[Tutor] Re: Question concerning VPython

[Arthur Siegel]

Dman writes -

>Right.  VPython is coded in C++ and uses the CXX >library for interacting
with python.  The python part of it is >basically just some wrapper
functions around the C++ .

That's correct. I had written SIP instead of CXX by mistake.

>It is unfortunate, but hopefully they'll recode it differently >when python
2.2 is the norm (since starting in python 2.2 >it is possible to create
subclassable
>types in C/C++).

As it happens I am studying the VPython C++ code and
beginning to make small enhancements (customized to the needs of PyGeo.)

The creator of CXX, in the best tradition of OpenSource openness(?),
acknowledges at  http://cxx.sourceforge.net/ that in fresh
projects, Boost is quite possibly a better alternative to CXX.

So I do have the hope/intention of eventually taking a stab at porting
VPython to use the Boost extensions, and hopefully thereby making its
primitive sub-classable in Python.

Waiting for the new version of Boost to hit the stands before I dig into to
far.

Certainly someone like David Scherer, the creator of VPython (I consider it
to be truly creative programming) would be in a *much* better position to do
this than myself.  But, he does not seem to be involved very much in the
project any more, I am not sure if there is much likelihood of it being
undertaken unless a heavy VPython user and fan like myself at least shows
some keen interest and a willingness to participate.

Also a great opportunity for myself to begin to get up to speed in C++ and
Python extension building.

I should have paid more attention to Danny Yoo's tutorial offer on Python
extension writing, but the timing wasn't right for me.

Art