I've installed the MS-Windows version 6.3.0 on a Vista machine along
with the NC datafiles. When I start GRASS (as administrator) from
the icon on the desktop a small window titled GRASS 6.3.0 opens
followed by a GRASS 6.3.0 Startup window. The startup window shows
the NC dataset which I highlight and click the "Enter GRASS" button.
Now there are four windows open: "Tk GRASS6.3.0 GIS Manager -
North-Carolina PERMANENT", "Tk Map Display 1", "Tk Output-GIS.m", and
the "GRASS6.3.0" window. The "GRASS6.3.0" window is black, has a
flashing white underscore cursor and does nothing. The other windows
appear to work properly and I am able to successfully do a few
examples.
What is the "GRASS6.3.0" window for? I am unable to type commands in
it. It never displays any output. It just sits there and mocks me.
I've installed the MS-Windows version 6.3.0 on a Vista machine along
with the NC datafiles. When I start GRASS (as administrator) from
the icon on the desktop a small window titled GRASS 6.3.0 opens
followed by a GRASS 6.3.0 Startup window. The startup window shows
the NC dataset which I highlight and click the "Enter GRASS" button.
Now there are four windows open: "Tk GRASS6.3.0 GIS Manager -
North-Carolina PERMANENT", "Tk Map Display 1", "Tk Output-GIS.m", and
the "GRASS6.3.0" window. The "GRASS6.3.0" window is black, has a
flashing white underscore cursor and does nothing. The other windows
appear to work properly and I am able to successfully do a few
examples.
What is the "GRASS6.3.0" window for? I am unable to type commands in
it. It never displays any output. It just sits there and mocks me.
IIRC, it's for nothing else but internal session management linked to the functioning of the Windows batch system, so nothing for the user. At one time I tried to find a way to hide it, but wasn't successful [1].
The conclusion was that the best solution is probably to rewrite GRASS startup in another language, so that Windows doesn't consider it as a batch file.