[GRASS-dev] WxPython front-end to ps.map

[Jáchym Čepický]

hi

> >> This is not meant replace a Print button for the current display
> >> monitor, it's a stand alone hardcopy plot generator. That print button
> >> could write to a ps.map file, but maybe it is very easy to write
> >> directly to PostScript from the map canvas, like Michael has done for
> >> gis.m?
>
> Yes, but currently what is written from the map canvas is the rasterized
> PNG image, not the original vector information, which makes working on
> the resulting ps file in a vector graphics program impossible...
>
> >
> > As soon as new map display class will be defined in wxPython, I would
> > like to build georectifing, ps.map and digitizing tool on top of it.
> >
>
> Is there any possibility of changing the display system so that vector
> data is displayed as such in the display or at least the content of the
> display could be directly exported to ps or pdf as vector ?
>
> Just naive questions, but this might determine whether it is better to
> concentrate on a ps.map frontend or on direct vector export of the display.
>
> Moritz
>

well, this puts us back to discussion about basic GUI concept. The
chosen one, Python+some graphical library (currently wxWidgets) stands
for

* fast development
* more people able to help with the development: it will be always
easier to learn python, then C(++) and it's usage together with
Qt/wxWdigets/Gtk+/...

but there are also some disadvantages:

* the gui will be never as fast as compiled one
* since there is no properly working swig interface, it would be very
difficult to access raster and vector data with help of Python. But it
would be very difficult to rewrite whole d.vect module in any other
language.

I would say, if we would need to rewrite Map Displays so they access
raster and vector files directly, we would need to code this parts in
C. It would take us too much time IMHO.

My imagination is, to use Map Display with pop-up tool bar(s) for
specific tools -- if there is someone, who disagrees with this point,
please raise your hand. ps.map is very good tool for creation of
hard-copy maps. It should not be too big task to add tool, which would
generate configuration file for ps.map based on map display content.

For the future, it would be good to improve d.vect to be able to
display e.g. dashed lines and so on and to improve ps.map so it is
possible to work with multiple raster tiles and so on.

Just my 2 cents

Jachym
-- 
Jachym Cepicky
e-mail: jachym.cepicky gmail com
URL: http://les-ejk.cz
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