[vtk-developers] Incorrect checkins into Wrapping/Python: a, plea for communication!

[Utkarsh Ayachit]

I apologize for any inconvieniences that the recent Wrapping/Python may have caused.
Here is a brief summary of what I wanted to do. I would appreciate any feedback.

Basically, all the added stuff (which I agree I should have been put away in a package: I'll put it away as "vtktesting", is that ok?) is a quick script to convert most of the Tcl tests to Python. (I wasn't aware of Utilities/tcl2py.py. On a quick attempt, it seems to fail for quite a few tests eg. Graphics/Testing/Tcl/Delaunay3D.tcl). No VTK user is supposed to use any of these scripts. The sole purpose is to convert VTK tcl tests to python.

I will wait for any feedback before proceeding with the changes. Out of curiousity, why doesn't Python code follow VTK C++ code guidelines? If I am not mistaken, python has no restrictions on the nature of indent.

Utkarsh


------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[vtk-developers] Incorrect checkins into Wrapping/Python: a
plea for communication!
Date: 	Thu, 21 Jul 2005 18:46:27 +0530
From: 	Prabhu Ramachandran <prabhu_r at users.sourceforge.net>
To: 	vtk-developers at vtk.org



Hi,

I noticed a bunch of checkins into Wrapping/Python.  I would
personally have appreciated if there was some discussion on this.  For
one thing, the placement of the modules is totally incorrect.

You can't just stick Python modules files in an arbitrary fashion into
Wrapping/Python.  You have to understand that this directory becomes
available on sys.path via vtk.pth.  Therefore, by adding the files
there you make expr, file, info etc. accessible to any Python module.
This is wrong.  The Wrapping/Python directory (as mentioned in
CMakeLists.txt) is where we have backwards comaptibility code.  No new
modules go there!

If you want to add modules that logically form part of a package
create a separate package directory inside
Wrapping/Python/vtk/your_package/.  Then add your modules there and
access them in your scripts via "import vtk.your_package".  Unless you
are sure that no one will object, you should ask on the list to make
sure the package structure makes sense.

Random comments on some of the code:

  - What does the module do?  Is it just an executable script?  Do you
    think other folks will need to import it?  Is it VTK specific or
    general?

  - No docs (or email) explaining *anything* about the code.

  - The indentation is non-standard in all the modules.  Use 4 spaces
    not two.  Python code does not and will not follow the VTK C++
    code guidelines.

  - The functionality in vtkColors already exists in vtk.util.colors.

  - Avoid the use of the 'vtkpython' module, use 'vtk' instead.

  - Have you taken a look at Utilities/tcl2py.py?  Is there a problem?


Not that it is a big deal but I wish we were asked about these
checkins before they were made.


prabhu
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