Vpython on ubuntu 14.04 LTS (32bit)

[new_to_ubuntu]

Hello,

I seem to have trouble getting Vpython work on 32 bit ubuntu 14.04.

With trials and errors on different methods, the method outlined in this blog came to almost working.

http://blog.maestropublishing.com/2013/09/03/installing-vpython-visual-python-on-linux/ ( I used wxPython3.0.2.0, instead of 2.9.4.0 as written in the instruction)

After I ran a sample program, bounce2.py, i realized that the simulation looked erratic and it gave me the following error messages:

The Polygon module is not installed,
   so the text and extrusion objects are unavailable.
The ttfquery and/or FontTools modules are not installed,
   so the text object is unavailable.

I wonder if the simulation will be fixed if I install these modules.  How can I get these modules?  Or is the problem bigger?  I was wondering somewhere in the process I followed in the blog, I installed something that was not compatible with linux 32 bit system.  (maybe the instruction is assuming linux 64 bit system is used).

Any feedback would be appreciated.  Thanks

[Steve Spicklemire]

It’s hard to tell exactly what the trouble could be. I will say that the most common problem is graphics drivers. Do you have other 3D programs that work correctly?

thanks,
-steve

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[Bruce Sherwood]

As Steve says, the erratic animations probably are a symptom of a need to update the graphics driver. As for the missing  modules, here is the relevant information from the INSTALL.txt file in the standard Linux build information:

You'll need Python modules Polygon, FontTools, and ttfquery, from pypi.python.org.

The setup.py script will attempt to build/install these if they are not

present, but sometimes it can't find them. If that happens, download the

source for each module, unpack and in a terminal cd to the module folder.

Execute "sudo python2.7 setup.py install" to build and install the module.

And from the Linux download page at vpython.org:

The Polygon module distributed with VPython may not be used except with VPython. Here's why:

In support of the text and extrusion objects, the Windows installer includes some modules that include Polygon, for which the following conditions apply: "Polygon is being distributed subject to the following conditions: This distribution contains code from the GPC Library, and/or code resulting from the use of the GPC Library. This usage has been authorized by The University of Manchester, on the understanding that the GPC-related features are used only in the context of this distribution. It is not permitted to extract the GPC code from the distribution as the basis for commercial exploitation, unless a GPC Commercial Use Licence is obtained from The University of Manchester, contact: http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~toby/gpc/".th

Installing the missing modules will not fix the problem of erratic behavior. The error message means exactly what it says, that you can use VPython without these modules, it's just that the text and extrusion objects won't be available.

[Timothy Basaldua]

Dear new_to

I installed Ubunto 14.xx with the hope of running Vpython 6. It's far to complex to install Vpython 6 on Linux. However, Vpython does recommend that you can install Vpython 6 with WINE, a Linux app. WINE fools Linux into acting as a Windows 7 machine. It took several tries' but I did succeeded. Vpython 6 runs flawlessly on WINE. However, you do have to put up with a separate window. Eventually, I stopped running WINE-Vpython and settled with Linux Vpython. I also tried glowscript. I found it slow and a pain to use. I am completely happy with IDLE and Vpython.

[Bruce Sherwood]

I'm glad that WINE worked for you. I'm puzzled by your finding that GlowScript was slow, as my own experience is that there is little difference in the speed of classic and browser VPython, with the possible exception of curves that have a large number of points. Can you give an example of a program that shows the difference in speed?