[Python-apps-team] Bug#568684: mayavi2: gl2ps-generated PDF images are slow and incorrect

[Francesco Poli (t1000)]

Package: mayavi2
Version: 3.3.0-1
Severity: normal

Hi!

This bug could be caused by vtk: please reassign, if appropriate.

Steps to reproduce:

  $ mayavi2 -d /usr/share/doc/mayavi2/examples/mayavi/data/heart.vtk

The main window shows up.

  * select Add module or filter in the Mayavi pane
  * from the Mayavi object editor, choose IsoSurface
  * rotate and zoom the visualization, until it looks "pretty" enough
  * from the File menu, select Save Scene As > Vector PS/EPS/PDF/TeX
  * in the dialog window, enter "foo.pdf" as Name
  * click on the Save button
  * in the next dialog window, accept default GL2PSExporter properties
    (OK button)

Then try to display the resulting file:

  $ xpdf foo.pdf
  $ gv foo.pdf

After an fairly long wait, the PDF file is shown, but with large
parts of the iso-surface painted black, rather than green.

I've also tried to use non-default GL2PSExporter properties:

  a) disabling "Draw background" leads to the same issues
  b) disabling "Ps3 shading" doesn't seem to help
  c) choosing "simple" Sort doesn't help either
  d) disabling "Occlusion cull" seems to slow down even more xpdf, but
     not gv (without fixing the black areas issue)
  e) disabling "Best root" does not help

Please note that saving the scene as a PNG image works as intended
(but obviously generates a raster image, not a vector one!).



-- System Information:
Debian Release: squeeze/sid
  APT prefers testing
  APT policy: (800, 'testing'), (500, 'unstable')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 2.6.32-trunk-amd64 (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash

Versions of packages mayavi2 depends on:
ii  libc6                      2.10.2-2      GNU C Library: Shared libraries
ii  libjs-jquery               1.4-1         JavaScript library for dynamic web
ii  libvtk5.2                  5.2.1-11      Visualization Toolkit - A high lev
ii  python                     2.5.4-9       An interactive high-level object-o
ii  python-apptools            3.3.0-3       ETS Application Tools
ii  python-central             0.6.14+nmu2   register and build utility for Pyt
ii  python-configobj           4.5.2-2       a simple but powerful config file 
ii  python-envisagecore        3.1.1-2       Extensible Application Framework
ii  python-envisageplugins     3.1.1-1       Plugins for the Envisage framework
ii  python-numpy               1:1.3.0-3+b1  Numerical Python adds a fast array
ii  python-pkg-resources       0.6.10-1      Package Discovery and Resource Acc
ii  python-traits              3.2.0-1+b1    Manifest typing and reactive progr
ii  python-traitsgui           3.1.0-1       Traits-capable windowing framework
ii  python-vtk                 5.2.1-11      Python bindings for VTK
ii  python-wxgtk2.8            2.8.10.1-2+b1 wxWidgets Cross-platform C++ GUI t
ii  python2.5                  2.5.4-3.1     An interactive high-level object-o

mayavi2 recommends no packages.

Versions of packages mayavi2 suggests:
pn  ipython                       <none>     (no description available)
pn  python-scipy                  <none>     (no description available)

-- no debconf information