Re: Bring Pytave into core

[Mike Miller]

On Mon, Apr 6, 2015 at 11:10:42 -0400, Jordi Gutiérrez Hermoso wrote:
> I have a wild idea. I like Python, and I think Numpy and Scipy are a
> great tool. Interfacing Scipy with Octave is also a good thing.
>
> There is oct2py that interfaces between Python and Octave, but I am
> not happy with its overall pipe-based approach. Instead, I think
> Pytave is doing the right thing by directly calling the Octave C++
> API, but this has two disadvantages: it's difficult to build and
> install, and it has gone unmaintained, so it no longer adheres to the
> current API.
>
> I therefore propose to bring Pytave into Octave proper. This would
> make Numpy an optional compile-time dependency of Octave, sort of like
> Java, but it would potentially mean that anyone who installs Octave
> can now do "import pytave" from Python and have two-way in-memory
> communication with an Octave process.
>
> Naturally, this would not be for the 4.0 release, but the one after
> that.
>
> Thoughts?

I like Python too. Making Pytave part of Octave sounds like a decent
idea to me, make it better maintained and keep it working with API
changes, all good things. Unfamiliar with both, are there any things
that the oct2py approach allows that pytave doesn't?

I think it's worth mentioning the other compatibility direction as
well, the new "py" calling interface in Matlab [1]. Adding support for
this in Octave would give Octave users full access to all Python
libraries from the Octave interpreter. Probably a bit more ambitious,
but a good project to keep in mind for those interested in Python.

[1] https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/call-python-libraries.html

-- 
mike