Re: New Geodesy functions to Mapping Package

[Carnë Draug]

On 10 March 2014 16:41, sunnyv <address@hidden> wrote:
> I am implementing tests in my code and I will submit it by the end of this
> week. Also, I have done this work only to demonstrate my capability to work
> on Octave development. I would like to complete the entire Mapping package,
> if it qualifies as  large enough project for GSoC.

Hi Sandeep

I don't want to sound discouraging but implementing the entire mapping
package is a large enough project to take more than just the summer.
Have you seen the complete list of missing functions? [1] Also, some
of them require features that haven't been implemented in Octave yet
such as classdef.

I think that adding a new function to the mapping package for
conversion between length units is a good introduction to Octave
development. This is because the package is mostly empty, such
function will only be a 5-6 lines long, and the required documentation
is short. This allows someone new to understand the typical structure
of an Octave package, and get the minimum of Octave development
conventions such as coding guidelines, test units, etc.

However, note that the mapping package is currently unmaintained (last
release was in 2009), mostly empty, and even the very easy functions
which usually are the first to get implemented are still missing. To
me, this suggests a lack of interest from the community in its
development, specially when compared with the many other packages and
features.

Bottom line is, I'm unsure that there is an Octave developer that will
be interested in mentoring this project. I may be wrong, and maybe
someone will step up for this, but considering how the patches for the
mapping package are piling up, unreviewed, in the patch tracker,
probably I'm not.

Carnë