Overview over graphics packages

[Johannes Nix]

Hi there,

I need some advice about graphics packages for Python.

I am looking around for a while, and it seems that every month another
packages pops up. Sadly, I don't have time to try them all!

These are my requirements:

* I am doing complex audio signal processing using Numpy. Partly I do 
  real-time processing using Linux/ALSA drivers. (Real-time means here 
  latencies <= 5ms, i.e. "soft" real-time processing - no missile control)

* I need 2D and 3D plots
* I need X11 and high-quality publishable Postscript output, 
  possibly with LaTeX fonts
* It should be fast enough for real-time display of spectra and so on
* Interactive display (zoom etc.) is highly welcomed
* I want to be able to integrate it tightly in live demonstrations


The following seem to be favorites for me (until now, I tried Gnuplot and 
Pmw.Blt):

- Gnuplot     - Not very easy and tight-integrated, not fast, but works well.
                Has LaTeX fonts. Has Numpy support. Basic 3D support. Many 
                driver backends, although not completely media-independent. 
                Maybe considered nearly bug-free because very popular.

- Dislin      - 2D and 3D plots, seem comparable to gnuplot or a bit more 
                ugly. Probably faster, because library written in FORTRAN. 
                For the same reason, Numpy support improbable. Media 
                independent.
                Seems not object-oriented (Only one plot window?)

- Pmw.Blt     - seems to be interesting. Package on Top of tkinter. 
                No NumPy support ? Seems fast  enough for real-time drawing. 
                Naturally, very good integration with tkinter, strength seems
                to be interactive display. I tried it and the printed 2D 
                Output looks very good! It seems to be eays to use also,
		and well-documented.

- Graphite    - not ready yet, but interesting. Promises to become fast
                with OpenGL and Numpy. Media-independent output including
                Postscript. High Overlap with Pmw.Blt

- vtk         - very high-level graphics, mighty 3D capabilities,
                perhaps fast, perhaps not. Beautiful examples but few 
		information on homepage.
	
(all can be found at vaults of parnassus)

Until now, it seems that the requirements cannot be met fully by one
package. Perhaps a good solution is to use Gnuplot for
publication-ready postscript, and PMW.Blt (and perhaps later Graphite)
for live/real-time display and demonstrations. At least simple postscript
graphics can be made by PWM.Blt. For very high level 3D graphics,
currently vtk seems to be best, but possibly not needed.

Any suggestions ?


BTW, I was looking around for Tkinter documentation und dind't find
much. Did someone try John Grayson's book? It has great reviews at
amazon but it is commented also that it isn't meant for
beginners. Perhaps the Book from Martin von Löwis and Niels Fischbeck
is better for beginners ?

Many Thanks for your tips !

 
stymied-by-too-much-choice-dly, Johannes