VPython 6.02 with buttons, sliders, and new event handling capabilities

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Now available on the download pages at vpython.org is VPython 6.02, the
product of a collaboration between Steve Spicklemire and me. This version
is based on the cross-platform library wxPython. It has two powerful new
features:

(1) You can put a VPython 3D display in a window that also has wxPython
buttons, sliders, etc. that have a native look and feel on all platforms.
See the new example program widgets.py. (We haven't experimented with
automatic layout mechanisms provided by wxPython, which may require some
revision of the new VPython.)

(2) In addition to the existing ways to handle mouse and keyboard events,
there are powerful new "callback" mechanisms for handling events. Among
much else, this provides a way to catch keyboard release events, which some
users have wanted for a long time.

Our experience so far is that existing programs will run with VPython 6.02,
unless there is an animation loop that does not contain a rate() statement
(which is now obligatory), and if you import graph or controls or
filedialog you must first import visual or vis. We encourage you to try
your programs and provide test cases that do not run properly even after
making these two adaptations.

There is one known bug with old programs, which is that materials.rough and
materials.marble do not display correctly on a Macintosh, and the cause is
currently unknown.

There is one known bug with new programs, which is that pull-down menus (a
new feature made possible thanks to wxPython) do not work on a Macintosh.
This problem is partly understood, but there isn't yet a fix for the
problem.

There is a likely bug on Linux, in that wxPython does not currently report
window metrics such as the height of a menu bar. For that reason, at the
moment these metrics are hard-coded and are likely to be wrong for some
Linux or some window manager on some Linux. Please let us know about your
experience in this regard.

Bruce Sherwood

P.S. At the start of every semester there is a big spike in VPython
installer downloads due to the start of classes in which VPython is used.
Last month there were about 10,000 downloads, and there were considerable
charges for excess data transfer from the vpython.org web site. For that
reason, the installers have been moved to sourceforge.net, which provides
free downloads for open-source projects like VPython.

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<div dir=3D"ltr">Now available on the download pages at <a href=3D"http://v=
python.org">vpython.org</a> is VPython 6.02, the product of a collaboration=
 between Steve Spicklemire and me. This version is based on the cross-platf=
orm library wxPython. It has two powerful new features:<div>
<br></div><div style>(1) You can put a VPython 3D display in a window that =
also has wxPython buttons, sliders, etc. that have a native look and feel o=
n all platforms. See the new example program widgets.py. (We haven&#39;t ex=
perimented with automatic layout mechanisms provided by wxPython, which may=
 require some revision of the new VPython.)</div>
<div style><br></div><div style>(2) In addition to the existing ways to han=
dle mouse and keyboard events, there are powerful new &quot;callback&quot; =
mechanisms for handling events. Among much else, this provides a way to cat=
ch keyboard release events, which some users have wanted for a long time.</=
div>
<div style><br></div><div style>Our experience so far is that existing prog=
rams will run with VPython 6.02, unless there is an animation loop that doe=
s not contain a rate() statement (which is now obligatory), and if you impo=
rt graph or controls or filedialog you must first import visual or vis. We =
encourage you to try your programs and provide test cases that do not run p=
roperly even after making these two adaptations.</div>
<div style><br></div><div style>There is one known bug with old programs, w=
hich is that materials.rough and materials.marble do not display correctly =
on a Macintosh, and the cause is currently unknown.</div><div style><br>
</div><div style>There is one known bug with new programs, which is that pu=
ll-down menus (a new feature made possible thanks to wxPython) do not work =
on a Macintosh. This problem is partly understood, but there isn&#39;t yet =
a fix for the problem.</div>
<div style><br></div><div style>There is a likely bug on Linux, in that wxP=
ython does not currently report window metrics such as the height of a menu=
 bar. For that reason, at the moment these metrics are hard-coded and are l=
ikely to be wrong for some Linux or some window manager on some Linux. Plea=
se let us know about your experience in this regard.</div>
<div style><br></div><div style>Bruce Sherwood</div><div style><br></div><d=
iv style>P.S. At the start of every semester there is a big spike in VPytho=
n installer downloads due to the start of classes in which VPython is used.=
 Last month there were about 10,000 downloads, and there were considerable =
charges for excess data transfer from the <a href=3D"http://vpython.org">vp=
ython.org</a> web site. For that reason, the installers have been moved to =
<a href=3D"http://sourceforge.net">sourceforge.net</a>, which provides free=
 downloads for open-source projects like VPython.</div>
<div style><br></div></div>

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