Re: GSoC project: new graphics backend

[John W. Eaton]

On 22-Mar-2009, Ben Abbott wrote:

| I'd be interested in a brief summary of what is needed to use python 
| +matplotlib+Mayavi2 to implement a functional backend for Octave.

Aside from the 3D issues, another thing that will likely cause trouble
is that Octave must have Matlab-compatible treatment of graphics
properties.  I don't think matplotlib tries to be 100% compatible with
the way Matlab handles properties.  Also, Octave has its own property
handling code that is (partially) duplicated by matplotlib.

However, we could certainly take advantage of things like the TeX
subset parser and font handling, and graphics layout code that is in
matplotlib.  But I'm not sure that we should use the Python code
directly.  Is it really a good idea to have Python+matplotlib as a
run-time dependency of Octave?

jwe