[Plot] Remove the workbench, leave the module

[sanguinariojoe]

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---

Following the plan discussed in #4890 (comment), I am removing the plot workbench shipped within the core (which was utterly broken and disabled), letting just the module (from FreeCAD.Plot import Plot)

The module is quite simple, requiring very little maintenance. Besides matplotlib is automatically providing handful tools to make some basic operations with the plot (Zoom, Save, ...). For more complex operations we still offer the Plot addon (https://github.com/FreeCAD/freecad.plot)

3 tests failed, but again they seem to be unrelated with this PR:

======================================================================
FAIL: test_ccx_cantilever_prescribeddisplacement (femtest.app.test_solver_calculix.TestSolverCalculix)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/pepe/freecad/build/Mod/Fem/femtest/app/test_solver_calculix.py", line 208, in test_ccx_cantilever_prescribeddisplacement
    self.input_file_writing_test(get_namefromdef("test_"))
  File "/home/pepe/freecad/build/Mod/Fem/femtest/app/test_solver_calculix.py", line 397, in input_file_writing_test
    self.assertFalse(
AssertionError: 'Comparing /home/pepe/freecad/build/Mod/Fem/femtest/data/calculix/ccx_cantilever_prescribeddisplacement.inp to /tmp/FEM_unittests/solver_calculix_ccx_cantilever_prescribeddisplacement_53f0156aa1ca/Mesh.inp failed!\n--- \n+++ \n@@ -410 +410 @@\n-** reaction forces for Constraint displacement constraining translation\n+** reaction forces for Constraint displacement constraining translations\n' is not false : CalculiX write_inp_file for ccx_cantilever_prescribeddisplacement test failed.
Comparing /home/pepe/freecad/build/Mod/Fem/femtest/data/calculix/ccx_cantilever_prescribeddisplacement.inp to /tmp/FEM_unittests/solver_calculix_ccx_cantilever_prescribeddisplacement_53f0156aa1ca/Mesh.inp failed!
--- 
+++ 
@@ -410 +410 @@
-** reaction forces for Constraint displacement constraining translation
+** reaction forces for Constraint displacement constraining translations


======================================================================
FAIL: test_constraint_transform_beam_hinged (femtest.app.test_solver_calculix.TestSolverCalculix)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/pepe/freecad/build/Mod/Fem/femtest/app/test_solver_calculix.py", line 270, in test_constraint_transform_beam_hinged
    self.input_file_writing_test(get_namefromdef("test_"))
  File "/home/pepe/freecad/build/Mod/Fem/femtest/app/test_solver_calculix.py", line 397, in input_file_writing_test
    self.assertFalse(
AssertionError: 'Comparing /home/pepe/freecad/build/Mod/Fem/femtest/data/calculix/constraint_transform_beam_hinged.inp to /tmp/FEM_unittests/solver_calculix_constraint_transform_beam_hinged_2f74d94be950/Mesh.inp failed!\n--- \n+++ \n@@ -3782,0 +3783,5 @@\n+** outputs --> dat file\n+** reaction forces for Constraint displacement constraining translations\n+*NODE PRINT, NSET=FemConstraintDisplacment, TOTALS=ONLY\n+RF\n+\n' is not false : CalculiX write_inp_file for constraint_transform_beam_hinged test failed.
Comparing /home/pepe/freecad/build/Mod/Fem/femtest/data/calculix/constraint_transform_beam_hinged.inp to /tmp/FEM_unittests/solver_calculix_constraint_transform_beam_hinged_2f74d94be950/Mesh.inp failed!
--- 
+++ 
@@ -3782,0 +3783,5 @@
+** outputs --> dat file
+** reaction forces for Constraint displacement constraining translations
+*NODE PRINT, NSET=FemConstraintDisplacment, TOTALS=ONLY
+RF
+


======================================================================
FAIL: test_frequency_beamsimple (femtest.app.test_solver_calculix.TestSolverCalculix)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/pepe/freecad/build/Mod/Fem/femtest/app/test_solver_calculix.py", line 286, in test_frequency_beamsimple
    self.input_file_writing_test(get_namefromdef("test_"))
  File "/home/pepe/freecad/build/Mod/Fem/femtest/app/test_solver_calculix.py", line 397, in input_file_writing_test
    self.assertFalse(
AssertionError: 'Comparing /home/pepe/freecad/build/Mod/Fem/femtest/data/calculix/frequency_beamsimple.inp to /tmp/FEM_unittests/solver_calculix_frequency_beamsimple_e703765b20a3/Mesh.inp failed!\n--- \n+++ \n@@ -17066 +17066 @@\n-** reaction forces for Constraint displacement constraining translation\n+** reaction forces for Constraint displacement constraining translations\n' is not false : CalculiX write_inp_file for frequency_beamsimple test failed.
Comparing /home/pepe/freecad/build/Mod/Fem/femtest/data/calculix/frequency_beamsimple.inp to /tmp/FEM_unittests/solver_calculix_frequency_beamsimple_e703765b20a3/Mesh.inp failed!
--- 
+++ 
@@ -17066 +17066 @@
-** reaction forces for Constraint displacement constraining translation
+** reaction forces for Constraint displacement constraining translations


----------------------------------------------------------------------

[chennes]

This compiles, runs, and the unit tests pass (except the three FEM tests that have been failing for a while). Tested on Windows 10:

OS: Windows 10 Version 2009
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.20.25505 +3 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: pr/4971
Hash: b2910f1
Python version: 3.8.6+
Qt version: 5.15.1
Coin version: 4.0.1
OCC version: 7.5.0
Locale: English/United States (en_US)

[yorikvanhavre]

Will that strategy not be confusing? There is now a minimal Plot module still in the FreeCAD core source code, and a more complete one available as an addon... Maybe users will be confused? How will they know they need to install the addon?
Wouldn't be better to either rename the "old" Plot or, for example, since it is only one file, why not integrate it to the ShaftWizard? So it becomes independent of Plot?

[sanguinariojoe]

Will that strategy not be confusing? There is now a minimal Plot module still in the FreeCAD core source code, and a more complete one available as an addon... Maybe users will be confused? How will they know they need to install the addon?

They don't need to install the addon, that's the whole point. Herein we only have the module, i.e. the core component which allows every other module/workbench make plots, which already have the minimum matplotlib tools (see https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/1828501/123444869-a81ba100-d5d7-11eb-9bf3-8169108bf484.png).

The external addon is just providing a workbench to play with the plot styling. It is also offering a little bit more complete saving tool. For backward compatibility the addon is still deploying the Plot module, but it will be removed in the future (see FreeCAD/freecad.plot#16)

Wouldn't be better to either rename the "old" Plot or, for example, since it is only one file, why not integrate it to the ShaftWizard? So it becomes independent of Plot?

I consider this acceptable. However, I still prefer importing Plot with

from FreeCAD.Plot import Plot

rather than

from FreeCAD.PartDesign.WizardShaft import Plot

It is up to you guys

---

P.S. It should be highlighted that there is not any names collision between the module provided here (accessed as FreeCAD.Plot) and the workbench provided in the addon (accessed as freecad.plot). I suppose that's why @luzpaz suggested the new folders structure for addons

[luzpaz]

Do the CFDoF folks know about this proposed change?
CC @oliveroxtoby

[oliveroxtoby]

Do the CFDoF folks know about this proposed change?
CC @oliveroxtoby

Thanks for the heads up! Good to know.

They don't need to install the addon, that's the whole point. Herein we only have the module, i.e. the core component which allows every other module/workbench make plots, which already have the minimum matplotlib tools (see https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/1828501/123444869-a81ba100-d5d7-11eb-9bf3-8169108bf484.png).

This would be great from the CfdOF point of view :)

[oliveroxtoby]

I was testing this with CfdOF and just had one issue - it was a recurrence of a previous issue I had on my system that was fixed in the plot workbench. I have submitted a pull request on top of this branch to apply the same fix here (sanguinariojoe#1). Other than that it is working great for me.

[sanguinariojoe]

Merged!

[yorikvanhavre]

Okay then, indeed normal users will simply not see anything about Plot and install the WB if needed. But developers might still be confused. But OK, let's merge this and see how it goes. But let's keep an eye for confusion in people's minds, and think of a strategy if needed

[ceanwang]

I consider this acceptable. However, I still prefer importing Plot with

from FreeCAD.Plot import Plot

rather than

from FreeCAD.PartDesign.WizardShaft import Plot

Where is the Plot code located? inside PartDesign/WizardShaft?