[GRASS-dev] more NVIZ updates

[Michael Barton]

On 12/5/06 2:14 AM, "Hamish" <hamish_nospam at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Michael Barton wrote:
>> I took out the scale panel. It had no functionality at all. It was
>> just a set of widgets that didn't do anything. In the docs it is
>> listed as not implemented.
> 
> note: the nviz docs are notoriously out of date, don't take their word
> for it that something is or isn't implemented.
> 
> I'm playing around with adapting the north arrow code, but I see in the
> code comments that there is a TODO for better scaling. I don't want to
> enable a scale which is known to be incorrect. (see attached patch
> [crude, using north arrow Tcl controls to draw it. "Nset_Narrow" C code
> will be the same, so reused it (need to migrate to wrapper fn)])
> 
>> I also took out the label sites panel. It has some related code, but
>> it is not functional. In the docs it is listed as not implemented.
>> Looking at the code, it seems to apply to the old sites format. I
>> don't know what it would take to make it work with current vector
>> formats.
> 
> It would be nice to be able to label vector points, I suggest v.label as
> an easy method of doing this.
> 
>> I kept all other panels, but split some up (e.g., separated labels and
>> legend into separate panels). I took out a very few non-functional
>> widgets: the clear screen checkbutton on the main panel, the lower
>> entry in the fringe panel, and I think one other (can't remember right
>> now). None of these had any functional commands attached. I kept in
>> the z-coord slider for the cutting planes. It doesn't seem to do
>> anything, but it has code attached. Maybe I should have cut it out
>> too.
>> 
>> Having an interface with a bunch of controls that do nothing is really
>> frustrating. So I tried to avoid this. NVIZ does a lot anyway. Taking
>> out the non-functional parts helps people make better use of the parts
>> that do work.
> 
> ok.
> 
>> I also got the auto draw toggle checkbox to actually work in most
>> panels.
> 
> where's that? ah I see, top right pulldown menu from the main controls
> 
> 
> 
> 
> some comments/suggestions:
> 
> * "Visualize->Volumes" is confusing as vector volumes can exist too
> (watertower, dinosaur)
> 
> * make the green text of "DRAW", DRAW CURRENT darker. It's hard to read
> against the grey window background. the NSEW placement arrow isn't as
> bad, but I'd still make it and the blue text a bit less bright.
> 
> * In Vis->Vect points get rid of the empty space when no map is loaded.
> when a map is loaded, have the thematic controls toggle down instead of
> always there. aka hide the advanced options so not to overwhelm the
> user with a 747 cockpit of controls.
> 
> * Rast/Vol panels: don't bother with drop down menus for lists of 2 or 3
> items (Drawmode, Style, Shading ; Vis type, Shading) You can have all
> opts on the main panel + a column title without losing much real estate.
> There's plenty of vertical space in those two panels to play with.
> 
> * If you go Vis->Vector pts then Vis->Scaled diff, the points panel
> doesn't close automatically. Same with a number of other combinations of
> panels.
> 
> * fringe: fix the positioning of the fringe corners. Setting the Raster
> fine resolution to "1" helps a bit. the error depends on that setting.
> 
> * default Label text size is very small. Suggest default font size of
> 17? (16 doesn't exist for me  "Cannot Load Font\nTrying default Font")
> 
> 
> 
> thanks for the updats, NVIZ has long lingered in a semi-finished state,
> especially the various decorations.
> 
> 

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll look into these.


__________________________________________
Michael Barton, Professor of Anthropology
School of Human Evolution & Social Change
Center for Social Dynamics and Complexity
Arizona State University

phone: 480-965-6213
fax: 480-965-7671
www: http://www.public.asu.edu/~cmbarton