Anyway... after stumbling around for a bit with the PluginBuilder plugin... QGIS Cookbook etc... I finally settled on grinding through a tutorial... Which has proven the most rewarding.
I have learnt a few things about python and compiling and using the linux terminal that have proven useful.
- The shortcut for opening the terminal window is Ctrl +Alt + t (Yaay...)
- Some compiling (the deadly c-word!) needs to be done. Fortunately the pluginbuilder produces a super special file called a makefile which kind of knows what needs to be compiled and how. All that I need to do after changing the user interface or editing the UI dialog code is to open the terminal :) select the directory in which the plugin is situated (cd ...) and type "make". The compiling is done!
- To get the directory string (to type after the cd command) I simply open it in a window and right click on the relevant directoy tab and copy it and paste as file name into the terminal window.
- at first the compiling di not work properly, I found that by simply typing pyrc4 or whatever package is necessary for the compiling, I was given instructions in the terminal as to how to go about installing it.
Those are just somelessons... as for writing the plugin... I suggest that anyone who wants to do this and is not a knowledgeable programmer finds a mentor and grinds throught the tutorial!
to be continued...!
