[Gnuplot-py-users] Request for feedback

[Michael H. <mh...@al...>]

Hi,

Due to popular demand, I just hacked together some changes to
Gnuplot.py to allow data to be sent to gnuplot via FIFOs (named pipes)
under Unix.  This seems to be a reliable solution for knowing when to
delete temporary files.  For example, test.py runs perfectly even if I
take out all of the delays!  I have checked the changes into CVS.

This new FIFO feature is only implemented under Unix because Python
doesn't support FIFOs under other operating systems.  Other OSs
continue to use temporary files and/or inline data.

However, in the process of rewriting, I had to change the internals of
the PlotItems class hierarchy.  Before I incorporate the changes into
a release I would like to check whether they're going to cause
backwards-compatibility problems with users.  So you, the elite
members of the gnuplot-py-users mailing list, get to exert some
influence!  Let me know if any of the following things would upset
you:

1. The PlotItem interface is changed a little bit (the constructor
   arguments change and a couple new member functions have been
   added).  Has anybody derived new classes from PlotItem?  If so,
   your classes would have to be changed a little bit.

2. The hierarchy of classes derived from PlotItem is changed
   significantly.  For example, File and Data have been changed from
   actual classes into helper functions that return instances of a new
   _FileItem class.  This might be a problem for anybody who works
   with the internals of PlotItems, for example, to derive entirely
   new PlotItem classes.

3. The AnyFile and TempFile classes were removed as they are no longer
   useful within the Gnuplot.py implementation.  Does anybody use
   those classes externally and would be sad to see them go?

The changes to the majority of the user interface are really quite
minor; I think only power-users will notice any difference at all.
For example, everything in test.py ran perfectly after changing
essentially only the example that created a TempFile explicitly.

It would be great if Unix users would grab the new version and test it
out a little bit, especially within your own applications.  This
request is especially directed at those users who have been
"agitating" for such a change!

Yours,
Michael

--
Michael Haggerty
mh...@al...