Decoupling graphics requirements from libraries

[RobPasMue]

After the discussions occuring on the PyAnsys Dev meeting, we thought it would be important to decouple the usage of graphics from the main installation of our libraries by defining a "graphics" target for that purpose. See ansys/pyansys-dev-guide#577 and ansys/pyansys-dev-guide#576

By doing a quick analysis of the metapackage and using this script where the variable target_package can be easily tweaked... I obtained the following results:

Note

In order to run it, one must:
1 - clone the repo
2 - create a venv and activate it
3 - install the repo: pip install .
4 - install the following: pip install pyvis pipdeptree

import subprocess
import json
import networkx as nx
from pyvis.network import Network

def get_dependency_tree():
    result = subprocess.run(["pipdeptree", "--json"], capture_output=True, text=True)
    return json.loads(result.stdout)

def build_reverse_dependency_graph(dependencies, target_package):
    graph = nx.DiGraph()
    package_map = {pkg["package"]["key"]: pkg for pkg in dependencies}
    
    for pkg_name, pkg in package_map.items():
        for dep in pkg.get("dependencies", []):
            if dep["key"] == target_package:
                graph.add_node(pkg_name, label=pkg_name, color="blue")
                graph.add_edge(pkg_name, target_package)
    
    return graph

def visualize_graph(graph):
    net = Network(notebook=True, directed=True, cdn_resources='remote')
    net.from_nx(graph)
    net.show("dependency_graph.html")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    target_package = "pyvista"  # Change this to the package you want to track
    dependencies = get_dependency_tree()
    graph = build_reverse_dependency_graph(dependencies, target_package)
    visualize_graph(graph)
    print(f"{len(graph.nodes) - 1} packages depend on {target_package}.")
    print("Dependency graph generated: Open 'dependency_graph.html' in your browser.")

Visualization shows that only 5 packages depend on it directly:

• pytwin - @jorgepiloto - see feat: new graphics target pytwin#258
• ansys-speos-core - @SMoraisAnsys @StefanThoene - see feat: switch to ansys tools and decouple requirements pyspeos#532
• ansys-dyna-core - @RobPasMue - see feat: remove pyvista hard dependency pydyna#774
• ansys-mapdl-reader - @clatapie - see ...
• ansys-tools-visualization-interface - related to feat: Add optional graphical target and rework graphics backend selection pymapdl#3820

The first 4 should be adapted to use the ansys-tools-visualization-interface package if possible, and make it an optional dependency.

Now, after investigating the packages that depend on ansys-tools-visualization-interface, we get the following list:

• ansys-mapdl-core - @AlejandroFernandezLuces - see feat: Add optional graphical target and rework graphics backend selection pymapdl#3820

This means that, only 5 PyAnsys libraries are the ones forcing the installation of PyVista "by default". We should contact each of these repos and push for its separation into a graphics target as described in ansys/pyansys-dev-guide#576

[AlejandroFernandezLuces]

Added a PR for PyMAPDL: ansys/pymapdl#3820

The visualization was already separated code wise, it was just missing removing it from the main target and adding the graphics target. I think this was made on purpose by @germa89 though, any opinions?

[StefanThoene]

added a PR for pySpeos: ansys/pyspeos#532

i added error management and warnings so the methods leveraging pyvista(now ansys-tools-visualization-interface) are giving correct errors quick question would this considered a breaking change?

[RobPasMue]

quick question would this considered a breaking change?

You can probably do a new minor release with this change.

[StefanThoene]

quick question would this considered a breaking change?

You can probably do a new minor release with this change.

we created a new minor release it is now available (for pyspeos)

[PProfizi]

Hi everyone,

Not sure how this fits in this discussion but I think it is related.
I recently had a user not understanding why the pyansys package would not install pydpf-core with its graphics optional dependencies.
I had to make him install it in an additional step.
I think it would indeed make sense for pyansys to depend on ansys-dpf-core[graphics] in the pyproject.toml.
Is there a reason not to do it?

The graphics are optional for many reasons, but in the context of someone installing pyansys libraries via the pyansys package I think we could assume it will need basic plotting capabilities.
Or not?

[SMoraisAnsys]

Hi everyone,

Not sure how this fits in this discussion but I think it is related. I recently had a user not understanding why the pyansys package would not install pydpf-core with its graphics optional dependencies. I had to make him install it in an additional step. I think it would indeed make sense for pyansys to depend on ansys-dpf-core[graphics] in the pyproject.toml. Is there a reason not to do it?

The graphics are optional for many reasons, but in the context of someone installing pyansys libraries via the pyansys package I think we could assume it will need basic plotting capabilities. Or not?

The pyansys package is specifically impacted by the reasons for the optional graphics. I think we could investigate if a graphics optionnal target could be added (basically gathering graphics from each package having one) but this could easily lead to dependencies resolution issues. @RobPasMue Did you tried that approach or were there already too many dependencies conflicts with a subset of repos ?

[RobPasMue]

Agreed - we should make an optional target for the metapackage to install graphics requirements across the board. I will put it on my todo list. Thanks @PProfizi!

---

This target would just install the various libraries we have with their corresponding graphics targets. Our libraries should be compatible among each other on graphics target install