visualpython-users

[Visualpython-users] visual in Quantian 0.7.9.2 LiveDVD

[Rob S. <sa...@ph...>]

I just noticed that
VPython is available on
Quantian 0.7.9.2 (a live linux-DVD variant of Knoppix).

from http://dirk.eddelbuettel.com/quantian.html ,
"Quantian is a remastering of Knoppix, the self-configuring and directly
bootable cdrom/dvd that turns any pc or laptop (provided it can boot from
cdrom/dvd) into a full-featured Linux workstation. Quantian also
incorporates clusterKnoppix and adds support for openMosix, including
remote booting of light clients in an openMosix terminal server context.

...Quantian differs from Knoppix by adding a large number of programs of
interest to applied or theoretical workers in quantitative or data-driven
fields.
"

from
http://dirk.eddelbuettel.com/quantian/quantian_0.7.9.2.quantian.packages.txt

idle                     2.3.5-3
idle-python2.3           2.3.5-8
python                   2.3.5-3
python-numarray          1.4.1-1
python-numeric           23.8-1
python-visual            3.2.1-1
python2.4                2.4.2-2
python2.4-minimal        2.4.2-2

(As an alternative, there is also the LiveZope variant of Knoppix, which
[I believe] can be obtained from ftp://math.cgu.edu.tw/pub/KNOPPIX/ ,
although I'm not sure which .iso to choose. )

Rob Salgado

Re: [Visualpython-users] models

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

If you can find out what the format of a Blender model export is, it's 
possible that you wouldn't find it too difficult to write a convertor 
that generates Visual "faces" objects. You might look at the Visual > 
Pov-Ray convertor on the vpython.org website as an example of this kind 
of thing (though it goes in the other direction).

Bruce Sherwood

Keegan Carruthers-Smith wrote:

> Hi,
> My university has a course on python, and at the moment we are making
> a game using visual python as the user interface. I was just wondering
> if anyone knows of some modules to import blender models into vpython.
> I know vpython doesn't support textures, all i need is the shapes. I
> don't feel like making my models with code, or writing the module,
> cause I know nothing about python in blender. Any help would be a life
> saver.
>
> Keegan
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------
> 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
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> _______________________________________________
> Visualpython-users mailing list
> Vis...@li...
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/visualpython-users

[Visualpython-users] models

[Keegan Carruthers-S. <kee...@gm...>]

Hi,
My university has a course on python, and at the moment we are making
a game using visual python as the user interface. I was just wondering
if anyone knows of some modules to import blender models into vpython.
I know vpython doesn't support textures, all i need is the shapes. I
don't feel like making my models with code, or writing the module,
cause I know nothing about python in blender. Any help would be a life
saver.

Keegan

[Visualpython-users] Google Summer of Code invitation

[Jon S. <js...@di...>]

Greetings,

Having just been approved as a Google Summer of Code mentor by the  
Python Software Foundation, I'm posting the projects I had in mind.   
The third in particular might  be of interest to vpythoneers  list,  
or to people you know.

The deadline for student submissions is May 8(!)

For more information about the Google Summer of Code, see http:// 
wiki.python.org/moin/SummerOfCode/

Comments and queries welcome!

> 1).  Python in the browser.  Pick up the torch from Thomas Schilz
> http://www.thomas-schilz.de/MozPython/downloads/ and make mozilla
> scriptable in python.  This would not only create a versatile and
> evolving python GUI platform, it would allow such things as...
>
> 2).  A server in, or with, each  browser.  I have been working on a
> real-time, collaborative wiki/chat system called twowayweb based on
> CherryPy and javascript/Ajax.  I can't publish the URL of our  
> server here,
> because it can't handle more than 30 or so simultaneous  
> users...which is the
> point:  the right architecture for a system like this is a
> distributed peer to peer architecture where more users means more
> servers.   This could be achieved in a number of ways but the most
> elegant would be a browser plug-in that included a server.    Here
> are some references to this  project.
> > http://it.rit.edu/~jis/2way/Finally%20the%20TwoWayWeb%20June28.pdf
> > www.otierney.net/files/twowaywebposter.pdf
>
> One way to put a browser in a server would be by  combining jython  
> with
> http://simile.mit.edu/java-firefox-extension/
>
> Which brings me to ...
>
> 3).  Ython (streamlined jython python cross-communication).  I'm
> currently working on a music visualization project and find myself
> using two elegant and simple python-compatible systems that do not
> play particularly well together.  Vpython based on cpython, and
> JFugue written in Java works well with jython.     What is the most
> elegant way to allow a programmer to "just code"  python while
> accessing the functionality of the two interpreters?
> ....
> I can advocate each of these quite fervently, and would be pleased to
> see anyone take them, but I must now say that I'm by no means an
> alpha python programmer.   (I do classes, not metaclasses.  I haven't
> figured out decorators.  etc.)
>
> The right summer student would already know more java, and at least
> as much python, as I do.  As a mentor though, I'd be able to keep an
> eye on the forest,  and help shape elegant architectures, constructs
> and documentation.
>
> I collaborate, communicate, and contribute, really well with
> smart people and good coders who are willing to think outside the box.
>
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Jon Schull
Associate Professor
Information Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
102 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, New York 14623
sc...@di...
fax: 978-246-0487
cell: 585-738-6696


cell: 585-738-6696

Re: [Visualpython-users] compiling visual on intel-mac

[Frank W. P. a. A. U of R <wo...@pa...>]

You are correct; I did the rsynch update and this immediately solved the 
problem and I see that visual is available.

Thanks very much!

Frank

On Sat, 29 Apr 2006, Martin Costabel wrote:

> Frank Wolfs, Physics and Astronomy, U of R wrote:
>> I just started using my intel mini, and installed fink following the 
>> instructions; I assume this will use the 10.4 tree by default; I assume 
>> that the line "Distribution: 10.4" in the fink.conf tells me that I use 
>> the 10.4 tree.  I added unstable/min and ustable/crypto to the fink.conf 
>> file, updated the index to get the unstable packages, but I do not see the 
>> visual if I do fink list.  I am not sure where things go wrong.  Fink 
>> finds a total of 1754 packages, but none of them contain visual.
>
> Something must have gone wrong with your selfupdate then. Fink 10.4/unstable 
> has something like 5650 packages. What selfupdate method did you choose? You 
> should use selfupdate-rsync. The selfupdate-cvs method is currently broken 
> for anonymous cvs users, because Sourceforge broke their anonymous cvs access 
> and don't seem to be in a hurry to repair it.
>
>

-- 

_____________________________________________________________________

  Frank L. H. Wolfs                  e-mail: wo...@pa...
  Department of Physics and Astronomy
  University of Rochester
  B&L 203A, RC Box 270171                      fax: (585) 273 - 3237
  500 Wilson Blvd.                           phone: (585) 275 - 4937
  Rochester, NY 14627              http://teacher.pas.rochester.edu/

Re: [Visualpython-users] compiling visual on intel-mac

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

Frank Wolfs, Physics and Astronomy, U of R wrote:
> I just started using my intel mini, and installed fink following the 
> instructions; I assume this will use the 10.4 tree by default; I assume 
> that the line "Distribution: 10.4" in the fink.conf tells me that I use 
> the 10.4 tree.  I added unstable/min and ustable/crypto to the fink.conf 
> file, updated the index to get the unstable packages, but I do not see 
> the visual if I do fink list.  I am not sure where things go wrong.  
> Fink finds a total of 1754 packages, but none of them contain visual.

Something must have gone wrong with your selfupdate then. Fink 
10.4/unstable has something like 5650 packages. What selfupdate method 
did you choose? You should use selfupdate-rsync. The selfupdate-cvs 
method is currently broken for anonymous cvs users, because Sourceforge 
broke their anonymous cvs access and don't seem to be in a hurry to 
repair it.

-- 
Martin

Re: [Visualpython-users] compiling visual on intel-mac

[Frank W. P. a. A. U of R <wo...@pa...>]

I just started using my intel mini, and installed fink following the 
instructions; I assume this will use the 10.4 tree by default; I assume 
that the line "Distribution: 10.4" in the fink.conf tells me that I use 
the 10.4 tree.  I added unstable/min and ustable/crypto to the fink.conf 
file, updated the index to get the unstable packages, but I do not see the 
visual if I do fink list.  I am not sure where things go wrong.  Fink 
finds a total of 1754 packages, but none of them contain visual.

Frank

  On Sat, 29 Apr 2006, Martin Costabel 
wrote:

> Frank Wolfs, Physics and Astronomy, U of R wrote:
>> I do not see visual listed when running fink on intel (neither in stable 
>> or unstable).
>
> Very strange. Are you sure you are using the 10.4 tree? In unstable, there is 
> visual-py2{3,4}-3.2.9-1002. It will go to stable if there is any positive 
> user feedback.
>
>

-- 

_____________________________________________________________________

  Frank L. H. Wolfs                  e-mail: wo...@pa...
  Department of Physics and Astronomy
  University of Rochester
  B&L 203A, RC Box 270171                      fax: (585) 273 - 3237
  500 Wilson Blvd.                           phone: (585) 275 - 4937
  Rochester, NY 14627              http://teacher.pas.rochester.edu/

Re: [Visualpython-users] compiling visual on intel-mac

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

Frank Wolfs, Physics and Astronomy, U of R wrote:
> I do not see visual listed when running fink on intel (neither in stable 
> or unstable).

Very strange. Are you sure you are using the 10.4 tree? In unstable, 
there is visual-py2{3,4}-3.2.9-1002. It will go to stable if there is 
any positive user feedback.

-- 
Martin

Re: [Visualpython-users] compiling visual on intel-mac

[Frank W. P. a. A. U of R <wo...@pa...>]

I do not see visual listed when running fink on intel (neither in stable 
or unstable).

Frank

On Fri, 28 Apr 2006, Martin Costabel wrote:

> Rhett Allain wrote:
>> Does anyone have any experience compiling vpython on an intel-based mac? 
>> Is there any reason to think this should not work?  Any tips would be 
>> appreciated.
>
> The vpython package in Fink (visual-py23 or visual-py24) has no problem 
> compiling on intel.
>
>

-- 

_____________________________________________________________________

  Frank L. H. Wolfs                  e-mail: wo...@pa...
  Department of Physics and Astronomy
  University of Rochester
  B&L 203A, RC Box 270171                      fax: (585) 273 - 3237
  500 Wilson Blvd.                           phone: (585) 275 - 4937
  Rochester, NY 14627              http://teacher.pas.rochester.edu/

Re: [Visualpython-users] compiling visual on intel-mac

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

Rhett Allain wrote:
> Does anyone have any experience compiling vpython on an intel-based 
> mac?  Is there any reason to think this should not work?  Any tips would 
> be appreciated.

The vpython package in Fink (visual-py23 or visual-py24) has no problem 
compiling on intel.

-- 
Martin

[Visualpython-users] Rolling (stripchart like) display with gcurve object?

[Mark <clu...@ya...>]

I managed to get a rolling display with a curve object (thanks to this 
forum):
band = curve( x = arange(-20,20,0.01), y = 0, radius = 0.1, 
color=color.white)
while1
   p=I skipped the data input sequence here	
   band.y[:-1] = band.y[1:]
   band.pos[-1] = (20,p,0)

But now I would like to do the same with a "gcurve" object, as this 
would give a more "scope like" display with labels etc. I tried slicing 
again, but unfortunately the gcurve object does not support the same 
methods as the curve object.
Any ideas?

Thanks Mark
Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com 

[Visualpython-users] compiling visual on intel-mac

[Rhett A. <ra...@se...>]

Does anyone have any experience compiling vpython on an intel-based  
mac?  Is there any reason to think this should not work?  Any tips  
would be appreciated.

Rhett

Re: [Visualpython-users] vector precision?

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

Martin Mason wrote:
> Hi Folks,
> 
>  
> 
> Just finishing up  a program to convert observations of RA and Dec into
> orbital elements. 

Just curious. Which method did you choose: Laplace's, Gauss' or Herget's?

Jaap

Re: [Visualpython-users] vector precision?

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

On Tue, 2006-04-25 at 19:16 -0700, Martin Mason wrote:
> Hi Folks,
> 
>  
> 
> Just finishing up  a program to convert observations of RA and Dec
> into orbital elements.  I am trying to match the precision of my
> measuring instruments, which means I need to worry about how the
> vector object stores its components.  I know that the regular float
> variable type has 53 bits of precision.  When I display the contents
> of the vector, it seems like it is truncating it to something like 24
> bits.  Is this just in the display or is this real? IE
> 
> Angular Momentum <0.122495, 0.227241, 1.46103>
> Magnitude of Angular Momentum 1.48366502545
> 
>  
> 
> Is the output just hiding the extra digits or are they disappearing?
> Anyone done any testing on this?

visual.vector stores its components as 3 C "double" variables, which are
equivalent to Python floats.  The display is deliberately truncated in
vector.__str__(), but you can provide your own version of that function
that provides the full resolution if you wish.

def my_vector_str(self):
	return "<%.15e, %.15e, %.15e>" %(self.x, self.y, self.z)
visual.vector.__str__ = my_vector_str

HTH,
-Jonathan

[Visualpython-users] vector precision?

[Martin M. <mm...@mt...>]

Hi Folks,

=20

Just finishing up  a program to convert observations of RA and Dec into
orbital elements.  I am trying to match the precision of my measuring
instruments, which means I need to worry about how the vector object =
stores
its components.  I know that the regular float variable type has 53 bits =
of
precision.  When I display the contents of the vector, it seems like it =
is
truncating it to something like 24 bits.  Is this just in the display or =
is
this real? IE

Angular Momentum <0.122495, 0.227241, 1.46103>

Magnitude of Angular Momentum 1.48366502545

=20

Is the output just hiding the extra digits or are they disappearing?  =
Anyone
done any testing on this?

=20

Thanks!!

mmason

=20

-------------------------

Martin S. Mason

Professor of Physics

Mt. San Antonio College

=20

Re: [Visualpython-users] Stripchart display with curve object?

[Flavio C. <fcc...@gm...>]

I wrote a Stripchart script a while ago,

take a look at it and feel free to use it, if you like it

Flavio

2006/4/17, Mark <clu...@ya...>:
>
> Jonathan Brandmeyer wrote:
> > On Sun, 2006-04-16 at 21:14 +0100, Mark wrote:
> >> I am trying to create a realtime stripchart display by using the curve
> >> object. My problem is how to get the display "rolling". I would like to
> >> do this as efficient as possible (avoiding time consuming loops!).  Any
> >> ideas ?
> >
> > Your best bet is probably going to involve using slicing.  Maybe
> > something like this...
> >
> > # expensive inner loop gets done in C
> > graphline[:-1] = graphline[1:]
> > # new data point tacked on to the end
> > graphline[-1] = n_point
> >
> > HTH,
> > -Jonathan
>
> Thanks for the help. I could get the stripchart rolling by slicing "y",
> otherwise the position of the plotted points would not move:
> band.y[:-1] = band.y[1:]
>
> thank Mark
>
>
> ___________________________________________________________
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> http://uk.mail.yahoo.com
>
>
>
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>



--
Flávio Codeço Coelho
registered Linux user # 386432
---------------------------
"Laws are like sausages. It's better not to see them being made."
Otto von Bismark

[Visualpython-users] AAPT Seattle session on VPython

[Ruth C. <rwc...@un...>]

I have been asked to organize a session on "Physics Education with 
VPython" for the joint AAPT / AAS meeting in Seattle, WA, Jan 5-10, 
2007.  Because oral presentations are very short (10 min, including 
questions), this would be a poster session. There would be power outlets 
  for all presenters.

I'd like to get a sense of how many people would be interested in 
contributing a poster / live demo to this session.  If you are using 
VPython in teaching physics or astronomy at any level, and would 
seriously consider attending the meeting and making a presentation, 
would you please email me (soon)?

	Ruth Chabay
-- 
-------------------------------
Ruth Chabay
Professor of Physics
North Carolina State University
Raleigh NC 27695-8202

office: 506C Cox Hall
email: Rut...@nc...
phone: 919.513.4826

Re: [Visualpython-users] Stripchart display with curve object?

[Mark <clu...@ya...>]

Jonathan Brandmeyer wrote:
> On Sun, 2006-04-16 at 21:14 +0100, Mark wrote:
>> I am trying to create a realtime stripchart display by using the curve 
>> object. My problem is how to get the display "rolling". I would like to 
>> do this as efficient as possible (avoiding time consuming loops!).  Any 
>> ideas ?
> 
> Your best bet is probably going to involve using slicing.  Maybe
> something like this...
> 
> # expensive inner loop gets done in C
> graphline[:-1] = graphline[1:]
> # new data point tacked on to the end
> graphline[-1] = n_point
> 
> HTH,
> -Jonathan

Thanks for the help. I could get the stripchart rolling by slicing "y", 
otherwise the position of the plotted points would not move:
band.y[:-1] = band.y[1:]

thank Mark

		
___________________________________________________________ 
24 FIFA World Cup tickets to be won with Yahoo! Mail http://uk.mail.yahoo.com

Re: [Visualpython-users] Stripchart display with curve object?

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

On Sun, 2006-04-16 at 21:14 +0100, Mark wrote:
> I am trying to create a realtime stripchart display by using the curve 
> object. My problem is how to get the display "rolling". I would like to 
> do this as efficient as possible (avoiding time consuming loops!).  Any 
> ideas ?

Your best bet is probably going to involve using slicing.  Maybe
something like this...

# expensive inner loop gets done in C
graphline[:-1] = graphline[1:]
# new data point tacked on to the end
graphline[-1] = n_point

HTH,
-Jonathan

[Visualpython-users] Stripchart display with curve object?

[Mark <clu...@ya...>]

I am trying to create a realtime stripchart display by using the curve 
object. My problem is how to get the display "rolling". I would like to 
do this as efficient as possible (avoiding time consuming loops!).  Any 
ideas ?

thanks for any help,
Mark

		
___________________________________________________________ 
Switch an email account to Yahoo! Mail, you could win FIFA World Cup tickets. http://uk.mail.yahoo.com

Re: [Visualpython-users] modeling asteroid orbits

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

Martin Mason wrote:

> 
> Has anyone done any work on computing asteroid orbits from observational
> data either using either Laplace or Guassian techniques in vpython?   This
> is strictly for an educational setting.  We currently use either Excel or
> IDL, but both have their disadvantages.  (No visualization or steep learning
> curve.)  
> 

In Danby: Fundamentals of Celestial Mechanics, chapter 7 you can find
a simple Basic program that easily can be translated in (V)Python.

Maybe it is more easy to use FIND_ORB: http://www.projectpluto.com/find_orb.htm
FIND_ORB is an implementation of Herget's method.

Eventually you use the C/C++ code as an extension to Python.

Jaap Spies

RE: [Visualpython-users] modeling asteroid orbits

[Dunning, R. B. <rdu...@bs...>]

Martin,

I think I have at least part of what you're looking for.  I have a code
package that integrates the motion of N particles in a self-gravitating
system where the total mass is dominated by a single object.  It uses
symplectic integration techniques in order to place an upper bound on
the energy error, but Gauss' method (with the famous f and g functions,
and their derivatives) is one of the options.  I assume Gauss' method,
which generates a pure Keplerian orbit, with no interaction among the
objects, is what you're talking about.

My code may not be exactly what you're looking for.  It sounds like you
want is a program that accepts as input three positions (RA and DEC,
with the time), and outputs the orbital elements or draws an orbit based
on those elements.  My code accepts the elements as input (in a file)
and draws the orbit from those.  So what I have may at least be the
second part of what you need.

The package is called VPNBody.  See
http://panther.bsc.edu/~rdunning/vpnbody/

Please contact me if I can be of any help getting you set up with what
you need, or developing new code.  This is the kind of work I do
regularly, so I don't want to miss a good opportunity to collaborate!

--
Rodney Dunning
Assistant Professor of Physics
Birmingham-Southern College=20

> -----Original Message-----
> From: vis...@li...
[mailto:visualpython-users-
> ad...@li...] On Behalf Of Martin Mason
> Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 2:53 PM
> To: vis...@li...
> Subject: [Visualpython-users] modeling asteroid orbits
>=20
> Hi Folks,
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Has anyone done any work on computing asteroid orbits from
observational data either
> using either Laplace or Guassian techniques in vpython?   This is
strictly for an educational
> setting.  We currently use either Excel or IDL, but both have their
disadvantages.  (No
> visualization or steep learning curve.)
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Thanks!
>=20
> mmason
>=20
> -------------------------
>=20
> Martin S. Mason
>=20
> Professor of Physics
>=20
> Mt. San Antonio College
>=20
>=20

[Visualpython-users] modeling asteroid orbits

[Martin M. <mm...@mt...>]

Hi Folks,

=20

Has anyone done any work on computing asteroid orbits from observational
data either using either Laplace or Guassian techniques in vpython?   =
This
is strictly for an educational setting.  We currently use either Excel =
or
IDL, but both have their disadvantages.  (No visualization or steep =
learning
curve.) =20

=20

Thanks!

mmason =20

-------------------------

Martin S. Mason

Professor of Physics

Mt. San Antonio College

=20

Re: [Visualpython-users] stereo glasses

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

I've added this information to the FAQ section of vpython.org.

Bruce Sherwood

Gary wrote:
> Some time ago there was a discussion of the best kind of stero color 
> scheme, and the best glasses.
> 
> What was the conclusion from that discussion?  (I can't find it, sorry.)
> 
> any suggestions concerning where to procure glasses?
> 
> thanks,
> gary
> 

[Visualpython-users] stereo glasses

[Gary <pa...@in...>]

Some time ago there was a discussion of the best kind of stero color 
scheme, and the best glasses.

What was the conclusion from that discussion?  (I can't find it, sorry.)

any suggestions concerning where to procure glasses?

thanks,
gary