matplotlib-users

Re: [Matplotlib-users] matplotlib OS-X binary

[Tom L. <lo...@as...>]

Hi folks-

I have had matplotlib working on OS X (Panther) for a while.  However,
I haven't used it heavily yet, so I don't know if there are problems
hiding under the covers.  I do know that I ran many of the demos
without any problems, both with TkAgg and wx; of course, those that
require GTK would not run.  

By the way, don't try to get it and scipy to work under Jaguar.
I spent several days attempting this, with lots of back and forth
with the scipy and macpython list folks, with no luck.  The $100
upgrading to Panther was a small price compared to the time lost
trying to get it all working on Jaguar.

Unfortunately I'm swamped and can't offer any significant assitance
with the OS-X binary issue at the moment.  But I thought one
observation might be useful.  Though I have some Fink stuff on
my Mac, it is only a few things (xfig and gv are the only Fink
things I use).  In particular, I believe the version of Freetype
that my matplotlib is using is not from Fink, but rather one
I installed with the TeX/LaTeX OS X "i-Installer" which can
install a number of useful binary packages besides TeX in a
pretty painless way (freetype2, jpeg/png/tiff libraries,
ghostscript...).  There is more about it here:

http://www.rna.nl/ii.html

I don't think its usefulness beyond TeX is appreciated as
well as it should be, though it certainly is confusing to
have all these different installation mechanims (OS X package
installers, i-Installer packages, setup.py, configure/make...).

-Tom

Re: [Matplotlib-users] matplotlib OS-X binary

[Chris F. <fon...@gm...>]

I am wondering if it would be worthwhile making TkAgg the default
backend in an OSX binary, since the current default kills the python
process:

Python 2.3 (#1, Sep 13 2003, 00:49:11) 
[GCC 3.3 20030304 (Apple Computer, Inc. build 1495)] on darwin
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import pylab
No module named pygtk
PyGTK version 1.99.16 or greater is required to run the GTK Matplotlib backends

Re: [Matplotlib-users] matplotlib OS-X binary

[John H. <jdh...@ac...>]

>>>>> "Chris" == Chris Fonnesbeck <fon...@gm...> writes:

    Chris> I am wondering if it would be worthwhile making TkAgg the
    Chris> default backend in an OSX binary, since the current default
    Chris> kills the python process:

Yes, that is what I do for win32.

JDH

Re: [Matplotlib-users] matplotlib OS-X binary

[Chris B. <Chr...@no...>]

John Hunter wrote:
>     Chris> I am wondering if it would be worthwhile making TkAgg the
>     Chris> default backend in an OSX binary, since the current default
>     Chris> kills the python process:
> 
> Yes, that is what I do for win32.

Except that Tk is not installed by default in OS-X either. It is 
probably more common than GTK, however.

-Chris



-- 
Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
Oceanographer
                                     		
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Chr...@no...

Re: [Matplotlib-users] matplotlib OS-X binary

[Chris B. <Chr...@no...>]

Chris Fonnesbeck wrote:
> On Mon, 07 Feb 2005 10:47:51 -0800, Chris Barker <Chr...@no...> wrote:
>>John Hunter wrote
>>>    Chris> I am wondering if it would be worthwhile making TkAgg the
>>>    Chris> default backend in an OSX binary, since the current default
>>>    Chris> kills the python process:
>>>Yes, that is what I do for win32.
>>Except that Tk is not installed by default in OS-X either. It is
>>probably more common than GTK, however.
> Right, maybe PS would be a more sensible default, although I'm willing
> to bet most users end up using Tk.

I'd vote for Agg. Postscript is not the native format on OS-X that it is 
on other unices.

Is there a way to make the default back-end system dependent on install?

-Chris


-- 
Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
Oceanographer
                                     		
NOAA/OR&R/HAZMAT         (206) 526-6959   voice
7600 Sand Point Way NE   (206) 526-6329   fax
Seattle, WA  98115       (206) 526-6317   main reception

Chr...@no...

Re: [Matplotlib-users] matplotlib OS-X binary

[John H. <jdh...@ac...>]

>>>>> "Chris" == Chris Barker <Chr...@no...> writes:

    Chris> I'd vote for Agg. Postscript is not the native format on
    Chris> OS-X that it is on other unices.

    Chris> Is there a way to make the default back-end system
    Chris> dependent on install?

For a src distribution, you could write a postinstall script that does
try/except on various GUIs and writes an rc file based on what it
finds.  This is basically what setup.py does in trying to figure out
which backend to build, but doesn't transmit that information to rc --
perhaps it should.  Although this would be fairly easy in a src
distro, it would be fairly hard in the binary installer which you are
trying to build.

Alternatively, the backend importer could be a little smarter, and
first try the default rc param and then loop over available backends
trying to find a match, and issue a verbose report saying "dear
newbie, I cannot import your default backend, please see http://blah."
but still go ahead and launch something.  I have mixed feelings about
this -- the more magic we do the more complex it is to debug
problems.  Also, you have to be careful not to swallow tracebacks, eg
pygtk import can fail even if pygtk has been installed on the system,
and the user needs to know about this.  But I am not totally opposed
to it.

In fact, I would definitely include it if it was an rc option.  Eg,
binary package makers like yourself could turn it on since you don't
know the user configuration, and src distributors like me could turn
it off, assuming people who build their own code can configure it like
they like it.

Power users want as little magic going on as possible -- new users
usually want maximal magic.


The function to look at is __init__.py in the main matplotlib tree.
Currently we do


def get_backend():
    return rcParams['backend']


you would want to add an rc param, something like

backend     : ['TkAgg']
# try these if default fails
backend.try = ['GTKAgg, 'WXAgg', 'Agg', 'PS]

and then modify get_backend to iterate over these backends, trying to
import something to test if it is available, issuing reports if the
default backend fails.  

In the src distro, I always have the option of making backend.try the
empty list, which would be the same as the current behavior.

and 
JDH