Re: [Tuxpaint-users] Tuxpaint query

[Bill K. <nb...@so...>]

On Thu, Jul 30, 2009 at 09:30:55AM -0700, henry taylor wrote:
>  Back in my classroom finally thinking about "the plan" for this year.
> 
>  The question arises: Is there an easy way to set up this year so that
>  different grades have access to different sets of stamps.

Yes.  Right now, Tux Paint looks in two places for data files
(stamps, starters and brushes):  a system-wide location, and
a user-specific location.

The latter is, obviously, user-specific.  Just like the folder where
Tux Paint saves its files.  A while back, we made it possible to specify
a different user data directory, just like we've been able to specify
a different saved files directory.

It's the "datadir" option, versus the "savedir" option (which used to
control _both_).


>  I've been building a curriculum based set of stamps for different cultural
>  and art history periods and I'd like to reduce the impulse to put firemen
>  nurses and rag dolls into a project on egyptian heiroglyphics and wall
>  reliefs
> 
>  I'm thinking that I may need to have an installation of tux for each grade
>  (1-5) on each computer...

Simply create folders somewhere (on a network drive?  or just duplicate
them across the systems), e.g., "grade1", "grade2", etc.

Within each, create "stamps" subfolders.  Then put the stamps within.
You can even categorize them by creating subdirectories.
The students will be able to page through each category using the left/right
arrow buttons, at the bottom of the Stamps list on the right side of the
Tux Paint window.

Give the "--datadir" command-line option to Tux Paint, telling it which
stamp folder to look at.

Note that right now it's not possible to ask Tux Paint to _not_ load
the system-wide stamps, if you have them installed.  In the future, we
should think about providing ways to specify paths to add/remove,
for each data catagory.  They could be stacked up.

e.g.:
  tuxpaint --nosystemstamps --stampsdir /path/to/some --stampsdir /path/to/more

And, of course, also provide a sane way of specifying these options within
configuration files.  And THEN provide ways to 'include' config files
from within each other, and/or provide a list of them on the command-line:

  tuxpaint --config accessibility-enhancements.cfg --config grade1.cfg

*sigh*  If only I had more time to work on this stuff.  Maintenance and
tech support takes up what little spare time I have. :^/


>  Do we have a variety of Tux Icons available
>  anywhere? 1st graders use the green tux icon or the penguin with the
>  poarty hat maybe?

You can alway make more Tux Icons using a tool like GIMP (or Tux Paint,
possibly together with another tool, like GIMP).


Say you're on Windows... you could make Windows 'shortcuts' to the
Tux Paint executable, but each has a diff. icon, and each has a different
'--datadir C:\whatever\gradeXYZ\' option given to Tux Paint via the
command-line.


>  And FWIW are there any other art teachers out there?

I think there are.  I'd love to see a show of hands, though. ;)

-- 
-bill!
Sent from my computer