[Ann] RO utility package 2004-01-16

[Russell E. Owen]

I've put up a new version of my RO utility package at 
<http://www.astro.washington.edu/owen/ROPython.html>. Highlights include:

Tkinter stuff, including:
- Nicely wrapped tcp/ip sockets that make connections without blocking 
the main loop, queue written data as required, return read data via 
callbacks and also report status changes via callbacks.
- An ftp get widget (like a browser transfer window) that handles file 
transfer and status display. Connection and transfer occurs in a 
background thread and so cannot block the main loop.
- Widgets that support help and input verification
- A scrollable frame.
- A set of Toplevels that can remember and restore location and size and 
whether each was visible.
- An implementation of preferences, including scalars, colors, fonts, 
files, directories and sound files. This includes a prefs editor and 
saving and restoring.

Astronomy coordinate system conversions. (Many of these are SLALIB 
routines that I converted to Python. Commercial use requires a license 
from Pat Wallace, the author of SLALIB).

Basic utilities for sequences, strings and data conversion.

Dict subclasses that remember the order in which items were added or 
store values by appending to a list.

A key-value parsing and dispatching system which could be useful for a 
networked GUI (that's what I use it for).

A telescope user interface I am writing relies on them, so they are 
being maintained. I hope somebody finds them useful.

-- Russell