Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] repository of examples of gnuradio and GRC?

[Marcus Müller]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Actually, I don't think this, as it is right now, would be a very good
idea.

While GRC files are great for usability, they need to be compatible
with the installed GR version. Many of the "cool" features are work in
progress, so that block names change, blocks disappear, better
solutions etc are written.

Furthermore, the 3.6 to 3.7 translation happened not so long ago, so
that there are lots of GNU Radio programs and .grc files floating
around that don't work with the recent GR version. GRC has just (like
2 weeks ago) learnt to gracefully work with "missing" blocks, and
there has been a lot of confusion about "broken" grc files... That's
why I'm a little sceptical when it comes to a directory of standalone
.grc files.

Maybe that's somehow related to the way I use GRC: It's really great
for clicking together a flowgraph, but at some point you realize that
you need to do something based on some complex condition; that's where
you start to write your own blocks or extend your flowgraph with
python logic; .grc files -- to me -- are mostly intermediate steps
towards a finished solution. If you can pack the generated blocks with
the .grc, that's fine, you'll get a great, useful, easy to understand
and explain graphical application; if you only deliver the .grc, the
user won't have your blocks, and thus, no usable application.

That being said, a directory for "useful" flow graphs would be nice.
They do need however a compatibility table or something of the like.

For the very basic flowgraphs (e.g. osmosdr src->file sink) I think
experimentation is the key to success; for the very cool applications
that you can do with a out-of-the-box GNU Radio installation, there
are lots of examples provided with the GNU Radio source code, always
conveniently stored under examples/ of each module.

gr-digital has a lot of excellent examples of the usage model of GRC I
described above: When you look at the OFDM examples, you'll find GRC
files containing comprehensive OFDM RX and TX applications. But those
were not clicked together from blocks that were already existing
before -- these blocks were written with GRC in mind, using all the
modern, cool GNU Radio features, introducing really versatile PDUs,
fully embracing messages, etc. Any older version of GNU Radio can't
deal with them -- it would simply be lacking the new blocks and tools
that make up these flow graphs.

- From my point of view, having a directory of projects, like CGRAN
means to be, makes a lot of sense. Exchanging .grc files often makes
less sense.

Having just written that, it seems to me that as a directory we should
probably really be going down the pyBOMBS route -- having easy to
install projects in a comprehensive directory *containing* .grc files.

Greetings,
Marcus



On 30.03.2014 16:20, Fernando Peral wrote:
> I was thinking on something as simple as a repo where anybody can
> find a .GRC  file for a FM receiver using STL-SDR or a .GRC  for
> reading the signal send by my car keys (if my car keys where a RF
> one which is not the case  :-( ).... as you can see I'm focused on
> GRC diagrams, and I can't find something like what I'm proposing. 
> If it does not exist I am willing to participe in the creation of 
> something like that if there is more people who want to work in
> it.
> 
> regards
> 
> 
> 
> El 30/03/14 14:00, Marcus Müller escribió:
>> Hi Fernando,
>> 
>> there's been CGRAN for eternity now; it was meant to be exactly
>> what you are describing: https://www.cgran.org/wiki/Projects It's
>> getting a little old, but it's still a nice directory of
>> projects.
>> 
>> Also, nowadays many developers write a pybombs recipe when they
>> develop a new GR-based application, so you might also take a look
>> at what's available via pybombs :)
>> 
>> Anyway, there has been a lot of discussion about how to bring GR
>> devs together and make a really useful directory of projects. I
>> think we should be pushing this forward -- however, this, as
>> everything, is a matter of available working time for that.
>> You're very welcome to contribute ideas and time, I guess :)
>> 
>> Greetings, Marcus
>> 
>> On 30.03.2014 13:42, Fernando Peral wrote:
>>> Everyone (or almost) who writes here is testing different
>>> systems, with different hardware and creating examples. There
>>> are some people who publish their work in their own web pages,
>>> git repositories, etc., and the rest of us are using them
>>> (thank to all of you!!!). But Is there any repository where
>>> anybody can publish is work?. I mean a king of collaborative
>>> repo such wikipedia for documentation, thingiverse for 3d
>>> printing models, etc.?
>> 
>>> regards
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Discuss-gnuradio mailing list address@hidden 
>>> https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss-gnuradio
>> 
>> y
>> 
>> _______________________________________________ Discuss-gnuradio
>> mailing list address@hidden 
>> https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss-gnuradio
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________ Discuss-gnuradio
> mailing list address@hidden 
> https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss-gnuradio
> 
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1
Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - http://www.enigmail.net/

iQEcBAEBAgAGBQJTOEP1AAoJEBQ6EdjyzlHtBqwIAKaGV4845JaRSdY+ZDwR91ab
RYtbdMyKW6/a2ajC+b0smPyiD30u2w+Ve9yIikTDCz3jF8B4KkZvoX+5jINhiIa9
vdZXT85cP5+6Upyu8A4vI+6UHvFKnenUehEUMx4uPd6QVLderoDPQEBDoGr6hmfH
/0xQGLIxr6nGu5dpGVf008nTSw7cV0Ki1za20kYxHgJapuJrMMjGzEi4skDJvTOG
d7xWYGZ5CPc2gP075Dp/4hUGKavrBCLVrehnTUOKIIV96/C7AwpqCfUB/ClnE7+z
IlR9e2uPvE+3Cj2btH/5Gl8orjqnKccBDjCwRRGdsEucaJ1KtAksY2MgzVsrMMg=
=mhNk
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----