Looking for the simplest (maybe not the best) solution: Item1 - A shell/batch script could run gnuradio-companion 1.grc 2.grc 3.grc
Item 2 - files can be relative, e.g, ./sample.iq. So, if you tar or zip the grc files and the sample files, everything should be runnable from a single directory, no searching around required. Item 3 - I think this is pretty far out of scope for GRC. On Sat, Nov 14, 2020 at 11:15 AM Kristoff <krist...@skypro.be> wrote: > HI all, > > Yesterday-evening, we did a small workshop 'getting started to GNU Radio > for CTFs', to 'kickstart' some people using GNU Radio. > > > Afterwards, I was thinking that workshops do take up quite a bit of > time, and not every student has time to do a workshop during the > timeslot that is there is a teacher available; so perhaps we can also do > this in another way. > > One thing -I think- would help for this, is the possibility to create > 'interactive getting started guides' for GR. That way, we should be able > to reach more people. > > The idea I have in mind is to create 'interactive learning-flows'. To > allow people to learn GNU Radio -step by step- how to use GRC, how to > analyse a CTF, how to create signals, ... > > > The model is a 'learning-flow', a course is divided into multiple GRC > flow-graphs, and where every 'tab' on GRC is the next step in process to > build/ explain/ ... a GRC flow-graph. > - GRC tab 1: option-block + 'samp_rate' var block + file source > - GRC tab 2: option-block + 'samp_rate' var block + file source + > throttle-block > - GRC tab 3: option-block + 'samp_rate' var block + file source + > throttle-block + QT time sink > - GRC tab 3: option-block + 'samp_rate' var block + file source + > throttle-block + complex-to-amp2 + QT time sink > (...) > > > > So, my question. Could it be possible to change / enhance GRC a little > it to make it better suited for creating this kind of interactive > learning courses? > > (Perhaps some of the things noted below are already possible. So please > excuse my ignorance) > > > Find below some 'feature-requests' for GRC that I think would help to > make this possible (or at least, more easy): > > 1. GRC has the ability to use tabs, multiple flowgraphs loaded into GRC. > However, every flowgraph is independent, and you can can load/save every > one of them independently. > > Would it be possible to create the concept of a 'flowgraph bundle', i.e. > a number of flowgraphs that are groups together, and that are combined > in one file. > > When you load the 'bundle', all flow-graphs will be loaded at different > tabs of GRC, in a predefined order as documented in the bundle. > > > > 2. Most workshops / how-tos use files. (e.g. i/q files) > > Currently, this means that you must distribute that i/q file separately, > and you must tell the user 'now point the file-sink block to the i/q > file you have downloaded. It can be in Downloads, or in documents, or in > your home-folder so look around if you do not find it immediately'. > > This is kind-of OK in a real 'live' workshop, but -I think- not what you > would want in a learning-project somebody has downloaded from the > internet and doing this without the 'live' aid of a teacher. > > > So, considering the bundles mentioned about, would it be possible to > have them also include -say- an i/q files? > When the user loads a bundle into GRC, this should then also place that > the i/q file in a predefined location on the computer of the student. > > - The goal would be to be able to pre-configure the file-source block > in such a way that it will find that I/q file, no matter what the > directory-structure of the user's computer might be. > - And it would make distributing a learning-flow a lot easier as you > only have to distribute one single file. > > > 3/ (This is probably a lot more difficult) > To create a real 'step by step' flow, it would be interesting that the > student can only access a certain tab (i.e. a step in the learning > path), when the flow-graph of the previous tab has been 'finished' > > To give an example: > > Tab 1: options block, variable block 'samp-rate' and file-source block > + a "note" block with this text: > > - "when loading a file into GRC, the data-type of the file-source output > port should corresponds to the signal in the file. > The example-file has the extension 'iq', so the datatype is 'complex'. > Change the datatype of the file-source block to the correct setting" > > - "One of the most important features of a stream is it sample-rate. The > example-file is called file1_48000sps.iq > What is the sample-rate of the signal in that file. Set the variable > samp_rate to the correct value" > > > Only when those two conditions are met, then the student should be able > to access the 2nd tab. > > > Tab 2: > > Comment block "When creating a GRC without any actual hardware, you need > to add a throttle-block. If not, GRC will use all CPU-cycles of your > computer when run. Please add a throttle-block after the file-source > block, connect these two blocks and then go to tab3." > > ... > > (But I guess that this kind of requirement is a lot harder then points 1 > and 2 above). > > > 4/ Can you please make the 'note' block larger, and to allow multiple > lines of text? > > Currently, it is quite small, so it is not really possible to add the > kind of comments (see 3/ above) to the graph. > > What would also be nice is the ability to add URLs in the note blocks. > This would allow the note to link to -say- a video: " Change the > datatype of the file-source block to the correct setting. Click here for > a video on the different data-types used in GNU Radio" > > > > I know that some of these feature-requests are probably not that easy. > But as the quite steep learning-curve of GNU Radio is the main reason > people are scared away from GR, I do think that providing a good > learning-tool can be one of the best ways to get the, over that hurdle. > > > > 73 > > kristoff - ON1ARF > > >
