[Discuss-gnuradio] Block inspection for GRC

[Patrick Strasser]

Hello!

I'm trying to find a way to avoid writing some wrapper or description 
for every block to be used in GRC. I know there are some properties that 
can be found out, like the number of inputs and outputs, the names of 
functions of an object (find all setters). I had a look at the 
inspection module, and pyalamode form wx is really nice doing what I 
want. Still, I want to make the Companion do this things.

Questions:
* details is commented as "really only for internal use". Is any 
information in details that cannot be found in the signatures or 
elsewhere? I tried to access members of details and my python shell crashed.
* I once read about the connection magic, like connecting to an audio 
sink connects to left and right channel if not stated otherwise. I read 
gnuradio-core/src/python/gnuradio/basic_flowgraph.py but I cannot find 
the responsible code. Any hint? I'd like to make audio sources 
connectible per channel or as a single sink.
* Which properties are not visible/inspectable from python and need 
extra information? I guess some blocks need a priori assumptions, which 
would have to be hinted to find all properties.
Of course grouping has to be done, but idealy some information about 
what kind of block it is will be some day inspectable.
* Any nice way to find out what can be imported from the gnuradio module?
* How can I find out which sample rates are supported by a block, 
especially audio blocks?

I'd like to have the Companion search the gnuradio module for blocks, 
examine the blocks, like finding i/o signatures and types, readable 
properties, access functions (setters), and automagically group them. 
When a new block is contributed to gnuradio, the Companion gets its 
properties and the block is usable by simply restarting the Companion.

Patrick
--
Engineers motto: cheap, good, fast: choose any two
Patrick Strasser <patrick dot strasser at  tugraz dot at>
Student of Telematik, Techn. University Graz, Austria