[GRASS-dev] running with GISBASE as a symlink?

[Hamish]

William Kyngesburye wrote:
> A couple notes on the problem.

> Hamish wrote:
> > I am trying to work around this QGIS GRASS-plugin bug:
> >   https://svn.qgis.org/trac/ticket/346
> >
> > (the OSX file picker won't let me select GISBASE which is within a
> > subdirectory of /Apps/GRASS.app/; it's greyed out)
>
> Indeed, on OSX you can't navigate into an application package.  And,  
> depending on Finder options, you may or may not see the .app
> extension.
>
> If it's a valid GRASS installation and was built against that  
> particular GRASS, it should work - a unix path can refer to something 
> inside an app package with no problem.  As long as that GRASS is not  
> moved, Qgis GRASS plugin should find it and not ask for a GISBASE.   
> Once GRASS is moved, Qgis needs to ask where it now is.

If I start QGIS from the GRASS command line (your 6.2.1 package), then
$GISBASE is already set and the GRASS plugin works, but $GISBASE is not
stored.

If I start QGIS from outside GRASS it asks for GISBASE, but then I run
into the GRASS.app/ selection problem.

Indeed setting $GISBASE as an enviro var before launching QGIS from a
(non-GRASS) Terminal gets it to work.

Also to note WRT hardcoding paths: The first thing I did after
installing your GRASS.app was to rename it GRASS_6.2.1.app. Too many
machines in the student computer lab to keep track of details otherwise.
Also have that in a /Apps/Grass/ folder, as I store PDF instructions
manuals there too.
 
> One solution I can think of, and that I'll probably do with my Qgis  
> binary in the future, is to package the necessary GRASS libraries and 
> support in the Qgis app.  That way there are no worries of moving  
> GRASS around and having to set GISBASE, or making sure you have the  
> right GRASS version.  It works for me with my GDAL framework -  
> currently my Qgis build uses the GRASS libraries I have in my GDAL  
> framework.
> 
> I wonder - are you using the Qgis.org download of Qgis and trying to  
> use my GRASS.app with it?  This email implies that, though your Qgis  
> bug says Lorenzo's.  There *may* be library version incompatibilities.

I am now working with the 0.8pre2 binary from qgis.org + your 6.2.1
package + your 17 Dec frameworks package.

Earlier I was working with Lorenzo's 6.2.0beta2 package + grasslibs.
These are now outdated & removed.


> As for hacking the path, ~/Library/Preferences/org.qgis.qgis.plist.   
> Don't know the setting name to use, though.  Maybe GRASS.GISBASE?

Yes, on the mac it seems to be ~/Library/Preferences/org.qgis.qgis.plist
But it is a binary file I don't know how to modify/browse that?

On linux it is stored in ~/.qt/qgisrc as a simple text file:
[grass]
gisbase=...

so "GRASS.GISBASE" is a good guess.


> Or you could try using the GRASS libraries inside my GDAL framework -
> you can navigate into a framework package. Or try my Qgis build ^_^

In the future perhaps, but for now I would like to help fix this problem
at the root.


> -----
> William Kyngesburye <kyngchaos at kyngchaos.com>
> http://www.kyngchaos.com/
> 
> All generalizations are dangerous, even this one.



cheers,
Hamish