[GRASS-dev] v.in.dwg: status in GRASS 6.2.2, DWGdirect, etc.

[Hamish]

brush:
> > > 2. it can only be used by compiling from source
Glynn:
> > Correct.
> > 
> > The licences for GRASS and the OpenDWG library are incompatible, so
> > it's impossible to distribute a binary which satisfies both licences.
> 
> understood.  the ideal scenario in this situation, of course, would be
> some kind of "one step" integrability in which, once a user has obtained
> the library source from the opendesign alliance, v.in.dwg would be
> compiled and integrated automatically with GRASS.

This is a job for the GRASS Extensions Manager (GEM), see gem/README in
the GRASS 6.2.2 or 6.3 source code, and one of the reasons it was written.

Note that some developers may not be terribly interested in devoting
their own volunteer development time into coding a "tivo" solution that
makes it easy to sidestep the spirit of the GPL. The more that happens,
the less chance of a true "Open" DWG library ever gets written for
OGR/GDAL. This is not anti-user elitism, it is supporting long term user
interests over short term band-aids.


> i'd be happy to provide the library code to developer(s) to update
> v.in.dwg; it would be a collaborative partnership with our organization,
> thus within the legal constraints of the license.  if this is a real
> possibility, whom would i contact?

Contact this mailing list (grass-dev). Patches can go into the GRASS patch
tracker, and are most welcome. It helps if you can convince a member of
the development team to become interested in it. (presumably someone with
a need for it)
Patch tracker:
  http://wald.intevation.org/tracker/?group_id=21

Glynn:
> > The licensing conditions for the various DWG libraries (and the fact
> > that AutoDesk goes to significant lengths to inhibit compatibility)
> > tend to suppress interest.
brush:
> i certainly understand that.  at the same time, an enormous amount of
> GIS-related information is stored in DWG files.  are there other ways to
> convert such information to more easily GRASS-readable data?

v.in.dxf seems to work pretty well for DXF, if you can save it in that
format. I don't know how it deals with the latest versions of DXF, but
have heard no complaints.

brush:
> if i get this working, i'll try and write up instructions; where could
> they be posted?

On the wiki site:
  http://grass.gdf-hannover.de/wiki/Main_Page


good luck,
Hamish