[GRASS-dev] hardcoded 'xterm': wrapper?

[Glynn Clements]

Moritz Lennert wrote:

> >>>> After this change any command from d.m that spawns terminal (d.zoom,
> >>>> r.digit etc.) is broken on my Ubuntu Dapper, where gnome-terminal is a
> >>>> default terminal.
> >>>>
> >>>> In spearfish60:
> >>>>
> >>>> $ d.m
> >>>> add any layer
> >>>> display it
> >>>> press Zoom
> >>>>
> >>>> gnome-terminal pops-up saying:
> >>>>
> >>>> ---
> >>>> /usr/local/grass-6.3.cvs/etc/grass-run.sh: line 30: d.zoom: command not
> >>>> found
> >>>>
> >>>> ERROR: d.zoom exited abnormally. Press <enter> to continue.
> >>>> ---
> >>> It appears that gnome-terminal resets $PATH.
> >>>
> >>> In which case, you need to either set GRASS_XTERM to "xterm" to force
> >>> the use of an xterm instead, or figure out how to make gnome-terminal
> >>> preserve $PATH.
> >> gnome-terminal is a default terminal for Gnome as you know. That means
> >> that not only I, but most Gnome would have to do it. This means that
> >> d.m in Grass 6.3 will be broken on many Linux boxes by default. If we
> >> don't want it, shouldn't the change that breaks Grass 6.3 on Gnome
> >> should be reverted?
> >>
> >> What was wrong about using xterm by deafult?
> > 
> > Programs which require a terminal should arguably use the user's
> > preferred terminal by default. Of course, that reasoning falls down if
> > the user's preferred terminal is signficantly broken.
> > 
> > Have you checked whether this is an actual gnome-terminal
> > bug/misfeature, or whether it's just your configuration that's causing
> > problems?
> 
> I can confirm the problem, and up to now, I have not been able to find a 
> command switch to gnome-terminal which allows to keep environment 
> variables...

In which case, grass-xterm-wrapper should simply set GRASS_XTERM to
"xterm" if it isn't already set, and not attempt to use
x-terminal-emulator.

If the user wants to use x-terminal-emulator, they'll need to set
GRASS_XTERM themselves, and ensure that their chosen program works.

GRASS uses environment variables extensively; a terminal emulator
which clears the environment is essentially detaching itself from the
GRASS session.

-- 
Glynn Clements <glynn at gclements.plus.com>