I would agree that development tools in Linuxcnc is not ideal, I think also in many cases it can bring a level of confusion to new users. I also think that it should be weighed and a solution found to bring those UI's that users would want to use into an easy to install situation that did not require pages of installation instructions foreign to windows conversion users or that would make it overly complicated. I truly believe this will thwart the user growth of linuxcnc over time. Probe basic before the py2/3 conversion issues, had an easy to install user version that was for the user who just wanted to run their machines and did not intend to make changes to the UI. There was also the developer installation which would allow for the installation of the QT developer kit for those who wanted to customize the UI and tailor it to their needs.
I think maybe a macro solution to this would be to have the UI’s made available to be installed as a choice, but from within linuxcnc without the requirement of having it integrated in the linuxcnc installation. It seems to make the most sense and not force users to install unneeded/unwanted components. Perhaps it uses a script call, or installer download or Package Manager Etc. Joco wrote a script for installing Linuxcnc 2.9, the required RT Kernel, QtPyVCP and Probe Basic to make life a little simpler during this transition period and it works well save for it is rather lengthy installation time and update time (not complaining as I am grateful for the work Joco did to make it). My vision from the new user’s perspective would have a drop down menu very much like already exists with a tree branch for the developer version and user version of the available to install UI's for Linuxcnc and when selected would trigger the install of the user's selection. This would help keep the bloat out of Linuxcnc. In the docs as has been could be screen shots of each UI to help users decide on their flavor of UI for their machine types. I think this would simplify installation from the user’s perspective and would resolve the bloat growth within Linuxcnc. This will help bridge user tastes as some will want a more minimal UI and some will want a more robust UI that may take up more space and take a few seconds longer to load. Thoughts? Chris On Thu, Dec 1, 2022 at 12:44 AM Johannes P Fassotte <johan...@automationassist.com> wrote: > > I have noticed that over the years LinuxCnc is taking up more and more > space and that this is mostly related to supporting the QT related > work. When looking at the amount of Pythom code that is now contained > in LinuxCnc it appears to equal more than 90% of all the code present > based on my prior searches and charting. > > I'm not in love with QT and in my personnal LinuxCnc installs QT related > items are one of the first things that gets removed from LinuxCnc. To me > it is just a tool to allow building QT based sluggish user interfaces > that I dont use. It would be better if it was a optional install for > users that which to use it. I do understand that it has taken a lot of > work to develop the QT things but I would like to see LinuxCnc trimmed > down to just containing the essential things. > > As far as tools for building user interfaces It would also not surprise > me if the next fad for building those is just around the corner and that > QT will hopefully be just part of the old LinuxCnc history. I there > will always be newer and better ways to get things done without getting > trapped into a current fad. > > It was not to may years ago that LinuxCnc was just over 120Mb in > extracted size. Now V 2.9 master is takes up 252Mb so its getting > bloaded with a lot of none essential things. I think it needs a good > cleaning to get it back on track. I feel that there are to many > personnal projects being added that are better suited to be developer > supported addtions and not part of LinuxCnc itself. > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Emc-developers mailing list > Emc-developers@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-developers _______________________________________________ Emc-developers mailing list Emc-developers@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-developers
