[GRASS-dev] grass and python

[William Kyngesburye]

On Aug 12, 2006, at 12:45 PM, Michael Barton wrote:

> In order to support multiple sessions, I think you simply need to  
> start
> multiple shells (i.e., command parser with environment settings)  
> for GRASS
> commands to run in. Lorenzo's binaries will do that now. The biggest
> convenience for me of multiple GRASS sessions is being able to work in
> multiple locations simultaneously (though only for brief times or I  
> get
> confused).
>
I sometimes also run multiple GRASS sessions (easy - new Terminal  
window) - handy if I run something in one mapset that takes a LONG  
time, I can putter around with stuff in another mapset.  I think  
Lorenzo's handling multiple sessions is because his OSX app actually  
does manage multiple sessions (I don't know), much like I'm thinking  
about how a wxpython might manage multiple sessions, or workspaces,  
the 'document' analogy.  Or maybe it just quits after starting GRASS.

My OnMyCommand startup just passes the startup on to the Terminal and  
the grass init.sh, but OMC app happens to continue running (doing  
nothing) while the GRASS shell continues to run.  Thus, the OMC app  
can't run again to start another GRASS session.

The Python py2app startup (independent of the wxpython GUI) I came up  
with can run multiple sessions, since the python startup app starts  
the GRASS shell in the Terminal, then quits, leaving GRASS running  
and leaving the user the possibility of running the python startup  
again.

My OMC and python startups don't manage GRASS sessions.

hmmm, at least I should try to get the OMC startup to not wait around  
for GRASS to quit for now.


> I've only messed with the app building a couple of times--and  
> didn't get it
> right yet.
>
GRASS.app building, or Mac OS X app building in general?  Xcode and  
Mac app development is much too hardcore for me.  I'm better off with  
casual programming and scripting and tinkering.

I have a working Python app startup as an alternative to the OMC  
method I currently use in my app binary.  I want something buildable  
and distibutable as source that can either be easily used by anyone  
to build a GRASS.app from source or possibly even included in the  
GRASS source as an option.  Then others could more easily play around  
with Mac app builds and customize them.


-----
William Kyngesburye <kyngchaos at kyngchaos.com>
http://www.kyngchaos.com/

Earth: "Mostly harmless"

- revised entry in the HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy