Re: [patch #7847] Make gnuplot Qt terminal default for GUI/IDE via environment variable

[Ben Abbott]

On Sep 23, 2012, at 5:27 AM, Daniel J Sebald wrote:

> On 09/22/2012 09:55 AM, Mike Miller wrote:
>> On Sat, Sep 22, 2012 at 10:18 AM, Ben Abbott<address@hidden>  wrote:
>>> 
>>> On Sep 22, 2012, at 3:30 AM, Daniel J Sebald wrote:
>>> 
>>>> I wanted to get a small survey of how people feel the GUI/IDE should 
>>>> behave with regard to the gnuplot terminal which includes Qt support in 
>>>> its latest version.  Mike submitted an addendum to a small patch that 
>>>> attempts to use gnuplot "qt" terminal by setting environment variable 
>>>> GNUTERM and falls back on the default if the version of gnuplot doesn't 
>>>> have "qt" support:
>>>> 
>>>> http://savannah.gnu.org/patch/?7847
>>>> 
>>>> If the latter happens then a message from gnuplot:
>>>> 
>>>>> Unknown or ambiguous terminal name 'qt'
>>>> 
>>>> appears on the screen.  Mike is proposing that if the user has GNUTERM 
>>>> variable already defined in their environment, then that should take 
>>>> precedent.
>>>> 
>>>> I'll give my feelings on this, but I'm open to any behavior.
>> 
>> I'm pretty open to any behavior as well. My main concern is when I see
>> code that unconditionally sets an environment variable without
>> considering that it may be wiping out a user's preferences.
> 
> I understand that.
> 
>>>> Definitions:
>>>> console -- the system console that octave/GUIDE+O is launched from
>>>> terminal window -- the window in the GUIDE+O having the redirected octave 
>>>> output
>>>> 
>>>> First, I think the preference is going to be that GUIDE+O use Qt terminal. 
>>>>  It is a nice looking terminal using the Qt icons giving it a look and 
>>>> feel that match GUIDE+O.  It has a couple more features than X11 terminal 
>>>> and is more robust in terms of aliasing, alpha-scaling, print buttons, 
>>>> etc.  It will be ostensibly the same figure window on all three (four?) 
>>>> major platforms.  There is the option to customize a figure window and 
>>>> place just the plot within the figure window (i.e., forward looking).
>> 
>> Dan, is your intent here that only Qt GUI users get the Qt gnuplot
>> while console users get the X11 gnuplot?
> 
> No, that wasn't my intention.  Someone using the console should be able to 
> select Qt gnuplot if they like.  I was thinking X11 should remain the default 
> (i.e., the current defaults).  I think there is some library that needs to be 
> present to use Qt.  If the GUI is running, we all the Qt support is present.  
> If running from the console, that is not assured.

I hadn't noticed Mike's changeset would change the behavior of CLI Octave.  If 
I'm reading you correctly, Octave should set the terminal to "qt" if (the 
GNUTERM environment variable is empty) and (gnuplot supports the "qt" terminal) 
and (the GUI is running).  Correct?

Ben