Support Processing libraries

[processing-r]

Support Processing libraries

[gaocegege]

All tasks in Evaluation 2 are done 🎉

[jeremydouglass]

For reference, this is how library Processing.py / Jython handles importing native Processing(Java) libraries.

https://github.com/jdf/processing.py/blob/master/runtime/src/jycessing/LibraryImporter.java

It looks quite complex -- I believe because a lot seems to be about auto-discovering non-jar resources.

The renjin documentation starting point for import() seems to be Ch5, p27: Importing Java Classes Into R Code:

https://media.readthedocs.org/pdf/renjin/latest/renjin.pdf#page31

I wonder if some very widely used Processing libraries are already importable and already work out-of-the-box, without changes to the renjin import mechanism.

[jeremydouglass]

Per our discussion: an example of a popular 3rd-party Processing library:

• http://mrfeinberg.com/peasycam/
• https://github.com/jdf/peasycam

Built-in libraries to consider starting with for testing:

• https://processing.org/reference/libraries/video/index.html
• https://processing.org/reference/libraries/pdf/index.html
• https://processing.org/reference/libraries/serial/index.html

[gaocegege]

The ad-hoc code has been fixed in #137

[gaocegege]

We need to test more libraries to test if the feature works well

[gaocegege]

Now Processing.R supports libraries in PDE, for example, https://github.com/jdf/peasycam.

But it fails in Runner because of the libraries discovery in standalone sketch.

[jeremydouglass]

Initial library discovery work done in #133

[jeremydouglass]

Good idea!

1. Do we have an example library sketch?
   It could be the bases for a number of library sketches -- a simple example for each library. Easy to ask others to write them if there is a template. I could write a few myself.

2. Is there a test sketch for the library feature?
   Or would that not work with the testing setup?

[gaocegege]

1. I will write a example tomorrow.
2. Libraries are different with each other, I am afraid that it is hard to develop a framework to test all libraries just like e2etest does.

[jeremydouglass]

I agree that Processing.R does not need a library testing framework -- that too complex to be useful, and also out of scope!

Instead, I was wondering if, for example, the peasycam demo on Welcome Issue #142 could be added to test documentation for importLibrary(). Then as long as we had generated the target screenshot the test it would pass as long as peasycam was importing correctly, and fail if it wasn't. Not library specific testing, just an e2etest sanity check on importLibrary(). An issue would pre-installing peasycam into the CI environment to make it work.

settings <- function() {
    importLibrary("peasycam")
    size(200, 200, P3D)
}

setup <- function() {
    cam = PeasyCam$new(processing, 100)
    cam$setMinimumDistance(50)
    cam$setMaximumDistance(500)
}

draw <- function() {
    rotateX(-.5)
    rotateY(-.5)
    background(0)
    fill(255, 0, 0)
    box(30)
    pushMatrix()
    translate(0, 0, 20)
    fill(0, 0, 255)
    box(5)
    popMatrix()
}

[gaocegege]

Oh It is a good idea! But there is one thing:

We could not use libraries in Runner now, because of the StandaloneSketch.

[jeremydouglass]

because of the StandaloneSketch

Can you remind me why StandaloneSketch is a problem for importLibrary()?

[gaocegege]

StandaloneSketch doesn't implement the logic about the path to libraries. It could not find the libraries.

[jeremydouglass]

Wonderful. Let's schedule a meeting to check in and discuss before E2.