[Visualpython-users] OS X Native

[Dethe E. <de...@li...>]

Hi folks,

I'm willing to take another stab at porting VPython to OS X.  The  
last time I tried I was not very familiar with the OS X libraries,  
but I've grown more familiar with them since then, and I know where  
to ask questions.  On the other hand, the VPython library itself has  
been overhauled since then, and I am totally unfamiliar with Boost.   
Is there a specific version of Boost that I need (I know SWIG is  
sensitive down the the point.point release).

I'm hoping this will be fairly straightforward using the Apple  
guidelines for porting Linux apps.  I don't have tons of spare time,  
but I have a bunch of VPython scripts lying around that I'd like to  
do something with, and the thought of installing Fink or running on  
X11 gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Any pointers for starting points appreciated.  I've read through the  
list archives to see that I'll probably have to implement glContext,  
glFont and platmac.(cpp|h).  Anything else?  The last time I tried  
this, most of the work appeared to be handling locking and  
bootstrapping an OpenGL context.

Also, in CVS there are a number of modules.  The installer and DLLs  
modules don't look applicable to OS X, but I'm not sure of the status  
of the others.  There is a README in vpython-core2 saying that it is  
an experimental branch, but it looks like that may be the new Boost- 
based version.  Which modules are currently relevant?

Thanks a bunch.

--Dethe

p.s., I realized when this mail bounced to me, that my last mail to  
this list also bounced and I haven't had a chance to debug *why* it  
bounced until today.  Here is that previous mail to give some context  
to the above.

> On 7-Jun-05, at 7:16 PM, Jon Schull wrote:
>
>> Thanks I have done that (by adding " set path = (/usr/local/bin  
>> $path)" to  .tcshrc) and all is well.
>>
>> Now, as momentary liaison between the  pythonmac and vpython lists  
>> I'll mention that VPython (a truly beautiful thing) could be made  
>> independent of  X11 if someone from this group knew how to  
>> liberate it...
>
> I took a stab at it once, before VPython was refactored into C++,  
> but I was still pretty new to OS X programming at the time, and it  
> defeated me.  I haven't yet taken a look at the C++ version, it's  
> on my todo list, but not a high priority right now.  I'd love to  
> see VPython on OS X properly, but my hobby coding time is pretty  
> limited right now.
>
> --Dethe


--
Dethe Elza
http://livingcode.org/

When laws are outlawed, only outlaws will have laws.