matplotlib dependencies prevents from use in Rhino

[jf---]

the following import statement:

from compas_slicer.post_processing import generate_brim

seems to rely on matplotlib

Expected behavior matplotlib is tricky / impossible to install to on IronPython hence this dependency renders compas_slicer incompatible with Rhino moreover, since matplotlib is a pretty hefty package ( can depend on Qt5 in turn ) it takes a whopping ~10s to load

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: osx 10.10, Rhino 6
• IronPython
• compas 1.21.1
• compas_slicer ( HEAD )

Screenshots

[jf---]

• factored out matplotlib, loading is still slow
• btw on compas python this all pans, out, this is IronPython / Rhino specific
• hmmm this is suspicious:

https://github.com/compas-dev/compas_slicer/blob/58dedfbebd123258506174453d5f73d18d745819/src/compas_slicer/init.py#L63-L71

• yep, commenting the above out reduces the time to import from 11 -> 1s
• that said, the pattern of loading all available (sub)modules continues, probably not a good idea, since "import compas_slicer" in turn will recursively load all modules; that feels heavy handed

https://github.com/compas-dev/compas_slicer/blob/58dedfbebd123258506174453d5f73d18d745819/src/compas_slicer/post_processing/init.py#L45-L65

[joburger]

Hi Jelle, so actually compas slicer is, at the moment, not designed to work directly within Rhino. Reason for this is to avoid all of the constraints of IronPython. So the envisioned workflow is as follows:

• Export STL/OBJ from your favorite software
• Run the Python slicing file (outside of Rhino)
• Json files with slicing result are generated
• Visualize json files in Grasshopper (or using compas viewers)
• Repeat slicing if adjustments are needed

This is somehow described here (https://compas.dev/compas_slicer/latest/tutorials/02_grasshopper_visualization.html), but I realize it's probably not clear enough so will add some documentation to describe this workflow better.

Also, we are not considering making compas slicer available for current versions of Rhino, since CPython will be introduced in Rhino8, we would probably wait until R8 is out and then direct some efforts to integrate compas slicer into a Rhino workflow.

Cheers, Joris