Proposals for a new GRASS GIS startup mechanism

Introduction

GRASS GIS 6.4 Tcl/Tk	GRASS GIS 6.4 wxPython	GRASS GIS 7.5

This page is meant as a brainstorming exercise to collect ideas on how to make GRASS GIS startup more newbie-friendly. The general idea is to make initial contact easier and with a less steep learning curve.

This discussion also contains a paradigm choice: should GRASS continue to demand a choice by the user about the projection system to use, possibly making this choice easier and more transparent, or should GRASS start in an arbitrary projection system (lat-long has been suggested) and then inform the user that she might want to change system, or highlight the issue as soon as the user tries to import data which is not lat-long ? To be discussed...

Keep current paradigm, but make contact easier

Proposal 1 (Moritz): Make startup screen more newbie-friendly

In this proposal, the idea is to keep the current paradigm, but to use vocabulary that is more easily accessible to the user and to guide the user through the choices in a different way than currently.

The startup screen is organized in three tabs (but one could imagine three initial buttons that then lead to the next screens). Each tab provides a small collection of easy choices corresponding to different possible paths into a location. Locations are called 'projects' to correspond to what a user might find elsewhere.

• Tab 1 provides easy entry into the creation of a new project. In the new project (aka location) the PERMANENT mapset is used and the interface opens up immediately:

• Tab 2 provides access to pre-defined locations (similar to the current "Download" button). The OSM data is just a brainstorming idea to allow the user to designate a zone on a map and download main OSM layers for that zone:

• Tab 3 provides access to existing projects (aka locations)

Change paradigm

Proposal 1 (Moritz) : Open into a predefined lat-long location but give information message

In this proposal, GRASS GIS launches directly with layer manager and map display, and displays a world map. The location is a lat-long system with a worldwide, 1 degree-resolution region. Before the user can interact, however, a message is displayed informing about the importance of projection choice for spatial analysis. The user has the option to get out of that message to simply explore GRASS GIS in the default location, or to create a new project with her own data:

Notes from discussions

NCSU GeoForAll Lab, May 30

These are notes from members of ​NCSU GeoForAll Lab.

• Similar window as now but just hide path to GRASS GIS Database. (PT) Automatically find or create the directory when started. (VP)
• Something like tabs (4 or more) on the side from most basic on the top to most advanced at the bottom. (GM) Maybe button, not tabs. (VP)
• Sample datasets translate to templates in other software, so they should be called templates (at least in this context). (PT)
• The default should be "recent mapsets/workspaces" (not applicable for the first time user).
• What came up, but is not part of the startup:
  • Different layouts of GUI (maybe just too many options)
  • Scariness of and bad associations with terminal window/command line on Windows (but consistency and most people seem to ignore it anyway)
  • Low resolution, all the time the same splash screen, e.g. Blender also includes version number (splash is the same as about box in Blender). Different image for each release can be achieved by creating a pool of ~20 images (one for each minor (x.y) release).

grass-dev mailing list: a proposal to rename location

These are notes from ​a discussion on mailing list.

• The term location in GRASS GIS refers to collection of data with common CRS/SRS. (MB)
• The term location refers to something else, more general in today's GIS world and geospatial field in general. (MB)
• GRASS (GIS) Database (Directory) can be used as a project similarly to how Location or Mapset can be used (just depends on the user). Potentially, non-GRASS data can be stored in that directory as well. (NA)

NCSU GeoForAll Lab, June 5

These are notes from members of ​NCSU GeoForAll Lab.

• What New can split to (all overlapping options):
  • new location (wizard)
  • loc from template
  • new mapset (new from recent?)
  • new from recent
  • more (options option) -> wizard
• Word open is not properly describing what is happening. Replace it with Connect to Mapset or Open Workspace. It is perhaps open "map" (i.e. workspace or mapset) or start a new session. (PT)
• CRS of Location should be easy to view by user. I have started to just name the Location with EPSG code. Tend to use Mapsets to organize projects. The work I've been doing is all within same geographic area, so I want easy access to the same base layers and data from other projects that use same EPSG. (KM)
• No right click in startup for additional info. "Show me more" button is better. (PT)
• Text like map names and counts won't be enough for visually oriented people like cartographers, thumbnails of maps will be needed. (PT)
• Workspace file (VP)
  • Save D/L/M (#2604 recently open workspace in wxGUI)
  • Save CWD ( #3573 Save current working directory in wxGUI workspace and use it)
• Template should have something there when opened (i.e. couple maps need to be displayed, so probably workspace needs to be opened).
• Workspace as part of location or mapset in the sample location (aka template). (VP)

See also

• #3474 Change the GRASS GIS start up to more beginner friendly
• Sample dataset
• Single window interface
• GRASS GIS version 8 Planning

Tickets with startup component

defect type tickets:

#2021

encoding information in locale gets lost

#2511

Starting GRASS in mapset which is not owned by the user

#2887

GUI startup: encoding error if location with accent has been renamed to other name

#3252

Provide an error message pointing out that session is not active

#3500

starting French WinGRASS sometimes fails because of localisation errors

#3957

Clicking Help on first screen does nothing

enhancement type tickets:

#2639

grass command should read commands from stdin as an interpreter would do

#3258

Launching in text mode should not automaticly use location/mapset from rc file

#3573

Save current working directory in wxGUI workspace and use it

#3959

Interface needs to warn that directory must be created before start

#3996

Allow multiple --exec's

task type tickets:

#2681

Remove legacy meaning of LOCATION variable

Tickets with workspace keyword

#1204

associate *.gxw files with grass executable

#2604

recently open workspace in wxGUI

#3406

g.gui.animation: save to workspace

#3573

Save current working directory in wxGUI workspace and use it