[GRASS-dev] [GRASS GIS] #1778: Typing in g.region without parameters does not open a g.region window

[GRASS GIS]

#1778: Typing in g.region without parameters does not open a g.region window
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 Reporter:  pvanbosgeo                  |       Owner:  grass-dev@…              
     Type:  defect                      |      Status:  new                      
 Priority:  normal                      |   Milestone:  7.0.0                    
Component:  Default                     |     Version:  svn-trunk                
 Keywords:  g.region, r.colors, r.mask  |    Platform:  Linux                    
      Cpu:  x86-64                      |  
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Comment(by cmbarton):

 It is not critical but I'm not sure I'd call it an enhancement. Not really
 a bug either, though it will appear to be one to many users. The important
 conceptual issue is, should the default behavior of GRASS modules when
 called without arguments be

 1. to launch a GUI dialog?
 2. to do something?

 If we agree on the behavior conceptually, then we can work out ways to
 achieve it. Personally, I think it should be #1. Some others think it
 should be #2 (launching a GUI only if there is a particular required
 argument that has not been set). Currently, GRASS 7 is set for #2.

 My vote for #1 comes from thinking about usability for people who are
 novice or infrequent users of the command line and the fact that GRASS 7
 appears to behave like #1 for most modules. This leads to what appears to
 be inconsistent behavior of modules launched from the command line (even
 though it is in fact consistent from the #2 approach). There is no way for
 a user to know in advance whether a module called without arguments will

 a) launch a GUI (has a particular required argument that is not set),
 b) do something (runs a process with some default setting with no required
 argument), or
 c) do nothing (requires SOME argument, no particular argument to run).

 A flag (-ui) can be added to any module to ensure it launches a GUI, but
 is only necessary for a few modules. AFAICT, this behavior is not
 documented anywhere (run g.region help or look in the manual for GRASS). I
 tend to think that 'secret' behavior of any interface element is not a
 good idea from the user perspective--even if the secret is inadvertent and
 logical from other perspectives.

 I think the argument for #2 is primarily one of easier, more rapid use of
 modules from the command line by experienced and frequent users. There may
 be other arguments that have not been articulated yet.

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/ticket/1778#comment:20>
GRASS GIS <http://grass.osgeo.org>