Refs

• This finally addresses the main points in wgpu for Update propagation pygfx#495.
• Closes Sync events with draws #355
• closes Blocking render call #471

Summary

Canvas

• Remove WgpuAutoGui, since its no simply a part of WgpuCanvasBase
• Implementation of WgpuCanvasBase is cleaner because it moves events and scheduling out.

Events

• Event handling logic is moved into a separate class.
• The event handling logic can merge events by itself (Canvas implementations don't have to do this).
• Events are queued until they are explicitly flushed (by the scheduling mechanics).
• EventType enum!

Scheduling

• The WgpuCanvasBase implements a scheduling mechanic (Canvas implementations no longer have to do this).
• Multiple update modes are implemented: fastest, continuous, ondemand, manual.
• The max_fps applies (only) to continuous and ondemand mode.
• New force_draw() method for a blocking render call.

Public loop API

• run() and call_later() functions are replaced with a loop object that has both as a method.
• The call_later method returns a timer object, so the callback can be cancelled.
• Also added call_repeated() that returns a timer object that keeps ticking. We really needed an abstract timer object for the scheduling. Might as well provide it to our users.

Design decisions

• We assume that users use the event-loop corresponding to the canvas, and don't use two GUI systems at the same time (e.g. Qt with glfw). We can accommodate for this, but it will complicate the code and feels like a bad idea in general.
• Similarly, our glwf window could run on any event loop, but we restrict it to asyncio (at least for now).
• Do we keep canvas.add_event_handler() or do we switch to canvas.events.add_handler() or canvas.events.connect()?
  • I think canvas.add_event_handler() feels a bit long, but it is explicit, and helps the canvas feel flat/simple.
• How to allow users to control scheduling, like setting mode or max_fps?
  • Proposal: use canvas.scheduler.max_fps, canvas.scheduler.mode, etc.

API changes

• New canvas.force_draw().
• Replaced from wgpu.gui.xx import WgpuCanvas, run with from wgpu.gui.xx import WgpuCanvas, loop
• The glfw canvas is more friendly on your laptop battery (thanks to a proper event loop).
• The WgpuAutoGui mixin class is removed.

Tasks

• Update base canvas.
• Take threading into account.
• Update glfw gui
• Update qt gui
• Update wx gui
• Update jupyter gui
• Update offscreen gui
• Don't draw when minimized.
• Update docs
• Show/test force_draw in an example.
• Can we make 'ondemand' with calling request_draw() in the draw function equal 'continuous'. -> we test that this is the case.

After this PR

• Handle sigint.
• Animate events.
• Allow draw_func to be an asyn function.
• Can we move present() out of CanvasContext()?
• Register the draw function as a draw event handler instead of with request_draw()?
• Allow requesting a draw by setting a field in the event object?
• Tracking statistics (track time spent on different things). Plus visualizing them.