IDL User Group Meeting: Features needed in IDL

After the IDL 8.0 overview at the IDL User Group meeting last week, Bill Okubo also asked for a list of features IDL users needed. I think I have all the ideas people gave (along with some pertinent links to proof-of-concept ideas and background material):

better map projections
geo-browser export (i.e., to Google Earth, etc.) (exporting from ENVI, discussion of doing it in IDL)
stereo display (simple anaglyph system, I also have code for using Alioscopy’s autostereoscopic monitors from IDL object graphics which I have not published yet)
a better widget system (a way to make IDL bindings for Qt?)
easier runtime distribution (MAKE_RT über-installation)
better handling of large data sets
better support for databases
integration of GPU and parallel processing (Tech-X does both GPU and parallel processing in IDL)
OPeNDAP support (I have something coming soon for this!)
easier interface to gridding data
ability to read Matlab “.sav” file
better volume rendering

Thoughts? Did we miss something crucial?

Full disclosure: I work for Tech-X Corporation and have worked on GPULib, FastDL, and the Remote Data Toolkit.

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Robert Barnett says:
March 2nd, 2010 at 9:55 pm

Very interesting.

I wrote a Postgres driver which has large object support but my assumption was that most people abandon IDL once they get serious with databases.

I will have to package it up as a nice DLM sometime.

Matt Haffner says:
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:57 pm

Haven’t heard a lot of info on the meeting yet, but PDF output would be fantastic. The current PS output driver has a lot of annoying quirks.

Michael Galloy says:
March 3rd, 2010 at 2:29 pm

Yes, PDF output for “direct graphics and the new graphics” (which I think would mean for object graphics too) is scheduled for 8.0. What problems with PS output are you having issues with?

Dong Yanqing says:
April 14th, 2010 at 8:27 am

I have tested IDL8.0, many people are expecting the new GUI builder.

Michael Galloy says:
April 14th, 2010 at 10:17 am

There has been no mention of a GUI builder in the IDL 8.0 information. And as someone who has had to maintain code made by others using GUI builder, I am glad. Doing it by hand is really pretty easy, gives you easy and powerful control, and easy to learn (pick up David’s book for an introduction).