[Visualpython-users] VPython for X11 on Mac OSX

[Bruce S. <ba...@an...>]

At http://vpython.org you will now find installation instructions for 
VPython running on the X11 graphics system on Mac OSX. Many thanks to Steve 
Spicklemire for explaining how to compile and run VPython in this 
environment. This version includes the full IDLE capabilities formerly 
available only on Windows and Linux.

It is unfortunate that the installation instructions are quite lengthy. We 
would much appreciate reports on how well they work, and how to improve 
them.

Some context: There is still available at http://vpython.org a version for 
Mac OS 9, which does not have a working VPython version of IDLE, because we 
were unable to solve the problems of socket communication in launching a 
run. You have to use some other text editor, save the file, and drag the 
file onto the interpreter, which is much less convenient than the 
single-key edit/run cycle available in IDLE. The new OSX version takes 
advantage of the fact that if you install the X11 graphics system on OSX, 
the Mac Unix environment is quite similar to Linux.

It would be desirable to have a non-X11 version of VPython, one which not 
require installing X11. What is needed is for someone knowledgeable about 
OSX to write Carbon or Cocoa code to create a window and process mouse and 
keyboard events, with OpenGL doing the graphics in that window. Any 
volunteers?

Bruce Sherwood