GRASS 5.1 Development:

This page describes the draft proposal for developing GRASS 5.1.

New version number scheme:

The new GRASS version number scheme is adopted from the Linux kernel (even minor number is stable, odd minor number is development):

• GRASS 5.even.x: stable versions
• GRASS 5.odd.x: development versions

Please send your opinion/suggestions to the GRASS 5 developers list.

Note:
PHASE 1 differs from PHASE 2 as the new directory layout and other core definitions have to be set up first. Therefore no other changes should be done to avoid conflicts during PHASE 1. All developers are invited to contribute.

• Status restricted: only proposed actions allowed to avoid conflicts and to achieve stable 5.1 environment quickly
• Status open: Proposal is "minimum" to be done, open to other improvements

Milestone 1 - Status: restricted

• new directory layout as discussed
• implement common Makefile system (replacement for GRASS Gmakefiles)
• build shared libraries
• implement new environment variables management
• raster format: improve NULL support without external NULL file
• raster format: write files in a directory structure similar to G3D. Means: one directory only for an individual raster map with all related files stored in.
• change single-session to multi-session model
• separate GRASS database I/O routines from GISLIB and add Frank Warmerdam's 
  libgrassio into separate directory, release libgrassio under LGPL to allow implementation of I/O routines (but nothing else) into proprietary software
• Improve coding (unsorted):

           + use one color list only, currently several (local) are implemented
           + Convert pre-ANSI code to use ANSI prototypes.
           + Implement a uniform coding style.
           + Remove unused code and variables.
           + Use "const" where appropriate.
           + Guard headers against repeated inclusion.
           + Move variable definitions from headers to source files.
           + Consistent use (or not) of "cmd" subdirectory.
           + Remove warnings (enable "-Wall" by default for gcc).
           + Consistent use of G_{warning,fatal_error,malloc,free} etc.
           + checks if certain code which is repeated everywhere which can be moved to the 
             GRASS libraries (clone detection)
           + fix the precision/string problems (r.stats, r.to.sites etc)
           + clean up usage of stdout/stderr, add fflush() where needed
  

• implement new GRASS vector library: 2.5D (3D optionally), DBMS support, 64bit compliance
• implement GRASS-builtin DBMS for multiple vector attributes management (which DBMS?)
• implement vector segmentation to speed up topology build 
  processes on large vector files

• update all vector modules
• implement basic raster/sites/... modules
• restrictions: polish code before adding to 5.1
• check algorithms for copyright violations
• check for numerical optimization, especially with gmath library,
• merge modules if possible to reduce number,
• merge back html documentation to individual module [?]
• implement new (auto-)help system based on XML-descriptions/HTML
• implement XML-based packaging scheme (module classifications) to allow GRASS packaging into components (core-GRASS, hydro-GRASS, image-GRASS etc), while GRASS source code remains unsplitted

Milestone 1 - Status: open

• implement full graphical startup with session manager,
• allow to build locations on the fly from imported maps,
• allow location enlargement on the fly
• continue with module addition (those missing from PHASE 1, Milestone 3)
• implement sites management through vector DBMS (replace old sites API with vector nodes functionality, which will also solve the NULL problem)
• update all site modules accordingly

• implement 3D vector support into vector library
• update relevant vector modules

• improve XDRIVER to multiple layers, implement better color support
• Auto-redraw after resizing the monitor
• improve locking system for monitor lock files
• improve legend support
• implement FreeType font engine to support any font

• improve DBMS management: GUI support
• implement better chart support (histograms etc)

• implement internationalization (multiple languages) using gettext

Future/add to "open" Milestones (unsorted):

• fix further bugs, improve NVIZ (G3D etc.)
• improve the G3D format: timestamps, dynamic capabilities etc.
• implement Python interface/wrapper (ongoing with OSSIM bridge)
• write a nice auto-generated GUI (see Mac OSX example)
• add v.[in|out].ogr module supporting OGR Simple Features Library (vector data)
• support OpenSource Vector Database (OSVecDB)
• implement vector network analysis (ongoing)
• implement TIN support
• implement better Metadata support
• eventually distribute simulation models etc. in extra package
• implement more intuitive high-res driver (replace CELL driver), add to NVIZ
• implement spatial web engine for "webGRASS" (JAVA ?)