[GRASSLIST:1085] Re: Looking for a guru...

[Bill Dickinson Jr]

Hey there, Kirk:

I have tried several approaches. I started out by trying to compile 
from source by tracking down each component, installing, and then 
making sure everything worked together properly. Most of the 
components (gdal, R-language, tcl/tk, etc.) installed without a 
problem, but I ran into difficulties when I got to the point of 
installing GRASS itself and Postgresql. I ran around in circles for a 
little bit with this until I cam across Fink - the OS X package 
manager.

Once I had Fink and realized that there was an install of GRASS 
through it, I cleaned out my previous install attempt and tried to do 
it completely through Fink. At first glance, just about everything 
you need can be installed through Fink except a small handful of 
dependents like R-Language. However, I started running into a new 
problem where the GRASS and Postgresql .info files were not written 
correctly. Postgresql .info was looking for several things in the 
wrong places for OS X, though this was corrected with a new .info 
file last month. The GRASS .info file also had some code not quite 
right and no response from the maintainer of the file about when it 
would be updated.

I ran into a lot of problems with Postgresql, so I decided to try 
MySQL as the database. The MySQL install went smoothly, though I did 
start running into problems with getting GRASS to talk to MySQL 
properly. I am currently at the point where both GRASS and MySQL are 
installed, but I can't use GRASS yet because I haven't found the 
right approach to make them work together - GRASS can't use or write 
to the MySQL database folders yet.

I have done a decent amount of surfing on the web and it seems like 
all the working installations of GRASS are on Linux boxes. With each 
problem I had I found other people who had similar problems trying to 
install GRASS on OS X, which leads to a lack of confidence that this 
is an easy thing to do at this point.

There is always the option of OpenOSX's GRASS CD, but I don't 
currently have any money at work for purchasing software. NASA uses 
ESRI's ArcGIS as it's "official" GIS solution, but I have been trying 
to show that there is another option that would work just as well as 
ESRI without the ridiculous cost - another reason that I have been 
trying to install without paying for anything.

I *want* to use my Mac as my primary GIS application platform, but 
the only reason I am still beating my head against this wall is 
because I am just plain stubborn. ;-)  ESRI leaves me stranded on a 
Wintel machine, but the Mac is a better platform - if I could just 
get the damned software working correctly.

Overall, at this point in time, I wouldn't recommend relying on GRASS 
on a Mac as your GIS solution. Or if you do, also budget for 
OpenOSX's GRASS cd-rom as it does have a limited amount of technical 
support that may make the difference in getting everything working 
quickly. Maybe in another 6-12 months doing a self-install of GRASS 
will work better, but right now it is an uphill struggle.

Bill

>Bill,
>
>I find your email troubling in that I was about to purchase a new G5
>with the intention of running grass. I am currently using a freebsd box,
>but am in need of some faster hardware and more disk space. However,
>before I run off and buy a g5, I'd like to think that the install would
>go smoothly. Are you compiling grass from source or is there a binary
>that you are trying to get installed?
>
>If you get off list responses to your querry would you mind either
>forwarding them to me or doing a summary (once you get grass running on
>os x)? Thanks in advace...
>
>Kirk
>
>
>On Tue, 2003-09-02 at 09:23, Bill Dickinson Jr wrote:
>>  Hey there:
>>
>>  I have been running in circles for about 2 months now trying to get
>>  GRASS installed on my OS X box and have yet to get it successfully
>>  running. If there is someone out there who has successfully installed
>>  and is currently running GRASS on their Mac, and would have the time
>  > to talk me through yet another installation attempt, I would
>>  appreciate the assist. My "friends" keep telling me to stop beating
>>  my head against the OS X wall and simply use a Linux box, but being a
>>  Mac-fanatic I would really like to have it working on my Mac. ;-)
>>
>>  Thanks.
>>
>>  Bill
>--
>Kirk R. Wythers			Department of Forest Resources
>Tel: 612.625.2261		University of Minnesota
>Fax: 612.625.5212		1530 Cleveland Ave. N
>Email: kwythers at umn.edu		Saint Paul, MN 55108 USA


-- 

Bill Dickinson
GIS Specialist
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Environmental & Safety Branch, Code 250
wdickins at pop700.gsfc.nasa.gov