Geografic-Information-System/gui/wxpython/wxpythonlib.dox

/*! \page wxpythonlib GRASS WxPython-based Graphical User Interface

The plan for a native <b>Graphical User Interface</b> (GUI) for GRASS
found is origin in the project <a
href="http://geo.fsv.cvut.cz/~landa/publications/2008/unpublished/fbk-report/technology-for-geoinformatics.html">GFOSS-TN</a>,
a collaboration between <a href="http://www.fbk.eu">FBK</a>
(Fondazione Bruno Kessler) and the Information System Service of the
Trento municipality (Italy).

This GUI is written in the Python programming language using <a
href="http://www.wxpython.org">wxPython</a> library - a blending of
the <a href="http://www.wxwidgets.org">wxWidgets</a> library for
Python.

The GUI is composed of two main components:

- Layer Manager and
- Map Display Window.

The <em>Layer Manager</em> allows users to run different GRASS modules
from a menu, includes map layer management, integrated command-line
prompt, and command output window. The <em>Map Display Window</em>
integrates basic tools for zooming, panning, data querying,
decorations (north arrows, barscale, etc.). Additional tools like
vector digitizer or georectification tool are also available.

Ongoing development focuses on stability, portability and on the
integration of OpenGL. As result, Map Display Window will support 3D
rendering including 3D raster (voxels) and 3D vector data.

Development plans:

A Map Composer, a tool for hardcopy map outputs is also planned to be
developed. Currently, the tools for creating hardcopy maps (map
layout) are limited in GRASS because its focus on modeling and spatial
analysis. GRASS gives the user ability to add only a very simple and
standardized legend, north arrow and scale to display to the graphics
monitor and then export the display to an external image file such as
a png. These map features are very basic and cannot be customized. The
goal is to allow users to prepare simple cartographic outputs
comparable e.g. with other, proprietary GIS map layout functionality.

\section seeAlso See also

- GRASS User Wiki - http://grass.osgeo.org/wiki/WxGUI
- GRASS Devs Wiki - http://trac.osgeo.org/grass/wiki/wxGUIDevelopment

\section refs References

- M. Landa, C. Moretto, M. Neteler, M. Zanolli, L. Manganelli, 2008: wxPython GUI per GRASS GIS. Proc. IX Meeting degli Utenti Italiani di GRASS - GFOSS - 21-22 Feb 2008, Perugia, Italy (<a href="http://geo.fsv.cvut.cz/~landa/publications/2008/gfoss-it-08/paper/grass-gfoss-tn.pdf">PDF</a>)

*/