[IPython-dev] D3js and IPython

Brian Granger ellisonbg at gmail.com
Wed Jan 9 17:18:17 EST 2013 

> I do appreciate the concern, and we need a solution to the issue.
> I just don't think we have a complete one yet.
> Right now, we have a supremely flexible (and thus insecure) situation,
> whereas jsplugins-only is secure, but not remotely flexible from a user's
> perspective.
>
> This is an extremely serious incapacitation of the notebook.
> The trouble is that jsplugins is a relatively tolerable substitue
> for the single-user notebook, but where the problem is worst
> is when users don't actually have access to the server
> to install jsplugins.  So it's precisely the case where we
> would not allow custom js that jsplugins fail most dramatically
> as a substitute.

Yes, the jsplugins do represent a problem in multiuser settings where
each user might way different plugins installed.  It is also difficult
to have to involve the server admin to install things like this.  At
the same time, the same server admin would have to be involved if a
user wanted to install a new python package, so maybe there is not
that big of a difference.

> Is it really our intention to require *server* installation of a plugin
> for a user to gain access to a new widget? That seems to eliminate a *huge*
> portion of exactly what makes the notebook interesting.

The *idea* was to use the server side install requirement as the step
that says "I trust this code."  If we can implement that check in a
robust way that people won't step over without really understanding
what they are doing, that would be great.

> If we have a way that js plugins can be loaded at runtime by the user
> without access to the server (presumably with a 'do you trust this guy?'
> confirmation),
> then that would go a long way toward preventing the total castration of the
> notebook.

We should definitely think about that, as it might provide a nice
balance of the two options.

>>
>>
>> A separate issue is that actually writing Javascript code using the
>> old Javascript object is horrifically painful.  Errors get completely
>> swallowed and it is nearly impossible to figure out what is going on.
>> I think this is why very few people have actually done anything
>> significant with the Javascript object we currently have - it just
>> doesn't work very well.  On the other hand, developing the JS plugins,
>> gives the usual mostly pleasant development experience.
>
>
> This isn't entirely accurate, as errors in js do show up in the notebook.
> Just try
>
> %%javascript
> a = doesnt_exist

Some errors do show up - but many others do not.  I have never been
able to figure out which do and which don't.  When I have encountered
silent errors, in some cases I could never find them and had to
rewrite the code carefully from scratch.  Eventually they disappeared.

> But I do appreciate the pain - I've taken to writing new inline js code in
> .js files locally,
> just so my editor can help me out, which is similar in practice to jsplugins
> and definitely an improvement over typing js in Python strings.

Yes, I have done this as well and it helps somethings.

Cheers,

Brian

>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Brian
>>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Cheers,
>> >>
>> >> Brian
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On Tue, Jan 8, 2013 at 1:11 PM, lecast <martin.zmk at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >> > Thx. I will have a look at both the repository and the pull.
>> >> >
>> >> > Returning Javascript() or HTML() is not exactly what I need. In
>> >> > general
>> >> > I
>> >> > always need  to publish both html and javascript within a function so
>> >> > that
>> >> > function that would correspond to make_table() from ipy_table creates
>> >> > both
>> >> > the element and the script that populates that element. But this is
>> >> > mute
>> >> > here, since I couldn't find a way to copy final elements from the
>> >> > window
>> >> > and
>> >> > saving them in the notebook for good, the only thing that actually is
>> >> > saved
>> >> > is the final html object.
>> >> >
>> >> > I don't use inline JS anywhere there. But, if you prevent inline JS
>> >> > in
>> >> > output then you will also prevent a lot of interactivity on final
>> >> > output
>> >> > that e.g. d3 generates. I mean you need to be able to have things
>> >> > like
>> >> > onClick etc. But if you mean that you will prohibit me from saving
>> >> > javascript in any form in the notebook, then I will probably have to
>> >> > stop
>> >> > pulling the new versions... Right now I spend all my time in
>> >> > Notebook,
>> >> > i.e.
>> >> > I wrote a script that converts notebooks to latex and I just write my
>> >> > papers
>> >> > in Notebook. It is nice since I see my math instantly, but I need to
>> >> > be
>> >> > able
>> >> > to embed some javascript that appears only in those notebooks that
>> >> > are
>> >> > really papers, e.g. to replace references or make highlights (
>> >> > http://i46.tinypic.com/163qyg.png ).
>> >> >
>> >> > Customjs is ok unless you send the notebook to someone and don't tell
>> >> > them
>> >> > they need to have it as well. I wanted something that produces output
>> >> > that
>> >> > is easily replicable.
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > Z wyrazami szacunku,
>> >> > Marcin Zamojski
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > On Tue, Jan 8, 2013 at 8:56 PM, Matthias Bussonnier [via Python]
>> >> > <[hidden
>> >> > email]> wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Hi !
>> >> >>
>> >> >> It look really great :
>> >> >>
>> >> >> A few comment :
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Obstacle 1
>> >> >> def x():
>> >> >>         from IPython.core.display import Javascript
>> >> >>         Javascript('alert("a")')
>> >> >> x()
>> >> >>
>> >> >> you probably want to `return Javascript('alert("a")')`
>> >> >> Am I wrong ?
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Obstacle 2:
>> >> >>  same : `return HTML()` I guess...
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Please, please, please don't inline script.
>> >> >> We will in anyway prevent script in output so this will become
>> >> >> useless
>> >> >> anyway.
>> >> >> Which will deprecate _js_repr_ (at least make it useless) but Brian
>> >> >> Json-handler branch
>> >> >> ill work much better to do what you want.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Obstacle 3/Obstacle 4
>> >> >> Will be solve with brian Json Handler branch.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> You probably want to inject your own library in the notebook,
>> >> >> which can be done via custom.js
>> >> >>
>> >> >> draft doc :
>> >> >> http://elacave.lmdb.eu/~carreau/yui/classes/IPython.customjs.html
>> >> >> use $.getScript(url)
>> >> >> for example :
>> >> >> $.getScript('d3.min.js') in you have d3.min.js in
>> >> >> .ipython/profile_xxx/static/js/d3.min.js
>> >> >>
>> >> >> You might be interesting in
>> >> >> http://epmoyer.github.com/ipy_table/
>> >> >>
>> >> >> To join effort.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Thanks.
>> >> >> --
>> >> >> Matthias
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Le 8 janv. 2013 à 17:26, lecast a écrit :
>> >> >>
>> >> >> > This is a new thread but it is born out and related to a  previous
>> >> >> > discussion
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > <http://python.6.n6.nabble.com/experiment-remote-execution-of-jquery-and-d3-code-into-the-browser-via-ipython-td4633053.html#a4955237>
>> >> >> > . The goal there was to live update figures created with d3js in
>> >> >> > IPython
>> >> >> > Notebook. It was suggested that a solution would be to use
>> >> >> > widgets,
>> >> >> > which I
>> >> >> > have to admit I did not have time to understand so instead I
>> >> >> > decided
>> >> >> > to
>> >> >> > create something that produces the end product I was aiming at,
>> >> >> > i.e.
>> >> >> > take
>> >> >> > output from Python, use d3js to create a table/figure, use some
>> >> >> > blackbox,
>> >> >> > have the output visible in the notebook (or be able to save it
>> >> >> > elsewhere
>> >> >> > as
>> >> >> > svg/html/png/etc).
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > You can find an example notebook with a lot of custom tables and
>> >> >> > some
>> >> >> > figures  here
>> >> >> > <http://nbviewer.ipython.org/4484816/ipyD3sample.ipynb>
>> >> >> > .
>> >> >> > They are all created based on data from Python, rendered in
>> >> >> > PhantomJs
>> >> >> > (in
>> >> >> > that case I just copy the html, but PhantomJs allows for
>> >> >> > conversion
>> >> >> > to
>> >> >> > other
>> >> >> > formats), and then published in the notebook.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > I created it for myself, so there is hardly any commenting in the
>> >> >> > file
>> >> >> > (I
>> >> >> > know, bad), but I have been using it for a few months now and it
>> >> >> > works
>> >> >> > really well. D3js has some great modern visualizations coded in
>> >> >> > and
>> >> >> > it
>> >> >> > takes
>> >> >> > only a few days to learn the syntax by doing.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Personally I think it would be really nice to make it into an
>> >> >> > extension/package, but I lack experience/time to do that.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > --
>> >> >> > View this message in context:
>> >> >> > http://python.6.n6.nabble.com/D3js-and-IPython-tp5001661.html
>> >> >> > Sent from the IPython - Development mailing list archive at
>> >> >> > Nabble.com.
>> >> >> > _______________________________________________
>> >> >> > IPython-dev mailing list
>> >> >> > [hidden email]
>> >> >> > http://mail.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/ipython-dev
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> >> IPython-dev mailing list
>> >> >> [hidden email]
>> >> >> http://mail.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/ipython-dev
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> ________________________________
>> >> >> If you reply to this email, your message will be added to the
>> >> >> discussion
>> >> >> below:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> http://python.6.n6.nabble.com/D3js-and-IPython-tp5001661p5001692.html
>> >> >> To unsubscribe from D3js and IPython, click here.
>> >> >> NAML
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > ________________________________
>> >> > View this message in context: Re: D3js and IPython
>> >> >
>> >> > Sent from the IPython - Development mailing list archive at
>> >> > Nabble.com.
>> >> >
>> >> > _______________________________________________
>> >> > IPython-dev mailing list
>> >> > IPython-dev at scipy.org
>> >> > http://mail.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/ipython-dev
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Brian E. Granger
>> >> Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo
>> >> bgranger at calpoly.edu and ellisonbg at gmail.com
>> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> IPython-dev mailing list
>> >> IPython-dev at scipy.org
>> >> http://mail.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/ipython-dev
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > IPython-dev mailing list
>> > IPython-dev at scipy.org
>> > http://mail.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/ipython-dev
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Brian E. Granger
>> Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo
>> bgranger at calpoly.edu and ellisonbg at gmail.com
>> _______________________________________________
>> IPython-dev mailing list
>> IPython-dev at scipy.org
>> http://mail.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/ipython-dev
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> IPython-dev mailing list
> IPython-dev at scipy.org
> http://mail.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/ipython-dev
>



--
Brian E. Granger
Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo
bgranger at calpoly.edu and ellisonbg at gmail.com

More information about the IPython-dev mailing list