[GRASS-dev] CLI!=GUI

[Francesco P. Lovergine]

On Mon, Nov 29, 2010 at 10:20:52PM +0000, Glynn Clements wrote:
> 
> Francesco P. Lovergine wrote:
> 
> > As said in another mail of mine, it is not a problem brute-splitting GUI
> > dependencies (e.g. current squeeze release for 6.4 only *suggests*
> > wxpython dependencies). Moving GUI-related binaries in different
> > packages is a pain to maintain, but theoretically it can also be done. 
> > 
> > It remains a brute hack anyway, which is a symptom of
> > a fundamental design problem: the whole system is theoretically 
> > layered and modular, but in fact it cannot be really componentized
> > in a *clean* way. Something I find basically disturbing and not
> > elegant, sorry my purism. 
> 
> You are really going to have to explain what you are talking about,
> otherwise I (and possibly others) are going to conclude that you don't
> have a clue and should just be ignored.
> 
> GRASS' structure is about as layered and modular as you can get. If
> you install it on a system without GUI libraries, the only portions
> which won't work are those which inherently cannot function without
> those libraries (i.e. the GUI, digitiser, XDRIVER).
> 

Something like:

make build-core | build-xdriver | build-wxgui | build-tkgui

make install-core | install-xdriver | install-wxgui | install-tkgui

would be more modular and clean. Of course, one can always now
install the whole beast, use only what is of interest and avoid
installing all dependencies. As said, it works too. 
But I - as packager - would prefer avoiding tons of silly reports 
about 'command X is not working because Y is missing' and installing 
most required dependencies for all commands provided. 

-- 
Francesco P. Lovergine