Re: [Gretl-devel] gretl on OS X: next step
On 18-03-2013, at 03:02, Allin Cottrell <cottrell(a)wfu.edu> wrote:
I've mentioned this a few times before: a build of gretl for OS X
that does not require X11/XQuartz. Now, it seems to me, is the time.
There's an experimental package (dmg) named gretl-quartz.dmg in
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gretl/files/osx-testing/
This is an all-in-one package: no need for X11, and no need for a
separate GTK framework. The dmg includes gretl 1.9.12cvs and a
Mac-native build of GTK 2.24.17 and friends.
Caveats:
(1) This is a 64-bit intel-only build for OS X 10.6 and higher.
(2) Gtk-quartz uses Apple's CoreText apparatus rather than FreeType
plus fontconfig, and the default font sizes in the two systems seem
to differ, such that the font specification appropriate to the X11
version of GTK produces a small, spindly font under quartz. Your
mileage may vary, but I have found that the following settings
(under gretl's /Tools/Preferences) produce an acceptable look:
"Menu font": Geneva 12- or 13-point
"Fixed font": Menlo 12-point
It would be good if people could test this. I've played around a
little, found a few problems and fixed them, but I haven't tested
very intensively yet.
Using OS X 10.8.3 Mountain Lion.
I've used the following fonts:
Menu: Lucida Grande 13-point (text appears less bunched up compared to Geneva)
Fixed: Monaco 13-point
Further comments:
- using gnuplot in the main window with shortcut t or from the menu View, Graph specified
vars did work for me
- opening a user script presented no problem; it ran without a hitch
- opening klein.inp and running it worked
- Alt keys don't work for accessing menus. Implies forced and continuous use of mouse.
And the Mac method of activating the menu bar with Ctrl+F2 doesn't work either
(probably not surprising since the menu is not at the top of the screen)
- Alt+w in window does nothing and in a script window prints ∑ (capital sigma)
- Command+` for switching windows doesn't work
- Command+. as alternative for Cancel doesn't work
- Gretl windows don't seem to register with the window/application switcher (I am
using witch from Manytricks) but this is also true for Gretl with XQuartz
- many shortcuts are not Mac-like: they use Ctrl instead of Command (copy,cut,paste,…….)
- neither Ctrl+W or Command+W will close a gnuplot window but Ctrl+W will close a script
output/edit window (but Command+W won't)
No crashes, no hanging.
Berend