Geografic-Information-System/gui/wxpython/docs/wxGUI.html

<h2>DESCRIPTION</h2>

<b>wxGUI</b> is a new generation of the GUI for GRASS GIS. It's a successor
of the <em><a href="gis.m.html">Tcl/Tk GUI</a></em> from GRASS 6.

<p>
If wxGUI is not your default GUI, you can define it as default by
typing at GRASS command line prompt

<div class="code"><pre>
   g.gui -u wxpython& 
</pre></div>

or define in your <tt>.grass7/rc</tt> file 'GRASS_GUI' variable

<div class="code"><pre>
    GRASS_GUI: wxpython
</pre></div>

The GUI can be quit by selecting the 'File->Exit' menu item. The GUI
can be restarted from the GRASS command line prompt by typing

<div class="code"><pre>
    g.gui wxpython&
</pre></div>

or  to restart with previously saved workspace type:

<div class="code"><pre>
    g.gui wxpython workspace=file.gxw
</pre></div>

<p>
You can also start GRASS from the shell command line with wxGUI
defined by the <tt>-wxpython</tt> switch:

<div class="code"><pre>
    grass65 -wxpython
</pre></div>

<p>
The GUI is composed by <em>two</em> main components:

<ul>
  <li>The <b>Layer Manager</b> includes map layer management, integrated
  command-line prompt, and command output window tab.</li>
  <li>The <b>Map Display Window</b> integrates basic tools for
  zooming, panning, data querying, and map elements (north arrows,
  barscale, etc.). Each display window is associated with its own 
  set of map layers in the layer manager. The user may start multiple map 
  displays during a session. The map layers for each display are grouped
  under different tabs in the Layer Manager.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Layer Manager</h3>

The <em>Layer Manager</em> provides an interactive graphical interface for
creating and managing GRASS displays. There is a toolbar to manage displayed 
map layers, a layer tree frame in which map layers for display are organized, 
a command output window tab, and interactive command line prompt. On Linux 
and Windows platforms, the layer manager also has a menu bar with a set of 
pull-down menus for all GRASS GIS functions (analysis, file I/O, GIS 
configuration and management); on a Mac, the GRASS functions menu is at the 
top of the screen.

<center>
<br><img src="wxGUI_layer_manager.jpg" border="1"><br><br>
</center>

The top left button of the toolbar opens a new <em>Map Display
Window</em>. Each map display has a unique set of layers to display
and region settings. Other toolbar buttons add layers of different
types for display in the selected map display window. There are
additional buttons for saving or opening workspace file, and others.

<p>
Map layers are listed in the window frame below the toolbar. Layers can
include raster and vector maps, vector labels, and commands (where any 
GRASS command can be written). Layers are displayed as arranged in the layer 
tree: the bottom layer is displayed first and the top layer is displayed 
last, as if the layers were a series of stacked overlays.

<p>
The check box to the left of each layer makes it active or inactive
for display. Only active layers are displayed/redisplayed when the
display button is pressed. Layers can be organized into groups; entire
groups can be activated or deactivated for display. Layer tree
composition can be saved to a workspace file and opened in subsequent
sessions, restoring all layers and their display options.

<p>
A right mouse click on a layer or left clicking the button to the right of 
the layer opens a dropdown menu with options to remove or rename the layer 
(g.remove, g.rename), change its display properties (d.rast and d.vect 
options such as color, symbol, etc.), show its metadata (r.info, v.info) or 
attributes, if applicable.
<p>
A left mouse double click on a layer opens GUI for its display options 
These options are those for the d.* command for each layer type (d.rast, 
d.vect, or d.grid, for example).

<h4>Layer Manager Toolbar</h4>

<dl>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/monitor-create.png">&nbsp;
<em>Open new Map Display Window</em></dt>
<dd>Opens a new map display and creates empty layer tree tab in Layer Manager.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/create.png">&nbsp;
<em>Create new workspace file</em></dt>
<dd>Removes all layers in the layer tree and creates a new, empty tree
where new layers can be added.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-open.png">&nbsp;
<em>Load map layers (raster, vector) into workspace</em></dt>
<dd>Loads selected raster or vector maps into current layer tree.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/open.png">&nbsp;
<em>Open an existing workspace file</em></dt>
<dd>Opens an previously saved workspace file, containing a set of display
layers and their option settings.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/save.png">&nbsp;
<em>Save workspace file</em></dt>
<dd>Saves current set of layers and their options to a workspace
  file.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-raster-add.png">&nbsp;
<em>Add raster map layer</em></dt>
<dd>Adds raster map to layer tree, see <em><a href="d.rast.html">d.rast</a></em>. 
</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-shaded-relief-add.png">&nbsp;
<em>Add various raster-based map layers</em></dt>
<dd>Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to select to:<br> 

  <dl>
    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-shaded-relief-add.png">&nbsp;
	<em>Add shaded relief raster map layer </em></dt>
      <dd>Adds shaded relief raster map layer,
	see <em><a href="d.shadedmap.html">d.shadedmap</a></em>
    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-rgb-add.png">&nbsp;
	<em>Add RGB raster layer</em></dt>
      <dd>Combines and displays three raster maps defined as red, green, 
    and blue channels to create an RGB color map, 
    see <em><a href="d.rgb.html">d.rgb</a></em>.</dd>
    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-his-add.png">&nbsp;
	<em>Add HIS raster layer</em></dt>
      <dd>Combines and displays two or three raster maps defined as hue,
	intensity, and (optionally) saturation channels to create a color map,
	see <em><a href="d.his.html">d.his</a></em>.</dd>
    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-cell-cats-add.png">&nbsp;
	<em>Add raster arrows layer</em></dt>
      <dd>Adds map of raster cells with directional arrows drawn. Arrow
	direction and length are determined by separate aspect/directional map
	and (optional) slope/intensity map,
	see <em><a href="d.rast.arrow.html">d.rast.arrow</a></em>.</dd>
    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-cell-cats-add.png">&nbsp;
	<em>Add raster numbers layer</em></dt>
      <dd>Adds map of raster cells with numbers representing the cell values, 
	see <em><a href="d.rast.num.html">d.rast.num</a></em>.</dd>
  </dl>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-vector-add.png">&nbsp;
<em>Add vector map layer</em></dt>
<dd>Adds a vector map layer, see <em><a href="d.vect.html">d.vect</a></em>. 
</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-vector-thematic-add.png">&nbsp;
<em>Add various vector-based map layers </em></dt>
<dd>Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to select to:<br>

  <dl>
    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-vector-thematic-add.png">&nbsp;
	<em>Add thematic map layer
	  (for all vector types)</em></dt>
      <dd>Adds layer for thematic display values from a numeric attribute
	column associated with a vector map. Options include: thematic display
	type (graduated colors or point sizes), methods for creating display
	intervals, SQL query of attribute column to limit vector objects to
	display, control of point icon types and sizes, control of thematic
	color schemes, creation of legend for thematic map, and saving the
	results of thematic mapping to a ps.map instructions file for later
	printing,
	see <em><a href="d.vect.thematic.html">d.vect.thematic</a></em>.</dd>
      
    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-vector-chart-add.png">&nbsp;
	<em>Add thematic charts layer (for vector points)</em></dt>
      <dd>Adds layer in which pie or bar charts can be automatically created
	at vector point locations. Charts display values from selected columns
	in the associated attribute table. Options include: chart type, layer
	and attributes to chart, chart colors, and chart size (fixed or based
	on attribute column),
	see <em><a href="d.vect.chart.html">d.vect.chart</a></em>.</dd>
  </dl>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-command-add.png">&nbsp;
<em>Add command layer</em></dt>
<dd>Adds a layer in which a GRASS GIS command or command list can be entered.
For a command list use the semi-colon (";") symbol as a separator.
For example:

<div class="code"><pre>
d.rast soils;d.rast -o roads;d.vect streams col=blue
</pre></div>

Note that when an option of the command contains spaces, you need to
"escape" them with the backslash ('\') character, for example:
<div class="code"><pre>
d.text text=Population\ density
</pre></div>
</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-group-add.png">&nbsp;
<em>Add layer group</em></dt>
<dd>Adds an empty layer group. Layers can then be added to the group.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-grid-add.png">&nbsp;
   <em>Add grid or vector labels overlay</em></dt>
<dd>Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to select to:<br>

  <dl>
  <dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-grid-add.png">&nbsp;
      <em>Add overlay grids and lines</em></dt>
    <dd>Adds layer to display regular grid (for all locations)
      see <em><a href="d.grid.html">d.grid</a></em></dd>

  <dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-label-add.png">&nbsp;
      <em>Add labels layer for vector objects (from existing labels file)</em></dt>
    <dd>Add a layer of text from a labels file for vector objects
      created with the <em><a href="v.label.html">v.label</a></em> module. 
      A labels file can also be created with a text editor, 
      see <em><a href="d.labels.html">d.labels</a></em>.</dd>

  <dt><img src="icons/grass/module-d.geodesic.gif">&nbsp;
      <em>Add geodesic line layer</em></dt>
    <dd>Add layer to display geodesic line for latitude/longitude locations only,
      see <em><a href="d.geodesic.html">d.geodesic</a></em></dd>

  <dt><img src="icons/grass/module-d.geodesic.gif">&nbsp;
      <em>Add rhumbline layer</em>
      <dd>Add layer to display rhumblines (for latitude/longitude locations only),
        see <em><a href="d.rhumbline.html">d.rhumbline</a></em>.</dd>
  </dl>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-remove.png">&nbsp;
   <em>Delete selected layer</em></dt>
<dd>Removes selected map layer or map layer group from layer tree.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/table.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Show <a href="wxGUI.Attribute_Table_Manager.html">Attribute Table Manager</a> for selected vector map</em></dt>
<dd>Displays attribute data of selected vector map.</dd>

</dl>

<h4>Key shortcuts</h4>

<b>Menu</b>
<dl>
  <dt>Ctrl+N</dt>
  <dd>Create new workspace</dd>
  <dt>Ctrl+O</dt>
  <dd>Load workspace from file</dd>
  <dt>Ctrl+S</dt>
  <dd>Save workspace</dd>
  <dt>Ctrl+C</dt>
  <dd>Close workspace</dd>
  <dt>Ctrl+Q</dt>
  <dd>Quit GUI</dd>
</dl>

<b>Global</b>
<dl>
  <dt>Ctrl+Tab</dt>
  <dd>Switch 'Map layers' and 'Command output' tab</dd>
  <dt>Alt+R</dt>
  <dd>Add raster map layer</dd>
  <dt>Alt+V</dt>
  <dd>Add vector map layer</dd>
</dl>

<h3>Map Display Window</h3>

The map display window includes toolbar that can be docked and undocked from 
the window, a map canvas where a map composition of one or more layers is 
displayed, and a statusbar with information about the geographic region of
the maps displayed.

<center>
  <br><img src="wxGUI_map_display.jpg" alt="Map Display Window"><br><br>
</center>

Each Map Display Window has a unique layer tree (in the layer manager) 
and geographic <em>region</em> setting. At the top of the window is a 
toolbar with buttons to manage the map in the display (render, erase, zoom 
and pan), for query and and analysis (distance measurement, profile, 
and histogram creation), to overlay map elements onto the display (scale,
north arrow, legend, and custom text), and to export or print the display.

<p>
In the statusbar, the user can choose to display the geographic coordinates 
under the cursor, current geographical region extent, computational region
(including graphical visualization in map display), map display geometry 
(number of rows, columns, resolution) and map scale. Checking the 
<em>render</em> button in the statusbar will cause the map display to update
automatically any time a map is added to, removed from, or changed in its
layer tree.

<p>
It is important to note that zooming in any display will
have <em>no</em> effect on the 'computational region' setting (set
with <em><a href="g.region.html">g.region</a></em>). Only by selecting
the 'Set current region to match display' item in the zoom menu (in
the map display toolbar) will the current display extents be copied to
the computational region extents.

<h4>Map Display Toolbar</h4>

<dl>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/show.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Display map</em></dt>
<dd>Displays all active layers from layer tree and re-renders for display
any layers that have changed since the last time the display was updated, 
including layers added or removed.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-redraw.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Re-render map</em></dt>
<dd>Re-renders all active layers regardless of whether they have changed
or not.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/erase.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Erase display</em></dt>
<dd>Erases the currently selected map display to a white background.
see <em><a href="d.erase.html">d.erase</a>, <a href="d.frame.html">d.frame
-e</a></em>.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/pointer.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Pointer</em></dt>
<dd>Select arrow cursor for map display.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/info.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Query raster/vector maps</em></dt>
<dd>Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to select to:<br>
  <ul>
    <li>Query selected raster, RGB raster (all three map channels will be
queried), or vector map(s) using the mouse. Map(s) must be selected
before query.  Vector charts and thematic vector maps cannot be
queried. The results of the query will be displayed in the console window,
see <em><a href="r.what.html">r.what</a>, <a href="v.what.html">v.what</a></em>.</li>
    <li>Query selected vector map in edit mode. The results of the query 
    will be displayed in a form that permits editing of the queried vector
    attributes.</li>
  </ul>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/pan.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Pan</em></dt>
<dd>Interactive selection of a new center of view in the active
display monitor. Drag the pan cursor while pressing the left mouse
button to pan.  Panning changes the location of the region displayed
but not the size of the area displayed or the resolution. Panning
does <em>not</em> affect the computational region for other GIS
processes, see <em><a href="g.region.html">g.region</a></em>.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/zoom-in.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Zoom in</em></dt>
<dd>Interactive zooming with the mouse in the active display monitor.
Drawing a box or just click with the mouse (left button) and zoom-in
cursor causes the display to zoom in so that the area defined by the
box fills the display. The map resolution is not changed. Clicking
with the zoom-in cursor causes the display to zoom in by 30%, centered
on the point where the mouse is clicked. Zooming resets the display
region extents (both size and location of area displayed). It
does <em>not</em> affect the computational region for other GIS
processes, see <em><a href="g.region.html">g.region</a></em>.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/zoom-out.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Zoom out</em></dt>
<dd>Interactive zooming with the mouse in the active display monitor.
Drawing a box or just click with the mouse (left button) and zoom-out
cursor causes the display to zoom in so that the area displayed
shrinks to fill the area defined by the box. The map resolution is not
changed. Clicking with the zoom-out cursor causes the display to zoom
out by 30%, centered on the point where the mouse is clicked. Zooming
resets the display region extents (both size and location of area
displayed). It does <em>not</em> affect the computational region for
other GIS processes,
see <em><a href="g.region.html">g.region</a></em>.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/zoom-last.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Return to pervious zoom</em></dt>
<dd>Returns to the previous zoom extent. Up to 10 levels of zoom back are
maintained, see <em><a href="g.region.html">g.region</a></em>.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/zoom-more.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Zoom options</em></dt>
<dd>Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to:<br>
  <ul>
    <li>Zoom to match the extents of a selected map</li>
    <li>Zoom to match the computational region (set with <em>g.region</em>)</li>
    <li>Zoom to match the extents of the default region</li> 
    <li>Zoom to match the extents of a saved region</li> 
    <li>Set computational region (the mapset's <tt>WIND</tt> file) to match the
        current display extents (does not change the resolution),
        see <em><a href="g.region.html">g.region</a></em>.
    <li>Save display geometry (current extents) to a named region file</li>
  </ul>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-raster-analyze.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Analyze menu</em></dt>
<dd>Opens a dropdown menu with:<br>

  <dl>
    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/measure-length.png">&nbsp;
         <em>Distance measurement tool</em></dt>
        <dd>Interactive measurement of lengths defined with the mouse. The
        length of each segment and the cumulative length of all segments
        measuered is displayed in the command output window frame. Lengths are
        measured in the current measurement unit,
        see <em><a href="d.measure.html">d.measure</a></em>.</dd>

    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-raster-profile.png">&nbsp;
        <em>Profile tool</em></dt>
      <dd>Interactively create profile of a raster map. Profile transect is
      drawn with the mouse in map display. The profile may be of the
      displayed map or a different map. Up to three maps can be profiled 
      simultaneously, 
      see <em><a href="gm_profile.html">Profile Tool help page</a></em>.</dd>

    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/layer-raster-histogram.png">&nbsp;
        <em>Histogram tool</em></dt>
        <dd>Displays histogram of selected raster map or image in new window,
        see <em><a href="d.histogram.html">d.histogram</a></em>.</dd>
   </dl>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/overlay-add.png">&nbsp;
    <em>Add overlay</em></dt>
    <dd>opens a dropdown menu that allows user to:<br>

  <dl>
    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/scalebar-add.png">&nbsp;
         <em>Add scalebar and north arrow</em></dt>
         <dd>Adds layer to display a combined scalebar and north arrow. Options
         include scalebar placement (using screen coordinates or a mouse),
         scalebar format, and scalebar colors,
         see <em><a href="d.barscale.html">d.barscale</a></em>.</dd>

    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/legend-add.png">&nbsp;
        <em>Add raster map legend</em></dt>
        <dd>Adds layer to display with legend of selected raster map,
        see <em><a href="d.legend.html">d.legend</a></em>.</dd>

    <dt><img src="icons/grass2/text-add.png">&nbsp;
        <em>Add text layer</em></dt>
        <dd>Adds layer to display a line of text using default GRASS font
        (selected with <em><a href="d.font.html">d.font</a></em>).  Options
        include: text placement (screen coordinates); and text size, bolding,
        and color, see <em><a href="d.text.html">d.text</a></em>.</dd>
  </dl>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/map-export.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Save display to graphic file</em></dt>
<dd>Save the visible image in map display to different raster graphic formats.</dd>

<dt><img src="icons/grass2/print.png">&nbsp;
  <em>Print map</em></dt>
<dd>Prints map on system native printer or PostScript device;
saves visible map display (including PostScript text and labels) to PDF
or EPS file.</dd>
<dt><em>Map display mode</em></dt>
<dd>Opens a dropdown menu for selecting different display mode<br>
  <dl>
    <dt><em>2D view mode</em></dt>
    <dd>Normal GIS display. All active layers are composited and displayed
    in 2D mode.</dd>

    <dt><em>3D view mode</em></dt>
    <dd>Experimental replacement for NVIZ. Displays all active layers in 
    3D perspective using OpenGL. A new control panel opens to manage the 
    3D view. 3D view can be zoomed, panned, rotated, and tilted. The 
    vertical exaggeration of rasters and 3D vectors can be set. Various 
    color and lighten settings are possible. Not yet functional for 
    Windows platforms</dd>

    <dt><em>Digitize mode</em></dt>
    <dd>Puts display into vector digitizing mode and opens a new digitizing 
    toolbar. The user can digitize a new map or edit an existing
    map. Not yet functional for Windows platforms</dd>
  </dl>
</dl>

<h2>CONFIGURATION</h2>

<em>User GIS settings</em> dialog ('Config->Preferences') enables
configuration of various options.

<p>
For information about available <em>icon themes</em> see
this <a href="wxGUI.Icons.html">page</a>.

<h2>SEE ALSO</h2>

<em>
  <a href="wxGUI.Vector_Digitizing_Tool.html">Vector digitizing tool</a>,
  <a href="wxGUI.Attribute_Table_Manager.html">Attribute Table Manager</a>,
  <a href="wxGUI.Nviz.html">Nviz extension</a>,
  <a href="wxGUI.Icons.html">Icon themes</a>
</em>

<p>
See also <a href="http://grass.osgeo.org/wiki/WxGUI">Wiki</a> page.

<p>
<em>
<a href="gis.m.html">TCL/TK-based GIS Manager</a>,
<a href="d.m.html">TCL/TK-based Display Manager</a>
</em>

<h2>AUTHORS</h2>

Martin Landa, FBK-irst, Trento, Italy, and CTU in Prague, Czech Republic<br>
Michael Barton, Arizona State University, USA<br>
Daniel Calvelo Aros,<br>
Jachym Cepicky

<p>
<i>$Date$</i>