Display command from the Output window not working

[clerici]

I tried to run commands from the lower part of the Output window in gis.m GUI. The command with results listed in the Output window (as g.list rast) run well. I opened a Monitor with: d.mon x0 and Run button. The Monitor was opened. Then I deleted the command d.mon x0 and I wrote the command to display the raster map geology (spearfish): d.rast geology and Run (background) button but nothing was displayed in the monitor (same result with d.vect). This with: GRASS6.3, GRASS6.4, GRASS6.5. With GRASS6.2 everything run well.

A. Clerici

[hamish]

It is not designed or supposed to work from the new gis.m GUI, so this is not surprising.

well, you can launch one from that command line, and d.mon -L reports it as selected, but d.rast shows nothing and d.where goes nuts. d.info reports the correct initial window size but doesn't update if you change it by hand. You can work the xmon from the real terminal command line, but you might as well launch it from there as well.

Interestingly (or not, DOYPOV) if you run a Xterm from the gis.m output window, after setting LD_LIBRARY_PATH it still didn't work for me, but it would write to $GRASS_PNG_FILE which I could look at in an image viewing program. I expect that's just a useless curiosity though.

If you want to work with d.* commands + a gui you have to use the old tcl/tk GUI (d.m). you can still do that with any 6.x GRASS by entering "d.m" or "g.gui oldtcktk" on the (real) terminal's command line.

Hamish

[clerici]

Which is the new gis.m GUI? The one currently opened in GRASS6.5 (and 6.4) or a new one? If, as I suppose, is the currently opened one, what's for the lower part of the window? Just for input of the commands others than d.* ? And what's for the Run(background) button? As there are many others more convenient ways of command line input, shouldn't it better to entirely delete the lower part of the window and related buttons?

A.Clerici

[hamish]

Replying to clerici:

Which is the new gis.m GUI?

typing "gis.m" at the GRASS> prompt will explain it better than me. :) but I'll try.

The one currently opened in GRASS6.5 (and 6.4) or a new one?

well the one that opens with grass 6.4 or 6.5 is the one you've set to be the default GUI. There are three to choose from. Look in ~/.grassrc6. (GRASS 7 only has the one wxPython one)

gis.m has been around 2 years or so. It took over from d.m (still available in 6.x btw), which took over from GRASS 5's tcltkgrass GUI. The wxPython GUI first shipped as an optional extra with 6.3.0 but is only now reaching real maturity.

see the user interface section of the screenshots page on the main grass website for some pics.

If, as I suppose, is the currently opened one,

(I've got no idea at what you are looking at)

what's for the lower part of the window? Just for input of the commands others than d.* ?

yes. The OSGeo4W native MS Windows build doesn't launch a terminal box by default. IIRC Lorenzo's Mac build gave you the choice not to have one either. As most of the books, tutorials, and help examples rely on command line entry there needs to be a way for folks without a command line (or who are frightened by it) to enter commands.

And what's for the Run(background) button?

The regular Run button waits for the program to finish before it gives you back control. For example if you Run "d.mon x0" the button will be greyed out until you close the monitor window. Where as run in background will break it away from the GUI and it will be free to run on its own.

As there are many others more convenient ways of command line input, shouldn't it better to entirely delete the lower part of the window and related buttons?

there are better and more convinient ways of doing lots of things in this world /if you already know how/. Some people prefer working entirely in a GUI, others spend most of their time in screen or emacs or Facebook. shrug. One size does not fit all so it's just more choices to suit more people.

Hamish