[SAGA-RG] SAGA Python implementation

[Thilo Kielmann]

Steve (and all),

let me try to reply to this.

For the full picture about Python and SAGA:

- Paul has developed a complete Python language binding that is driven by
  Python look-and-feel (to the best of our knowledge). This is called PySAGA.

  This language binding is defining the API in terms of Python classes against
  which SAGA applications should be coded.

- Paul has also implemented a backend to PySAGA, called JySAGA, which maps
  PySAGA calls to our JavaSAGA implementation (via Jython).

- Our friends in Louisiana (Hartmut and co.) have developed a Python wrapper
  implementation to their C++ SAGA implementation. This Python wrapper is a
  bit incomplete. Also its design is more driven by exposing the C++/Boost
  interfaces.

- I am currently having another student (Manuel) who is writing glue code
  that maps PySAGA to the LSU wrapper to the C++ SAGA implementation.


For people outside VU Amsterdam and outside LSU, this means,
according to a discussion the VUA and LSU folks had:

- We anticipate that PySAGA will be iterated through the OGF process to become
  the official, agreed upon, Python binding for SAGA.

- Adaptors should be written for the Java and/or the C++ implementations of
  SAGA.

- Extension packages should be done at the language level (in Java, in C++,
  in Python and in possibly other languages). For Python, the implementation
  should simply wrap around Java and/or C++, like with SAGA's core.


Regards,


Thilo
  
On Thu, Jan 08, 2009 at 01:34:00PM +0000, Steve Fisher wrote:
> From: Steve Fisher <dr.s.m.fisher at gmail.com>
> To: PFA van Zoolingen <pzn400 at few.vu.nl>
> Cc: SAGA RG <saga-rg at ogf.org>
> Subject: [SAGA-RG] SAGA Python implementation
> 
> Paul,
> 
> Concerning
> 
> >   http://www.few.vu.nl/~pzn400/apidoc/
> 
> How does this relate to the python bindings implicitly defined by the
> C++ Python/Boost work at
> 
> https://svn.cct.lsu.edu/repos/saga/trunk/bindings/saga/python/
> 
> Do you plan a definitive Python SAGA API binding in addition to the
> Java and C++? Is this idea accepted?
> 
> I ask because we are doing the service discovery package. We plan to
> provide C++, Java and Python implementations. Most of the work is in
> the adapters which we don't want to have to translate. My current
> preference is to make any inter-language calls at the adapter level
> rather than at the top level as this seems to be the only way to build
> a natural looking API. Are you doing Python adapters as well?
> 
> Is their any consensus which way to go?
> 
> Steve
> --
>   saga-rg mailing list
>   saga-rg at ogf.org
>   http://www.ogf.org/mailman/listinfo/saga-rg



-- 
Thilo Kielmann                                 http://www.cs.vu.nl/~kielmann/