[GRASS-user] Grass70 wxgui vs. command line d.*

[John A Stevenson]

Hi all,

I've been using GRASS on a Linux machine for about 18 months now, and 
have been following the recent '[GRASS-user] grass70 and display 
monitor' thread with interest.  I have put together some of my thoughts 
in the hope that they are useful.  Many are similar to what others have 
said, but these are things that are most important to the way that I use 
grass.

Advantages of command line:
- it is VERY quick once learned
- easy to write scripts
- can work remotely from slow computer over ssh -X connection
- interaction with operating system commands and other software e.g. 
imagemagick, GMT
- full history of what has been done
- easy to repeat previous commands

Reasons that I use the mouse:
- d.zoom
- d.what.rast, d.what.vect
- v.digit
- d.profile

Reasons that I use the wxGUI
+ wx version of v.digit.  Especially being able to see and alter table 
attributes, and to take features from background maps.
+ wx profile tool
+ Easy changing of map element colours, transparency etc

I hadn't previously realised that you could use d.rast on the wxPython 
command line, so I tried it out quickly on a fresh build.  Initial 
thoughts are:

wxGUI command interface advantages:
+ Timestamps on when commands were run
+ Lists of options taken by commands given as you type

Dislikes of wxGUI command interface:
- Warning message when typing 'd.rast mymap' instead of 'd.rast map=mymap'
- Annoying delay (1-2 seconds) between typing a command and anything 
happening
- No d.erase implemented yet
- The command line doesn't clear after each command
- No scrolling through past commands
- History of GUI terminal not synced with main terminal history
- Can't pipe or redirect output from terminal commands e.g. 'v.db.select 
mymap > data.txt'
- Can't pipe or redirect output from 'Query raster/vector maps'

Thoughts:
- It seems like the wxGUI command line will never be as functional or 
fast as a normal shell.
- I agree with Hamish's suggestion that including an autorefreshing 
image viewer would be very helpful.
- I agree with Dylan Beaudette that a short script (d.quickview?) could 
be included that sets up all the environment variables and temporary files.
- I will use the wx version of v.digit and d.profile from now on.  I can 
also use the gui to set the region.
- That still leaves the issue of d.what.* (as Markus Neteler wrote). 
- And of working over slow ssh connections.

Cheers

John

p.s. Is there are new version of Open Source GIS - a GRASS Approach 
planned to cover the different way of working in Grass7?

-- 


Dr John Stevenson
Postdoctoral Research Associate
School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences
Williamson Building (Room 2.42)
University of Manchester
Manchester M13 9PL, UK
tel. +44(0)161 306 6585; fax. +44(0)161 306 9361;
john.stevenson at manchester.ac.uk