[GRASS-dev] [GRASS GIS] #499: fresh windows startup not very friendly

[GRASS GIS]

#499: fresh windows startup not very friendly
------------------------------+---------------------------------------------
 Reporter:  hamish            |       Owner:  grass-dev at lists.osgeo.org
     Type:  enhancement       |      Status:  new                      
 Priority:  major             |   Milestone:  6.4.0                    
Component:  default           |     Version:  6.4.0 RCs                
 Keywords:  wingrass startup  |    Platform:  MSWindows XP             
      Cpu:  x86-32            |  
------------------------------+---------------------------------------------
 Hi,

 after a brand new OSGeo4W install on XP, the user gets a nice GRASS icon
 to double click on.

 when they click it though they get a system error beep, and a DOS box
 error which says:
 {{{
 access: Invalid arguement
 ERROR: LOCATION << C:"/UNKNOWN >> not available
 }}}

 then the Tcl/Tk startup window opens and a Tk Error window box pops up
 saying
 {{{
 Warning: Invalid database. Finding first valid directory in parent tree
 }}}

 then another:
 {{{
 Warning: location <<UNKNOWN>> at GISDBASE <C:> is not a directory or does
 not exist
 }}}

 not a very warm welcome!

 Even then there is no way to create a new GISDBASE dir from the startup
 GUI. you have to exit GRASS, go into the file manager, create
 C:\Docs&settings\Username\grassdata manually then restart (same beeps and
 errors again) and select it. +you have to know to do that!

 Maybe add a link to Lorenzo's new-user getting started tutorial?
 http://grass.bologna.enea.it/tutorial/01-tutorial/

 I suggest if .grassrc6 is missing to pop up a GUI asking to browse for the
 data directory, or give an option to create a new one.
 With a big blinking red [Help] button along side it.


 thanks,
 Hamish

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/ticket/499>
GRASS GIS <http://grass.osgeo.org>