplished is not exactly the right word :-) Although
I do use (numerical) python to earn my daily bread.

But before I start, I would like you to have a look at my own pet project
at http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/conrad/gnocci/gnocci.tar.gz

It is/was the start of an ambitious plotting/drawing/... program that is
document-based, rather than just data/plot-based. Since you say you aim
high with guppi, maybe you could think about this for guppi...

Just configure/make then run src/gnocci, no need to install. Create a
new document and page. You should be able to draw a polyline by holding
down ctrl, left-click with the mouse, middle-click to start a new segment,
and finish the line with a right-click.

On the left is a tree view of objects, the middle pane are the page views,
and on the right is a python interpreter window. You can add a new page
view by clicking the right icon in the toolbar (look at the tooltips). The
new view will come up blank, but you can switch to the current page by
middle clicking on an item in the tree view. 

* You can have multiple documents with multiple pages. Any view may
display any page.
* Views may become windows on the desktop by clicking the reparent icon.
* All the buttons/line types/page sizes/palette/object types etc. are
registered via a plugin mechanism.

* Its probably full of bugs so you can crash it by breathing too loud :-)

I'll look at the new data model and then think really hard whether I would
like to work on gnocci or guppi...

Cheers!

*-----------------------------------------*                                  
| Conrad Steenberg                        |                                  
| Caltech, Mail Code 220-47               |                                  
| Pasadena, CA, 91125                     |                                  
| e-mail: conrad@srl.caltech.edu          |                                  
| Tel: (626) 395-2964 Fax: (626) 449-8676 |                                  
*-----------------------------------------*                                  

"Source code is the blueprint for software, like a set of spells that humans
can read and use to control machines. Access to source code is power."
Rachel Chalmers