[vtk-developers] RE: vtkpython

[Blezek, Daniel J (CRD)]

David,

  We can keep vtkpython around, but with a "depreciated" message printed.  vtkpython could just
import vtk, and emulate the existing functionality.  I'd like to give this some thought to make
Python and Tcl more like they should be.  I believe the .dll's are properly named(i.e.
vtkImagingPython.{so|dll}) and shouldn't cause conflicts.  I like the idea of making a proper python
package, it would allow programs that don't require Tk to work without it, and allow you to use just
the subset of vtk that you would need for your application.

  As a general question to the list: would changing from 'vtkpython' to 'vtk' cause tremendous
problems?

Thanks,
-dan

> The name 'vtkpython' was a nice match for 'vtktcl', and back when they
> were both .dll files it helped to distinguish them from each other.
> 
> It is nice to keep it 'vtkpython' because
> 1) if the name changes, a whole bunch of people will have to 
> change their
>    code (including me!)
> 2) just in case someone decides to make a vtk.dll or vtk.so, 
> it is nice
>    to avoid potential name conflicts (I like to be able to dump all my
>    .dll and .py files into the same directory as a cheap way 
> of 'freezing'
>    a python application).
> 
> If we rename it 'vtk', then we should go all the way and 
> separate it into
> vtk.common, vtk.graphics, vtk.filtering, vtk.tk, etc.
> 
> There is no official python maintainer, as far as I know.
> 
>  - David
>