[GRASS-dev] Re: [GRASS-CVS] michael: grass6/lib/init gis_set.tcl,
1.24, 1.25
Helena Mitasova
hmitaso at unity.ncsu.edu
Mon Jul 17 21:25:46 EDT 2006
On Jul 17, 2006, at 4:21 PM, Michael Barton wrote:
> Markus,
>
> I'm happy to see suggestions. Here is my rational for wording
> changes. Maybe
> there can be better wording than my quick fix.
>
> I'm trying to think of a user who knows something about GIS and is
> opening
> GRASS for the first time. Before she or he can do anything--even
> start the
> program--they have to choose a "database", "location", and "mapset".
>
> But what is a database? Of course everyone knows that a database is an
> attribute table or related set of attribute tables defined in a data
> dictionary. Except that's not what a GRASS database is. It is
> simply the
> directory/folder where "locations" are stored.
>
> But what is a location? Of course that is a place, maybe where your
> study
> area is located. But how do you select that? Except in GRASS, a
> "location"
> is really a folder with definitions of the projection (including
> 'geographic
> projections' like latlon), coordinate system, and optionally the
> extents
> defining a particular part of the world. More people would probably
> understand what we mean if we ask them to choose the projection/
> coordinate
> system than to choose a "location".
>
> Then you have to select a "mapset". But what is a mapset. In GRASS,
> that's
> where your GIS files are stored--which is what this hypothetical
> new user
> has really wanted to get at all along.
>
> Every time I try to explain how to start GRASS, I have to explain
> what a
> "database", "location", and "mapset" is before the person can even get
> started working with the program. Any GIS will have some jargon that a
> person will have to get through (e.g., 'theme' instead of layer).
> But it
> would be nice to not have to hit someone with GRASS-specific jargon
> before
> they even get the program opened. Of course you can press the help
> button,
> but many people would just like to start the program before doing
> anything
> else.
>
> So I was trying to build in some translations of GRASS jargon to help
> someone get started. I dropped "GIS Database" because it's not used
> much.
> But location and mapset are used a lot. Of course this made for
> some awkward
> phraseology, as you noticed. I really did mean "projection location"
> instead of project location.
I have been using GRASS for too long for making any suggestion
useful for new users (GIS database, location and mapset has always
worked for me)
but I found projection location very confusing for both old users and
potentially for people who may be new to GRASS but know what
projection means.
I like project location (I found that people have a quick grasp of
location
when I describe it as a project and that you have to select a
coordinate system for it)
and mapset people usually get right away.
I don't have an opinion about what to use instead of GIS database, I
haven't seen
people complaining about that either.
>
> Maybe "Select an existing 'location' (projection/coordinate system)
> and GIS
> Mapset..."???
there are additional buttons for selection of projection so "project
location"
sounds good enough for me
>
> GIS Mapset doesn't sound too awkward to me. But maybe to others?
I think that Mapset is sufficient - there is already GIS in the title.
>
> Suggestions?
I have written this answer before reading a response from Markus - I
did not even think
about the problems that would cause the change in the startup with
documentation, tutorials,
and description of modules etc. - Markus is right, we should
stick with the terminology that we have unless there is a really
compelling
reason to change it - it is not too bad and I found
that people get it pretty quickly (compared e.g. to the region
management or the terminology
used in other systems).
Helena
>
> Michael
> __________________________________________
> Michael Barton, Professor of Anthropology
> School of Human Evolution & Social Change
> Center for Social Dynamics and Complexity
> Arizona State University
>
> phone: 480-965-6213
> fax: 480-965-7671
> www: http://www.public.asu.edu/~cmbarton
>
>
>> From: Markus Neteler <neteler at itc.it>
>> Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2006 19:35:56 +0200
>> To: <grass-dev at grass.itc.it>
>> Subject: [GRASS-dev] Re: [GRASS-CVS] michael: grass6/lib/init
>> gis_set.tcl,
>> 1.24, 1.25
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> a few questions:
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jul 17, 2006 at 07:28:42PM +0200, grass at intevation.de wrote:
>>> Author: michael
>>>
>>> Update of /grassrepository/grass6/lib/init
>>> In directory doto:/tmp/cvs-serv30054
>>>
>>> Modified Files:
>>> gis_set.tcl
>>> Log Message:
>>> update exec and eval exec statements to properly parse arguments
>>>
>>> Index: gis_set.tcl
>>> ===================================================================
>>> RCS file: /grassrepository/grass6/lib/init/gis_set.tcl,v
>>> retrieving revision 1.24
>>> retrieving revision 1.25
>>> diff -u -d -r1.24 -r1.25
>>> --- gis_set.tcl 24 Jun 2006 19:33:59 -0000 1.24
>>> +++ gis_set.tcl 17 Jul 2006 17:28:40 -0000 1.25
>>> @@ -312,10 +312,10 @@
>>> pack $introtitle -side top
>>>
>>> .frame0.intro.msg tag configure all -justify center
>>> - .frame0.intro.msg insert end [G_msg "Welcome to GRASS GIS
>>> Version
>>> $GRASSVERSION\n"]
>>> + .frame0.intro.msg insert end [G_msg "Welcome to GRASS GIS
>>> version
>>> $GRASSVERSION\n"]
>>> .frame0.intro.msg insert end [G_msg "The world's leading
>>> open source
>>> GIS\n\n"]
>>> - .frame0.intro.msg insert end [G_msg "Select an existing
>>> project location
>>> and mapset\n"]
>>> - .frame0.intro.msg insert end [G_msg "or define a new project
>>> location\n"]
>>> + .frame0.intro.msg insert end [G_msg "Select an existing
>>> projection
>>> location and GIS mapset\n"]
>>
>> ... what does "existing projection location" mean?
>> I only know "existing project location". The change adds confusion
>> in my
>> opinion.
>> If projected is meant, it is not right since latlong (usually) and
>> xy (always)
>> are
>> unprojected.
>>
>>
>>
>>> + .frame0.intro.msg insert end [G_msg "or define a new projection
>>> location\n"]
>>
>> ...also here.
>>
>>> .frame0.intro.msg tag add all 1.0 end
>>> .frame0.intro.msg configure -state disabled
>>>
>>> @@ -338,7 +338,7 @@
>>> label .frame0.frameDB.left.label \
>>> -anchor {n} \
>>> -justify right \
>>> - -text [G_msg "Path to location: \n(GRASS Database)"]
>>> + -text [G_msg "Path to location : "]
>>
>> "GRASS Database" is a widely used term in the GRASS literature,
>> but sure if it should be removed.
>>
>>
>>> entry .frame0.frameDB.mid.entry \
>>> -relief {sunken} \
>>> @@ -408,7 +408,7 @@
>>>
>>> label .frame0.frameMS.label \
>>> -anchor {w} \
>>> - -text [G_msg "Accessible Mapsets"]
>>> + -text [G_msg "(Accessible) GIS Mapsets"]
>>
>> ... this re-reverted the last fix...
>> The () do not add information in my opionion.
>>
>>
>>> listbox .frame0.frameMS.listbox \
>>> -relief {sunken} \
>>> @@ -460,7 +460,7 @@
>>>
>>> label .frame0.frameNMS.first.label \
>>> -anchor {n} \
>>> - -text [G_msg "Create new mapset\nin selected location"]
>>> + -text [G_msg "Create new GIS mapset\nin currrent location"]
>>
>> I am also not sure of that. In the beginning nothing is selected,
>> so there is no currrent location.
>>
>>> entry .frame0.frameNMS.second.entry \
>>> -relief {sunken} \
>>> @@ -495,7 +495,7 @@
>>>
>>> label .frame0.frameNMS.fourth.label \
>>> -anchor {n} \
>>> - -text [G_msg "\nDefine new location by:"]
>>> + -text [G_msg "Define new projection location"]
>>
>> ... again confusing (for me).
>>
>>>
>>> button .frame0.frameNMS.fifth.button \
>>>
>>
>> It seems that this needs to be discussed again: at least I
>> would like to better understand most of the changes.
>>
>> thanks
>>
>> Markus
>>
>>
>
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