<html><body>Hello everyone,<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p style="margin-bottom:0pt;line-height:normal"><br></p><div>I am sending my Final GSoC report. The more detailed version with permanent links on GitHub PRs and with several screenshots can be found at the project wiki: <a href="https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/GSoC/2021/SingleWindowLayout#FinalReport">https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/GSoC/2021/SingleWindowLayout#FinalReport</a> .<br></div><div><br></div><p>
<strong>Abstract:</strong><br>
The project was focused mainly on the extensive Graphical User
Interface refactoring necessary to prepare GRASS for Single-Window GUI.
In addition to a good programming base, the simple working Single-Window
GUI prototype was built in a parallel environment. This Single-Window
frame largely copies the design (mockup) which the author had proposed for the GSoC application (see <a class="-wm-ext-link" href="https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/wxGUIDevelopment/SingleWindow"><span class="-wm-icon"></span></a>[1]). All main functionality will be put into operation after the successful merge of PR [2] and PR [3]. <a class="-wm-ext-link" href="https://github.com/OSGeo/grass/pull/1789"><span class="-wm-icon"></span></a>However, to completely replace the current Multi-Window GUI solution, many other improvements are still expected.</p><p><br>
</p>
<p>
<strong>The state of the art BEFORE the start of GSoC:</strong><br>
Although the GRASS GUI has been enriched with many new features since
last year, the basic Multi-Window GUI concept used in all historical
GRASS versions has been preserved. As the name suggests Multi-Window GUI
consists of several windows (frames) - the control window and additional separate map display windows. The control window includes a
notebook containing 5 tabs in a standard 2D map view - Data, Display,
Modules, Console, and Python.</p><p><br></p>
<p>
<strong>The state of the art AFTER GSoC:</strong><br>
A large part of the project was focused on GUI refactoring. The core work had to be done all at once in the PR <a class="-wm-ext-link" href="https://github.com/OSGeo/grass/pull/1675"><span class="-wm-icon"></span></a>[2]
and since it overturns the core logic of map display widgets, it was decided to merge it after GSoC when the GRASS 8 will be released. To sum it up, we are probably not entirely done with the refactoring, but the main part was managed.
</p>
<p>
In addition, a Single-Window GUI prototype has been coded in a parallel environment. I with help of my mentors handled to get to the stage where most of the functions are working. There is just missing completion of
PR [3]<span class="-wm-icon"></span>
and possible check/fix of workspaces functioning. It is important to emphasize here that I'm talking about basic functionality. To provide a
really user-friendly environment, many other things will have to be changed or reprogrammed. All those steps are summed up in the "Next
steps" paragraph.</p><p><br></p>
<p>
<strong>Conclusion:</strong><br>
To follow the project idea I wrote for the GSoC application, I succeeded
(with help of my mentors) to provide the first steps for a new era of
Single-Window GUI. Those steps have a form of refactoring as well as a
new parallel simple Single-Window GUI prototype. I believe it's one big step forward and I am looking forward to further development of which I
would like to be a part.</p><p><br></p><p>
<strong>Next Steps:</strong><br>
All these following points assume that the main functionality is working. In other words, we must have a merged main refactoring PR [2] and a merged PR [3]<a class="-wm-ext-link" href="https://github.com/OSGeo/grass/pull/1789"><span class="-wm-icon"></span></a> aiming at the implementation of the AuiNotebook closing event. Then several improvements are possible (and probably necessary):
</p>
<ul><li>Enable undocking the Map Display notebook tab to a separate window. It will allow each user to use the Single-Window GUI as the
Multi-Window GUI.
</li><li>Fix switching to the Console pane in an automatic notebook if any information is written there.
</li><li>Check/test if workspaces are functioning properly.
</li><li>Focus on a newly added Map Display tab in the Display pane (now it may not be clear at first glance that it has been added).
</li><li>Modify the appearance for the dark mode. Some parts are ugly
and illegible (names of AuiNotebook tabs, names of panes, ugly gradients
etc.).
</li><li>Add the option for starting GRASS as the Single-Window GUI => we want GRASS geeks to try it out. :-)
</li></ul><p>
Other improvements mainly concern the organization of widgets and possible ideas for the future:
</p>
<ul><li>It is necessary to change the rendering of the 3D View panel.
Now the 3D View pane is added as another panel under the Display tab -
very problematic in terms of space.
</li><li>A part of the Console pane in the startup Single-Window layout is not visible. We should completely reorganize the Console tab, such as
the Output window and Command prompt data outputs go into two separate
tabs.
</li><li>If both Map Display tabs are displayed side by side, the status bar cannot fit in the space. The solution is to create a separate
dialog, which will contain a check box and other settings for the Map
Display notebook tab.
</li><li>Each user should be able to choose a convenient layout of widgets and save this setting for future sessions. It should be possible
via perspectives.
</li><li>Creating, saving, and selecting perspectives along with switching to dark mode could be part of a new tab menu called "View".
</li></ul><p>Permanent links and screenshots can be found at [4] and [5].</p><p><br></p><p>[1] <a class="-wm-ext-link" href="https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/wxGUIDevelopment/SingleWindow">https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/wxGUIDevelopment/SingleWindow</a></p><p>[2] <a class="-wm-ext-link" href="https://github.com/OSGeo/grass/pull/1675"><span class="-wm-icon"></span>https://github.com/OSGeo/grass/pull/1675</a></p><p>[3] <a class="-wm-ext-link" href="https://github.com/OSGeo/grass/pull/1789">https://github.com/OSGeo/grass/pull/1789</a></p><p>[4] <a href="https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/GSoC/2021/SingleWindowLayout#FinalReport">https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/GSoC/2021/SingleWindowLayout#FinalReport</a></p><p>[5] <a href="https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/GSoC/2021/SingleWindowLayout#BrandnewScreenshotsofSingle-WindowGUI">https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/GSoC/2021/SingleWindowLayout#BrandnewScreenshotsofSingle-WindowGUI</a></p><p><br></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Best,</span></p><p>Linda Kladivova<br></p></div></div></body></html>