visualpython-users

Re: [Visualpython-users] Python 2.5

[Jonathan B. <jbr...@ea...>]

On Fri, 2006-10-06 at 12:40 -0600, Bruce Sherwood wrote:
> Questions have been asked about Visual for Python 2.5. A significant 
> hurdle to overcome is that there is not and will not be a version of 
> Numeric for Python 2.5 (the last to be made was for Python 2.4). Its 
> successor Numarray does exist for Python 2.5 but is likely to be the 
> last, as the download instructions say "Use Numpy!"

The last time that I looked, the Numpy documentation was only available
for a fee.  That is why Visual was not extended to support it last
summer.  At any rate, the person(s) who decide to add support for Numpy
to VPython should see below.

>  Thanks to Jonathan 
> Brandmeyer's work, Visual can be compiled for Numarray, but some 
> existing VPython programs that used explicit Numeric capabilities may 
> break due to some incompatibilities between Numeric and Numarray.
> 
> The right thing to do is to revise Visual to use Numpy, which is the 
> designated to-be-supported replacement for both Numeric and Numarray. I 
> do not know how much work will be required to do this.

The revision effort should not be too difficult, as there is an
abstraction layer for Numeric/Numarray in VPython.  Basically, at
startup-time, a set of function pointers are initialized that refer to
either the Numarray or Numeric implementations.  Additionally,
Boost.Python support for the two libs is selected at run-time.

The affected files are:
VPython 3.x:
src/num_util_impl_numeric.cpp
src/num_util_impl_numarray.cpp
src/num_util.cpp
include/num_util_impl.hpp
include/num_util.hpp

The VPython 4.x files are setup in exactly the same way, except that
they are found in src/python and include/python.

See also site-packages/visual/array_backend.py in both versions,
although I think that there is a cleaner way to go about what this file
does.

Lastly, there are some configure script elements that would need to be
updated in acinclude.m4 (specifically, VISUAL_NUMERICLIBS).

HTH,
-Jonathan

Re: [Visualpython-users] Python 2.5

[Eric A. <Ay...@ma...>]

I (or my department if I can find a way to get a receipt for the  
software "purchase") will contribute $50 towards a bounty for a Mac  
OSX non-fink non-X11 "universal" standard-installer-package version  
of vpython. Something I could pass out to students on CD's with  
"double-click here" install instructions... and I know Bruce just  
well enough that "To Bruce Sherwood's satisfaction" is sufficient for  
me, too.

At present, I use Parallels Desktop running Ubuntu to demo vpython on  
this Mac in classes, rather than corrupt my system with fink...

-ea

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Eric Ayars
Assistant Professor of Physics
California State University, Chico
ay...@ma...


On Oct 6, 2006, at 2:15 PM, Scott David Daniels wrote:

> Bruce Sherwood wrote:
>> There are two rather different routes toward supporting Visual on  
>> Python
>> 2.5. The better route is to work with Visual 4, since that's what  
>> we all
>> want to use, given its greatly enhanced graphics capabilities.  
>> However,
>> if changing to Numpy doesn't require much effort (I have no idea), it
>> would be good to put that into Visual 3, because there are some  
>> serious
>> problems with Visual 4, the most worrisome being the following
>> (extracted from summary in Recent Developments section of  
>> vpython.org):
>>
>>     1) Mouse interactions on Windows, including  
>> scene.mouse.getclick(),
>>     are associated with crashes. A tight loop without a rate()  
>> statement
>>     may crash or be hard to kill.
>>
>>     2) Some animations run in a jerky manner due to slow rendering of
>>     the scene. The program gas.py is an example. The issue may be  
>> that
>>     the detail level on spheres needs to be decreased.
>>
>>     3) Graphing (from visual.graph import *) works well for many  
>> simple
>>     uses, but if the axes must be continually adjusted it can be very
>>     slow. If you know the extent of your variables and can specify  
>> xmax
>>     and ymax for the graph, the graphing is very fast.
>>
>> I feel competent to deal with 3) and probably with 2) if it is just a
>> matter of reducing the level of detail. But I don't feel competent to
>> track down and fix problem 1), which might well involve tricky
>> multithread issues. (For the graphing issue it is necessary to do  
>> some
>> work analogous to some coding I've already experimented with,  
>> having to
>> do with supporting different scale factors in x and y.)
>>
>> And there's the long-standing issue of finding someone to write a Mac
>> version of the platform-specific files in Visual that handle  
>> creating a
>> window and handling mouse and keyset events, so that there could be a
>> Mac-native version of VPython, not dependent on running X11 and  
>> fink and
>> difficult opaque installs. Hugh Fisher in Australia indicated  
>> recently
>> that he might be able to get free to do this in the near future.
>>
>> If we could get over the hump of having a usable Visual 4 for Windows
>> and Mac (as far as I know it works fine on Linux), perhaps we would
>> attract some new developers who could contribute, because Visual 4  
>> comes
>> much closer to offering "professional-grade" graphics likely to  
>> interest
>> people in the graphics area.
>
> You might consider offering a bounty for those projects (A: mouse
> interaction, B: run on OS/X, C: move 4 to Numpy, D: move 3 to Numpy).
> You might even solicit contributions to the bounty from your users.
> Slightly tricky parts would be definitions of "acceptably solved",
> though Bruce Sherwood's name has been associated with the project
> for long enough that "to his satisfaction" may be an adequate
> definition.  I'd be interested in working on the problem, but need
> to keep a modicum of cash coming in, and you might well find someone
> with the right mix of ability and cheap time to work on it.
>
> -- Scott David Daniels
> Sco...@Ac...
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> ---
> Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT
> Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance to  
> share your
> opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys -- and earn  
> cash
> http://www.techsay.com/default.php? 
> page=join.php&p=sourceforge&CID=DEVDEV
> _______________________________________________
> Visualpython-users mailing list
> Vis...@li...
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/visualpython-users

Re: [Visualpython-users] Python 2.5

[Scott D. D. <Sco...@Ac...>]

Bruce Sherwood wrote:
> There are two rather different routes toward supporting Visual on Python 
> 2.5. The better route is to work with Visual 4, since that's what we all 
> want to use, given its greatly enhanced graphics capabilities. However, 
> if changing to Numpy doesn't require much effort (I have no idea), it 
> would be good to put that into Visual 3, because there are some serious 
> problems with Visual 4, the most worrisome being the following 
> (extracted from summary in Recent Developments section of vpython.org):
> 
>     1) Mouse interactions on Windows, including scene.mouse.getclick(),
>     are associated with crashes. A tight loop without a rate() statement
>     may crash or be hard to kill.
> 
>     2) Some animations run in a jerky manner due to slow rendering of
>     the scene. The program gas.py is an example. The issue may be that
>     the detail level on spheres needs to be decreased.
> 
>     3) Graphing (from visual.graph import *) works well for many simple
>     uses, but if the axes must be continually adjusted it can be very
>     slow. If you know the extent of your variables and can specify xmax
>     and ymax for the graph, the graphing is very fast.
> 
> I feel competent to deal with 3) and probably with 2) if it is just a 
> matter of reducing the level of detail. But I don't feel competent to 
> track down and fix problem 1), which might well involve tricky 
> multithread issues. (For the graphing issue it is necessary to do some 
> work analogous to some coding I've already experimented with, having to 
> do with supporting different scale factors in x and y.)
> 
> And there's the long-standing issue of finding someone to write a Mac 
> version of the platform-specific files in Visual that handle creating a 
> window and handling mouse and keyset events, so that there could be a 
> Mac-native version of VPython, not dependent on running X11 and fink and 
> difficult opaque installs. Hugh Fisher in Australia indicated recently 
> that he might be able to get free to do this in the near future.
> 
> If we could get over the hump of having a usable Visual 4 for Windows 
> and Mac (as far as I know it works fine on Linux), perhaps we would 
> attract some new developers who could contribute, because Visual 4 comes 
> much closer to offering "professional-grade" graphics likely to interest 
> people in the graphics area.

You might consider offering a bounty for those projects (A: mouse 
interaction, B: run on OS/X, C: move 4 to Numpy, D: move 3 to Numpy).
You might even solicit contributions to the bounty from your users.
Slightly tricky parts would be definitions of "acceptably solved",
though Bruce Sherwood's name has been associated with the project
for long enough that "to his satisfaction" may be an adequate
definition.  I'd be interested in working on the problem, but need
to keep a modicum of cash coming in, and you might well find someone
with the right mix of ability and cheap time to work on it.

-- Scott David Daniels
Sco...@Ac...

Re: [Visualpython-users] Python 2.5

[Bruce S. <Bru...@nc...>]

Many thanks for your initiative, Art. While I intend to get back to 
working on Visual after November 1 (the deadline for sending our 
publisher the second edition of our physics textbook), I can't do 
anything now, and I'm not at all confident of my abilities to replace 
Visual dependencies on Numeric/Numarray by suitable connections to 
Numpy. At the very least, I could sure use help.

There are two rather different routes toward supporting Visual on Python 
2.5. The better route is to work with Visual 4, since that's what we all 
want to use, given its greatly enhanced graphics capabilities. However, 
if changing to Numpy doesn't require much effort (I have no idea), it 
would be good to put that into Visual 3, because there are some serious 
problems with Visual 4, the most worrisome being the following 
(extracted from summary in Recent Developments section of vpython.org):

    1) Mouse interactions on Windows, including scene.mouse.getclick(),
    are associated with crashes. A tight loop without a rate() statement
    may crash or be hard to kill.

    2) Some animations run in a jerky manner due to slow rendering of
    the scene. The program gas.py is an example. The issue may be that
    the detail level on spheres needs to be decreased.

    3) Graphing (from visual.graph import *) works well for many simple
    uses, but if the axes must be continually adjusted it can be very
    slow. If you know the extent of your variables and can specify xmax
    and ymax for the graph, the graphing is very fast.

I feel competent to deal with 3) and probably with 2) if it is just a 
matter of reducing the level of detail. But I don't feel competent to 
track down and fix problem 1), which might well involve tricky 
multithread issues. (For the graphing issue it is necessary to do some 
work analogous to some coding I've already experimented with, having to 
do with supporting different scale factors in x and y.)

And there's the long-standing issue of finding someone to write a Mac 
version of the platform-specific files in Visual that handle creating a 
window and handling mouse and keyset events, so that there could be a 
Mac-native version of VPython, not dependent on running X11 and fink and 
difficult opaque installs. Hugh Fisher in Australia indicated recently 
that he might be able to get free to do this in the near future.

If we could get over the hump of having a usable Visual 4 for Windows 
and Mac (as far as I know it works fine on Linux), perhaps we would 
attract some new developers who could contribute, because Visual 4 comes 
much closer to offering "professional-grade" graphics likely to interest 
people in the graphics area.

I should thank the National Science Foundation for supporting VPython 
for several years, but that grant just ended (last week!). I'm 
personally committed to continued support of VPython, but a community 
effort is needed to move forward.

Again, thanks much, Art.

Bruce Sherwood

ajs...@op... wrote:

>I have began to look at this as well, at least for the 3.xxx tree.  I don't know
>to what extent things are different for 4.xxx.
>
>For 3.xxx, I don't think that the Numeric to Numpy script solves the issue 
>because the integration with Numeric is via the boost.python library.
>
>>From what I see there is another 3rd party code module that is used to 
>enhance the boost.python support for Numeric and Numarray.
>
>The good news that there has been a new release of this module quite 
>recently specifcally shifting its focus to Numpy.  I have the details on my 
>Linux box at home.
> 
>Is this in line with others' understanding?
>
>I am not much of a C++ programmer, but this is something I might be able 
>to get to the bottom of with some work.
>
>But with Jonathan gone, I am suggesting that the vpython project 
>should reach out to the wider Python community.
>
>I think that the vpython project is (or should be) significant enough to 
>that community as a whole - it certainly is to me - that the project should 
>be able to elicit support from appropriate quarters.
>
>I would be happy to help try to elicit assitance on this with some
>consensus that doing so is appopriate.
>
>I am copying this to the Python edu-sig list, where I had just 
>raised the issue of Numopy incompatible this morning, and expressed 
>some concern - with Bruce tied-up, and Jonathan gone - of getting 
>the issue proper attention.
>
>
>Art  
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Gary Pajer
>Date: Friday, October 6, 2006 2:55 pm
>Subject: Re: [Visualpython-users] Python 2.5
>To: vpusers
>
>  
>
>>Bruce Sherwood wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>Questions have been asked about Visual for Python 2.5. A
>>>      
>>>
>>significant
>>    
>>
>>>hurdle to overcome is that there is not and will not be a
>>>      
>>>
>>version of
>>    
>>
>>>Numeric for Python 2.5 (the last to be made was for Python
>>>      
>>>
>>2.4). Its
>>    
>>
>>>successor Numarray does exist for Python 2.5 but is likely to
>>>      
>>>
>>be the
>>    
>>
>>>last, as the download instructions say "Use Numpy!" Thanks to
>>>      
>>>
>>Jonathan
>>    
>>
>>>Brandmeyer's work, Visual can be compiled for Numarray, but
>>>      
>>>
>>some
>>    
>>
>>>existing VPython programs that used explicit Numeric
>>>      
>>>
>>capabilities may
>>    
>>
>>>break due to some incompatibilities between Numeric and Numarray.
>>>
>>>The right thing to do is to revise Visual to use Numpy, which
>>>      
>>>
>>is the
>>    
>>
>>>designated to-be-supported replacement for both Numeric and
>>>      
>>>
>>Numarray. I
>>    
>>
>>>do not know how much work will be required to do this.
>>>
>>>Bruce Sherwood
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>I seem to recall that a Numeric-to-Numpy script was once available.
>>I don't know its current status.
>>I also don't know if it would work with vpython.
>>
>>I'm pretty busy right now, but I'll guess that Bruce is busier.
>>This weekend I'll try to find some time to dig a little deeper
>>into this
>>problem.
>>
>>-gary
>>
>>-----------------------------------------------------------------
>>--------
>>Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT
>>Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance
>>to share your
>>opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys -- and
>>earn cash
>>http://www.techsay.com/default.php?page=join.php&p=sourceforge&CID=DEVDEV
>>_______________________________________________
>>Visualpython-users mailing list
>>Vis...@li...
>>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/visualpython-users
>>
>>    
>>
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT
>Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance to share your
>opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys -- and earn cash
>http://www.techsay.com/default.php?page=join.php&p=sourceforge&CID=DEVDEV
>_______________________________________________
>Visualpython-users mailing list
>Vis...@li...
>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/visualpython-users
>  
>

Re: [Visualpython-users] Python 2.5

[<ajs...@op...>]

I have began to look at this as well, at least for the 3.xxx tree.  I don't know
to what extent things are different for 4.xxx.

For 3.xxx, I don't think that the Numeric to Numpy script solves the issue 
because the integration with Numeric is via the boost.python library.

>From what I see there is another 3rd party code module that is used to 
enhance the boost.python support for Numeric and Numarray.

The good news that there has been a new release of this module quite 
recently specifcally shifting its focus to Numpy.  I have the details on my 
Linux box at home.
 
Is this in line with others' understanding?

I am not much of a C++ programmer, but this is something I might be able 
to get to the bottom of with some work.

But with Jonathan gone, I am suggesting that the vpython project 
should reach out to the wider Python community.

I think that the vpython project is (or should be) significant enough to 
that community as a whole - it certainly is to me - that the project should 
be able to elicit support from appropriate quarters.

I would be happy to help try to elicit assitance on this with some
consensus that doing so is appopriate.

I am copying this to the Python edu-sig list, where I had just 
raised the issue of Numopy incompatible this morning, and expressed 
some concern - with Bruce tied-up, and Jonathan gone - of getting 
the issue proper attention.


Art  

----- Original Message -----
From: Gary Pajer
Date: Friday, October 6, 2006 2:55 pm
Subject: Re: [Visualpython-users] Python 2.5
To: vpusers

> Bruce Sherwood wrote:
>
> >Questions have been asked about Visual for Python 2.5. A
> significant
> >hurdle to overcome is that there is not and will not be a
> version of
> >Numeric for Python 2.5 (the last to be made was for Python
> 2.4). Its
> >successor Numarray does exist for Python 2.5 but is likely to
> be the
> >last, as the download instructions say "Use Numpy!" Thanks to
> Jonathan
> >Brandmeyer's work, Visual can be compiled for Numarray, but
> some
> >existing VPython programs that used explicit Numeric
> capabilities may
> >break due to some incompatibilities between Numeric and Numarray.
> >
> >The right thing to do is to revise Visual to use Numpy, which
> is the
> >designated to-be-supported replacement for both Numeric and
> Numarray. I
> >do not know how much work will be required to do this.
> >
> >Bruce Sherwood
> >
> I seem to recall that a Numeric-to-Numpy script was once available.
> I don't know its current status.
> I also don't know if it would work with vpython.
>
> I'm pretty busy right now, but I'll guess that Bruce is busier.
> This weekend I'll try to find some time to dig a little deeper
> into this
> problem.
>
> -gary
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> --------
> Take Surveys. Earn Cash. Influence the Future of IT
> Join SourceForge.net's Techsay panel and you'll get the chance
> to share your
> opinions on IT & business topics through brief surveys -- and
> earn cash
> http://www.techsay.com/default.php?page=join.php&p=sourceforge&CID=DEVDEV
> _______________________________________________
> Visualpython-users mailing list
> Vis...@li...
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/visualpython-users
>

Re: [Visualpython-users] Python 2.5

[Gary P. <gp...@ri...>]

Bruce Sherwood wrote:

>Questions have been asked about Visual for Python 2.5. A significant 
>hurdle to overcome is that there is not and will not be a version of 
>Numeric for Python 2.5 (the last to be made was for Python 2.4). Its 
>successor Numarray does exist for Python 2.5 but is likely to be the 
>last, as the download instructions say "Use Numpy!" Thanks to Jonathan 
>Brandmeyer's work, Visual can be compiled for Numarray, but some 
>existing VPython programs that used explicit Numeric capabilities may 
>break due to some incompatibilities between Numeric and Numarray.
>
>The right thing to do is to revise Visual to use Numpy, which is the 
>designated to-be-supported replacement for both Numeric and Numarray. I 
>do not know how much work will be required to do this.
>
>Bruce Sherwood
>
I seem to recall that a Numeric-to-Numpy script was once available.
I don't know its current status.
I also don't know if it would work with vpython.

I'm pretty busy right now, but I'll guess that Bruce is busier.
This weekend I'll try to find some time to dig a little deeper into this 
problem.

-gary

[Visualpython-users] Python 2.5

[Bruce S. <Bru...@nc...>]

Questions have been asked about Visual for Python 2.5. A significant 
hurdle to overcome is that there is not and will not be a version of 
Numeric for Python 2.5 (the last to be made was for Python 2.4). Its 
successor Numarray does exist for Python 2.5 but is likely to be the 
last, as the download instructions say "Use Numpy!" Thanks to Jonathan 
Brandmeyer's work, Visual can be compiled for Numarray, but some 
existing VPython programs that used explicit Numeric capabilities may 
break due to some incompatibilities between Numeric and Numarray.

The right thing to do is to revise Visual to use Numpy, which is the 
designated to-be-supported replacement for both Numeric and Numarray. I 
do not know how much work will be required to do this.

Bruce Sherwood

[Visualpython-users] dll -> pyd

[Bruce S. <Bru...@nc...>]

Jonathan Brandmeyer points out the following, of use to anyone who might 
try to build Visual from the source files for Python 2.5:

There is one important change that needs to be made for Visual
to work with Python 2.5.  The import library (cvisual.dll) needs to be
renamed to cvisual.pyd.  This should be a one-liner in src/Makefile, and
it should be backwards-compatible with Python 2.4 at least (and maybe
2.3, too).

Re: [Visualpython-users] Visualpython-users Digest, Vol 4, Issue 3

[Bruce S. <Bru...@nc...>]

That's very welcome news, Hugh!

Bruce Sherwood

Hugh Fisher wrote:

>Bruce Sherwood wrote:
>
>  
>
>>The fundamental issue has been discussed previously. Someone with Mac 
>>experience needs to write a small module to create a window and handle 
>>mouse and keyboard interactions. We have such modules for Windows and 
>>for Linux/Unix (alas, OpenGL doesn't provide this functionality). In the 
>>absence of this native-mode window/interaction module, we have to limp 
>>along using the Unix version, which means using X11.
>>    
>>
>
>I'd be happy to do this, but won't have any time until the
>end of teaching in about six weeks.
>
>  
>

Re: [Visualpython-users] Visualpython-users Digest, Vol 4, Issue 3

[Hugh F. <hug...@an...>]

Bruce Sherwood wrote:

> The fundamental issue has been discussed previously. Someone with Mac 
> experience needs to write a small module to create a window and handle 
> mouse and keyboard interactions. We have such modules for Windows and 
> for Linux/Unix (alas, OpenGL doesn't provide this functionality). In the 
> absence of this native-mode window/interaction module, we have to limp 
> along using the Unix version, which means using X11.

I'd be happy to do this, but won't have any time until the
end of teaching in about six weeks.

-- 
	Hugh Fisher
	DCS, ANU

[Visualpython-users] Mac and Python 2.5

[Bruce S. <Bru...@nc...>]

Joe Heafner had trouble posting to this list and asked me to post it for 
him:

"I just bit the bullet and installed the final release of Python 2.5 
(from python.org) on my iMac running OS X 10.4.7 (PPC). This 
distribution includes IDLE and this version of IDLE found the Visual 
documentation  that was previously installed when I installed 
visualpy-24 via Fink; this surprised me. I decided to copy the Fink 
site-packages directory to the Python 2.5 site-packages but VPython 
programs won't execute, presumably because visual was built against 
Python 2.4 via Fink. Every Python 2.5 demo that I tried worked perfectly 
on my iMac. Three things about the Mac build of Python 2.5 are extremely 
useful to me. Python source files now have a pretty icon. Double 
clicking on a Python program's icon loads the file into IDLE for editing 
and/or execution. Most importantly, there is no need for X11. What would 
it take to modify the current VPython that's available via Fink to play 
nicely with Python 2.5? Once upon a time I tried my hand at making a 
Fink package but failed miserably."

The fundamental issue has been discussed previously. Someone with Mac 
experience needs to write a small module to create a window and handle 
mouse and keyboard interactions. We have such modules for Windows and 
for Linux/Unix (alas, OpenGL doesn't provide this functionality). In the 
absence of this native-mode window/interaction module, we have to limp 
along using the Unix version, which means using X11.

So the issue isn't Python 2.5 vs. 2.4 but the current need for X11 
support for window/interaction, which means fink.

Bruce Sherwood

[Visualpython-users] system heng

[nom de g. <ndg...@gm...>]

hello,

i use debian testing and python-visual 3.2.1-4+b2. i create quite big scenes
using mainly face object. my python system hangs in random moments (not very
often but anyway
significant). by hang i meen i have no errror message, python
interpreter does not react on KeyError exception and the viewer window
doesn't react on
mouse events. is it known problem? can i test sth. to help in spoting the
error?

best,
szymon stoma.

Re: [Visualpython-users] problem with visual + module primitives

[Bruce S. <Bru...@nc...>]

That would seem to mean that the install procedure has put primitives.py 
in a place where Python doesn't look. On Linux platforms it is normally 
placed in /usr/local/lib/python2.4/site-packages/visual/primitive.py 
(and there are other critical files there, too). Or maybe there's 
something wrong with the module search path for Python on your machine.

Bruce Sherwood

B G wrote:

> Good morning,
>  
> I cannot install visual 3.2.5 or 3.2.9 on Solaris 5.8 ...
>  
> I have no problem when I build the binairies but when I import the 
> visual ... I get this message ...
>  
> bash-2.03# python
> Python 2.4.3 (#1, Sep 13 2006, 15:50:21)
> [GCC 3.3.2] on sunos5
> Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
> >>> import visual
> Traceback (most recent call last):
>   File "<stdin>", line 1, in ?
>   File "/usr/local/lib/python2.4/site-packages/visual/__init__.py", 
> line 28, in ?
>     from visual.primitives import arrow, cylinder, cone, sphere, box, 
> ring, label
> ImportError: No module named primitives
>  
> bash-2.03# cat /etc/release
>                        Solaris 8 10/01 s28s_u6wos_08a SPARC
>            Copyright 2001 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.
>                            Assembled 12 September 2001
> visual-3.2.5
>  
> bash-2.03# cd /usr/local/lib/python2.4/site-packages/visual/examples/
> bash-2.03# python bounce2.py
> Traceback (most recent call last):
>   File "bounce2.py", line 1, in ?
>     from visual import *
>   File "/usr/local/lib/python2.4/site-packages/visual/__init__.py", 
> line 28, in ?
>     from visual.primitives import arrow, cylinder, cone, sphere, box, 
> ring, label
> ImportError: No module named primitives
>  
>  
> Thanks for your help,
>  
> Bernard
>  

[Visualpython-users] problem with visual + module primitives

[B G <let...@ho...>]

Good morning,
=20
I cannot install visual 3.2.5 or 3.2.9 on Solaris 5.8 ...
=20
I have no problem when I build the binairies but when I import the visual .=
.. I get this message ...
=20

bash-2.03# pythonPython 2.4.3 (#1, Sep 13 2006, 15:50:21)[GCC 3.3.2] on sun=
os5Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.>>=
> import visualTraceback (most recent call last):  File "<stdin>", line 1, =
in ?  File "/usr/local/lib/python2.4/site-packages/visual/__init__.py", lin=
e 28, in ?    from visual.primitives import arrow, cylinder, cone, sphere, =
box, ring, labelImportError: No module named primitives
=20
bash-2.03# cat /etc/release                       Solaris 8 10/01 s28s_u6wo=
s_08a SPARC           Copyright 2001 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All Rights Res=
erved.                           Assembled 12 September 2001
visual-3.2.5
=20
bash-2.03# cd /usr/local/lib/python2.4/site-packages/visual/examples/
bash-2.03# python bounce2.pyTraceback (most recent call last):  File "bounc=
e2.py", line 1, in ?    from visual import *  File "/usr/local/lib/python2.=
4/site-packages/visual/__init__.py", line 28, in ?    from visual.primitive=
s import arrow, cylinder, cone, sphere, box, ring, labelImportError: No mod=
ule named primitives
=20
=20
Thanks for your help,
=20
Bernard
=20
_________________________________________________________________
Lancez des recherches en toute s=E9curit=E9 depuis n'importe quelle page We=
b. T=E9l=E9chargez GRATUITEMENT Windows Live Toolbar aujourd'hui !
http://toolbar.live.com=

[Visualpython-users] freezing the scene?

[Andras S. <sz...@en...>]

Hello all,

I have written an application that animates electromagnetic waves and
I have some problems with the way VPython displays the curves.
Essentially, I have three curves that are continually updated (this is
how the animation is realized). The problem is that their motion is
not synchronized. Let's say the three curves are a, b and c. Then I
have a loop in the Python code like this:

t=0
while 1:
    a.pos, b.pos, c.pos = f(t), g(t), h(t)
    t=t+1

Basically I want to update the three curves at the same moment so that
they simultaneously change. But when I update one curve, VPython
immediately displays the curve with the updated positions, and
sometimes this happens even before the second curve is updated. This
results in the motion of the three curves being slightly out of synch,
and this causes visible jerkiness in the motion. My understanding is
that in VPython, a separate thread watches the positions of all
objects and it immediately displays the new configuration whenever
something changes. What I would like to do is to freeze or suspend
this thread until everything is updated, something like this:

t=0
while 1:
    scene.suspend()
    a.pos=f(t)
    b.pos=g(t)
    c.pos=h(t)
    scene.continue()
    t=t+1

Is there a way to do this? If no, I would like to suggest this feature
for the future versions. Or, if someone knows a workaround, please
share it.

Thanks,
Andras

Re: [Visualpython-users] help to activate programmatically the scene of VPython 3.2.9

[Bruce S. <Bru...@nc...>]

I could be wrong, but I don't think there's a way within VPython to 
force a Visual window to be active, nor do I think the situation is 
different in version 4.

You might examine the program 02_threebody.py found at

    http://www4.ncsu.edu/~rwchabay/mi/Public_Programs_VI.htm

It forces a non-Visual window to come forward and be active, though 
that's the opposite situation to your problem.

Bruce Sherwood

Andrey Antonov wrote:

>Dear Friends,
>
>I use VPython 3.2.9 for Windows (XP).
>I have an application with one (or several) VPython scenes full of objects
>and another Tkinter window with widgets.
>When I click on the Tkinter Button my VPython scene window is not active, 
>then the user have to click on VPython scene in order to activate it.
>This is not a big trouble, but I need to accelerate my application.
>So could anyone help me to solve this problem:
>        Within my application how can I make the VPython scene to be the 
>current active window after clicking on the widget button?
>
>I don't know whether it is simple to do in next VPython 4.
>ThX
>
>Andrio 
>
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, security?
>Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier
>Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache Geronimo
>http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&dat=121642
>_______________________________________________
>Visualpython-users mailing list
>Vis...@li...
>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/visualpython-users
>  
>

[Visualpython-users] help to activate programmatically the scene of VPython 3.2.9

[Andrey A. <an...@uc...>]

Dear Friends,

I use VPython 3.2.9 for Windows (XP).
I have an application with one (or several) VPython scenes full of objects
and another Tkinter window with widgets.
When I click on the Tkinter Button my VPython scene window is not active, 
then the user have to click on VPython scene in order to activate it.
This is not a big trouble, but I need to accelerate my application.
So could anyone help me to solve this problem:
        Within my application how can I make the VPython scene to be the 
current active window after clicking on the widget button?

I don't know whether it is simple to do in next VPython 4.
ThX

Andrio 

Re: [Visualpython-users] camera zoom (position change?) problem

[Bruce S. <Bru...@nc...>]

It may not be quite what you want, but note that in the contributed 
programs section of vpython.org the program movecamera.py may be related 
to your questions.

Also, you might consider taking over the mouse yourself, if you have 
special needs. Turn off userzoom and userspin and display the scene as 
you wish, based on whatever mouse interactions you wish. The example 
program stonehenge.py that comes with VPython is of this kind.

Bruce Sherwood

nom de guerre wrote:

> hi.
>
> i have the folowing problem: i would like to move the camera in the 
> same z distance from my object. so what i would like to do is to 
> update the z coord of camera. the display.mouse.camera is ro and You 
> suggest to modify the: forward, up, center, range. so the problem 
> comes. when i zoom with middle mouse button none of these params 
> change! so i do not know what actual 'zoom' makes. i checked for docs, 
> usergroup but still i have no idea how to solve the problem. any 
> suggestions?
>
> this question can be more general -- the z axis may be identified by 
> forward..
>
> thanks in advance.
>
> bests,
> szymon stoma.
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, security?
>Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier
>Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache Geronimo
>http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&dat=121642
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>_______________________________________________
>Visualpython-users mailing list
>Vis...@li...
>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/visualpython-users
>  
>

[Visualpython-users] camera zoom (position change?) problem

[nom de g. <ndg...@gm...>]

hi.

i have the folowing problem: i would like to move the camera in the same z
distance from my object. so what i would like to do is to update the z coord
of camera. the display.mouse.camera is ro and You suggest to modify the:
forward, up, center, range. so the problem comes. when i zoom with middle
mouse button none of these params change! so i do not know what actual
'zoom' makes. i checked for docs, usergroup but still i have no idea how to
solve the problem. any suggestions?

this question can be more general -- the z axis may be identified by
forward..

thanks in advance.

bests,
szymon stoma.

[Visualpython-users] Displaying a photograph

[Bruce S. <Bru...@nc...>]

Users sometimes ask how to display a photograph in VPython. This is 
possible with the new beta version. The little program shown below, 
available in the contributed section of vpython.org, does this by using 
the Python Imaging Library (PIL) to read an image file (in this case, 
jpeg, but PIL handles many image formats), optionally crop the image, 
and resize the image to have width and height that are powers of 2. The 
rgb pixel data are extracted into a Numeric array, and the y position 
values flipped to put the location (0,0) at the bottom left of a VPython 
texture. The texture is applied to a thin box and the image mounted on a 
photo tray.

Bruce Sherwood

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
from visual import *

import Image # from the Python Imaging Library (PIL); 
www.pythonware.com/products/pil
im = Image.open("flower.jpg") # read a jpeg file named flower.jpg
#print im.size # to see the width and height of the image
# optionally crop image with rectangle (x1,y1,x2,y2), where (0,0) is 
upper left corner:
#im = im.crop((0,20,300,320))
#im.show() # optionally display the cropped image
im = im.resize((256,256)) # resize so that length and width are powers of 2

# getdata() returns a special sequence, which must be made into a list
#   before being made into an array:
data = array(list(im.getdata()),UnsignedInt8) # read pixel data into 
flat Numeric array
data = reshape(data, (256,256,3)) # reshape for rgb texture
# texture (0,0) is lower left corner, so flip the y values:
im = data[::-1].copy() # copy() is necessary to make array contiguous in 
memory

photo = texture(data=im, type="rgb")
box(size=(10,10,0.01), texture=photo, shininess=0)
box(pos=(0,-5.5,0), size=(12,1,2), color=color.cyan)

[Visualpython-users] strange error with vpython 2.3

[<sb...@ma...>]

On mac os x (Tiger)
I have got the message

GLib-ERROR **: could not allocate -1 bytes
aborting...

Vpython has been working. I guess that I might have installed something
that is now in conflict with open GL

Any advise?

Many thanks

Luca

________________________
Dr Luca Sbano
Mathematics Institute
University of Warwick
CV4 7AL Coventry U.K.
________________________

Re: [Visualpython-users] make video from VPython

[Bruce S. <Bru...@nc...>]

In response to a question from a user, there is now in the FAQ section 
of vpython.org a description by Ruth Chabay of how she has made movies 
from VPython programs on Windows.

Bruce Sherwood

Re: [Visualpython-users] New version 4.beta5

[Martin C. <cos...@wa...>]

Jaap Spies wrote:
[]
>  > #define NUMARRAY_VERSION "1.4.1"
>  > #define NUMARRAY_VERSION_HEX 0x01040100
> diff /usr/include/python2.4/numarray/nummacro.h 
> /usr/local/sage/local/include/python2.4/numarray/nummacro.h

That version of numarray was incompatible with C++ (they used the 
reserved word "operator" as variable name). Upgrade to 1.5.0 or later.

-- 
Martin

Re: [Visualpython-users] New version 4.beta5

[Jaap S. <j....@hc...>]

Jonathan Brandmeyer wrote:
> On Sat, 2006-08-12 at 18:47 +0200, Jaap Spies wrote:
   ...

Forgot Numeric!

>> checking for array in python module Numeric... yes
>> checking for array in python module numarray... yes

  From the src/build.log:

>>  g++ -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I../../visual-4.beta5/include -I..//include -I/usr/include/gtkglextmm-1.2 -I/usr/lib/gtkglextmm-1.2/include -I/usr/include/gtkglext-1.0 -I/usr/include/gtkmm-2.4 -I/usr/lib/gtkmm-2.4/include -I/usr/lib/gtkglext-1.0/include -I/usr/include/gdkmm-2.4 -I/usr/lib/gdkmm-2.4/include -I/usr/include/pangomm-1.4 -I/usr/include/gtk-2.0 -I/usr/lib/gtk-2.0/include -I/usr/include/pango-1.0 -I/usr/include/glib-2.0 -I/usr/lib/glib-2.0/include -I/usr/include/cairo -I/usr/include/glibmm-2.4 -I/usr/lib/glibmm-2.4/include -I/usr/include/sigc++-2.0 -I/usr/lib/sigc++-2.0/include -I/usr/include/atk-1.0 -I/usr/include/atkmm-1.6 -I/usr/include/freetype2 -I/usr/include/libglademm-2.4 -I/usr/lib/libglademm-2.4/include -I/usr/include/libglade-2.0 -I/usr/include/libxml2 -I../../visual-4.beta5/include/gtk2 -pthread -I/usr/include/glib-2.0 -I/usr/lib/glib-2.0/include -I/usr/local/sage/local/include/python2.4 -fpic -DPIC -g -O2 -ftemplate-depth-120 -MMD -MF num_util_impl_numarray.d -

MT "num_util_impl_numarray.d num_util_impl_numarray.lo" -c 
../../visual-4.beta5/src/python/num_util_impl_numarray.cpp  -fPIC -DPIC -o 
.libs/num_util_impl_numarray.o
>> /usr/local/sage/local/include/python2.4/numarray/nummacro.h:27: error: expected type-specifier before ';' token
>> /usr/local/sage/local/include/python2.4/numarray/nummacro.h:27: error: abstract declarator 'PyObject*' used as declaration

Version of 'numarray' is numeric-24.2, but also Numeric-1.4.1 is installed:

< #define NUMARRAY_VERSION "1.5.1"
< #define NUMARRAY_VERSION_HEX 0x01050100
---
 > #define NUMARRAY_VERSION "1.4.1"
 > #define NUMARRAY_VERSION_HEX 0x01040100
diff /usr/include/python2.4/numarray/nummacro.h 
/usr/local/sage/local/include/python2.4/numarray/nummacro.h
27c27
<       PyObject *oprator;          /* ufunc name */
---
 >       PyObject *operator;          /* ufunc name */


Jaap

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Using Tomcat but need to do more? Need to support web services, security?
Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier
Download IBM WebSphere Application Server v.1.0.1 based on Apache Geronimo
http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=120709&bid=263057&dat=121642
_______________________________________________
Visualpython-users mailing list
Vis...@li...
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/visualpython-users

Re: [Visualpython-users] New version 4.beta5

[Jaap S. <j....@hc...>]

Jonathan Brandmeyer wrote:
> On Sat, 2006-08-12 at 18:47 +0200, Jaap Spies wrote:
  ...
>>>>Compiling ../../visual-4.beta5/src/python/faces.cpp ...
>>>>Compiling ../../visual-4.beta5/src/python/num_util.cpp ...
>>>>Compiling ../../visual-4.beta5/src/python/num_util_impl_numarray.cpp ...
>>>>make[1]: *** [num_util_impl_numarray.lo] Error 1
>>>>make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/jaap/work/downloads/buildbeta/src'
>>>>make: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
>>>>[root@paix buildbeta]#
>>>>
> 
> 
> Did configure properly detect the existence and availability of
> numarray?  What is the actual error (it should be in src/build.log)?
> 

This is whar configure says about Python:

>> checking whether /usr/local/sage/local/bin/python version >= 2.2... yes
>> checking for /usr/local/sage/local/bin/python version... 2.4
>> checking for /usr/local/sage/local/bin/python platform... linux2
>> checking for /usr/local/sage/local/bin/python script directory... ${prefix}/lib/ python2.4/site-packages
>> checking for /usr/local/sage/local/bin/python extension module directory... ${ex ec_prefix}/lib/python2.4/site-packages

and numarray:

>> checking for array in python module Numeric... yes
>> checking for array in python module numarray... yes
>> checking for headers required to compile python extensions... found
>> checking for pkg-config... /usr/bin/pkg-config
>> checking pkg-config is at least version 0.9.0... yes
>> checking for GTK... yes
>> checking for GTHREAD... yes
>> checking where to install documentation... ${prefix}/lib/python2.4/site-packages /visual/docs
>> checking whether to install html documentation... yes
>> checking where to install example programs... ${prefix}/lib/python2.4/site-packa ges/visual/examples
>> checking whether to install example programs... yes
>> configure: creating ./config.status

 From the src/build.log:

>>  g++ -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I../../visual-4.beta5/include -I..//include -I/usr/include/gtkglextmm-1.2 -I/usr/lib/gtkglextmm-1.2/include -I/usr/include/gtkglext-1.0 -I/usr/include/gtkmm-2.4 -I/usr/lib/gtkmm-2.4/include -I/usr/lib/gtkglext-1.0/include -I/usr/include/gdkmm-2.4 -I/usr/lib/gdkmm-2.4/include -I/usr/include/pangomm-1.4 -I/usr/include/gtk-2.0 -I/usr/lib/gtk-2.0/include -I/usr/include/pango-1.0 -I/usr/include/glib-2.0 -I/usr/lib/glib-2.0/include -I/usr/include/cairo -I/usr/include/glibmm-2.4 -I/usr/lib/glibmm-2.4/include -I/usr/include/sigc++-2.0 -I/usr/lib/sigc++-2.0/include -I/usr/include/atk-1.0 -I/usr/include/atkmm-1.6 -I/usr/include/freetype2 -I/usr/include/libglademm-2.4 -I/usr/lib/libglademm-2.4/include -I/usr/include/libglade-2.0 -I/usr/include/libxml2 -I../../visual-4.beta5/include/gtk2 -pthread -I/usr/include/glib-2.0 -I/usr/lib/glib-2.0/include -I/usr/local/sage/local/include/python2.4 -fpic -DPIC -g -O2 -ftemplate-depth-120 -MMD -MF num_util_impl_numarray.d -
MT "num_util_impl_numarray.d num_util_impl_numarray.lo" -c ../../visual-4.beta5/src/python/num_util_impl_numarray.cpp  -fPIC -DPIC -o .libs/num_util_impl_numarray.o
>> /usr/local/sage/local/include/python2.4/numarray/nummacro.h:27: error: expected type-specifier before ';' token
>> /usr/local/sage/local/include/python2.4/numarray/nummacro.h:27: error: abstract declarator 'PyObject*' used as declaration

Version of 'numarray' is numeric-24.2


Jaap