Mailman 3 June 2008 - Python-announce-list

EuroPython 2008: Timetable Published
by Paul Boddie June 12, 2008

June 12, 2008

The conference timetable for EuroPython 2008 has now been published, describing the talk and activity schedule for the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the conference week (Monday 7th July until Saturday 12th July, with sprints taking place from Thursday until Saturday). The authors of the accepted talk proposals should now have received notifications from those organisers responsible for talks and scheduling. Exciting and Engaging Topics ---------------------------- This year’s schedule includes a significant Jython presence, with talks, tutorials and a panel covering the technology, applications and the road ahead for the project. Once again, Web and Internet technologies are well represented, with distributed computing being an emerging topic this time around. Not to be outdone, representatives of the PyPy project will be on hand to describe the current state of their work. Visit the following page for full details of the timetable: http://registration.europython.eu/timetable.html Conference Registration ----------------------- Registration for the conference is still open. Visit the online booking form to reserve your place: http://registration.europython.eu/ Take a look at the main site for full details of the conference, the location, accommodation, participant activities and more: http://www.europython.org/ See you next month in Vilnius, Lithuania!

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AVC 0.6.0 released
by Fabrizio Pollastri June 12, 2008

June 12, 2008

Announcing AVC 0.6.0 ---------------------------- Webpage: http://avc.inrim.it/ What is AVC? ----------------- AVC is a multiplatform, fully automatic, live connection among graphical interface widgets and application variables for the python language. AVC supports in a uniform way the most popular widget toolkits: GTK+, Qt3, Qt4, Tk, wxWidgets. New features ----------------- * Multiple matching namespaces * Dynamic connections * Full separation between application logic and GUI Features ----------- * Fully transparent widget-variable connections * Automatic connection by matching widgets and variables names * No design pattern, no application redesign, no widget toolkit dependent code. * Multiple widget toolkits support: GTK+, Qt3, Qt4, Tk, wxWidgets. * Full compatibility and support for Glade, Qt Designer, Visual Tcl and wxGlade interface design tools. * Widgets support: button, check button, combo box, entry, label, radio button, slider, spin button, status bar, text view/edit, toggle button. * Variable types support: boolean, integer, float, string, list, tuple. * Multiple widgets to one variable connection * Dual update timing of variable value views: immediate or periodic. * Testing printout logging activity with selectable verbosity * Python package written in pure python * Free software (GNU GPL license) ----

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cx_Oracle 4.4
by Anthony Tuininga June 12, 2008

June 12, 2008

What is cx_Oracle? cx_Oracle is a Python extension module that allows access to Oracle and conforms to the Python database API 2.0 specifications with a few exceptions. Where do I get it? http://cx-oracle.sourceforge.net What's new? 1) Fix setup.py to handle the Oracle instant client and Oracle XE on both Linux and Windows as pointed out by many. Thanks also to the many people who also provided patches. 2) Set the default array size to 50 instead of 1 as the DB API suggests because the performance difference is so drastic and many people have recommended that the default be changed. 3) Added Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS and Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS around each blocking call for LOBs as requested by Jason Conroy who also provided an initial patch and performed a number of tests that demonstrate the new code is much more responsive. 4) Add support for acquiring cursor.description after a parse. 5) Defer type assignment when performing executemany() until the last possible moment if the value being bound in is null as suggested by Dragos Dociu. 6) When dropping a connection from the pool, ignore any errors that occur during the rollback; unfortunately, Oracle decides to commit data even when dropping a connection from the pool instead of rolling it back so the attempt still has to be made. 7) Added support for setting CLIENT_DRIVER in V$SESSION_CONNECT_INFO in Oracle 11g and higher. 8) Use cx_Oracle.InterfaceError rather than the builtin RuntimeError when unable to create the Oracle environment object as requested by Luke Mewburn since the error is specific to Oracle and someone attempting to catch any exception cannot simply use cx_Oracle.Error. 9) Translated some error codes to OperationalError as requested by Matthew Harriger; translated if/elseif/else logic to switch statement to make it more readable and to allow for additional translation if desired. 10) Transformed documentation to new format using restructured text. Thanks to Waldemar Osuch for contributing the initial draft of the new documentation. 11) Allow the password to be overwritten by a new value as requested by Alex VanderWoude; this value is retained as a convenience to the user and not used by anything in the module; if changed externally it may be convenient to keep this copy up to date. 12) Cygwin is on Windows so should be treated in the same way as noted by Matthew Cahn. 13) Add support for using setuptools if so desired as requested by Shreya Bhatt. 14) Specify that the version of Oracle 10 that is now primarily used is 10.2, not 10.1. Anthony Tuininga

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Python-URL! - weekly Python news and links (Jun 11)
by Gabriel Genellina June 11, 2008

June 11, 2008

QOTW: "You could use exec. Probably if you find yourself doing this a lot, you're better off using a dictionary." - Erik Max Francis Python books for programmers: http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/83d2bc… Determining in which class a method was actually defined: http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/b79b45… ClassName.attribute vs self.__class__.attribute: http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/bf6b05… How to make 5*something work as well as something*5: http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/f0f81b… How to kill a running thread: http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/82636f… time.clock() vs time.time(), and a Windows bug: http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/d3cfc5… The difference between os.path.walk and os.walk explained: http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/a68a90… An rather old thread but still very active - Why doesn't Python have a data-hiding mechanism? http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/188467… Configuring distutils to compile C extensions using VC2005: http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/browse_thread/thread/b58082… ======================================================================== Everything Python-related you want is probably one or two clicks away in these pages: Python.org's Python Language Website is the traditional center of Pythonia http://www.python.org Notice especially the master FAQ http://www.python.org/doc/FAQ.html PythonWare complements the digest you're reading with the marvelous daily python url http://www.pythonware.com/daily Mygale is a news-gathering webcrawler that specializes in (new) World-Wide Web articles related to Python. http://www.awaretek.com/nowak/mygale.html While cosmetically similar, Mygale and the Daily Python-URL are utterly different in their technologies and generally in their results. Just beginning with Python? This page is a great place to start: http://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Programmers The Python Papers aims to publish "the efforts of Python enthusiats": http://pythonpapers.org/ The Python Magazine is a technical monthly devoted to Python: http://pythonmagazine.com Readers have recommended the "Planet" sites: http://planetpython.org http://planet.python.org comp.lang.python.announce announces new Python software. Be sure to scan this newsgroup weekly. http://groups.google.com/groups?oi=djq&as_ugroup=comp.lang.python.announce Python411 indexes "podcasts ... to help people learn Python ..." Updates appear more-than-weekly: http://www.awaretek.com/python/index.html The Python Package Index catalogues packages. http://www.python.org/pypi/ The somewhat older Vaults of Parnassus ambitiously collects references to all sorts of Python resources. http://www.vex.net/~x/parnassus/ Much of Python's real work takes place on Special-Interest Group mailing lists http://www.python.org/sigs/ Python Success Stories--from air-traffic control to on-line match-making--can inspire you or decision-makers to whom you're subject with a vision of what the language makes practical. http://www.pythonology.com/success The Python Software Foundation (PSF) has replaced the Python Consortium as an independent nexus of activity. It has official responsibility for Python's development and maintenance. http://www.python.org/psf/ Among the ways you can support PSF is with a donation. http://www.python.org/psf/donate.html Kurt B. Kaiser publishes a weekly report on faults and patches. http://www.google.com/groups?as_usubject=weekly%20python%20patch Although unmaintained since 2002, the Cetus collection of Python hyperlinks retains a few gems. http://www.cetus-links.org/oo_python.html Python FAQTS http://python.faqts.com/ The Cookbook is a collaborative effort to capture useful and interesting recipes. http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Cookbook/Python Many Python conferences around the world are in preparation. Watch this space for links to them. Among several Python-oriented RSS/RDF feeds available are http://www.python.org/channews.rdf http://bootleg-rss.g-blog.net/pythonware_com_daily.pcgi http://python.de/backend.php For more, see http://www.syndic8.com/feedlist.php?ShowMatch=python&ShowStatus=all The old Python "To-Do List" now lives principally in a SourceForge reincarnation. http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?atid=355470&group_id=5470&func=browse http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0042/ The online Python Journal is posted at pythonjournal.cognizor.com. editor(a)pythonjournal.com and editor(a)pythonjournal.cognizor.com welcome submission of material that helps people's understanding of Python use, and offer Web presentation of your work. del.icio.us presents an intriguing approach to reference commentary. It already aggregates quite a bit of Python intelligence. http://del.icio.us/tag/python *Py: the Journal of the Python Language* http://www.pyzine.com Archive probing tricks of the trade: http://groups.google.com/groups?oi=djq&as_ugroup=comp.lang.python&num=100 http://groups.google.com/groups?meta=site%3Dgroups%26group%3Dcomp.lang.pyth… Previous - (U)se the (R)esource, (L)uke! - messages are listed here: http://www.ddj.com/topic/python/ (requires subscription) http://groups-beta.google.com/groups?q=python-url+group:comp.lang.python*&s… http://purl.org/thecliff/python/url.html (dormant) or http://groups.google.com/groups?oi=djq&as_q=+Python-URL!&as_ugroup=comp.lan… There is *not* an RSS for "Python-URL!"--at least not yet. Arguments for and against are occasionally entertained. Suggestions/corrections for next week's posting are always welcome. E-mail to <Python-URL(a)phaseit.net> should get through. To receive a new issue of this posting in e-mail each Monday morning (approximately), ask <claird(a)phaseit.net> to subscribe. Mention "Python-URL!". Write to the same address to unsubscribe. -- The Python-URL! Team-- Phaseit, Inc. (http://phaseit.net) is pleased to participate in and sponsor the "Python-URL!" project. Watch this space for upcoming news about posting archives.

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ANN: Pyrex 0.9.8.4
by greg June 11, 2008

June 11, 2008

Pyrex 0.9.8.4 is now available: http://www.cosc.canterbury.ac.nz/greg.ewing/python/Pyrex/ This version fixes a bug introduced by the last change to unsigned integer indexing. What is Pyrex? -------------- Pyrex is a language for writing Python extension modules. It lets you freely mix operations on Python and C data, with all Python reference counting and error checking handled automatically.

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Regular Toronto Python User's Group (PyGTA) Meeting next Tuesday
by Mike C. Fletcher June 11, 2008

June 11, 2008

We'll be doing our regular Toronto Python User's Group meeting next Tuesday (the 17th) at Linux Caffe starting at 7pm and going until whenever-ish. This month I'll remember the third Tuesday of the month, I promise :) . Two possible topics: * How to build a celestial jukebox using Asterisk and StarPy * The Pyglet ctypes-based game/gui development library I'm currently leaning toward the first topic. Basically whichever project I work on on Friday is likely to be the winner. If you're interested in one over the other, either email me or post to pygta-general. Location details and the like available on the web-site: http://www.pygta.org/ Have fun all, Mike -- ________________________________________________ Mike C. Fletcher Designer, VR Plumber, Coder http://www.vrplumber.com http://blog.vrplumber.com

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ANN: SciPy 2008 Conference
by Jarrod Millman June 10, 2008

June 10, 2008

Greetings, The SciPy 2008 Conference website is now open: http://conference.scipy.org This year's conference will be at Caltech from August 19-24: Tutorials: August 19-20 (Tuesday and Wednesday) Conference: August 21-22 (Thursday and Friday) Sprints: August 23-24 (Saturday and Sunday) Exciting things are happening in the Python community, and the SciPy 2008 Conference is an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas, learn techniques, contribute code and affect the direction of scientific computing (or just to learn what all the fuss is about). We'll be announcing the Keynote Speaker and providing a detailed schedule in the coming weeks. This year we are asking presenters to submit short papers to be included in the conference proceedings: http://conference.scipy.org/call_for_papers Cheers, -- Jarrod Millman Computational Infrastructure for Research Labs 10 Giannini Hall, UC Berkeley phone: 510.643.4014 http://cirl.berkeley.edu/

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Python scripting on open source haptics platform, H3DAPI 2.0
by Juliana Ung June 10, 2008

June 10, 2008

Hi, We integrated X3D and Python scripting capabilities to our C++ written haptics platform, the H3DAPI 2.0. The beta release of H3DAPI 2.0 is on June 10, 2008, and I am attaching the news here for your information. Serious games for rehabilitation have been created using X3D and Python alone, so we thought it might be great to see more graphics-haptics applications development, whether for serious or entertainment purposes. Have a great week! /juliana Open source haptics software released at EuroHaptics 2008 - It is now easier to add the sense of touch to virtual environments with X3D, Python or C++ SenseGraphics, the haptics software provider, announces the beta release of its latest version of haptics platform, H3DAPI 2.0. The open source haptics development platform is officially released on 10 June 2008, in conjunction with EuroHaptics 2008 in Madrid, Spain. Since its introduction to the public in 2005, the H3DAPI has been used by the graphics and haptics community to create or add the simulation of touch to their applications. Built on the industry standards OpenGL and X3D, H3DAPI enables rapid haptics application development using X3D and Python alone. More major projects have been developed by extending H3DAPI capabilities with C++. The improved H3DAPI 2.0 beta now uses SenseGraphics' own haptics API, which grants users more freedom and control in haptics rendering. Users could now choose from more haptics renderers, including SensAble's OpenHaptics, Chai3D, and H3D point and sphere-based renderers. Its modular design meant that users of the open source H3DAPI could easily extend the platform, whether it is adding their own rendering algorithms, force effects, or haptic surfaces. The latest version of H3DAPI also comes with more device support, including the range of haptic devices by SensAble, ForceDimension, Novint and MOOG FCS. H3DAPI 2.0 is also bundled with Cmake now to enable easy installation. H3DAPI runs on Windows, Linux and Mac OS. SenseGraphics hopes that the new improvements to the haptics platform will aid the haptics community even more. "This is an exciting time for haptics technology. There are more haptics related activities now and we hope that H3DAPI will do its part in facilitating this growth", says Markus Israelsson, the H3DAPI product manager at SenseGraphics. SenseGraphics is in Madrid at the EuroHaptics conference this week, offering hands-on demonstrations for attendees to try the latest features and medical applications of H3DAPI. H3DAPI 2.0 beta can be downloaded at the open source haptics community, www.H3D.org, from 10 June 2008. The software is released under the GNU General Public License, with an option for commercial license. More information at www.SenseGraphics.com

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ANN: pdfposter 0.4.2
by Hartmut Goebel June 10, 2008

June 10, 2008

I'm pleased to announce pdfposter 0.4.2, a tool to scale and tile PDF images/pages to print on multiple pages. http://pdfposter.origo.ethz.ch/download/ This version fixes a view minor bugs - some media-/poster-sizes (eg. Letter) have not beeb recogniced - some PDF files crashed the tool. Download --------------- :Quick Installation: easy_install -U pdfposter :Tarballs: http://pdfposter.origo.ethz.ch/download/ What is pdfposter? -------------------- Scale and tile PDF images/pages to print on multiple pages. ``Pdfposter`` can be used to create a large poster by building it from multple pages and/or printing it on large media. It expects as input a PDF file, normally printing on a single page. The output is again a PDF file, maybe containing multiple pages together building the poster. The input page will be scaled to obtain the desired size. This is much like ``poster`` does for Postscript files, but working with PDF. Since sometimes poster does not like your files converted from PDF. :-) Indeed ``pdfposter`` was inspired by ``poster``. For more information please refere to the manpage or visit the `project homepage <http://pdfposter.origo.ethz.ch/>`_. :Author: Hartmut Goebel <h.goebel(a)goebel-consult.de> :Copyright: GNU Public Licence v3 (GPLv3) :Homepage: http://pdfposter.origo.ethz.ch/

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CrunchyFrog 0.2.1 released
by Andi Albrecht June 10, 2008

June 10, 2008

I'm happy to announce CrunchyFrog 0.2.1. This is a bug fix release. Download: http://crunchyfrog.googlecode.com/files/crunchyfrog-0.2.1.tar.gz CrunchyFrog is a database navigator and query tool for GNOME. Changes in 0.2.1 ================ Bug Fixes --------- * Support for recent files. * UI improvements and fixes. * Improved handling of backend plugins. New Features ------------ * SQL server backend (early release). * HttpLog backend (early release). Translations ------------ * Finish * French * German * Italian * Spanish Thanks to all launchpad contributors! Complete changelog: http://code.google.com/p/crunchyfrog/wiki/ChangeLog What is CrunchyFrog =================== CrunchyFrog is a database navigator and query tool for GNOME. Currently PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, SQLite3 databases and LDAP servers are supported for browsing and querying. More databases and features can be added using the plugin system. CrunchyFrog is licensed under the GPLv3 and is entirely written in Python/PyGTK. Download: http://cf.andialbrecht.de/download.html Homepage: http://cf.andialbrecht.de/ Screenshots: http://cf.andialbrecht.de/screenshots.html Development: http://crunchyfrog.googlecode.com/ Discussions: http://groups.google.com/group/crunchyfrog Issues/Bugs: http://code.google.com/p/crunchyfrog/issues/list Regards, Andi

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