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[bbtk.git] / kernel / doc / bbtkPackageDevelopersGuide / bbtkPackageDevelopersGuide.tex

% ==========================================
\documentclass[11pt,final,a4paper]{article}
\input{config.tex}


\begin{document}
\title{The Black Box Toolkit\\Package Developers' Guide}
\date{\today}
\author{Laurent Guigues}
\maketitle
% ==========================================
\tableofcontents
% ==========================================

\listoftables

\listoffigures

% ==========================================
%\section*{Abstract}
% ==========================================
\newpage
% ==========================================
% ==========================================
\vspace{0.5cm}\hrule
%\section{Creating your own black boxes}
%\label{bbp}
% ==========================================

% ==========================================
\section{Steps in the creation of new black boxes}
% ==========================================
Any black box must be included in a \bbtk package, 
that is in a particular shared library which can be loaded 
dynamically by \bbtk (hence applications which use \bbtkns, 
such as the interpreter \bbi, launched by the development environment
\bbStudions). 

\begin{enumerate}
\item \textbf{Create a new package. }
Before defining any black box you  
have to create a package, or more precisely  
the files which will allow you to generate the package 
(compile and link the shared library) and may be install it. 
 \texttt{bbStudio} does it for you.
 

Two cases occur :
\begin{itemize}
\item The black boxes you want to create are based on 
a processing code (\CPP classes or \C functions) which 
is in an existing project handled by \cmake
and you want the new package to be part of your existing project. 
You will have to create your new package into the source tree of your 
project. 
\item You do not have an already existing project (you want 
to create the new boxes from scratch) or you want/are imposed  
that the existing project remain external to the package project.
You will have to create your new package in a new location and 
may be include/link against existing libraries. 
\end{itemize}

\item \textbf{Describe your new box. }
You can do it either :
\begin{itemize}
\item In \CPP code. You will have to write the class for 
your box, mostly using \bbtk macros.  
\item In \xml code. 
When configuring your project with \cmake, 
the utility \bbfy will then generate the corresponding \CPP code. 
\end{itemize}

\end{enumerate}

% ==========================================
\section{Creating a new black box package}
% ==========================================

Run \texttt{bbStudio}.

You'll get something like in fig. \ref{bb-Studio}

\begin{figure}[!ht]
\caption{\label{bb-Studio} bbStudio}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.6\textwidth]{bbStudio.png}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

Use the option \texttt{Create package} of the menu \texttt{Tools}.

You will be asked to choose the directory where you want to create the package,
then you'll get something like in fig. \ref{bbCreatePackage}. 


\begin{figure}[!ht]
\caption{\label{bbCreatePackage} Create Package}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.6\textwidth]{bbCreatePackage.png}
\end{center}
\end{figure}


That will creates the directory structure and the \texttt{cmake} 
files necessary to build the project.

You must then decide the name of your new package. 
This name will be used to load the package in \texttt{bbi}.
Fill up the form like in fig. \ref{bbFillUpPackageForm}.


\begin{figure}[!ht]
\caption{\label{bbFillUpPackageForm} Fill up the form}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.6\textwidth]{bbFillUpPackageForm.png}
\end{center}
\end{figure} 

Edit the file \texttt{MyPackage/CMakeLists.txt} to customize your package


the file tree obtained is :

\begin{verbatim}
>tree  myPackageFolder
myPackageFolder
`-- MyPackage
    |-- CMakeLists.txt
    |-- Configure.cmake
    |-- PackageConfig.cmake.in
    |-- README.txt
    |-- UsePackage.cmake.in
    |-- bbs
    |   |-- CMakeLists.txt
    |   |-- appli
    |   |   `-- README.txt
    |   `-- boxes
    |       `-- README.txt
    |-- data
    |   `-- CMakeLists.txt
    |-- doc
    |   |-- CMakeLists.txt
    |   |-- bbdoc
    |   |   |-- CMakeLists.txt
    |   |   `-- header.html.in
    |   `-- doxygen
    |       |-- CMakeLists.txt
    |       |-- DoxyMainPage.txt.in
    |       `-- Doxyfile.txt.in
    `-- src
        `-- CMakeLists.txt
        
9 directories, 16 files
\end{verbatim}

The directory \texttt{MyPackage} is the directory of your new package, 
in which you will create the files describing your black boxes.
But first, you have to customize your new package, by editing the file 
\texttt{CMakeLists.txt} in the \texttt{MyPackage} directory.
This file contains :

\begin{file}{MyPackage/CMakeLists.txt}
\small
\begin{verbatim}
#===========================================================================
# CMAKE SETTINGS FOR BUILDING A BBTK PACKAGE
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# THE NAME OF THE BBTK PACKAGE
SET(BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME MyPackage)
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# IF IT IS A STANDALONE PROJECT UNCOMMENT NEXT LINE TO DECLARE YOUR PROJECT
# PROJECT(bb${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME})
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# PACKAGE AUTHOR
# !!! NO COMMA ALLOWED !!!
SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_AUTHOR "myself")
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# PACKAGE DESCRIPTION
SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_DESCRIPTION "The kinkiest stuff you ve ever seen.")
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# PACKAGE VERSION NUMBER 
SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_MAJOR_VERSION 1)
SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_MINOR_VERSION 0)
SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_BUILD_VERSION 0)
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# UNCOMMENT EACH LIBRARY NEEDED (WILL BE FOUND AND USED AUTOMATICALLY)
# SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_USE_VTK  ON)
# SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_USE_ITK  ON)
# SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_USE_GDCM ON)
# SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_USE_GSMIS ON)
# SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_USE_WXWIDGETS ON)
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# LIST HERE THE OTHER bbtk PACKAGES NEEDED
# (WILL BE FOUND AND USED AUTOMATICALLY)
SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_USE_PACKAGES 
  # std
  # wx
  # itk
  # vtk
  # ...
  )
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# THE SOURCES OF THE PACKAGE
# EITHER UNCOMMENT NEXT LINE TO COMPILE ALL .cxx OF THE src DIRECTORY :
SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_COMPILE_ALL_CXX ON)
# ... OR LIST THE FILES TO COMPILE MANUALLY :
#SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_SOURCES
# LIST HERE THE FILES TO COMPILE TO BUILD THE LIB
# E.G. TO COMPILE "toto.cxx" ADD "toto" (NO EXTENSION)
# THE PATH MUST BE RELATIVE TO THE src FOLDER
#    )
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# THE xml SOURCES OF THE PACKAGE
# EITHER UNCOMMENT NEXT LINE TO bbfy ALL .xml OF THE src DIRECTORY :
SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_COMPILE_ALL_XML ON)
# ... OR LIST THE FILES TO COMPILE MANUALLY :
#SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_XML_SOURCES
# LIST HERE THE FILES TO bbfy TO BUILD THE LIB
# E.G. TO bbfy "toto.xml" ADD "toto" (NO EXTENSION)
# THE PATH MUST BE RELATIVE TO THE src FOLDER
#    )
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# THE SCRIPT-DEFINED BOXES OF THE PACKAGE (bbs)
# EITHER UNCOMMENT NEXT LINE TO INCLUDE ALL .bbs OF THE bbs/boxes DIRECTORY :
SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_INCLUDE_ALL_BBS_BOXES ON)
# ... OR LIST THE FILES TO INCLUDE MANUALLY :
# SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_BBS_BOXES
# LIST HERE THE bbs FILES TO INCLUDE 
# E.G. TO INCLUDE "boxes/bbtoto.bbs" ADD "boxes/bbtoto" (NO EXTENSION)
# !! THE PATH MUST BE RELATIVE TO THE bbs FOLDER !!
#)
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# THE SCRIPT-DEFINED APPLICATIONS OF THE PACKAGE (bbs)
# EITHER UNCOMMENT NEXT LINE TO INCLUDE ALL .bbs OF THE bbs/appli DIRECTORY :
SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_INCLUDE_ALL_BBS_APPLI ON)
# ... OR LIST THE FILES TO INCLUDE MANUALLY :
# SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_BBS_APPLI
# LIST HERE THE bbs FILES TO INCLUDE 
# E.G. TO INCLUDE "appli/testToto.bbs" ADD "appli/testToto" (NO EXTENSION)
# !! THE PATH MUST BE RELATIVE TO THE bbs FOLDER !!
#)
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_INCLUDE_DIRS
  # LIST HERE YOUR ADDITIONAL INCLUDE DIRECTORIES 
  # EXCEPT :
  #  - src
  #  - bbtk dirs
  #  - automatically handled libraries or packages : wx, vtk... (see above)
  #  - the dirs automatically set by other libraries found by FIND_PACKAGE
  )
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
SET(${BBTK_PACKAGE_NAME}_LIBS 
  # LIST HERE THE ADDITIONAL LIBS TO LINK AGAINST
  # EXCEPT : the same libs than for INCLUDE_DIRS 
  )
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# IF NEEDED : UNCOMMENT NEXT LINE 
# AND LIST ADDITIONNAL DIRECTORIES 
# IN WHICH TO LOOK FOR LIBRARIES TO LINK AGAINST
# LINK_DIRECTORIES()
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# SET TO TRUE TO HAVE INFORMATION ON LIBRARIES FOUND DURING CMAKE CONFIGURE
SET(FIND_PACKAGE_VERBOSE TRUE)
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# END OF USER SECTION
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# Include configuration script
INCLUDE(Configure.cmake)
#===========================================================================

#===========================================================================
# EOF
#===========================================================================

\end{verbatim}
\end{file}

The comments in the file should be easily understandable !
You have to customize the lines which are enclosed 
between dashed comment lines.
In these sections, you can see some of the informations you supplied in previous step:
\begin{itemize}
  \item The \textbf{name} of your package. This will be the name used to load it in \bbi. The shared library however will be called \texttt{bb}name hence on 
    \lin the object file will be called \texttt{libbb}name\texttt{.so} 
    and on \win it  will be called \texttt{bb}name\texttt{.dll}.
  \item The \textbf{author(s)} of the package. Preferably provide e-mail adresses.
  \item A \textbf{description} of the package, which will appear in the help of your package or in its html documentation automatically generated by \bbdoc.  
\end{itemize}

In these sections, you can set :
\begin{itemize}

\item The \textbf{libraries used} by the package : \vtk, \itk, \gdcm, \gsmis, \wx. The mecanisms to find these libraries, their sources and to link against them are automatically handled by the \cmake files installed by \bbCreatePackage. You just have to uncomment a line to use one of these libraries.

\item A \textbf{description} of the package, which will appear in the help of your package or in its html documentation automatically generated by \bbdoc.
\item The \textbf{version} of the package.
\item The \textbf{\xml sources} of the package : you can list each input \xml file explicitly or tell \cmake to include in the project \emph{all} the \xml files of the directory. 
\item The \textbf{\CPP sources} of the package : you can list each input \CPP file explicitly or tell \cmake to include in the project all the \CPP files of the directory.
\item \textbf{Additional include directories}. Set it if your package needs to include source files which are not in the package directory, typically if it depends on another library which is not one the libraries automatically handled (\vtk, \itk...).
\item \textbf{Additional libraries} to link against. Set it if your package needs to link against another library which is not one the libraries automatically handled (\vtk, \itk...).
\end{itemize}

Of course, this is only a framework and you can add any other \cmake commands
in the file.

% ==========================================
\section{Creating a new box}
% ==========================================

% ==========================================
\subsection{Principles}
% ==========================================

\subsubsection{\texttt{C++} or \texttt{XML} ?}
There are two ways to create a new black box in an existing package :
\begin{itemize}
\item Write an \xml description file which will be automatically 
translated in \CPP by the \bbfy application (recommanded).
\item Write the \CPP code of the box using \bbtk macros.
\end{itemize}

\subsubsection{From which \bbtk class inherit ?}

Apart from this choice of the description langage to use, 
there is an important choice to do concerning the implementation of the box. 
In \CPP, a black box is nothing but a class which has the standard 
interface of all black boxes : what's its name ? inputs ? outputs ? and so on. 


The abstract description of this interface is done in the class 
\texttt{bbtk::BlackBox} and is implemented in its child classes : 
\texttt{bbtk::AtomicBlackBox} and \texttt{bbtk::WxBlackBox} 
\footnote{all the classes of the \bbtk library are in a \emph{namespace} 
called \texttt{bbtk} 
and the \CPP header of a class called \texttt{NameOfAClass} is 
in the file called \texttt{bbtkNameOfAClass.h}}.
To create a new black box, you have to inherit one of these two  
concrete classes in order to inherit the black box interface and a 
particular implementation of this interface. 
If your black box is a \emph{Widget} black box, 
that is a black box which has (or is) 
a piece of a graphical interface based on the \wx library,
then it must inherit the class \texttt{bbtk::WxBlackBox}. 

Concretely, a \texttt{bbtk::WxBlackBox} is associated to
a \texttt{wxWindow} and must be able to return a pointer to it. 
If your black box is not a widget black box 
(that is : doesn't returns a pointer to a \emph{Widget}),
 it must inherit from \texttt{bbtk::AtomicBlackBox}.

\subsubsection{Inherit or encapsulate ?}

Now, your black box will do something (hopefully !). 
When you decide to write a new black box, 
you should be in one of these three cases :
\begin{enumerate}
\item You already have a \texttt{C}-like function which 
does the processing that you wish to 'blackboxify'
\item You already have a \CPP class which 
does the processing that you wish to 'blackboxify'
\item You start from scratch without any existing code
\end{enumerate}

The idea of \BBTK is to embed processing codes into 
\CPP objects which have a standard and generic interface - 
namely black boxes - to be able to chain arbitrary 
processes afterwards. 

In \CPP, in order to embed an existing processing \emph{class}  
into a standard interface you only have two possibilities :
\begin{enumerate}
\item {\bf Inherit} the existing processing class 
\emph{and} the interface class (e.g. \texttt{bbtk::AtomicBlackBox}).
In this case you have to :
\begin{enumerate}
\item make the link between the inputs and outputs of the black box 
and the interface of the inherited class
\item call the processing 
method of the inherited class in the processing method of the black box.
\end{enumerate}
\item {\bf Encapsulate} the existing processing class 
in a class inherited from 
the interface class (e.g. \texttt{bbtk::AtomicBlackBox}).
In this case you have to :
\begin{enumerate}
\item declare it as a member of the black box, 
\item instantiate it at the right time 
(either in the constructor or in the processing method of the black box)
\item in the processing method of the black box : 
\begin{enumerate}
\item set the inputs of the member procesing class with the inputs of the black box, 
\item call the processing method of the encapsulated class  
\item set the ouputs of the black box with the outputs of the encapsulated 
class.
\end{enumerate}
\end{enumerate}
\end{enumerate}

If you wish to 'blackboxify' a C-like \emph{function}, 
you do not have the choice, you can only use the second mechanism, 
namely encapsulation.

Obviously, the inheritance mechanism is more powerfull 
and - when it is possible to use it - it demands less effort 
because, as we will see, in \bbtk you can directly 
link the accessors to the input and output data of the box 
to the accessors of the inherited processing class, 
as well as the procesing method of the black box 
to the processing method of the inherited processing class, 
very much like a callback mechanism.

\subsubsection{How to generate a Black Box skeleton}

Run \texttt{bbStudio}, choose \texttt{Tools} in the menu bar, option
\texttt{Create Black Box}.
You will be shown something like in fig. \ref{bbCreateBlackbox} :

\begin{figure}[!ht]
\caption{\label{bbCreateBlackbox}Create Black Box}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.6\textwidth]{bbCreateBackbox.png}
\end{center}
\end{figure}


\subsubsection{Informations to provide}

Finally, to create a new black box, you will have to give :
\begin{enumerate}
  \item The {\bf name} of the box
  \item The {\bf package} to which the box belongs (can we do it automatically ? LG : think about it) 
  \item The {\bf author}(s) of the box
  \item A {\bf description} of the box

 \item Its {\bf type}, either 
   \begin{enumerate} 
     \item  a standard one (\texttt{std-template})
     \item a VTK Polydata Algorithm based box (\texttt{VTK\_PolydataAlgorithm-template}),    
     \item  a VTK Image Algorithm based box (\texttt{VTK\_ImageaAlgorithm-template}),
     \item  if it uses the wxWidget Library (\texttt{widget-template})
   \end{enumerate}
   
  \item The output format of the file, either a C++ file or an XML file.

  %\item $[$Optional$]$ The additional {\bf include files} which are necessary for the code to compile (classes or functions declarations ...)  
  %\item $[$Optional$]$ The other {\bf parent(s)} of the box (which must be known hence their header included)
  %\item $[$Optional$]$ The {\bf namespace} to which the box belongs
  %\item The box {\bf inputs} and {\bf outputs}, and for each one :
  %\begin{enumerate}
  %\item Its {\bf name} : the string which will identify the input or output
  %\item Its {\bf type} : any \CPP type, either a basic type or a user defined type (class ...) but which must be known, hence the necessary files must be included.  
  %\item Its {\bf help} : a string describing the input / output 
  %\end{enumerate}
%\item Its {\bf processing} code, which can be a simple callback or an arbitrary complex code
\end{enumerate}

WARNING:
Under Linux, for reasons we shall not discuss here, you'll get an error message :

 \texttt{No such file or directory}
 
Have a look at the console, you'll see a shell command (whose syntax is OK although there is is a lot of
quotes),something like :

 \texttt{ "/usr/local/bin/bbCreateBlackBox"  "/home/jpr/Desktop/essai" MyPackage
 myVtkPolydataBlackBox VTK-PolyDataAlgorithm C++  'author1, author2'  'myVtkPolydataBlackBox description'}

 Just copy the command, and run it manually.

\subsubsection{Input and output accessors}

When you encapsulate a processing class or a C function 
or when you write down a black box from scratch, 
you must access the inputs and outputs of the black box, 
in order to interface it manually with your processing method 
or simply write your processing code 
(there are other cases in which you also need to access the 
inputs and outputs, we will talk about them later). 

The only thing you must know about the \CPP code generated 
from your \xml or your \CPP macro-based description 
is that when you declare an input 
or an output of a black box then 
two \emph{accessors} for this input or output are generated : 
one to \emph{get} the value of the input or output and 
one to \emph{set} it. 
These accessors have normalized names : 

\begin{itemize} 
\item The declaration of an {\bf input} called \texttt{NAME} and 
of type \texttt{TYPE} generates the two accessors
\footnote{For the sake of simplicity, the parameters and return value are 
shown here as if they were all passed by value. 
However the actual code can use references. 
The same way, the issue of const or non const methods is eluded here. 
Different cases occur in practice.}: 
\begin{itemize} 
\item \texttt{void bbSetInput<NAME>(<TYPE>);} 
\item \texttt{<TYPE> bbGetInput<NAME>();} 
\end{itemize}
\item The declaration of an {\bf output} called \texttt{NAME} and  
of type \texttt{TYPE} generates the two accessors:
\begin{itemize} 
\item \texttt{void bbSetOutput<NAME>(<TYPE>);} 
\item \texttt{<TYPE> bbGetOutput<NAME>();} 
\end{itemize}
\end{itemize}

For example, declaring an input called \texttt{Image} 
would generate the two accessors \texttt{bbSetInputImage} and 
\texttt{bbGetInputImage}. 

Note that 
\begin{itemize}
\item All \bbtk methods are prefixed by \texttt{bb} 
to avoid conflicts with potential inherited methods. 
\item An input and an output can have the same name (e.g. 'Image').
No conflict between accessors occur (e.g. 
four distinct accessors are created : 
\texttt{bbSetInputImage}, 
\texttt{bbGetInputImage}, 
\texttt{bbSetOutputImage} and 
\texttt{bbGetOutputImage}).
\end{itemize}

% ==========================================
\subsection{\texttt{XML} description of a box}
% ==========================================

% ==========================================
\subsubsection{General \texttt{xml} tags}
% ==========================================

Let us examine the \texttt{xml} file 
describing the \texttt{Add} box of the \texttt{std} package :

\begin{file}{\texttt{packages/std/src/bbAdd.xml}}
\small
\begin{verbatim}
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>

<blackbox name="Add">

  <author>laurent.guigues@creatis.insa-lyon.fr </author>
  <description>Adds its inputs                 </description>
  <category>math                               </category>

  <input name="In1"  type="double" description="First number to add"/>
  <input name="In2"  type="double" description="Second number to add"/>
  <output name="Out" type="double" description="Result"/>

  <process><PRE>
    bbSetOutputOut( bbGetInputIn1() + bbGetInputIn2() );
  </PRE></process>
  
  <constructor><PRE>
    bbSetInputIn1(0);
    bbSetInputIn2(0);
    bbSetOutputOut(0);
  </PRE></constructor>    

</blackbox>
\end{verbatim}
\end{file}

The tags and their role are easily understandable.

As the box is not a widget, we inherit implicitely from 
\texttt{bbtk::AtomicBlackBox}.


The only part of the file which needs a bit of explaination is 
the body of the \texttt{process} tag, which describes the 
actual code to execute in the box. 
This code must be enclosed in a \texttt{<PRE></PRE>} tag 
to tell the \xml parser not to interpret it as \xml instructions. 
This is necessary to be able to use any symbol, 
like the \texttt{<} and \texttt{>} which have a 
special meaning in \xml. 
In the case of the \texttt{Add} box, the process code 
is very simple : remember that 
\texttt{bbGetInputIn1()} is the 
accessor to the input \texttt{In1} declared above and 
\texttt{bbGetInputIn2()} is the 
accessor to the input \texttt{In2};  
the code simply adds the values of the two inputs 
and sets the output \texttt{Out} with the resulting value.

To describe your own black boxes in \xml code, 
you must modify the xml file generated in previous step : 

\begin{enumerate}
  \item Complete the description and author tags if you feel like.
  \item add the \texttt{\#include} directives to be put in the generated \texttt{.h} file
  \item Create your inputs and outputs
  \item Fill in the process tag
  \item Fill in the constructor tag
  \item Fill in the copyconstructor tag
  \item Fill in the destructor tag
  \item Pray
\end{enumerate}


% ==========================================
\subsubsection{Specific \texttt{xml} tags for \texttt{itk::ImageToImageFilter} classes bbfication}
% ==========================================

% ==========================================
\subsubsection{Specific \texttt{xml} tags for \texttt{vtkImageAlgorithm} classes bbfication}
% ==========================================
\begin{verbatim}

<blackbox name="..." type="VTK\_ImageAlgorithm">

<vtkparent>the vtk ImageAlgorithm class it inherits from</vtkparent>
<input  name="..."  type="double"        special="vtk parameter" description="..."/>
<input name="..."   type="vtkImageData*" special="vtk output"    description="..."/>

<output  name="..." type="double"        special="vtk parameter" description="..."/>
<output name="..."  type="vtkImageData*" special="vtk output"    description="..."/>
\end{verbatim}
% ==========================================
\subsubsection{Specific \texttt{xml} tags for \texttt{vtkPolyDataAlgorithm} classes bbfication}
% ==========================================
\begin{verbatim}
<blackbox name="..." type="VTK\_PolyDataAlgorithm">

<vtkparent>the vtk Polydata class it inherits from</vtkparent>
<input  name="..."  type="double"       special="vtk parameter" description="..."/>
<input  name="..."  type="vtkPolyData*" special="vtk output"    description="..."/>

<output  name="..." type="double"       special="vtk parameter" description="..."/>
<output name="..."  type="vtkPolyData*" special="vtk output"    description="..."/>

\end{verbatim}
% ==========================================
\subsubsection{\bbfy \texttt{xml} tags reference}
% ==========================================

  
% ==========================================
\begin{table}[!ht]
\caption{\label{xml_tags}
\bbfy \texttt{xml} tags reference}
\small
\begin{tabular}{|lcllm{6cm}|}
\hline
Tag & Attributes & Condition & Multiplicity & Description
 \\ \hline

\texttt{<blackbox>} & \texttt{name} & - & 1 & The name of the box \\ \hline
                & \texttt{type} & - & 1 & The type of the box. In: 
        \{\texttt{standard} (default), 
\texttt{ITK\_ImageToImageFilter},
\texttt{VTK\_ImageAlgorithm},
\texttt{VTK\_PolyDataAlgorithm}\} \\\hline
& \texttt{generic} & a) & 0-1 &
Generate the generic filter (see text)\\ \hline 

\texttt{<description>} & - & - & 0-n &  The description of the box. Multiple occurrence are concatenated \\\hline 
\texttt{<author>} & - & - & 0-n &  The author of the box. Multiple occurrence are concatenated \\\hline 
\texttt{<category>} & - & - & 0-1 &  The box category (if more than one, they are separated with commas) see Tab \ref{categories}\\\hline 
\texttt{<parentblackbox>} & - & - & 1 &  The parent black box of the box.
In: \{\texttt{bbtk::BlackBox, bbtk::WxBlackBox, bbtk::WxContainerBlackBox}\}\\\hline 
\texttt{<package>} & - & - & 1 &  The package of the box \\\hline 
\texttt{<namespace>} & - & - & 0-1 &  The namespace of the box. 
Use \texttt{bbPACKAGE}, where \texttt{PACKAGE} is the name of the package\\\hline 
\texttt{<include>} & - & - & 0-n & Additionnal file to include 
(generates : \texttt{\#include 'value'})\\\hline 

\texttt{<template>} & - & - & 0-n &  Template parameter of the box. The template parameter list is generated in the order of appearance of the tag. \\\hline 

\texttt{<itkparent>} &  - & a) &  1 & The parent itk class (with namespace) \\\hline

\texttt{<vtkparent>} &  - & b) &  1 & The parent vtk class \\\hline

\texttt{<input>} & \texttt{name} & - & 1 &  The name of the input \\\hline 
         & \texttt{type} & - & 1 &  The type of the input \\\hline 
         & \texttt{special} & - & 0-1 & In: \{\texttt{``itk input'', 
``vtk input'', ``itk parameter'', ``vtk parameter''}\} (see below).\\\hline 
         & \texttt{generic\_type} & c) & 0-1 & The ``generic'' type of the input (see text). \\\hline 
\texttt{<output>} & \texttt{name} & - & 1 &  The name of the output \\\hline 
         & \texttt{type} & - & 1 &  The type of the output \\\hline 
         & \texttt{special} & - & 0-1 & In: \{\texttt{``itk output'', 
``vtk output''}\} (see below).\\\hline
         & \texttt{generic\_type} & c) & 0-1 & The ``generic'' type  of the output (see text).\\\hline  
         & \texttt{nature} & c) & 0-1 & The ``nature'' of the output (used for automatic GUI generation).\\\hline 

\texttt{<process>} & - & - & 0-1 & The code of the processing method of the box. Must be put between clear tags : \texttt{<PRE></PRE>} \\\hline 
\texttt{<constructor>} & - & - & 0-1 & The code of the user Constructor of the box (may contains default initialisations). Must be put between clear tags : \texttt{<PRE></PRE>} \\\hline 
\texttt{<copyconstructor>} & - & - & 0-1 & The code of the user Copy Constructor of the box . Must be put between clear tags : \texttt{<PRE></PRE>} \\\hline
\texttt{<destructor>} & - & - & 0-1 & The code of the user Destructor of the box. Must be put between clear tags : \texttt{<PRE></PRE>} \\\hline
 \end{tabular}
 \end{table}
% ==========================================
\begin{table}[!ht]
\caption{\label{xml_tags}
\bbfy \texttt{xml} tags conditions}
\small
\begin{tabular}{|ll|}
\hline
a) & \texttt{<blackbox type == ''ITK\_ImageToImageFilter''>} \\ \hline
b) & \texttt{<blackbox type == ''VTK\_ImageAlgorithm'' or ''VTK\_PolyDataAlgorithm''>} \\ \hline
c) & \texttt{<blackbox type == ''ITK\_ImageToImageFilter''>} and 
     \texttt{<blackbox generic>} is present. \\ \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

\begin{table}[!ht]
\caption{\label{basic_parent}}
\bbfy \texttt{Basic box parent}
\small
\begin{tabular}{|ll|}
\hline
\texttt{bbtk::WxBlackBox}b) & If the blackbox associated to
a \texttt{wxWindow} and is be able to return a pointer to it.... \\ \hline
\texttt{bbtk::AtomicBlackBox} & Any other blackbox that doesn't return a pointer to a \texttt{wxWindow}

\end{tabular}
\end{table}




% ==========================================
\begin{table}[!ht]
\caption{\label{categories}
\bbfy \texttt{Black Box} categories}
\small
\begin{tabular}{|ll|}
\hline
 \texttt{Categ name}     & : Meaning                                          \\ \hline \\ \hline
 \texttt{adaptor}        & : Adaptor box                                      \\ \hline
 \texttt{application}    & : Final application, end user intended             \\ \hline
 \texttt{atomic box}     & : System category.
               Automatically assigned to Atomic Black Boxes (c++ defined)     \\ \hline
 \texttt{complex box}    & : System category.
               Automatically assigned to Complex Black Boxes (script defined) \\ \hline  
 \texttt{command line}   & : Script which defines a command line application (no embedded GUI, but command line imput parameters) \\ \hline
 \texttt{demo}           & : Demonstration                             \\ \hline
 \texttt{devel}          & : Developer tool (bbCreatePackage.bbs, ...) \\ \hline
 \texttt{dicom}          & : DICOM aware box \\ \hline 
 \texttt{example}        & : Example script showing a box use-case      \\ \hline
 \texttt{filter}         & : Image processing box                       \\ \hline
 \texttt{image}          & : Image processing related box               \\ \hline
 \texttt{interaction}    & :                                            \\ \hline
 \texttt{math}           & : Mathematical operations\\ \hline
 \texttt{mesh}           & : Mesh processing related box \\ \hline
 \texttt{misc}           & : A box that cannot be put in other category ! \\ \hline
 \texttt{read/write}     & : Box that read or write data from or to disk  \\ \hline
 \texttt{viewer}         & : Box which displays some data \\ \hline
 \texttt{widget}         & : Piece of graphical interface  \\ \hline 
 
 \texttt{3D object creator} & : Sophisticated 3D widget  \\ \hline  
 \texttt{toolsbbtk}         & : Component of bbStudio    \\ \hline  
\end{tabular}
\end{table}


% ==========================================
\begin{table}[!ht]
\caption{\label{kinds}
\bbfy \texttt{Black Box} kinds}
\small
\begin{tabular}{|ll|}
\hline
 \texttt{Kind}     &  Use as :     \\ \hline \\ \hline
 \texttt{ADAPTOR} & \\ \hline
 \texttt{DEFAULT\_ADAPTOR} & \\ \hline 
 \texttt{WIDGET\_ADAPTOR} & \\ \hline 
 \texttt{DEFAULT\_WIDGET\_ADAPTOR} & \\ \hline
 \texttt{GUI} & \\ \hline 
 \texttt{DEFAULT\_GUI} & \\ \hline 
 \texttt{ALL} & If kind='ALL' then sets the level for all kinds\\ \hline  
\end{tabular}
\end{table}


% ==========================================
\begin{table}[!ht]
\caption{\label{nature}
\bbfy \texttt{nature}}
\small
\begin{tabular}{|ll|}
\hline
 \texttt{Nature}     &   : used for    \\ \hline \\ \hline
 
 \texttt{file name} & Poping up a File Selector\\ \hline
 \texttt{directory name} & Poping up a Directory Selector\\ \hline 
 \texttt{file extension} & \\ \hline  
 \texttt{colour} & Poping up a Colour Selector\\ \hline 
 \texttt{pixel type} & \\ \hline 
 \texttt{image dimension} & \\ \hline
 \texttt{image index} & \\ \hline 
 \texttt{image size} & \\ \hline 
 \texttt{voxel size} & \\ \hline  
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

% ==========================================
\subsection{\CPP description of a box}
% ==========================================

Almost everything is performed usig macros.

For a quick start, the best you have to do is to run \texttt{bbStudio}, then in the menu \texttt{Tools}, choose the item
 \texttt{Create blackbox}, click on \texttt{C++}, and have a look to the generated files.
 
% ==========================================
\subsubsection{\texttt{.h} description of a box}
% ========================================== 
 \begin{itemize}
    \item  \texttt{namespace} : your package name.
    \item \texttt{class} : the name of your box
    \item \texttt{public inheritance} : 
      \begin{itemize}
         \item{bbtk::WxBlackBox}
            Your Black Box is intended to return a wxWidget, able to be included into an other one (you choosed
            \texttt{widget-template} for \texttt{Type of the blackbox} )
         \item{bbtk::AtomicBlackBox}
            Your Black box is any processig box (std, ITK or VTK based)
         \item{any processing class} (ITK, VTK, ...) your box inherits.  
      \end{itemize}      
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_BLACK\_BOX\_INTERFACE} : (yourBoxName, the list of the classes it inherits from, VTK Parent -if any-).
    Yes, we know it's redundant with previous point... That's why we allow you to describe your class in xml format!
    \item \texttt{bbUserConstructor} declaration of your own callback function, that will be called in the box constructor method
    \item \texttt{bbUserCopyConstructor} declaration of your own callback function, that will be called in the box copy constructor method 
    \item \texttt{bbUserDestructor} declaration of your own callback function, that will be called in the box destructor method
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_DECLARE\_INPUT} : input parameter name (as it will appear to the users of your black box),
                                        C++ type of the parameter (e.g. double, std::string, vtkImageData*, ...) 
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_DECLARE\_OUTPUT} : output parameter name (as it will appear to the users of your black box),
                                        C++ type of the parameter (e.g. double, std::string, vtkImageData*, ...
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_DECLARE\_VTK\_INPUT}  Declares a vtkAlgorithm-inherited AtomicBlackBox input
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_DECLARE\_VTK\_OUTPUT} Declares a vtkAlgorithm-inherited AtomicBlackBox output                                                                                   
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_DECLARE\_VTK\_PARAM} Declares an AtomicBlackBox input corresponding to an inherited vtk parameter 
     (you know, the ones that are declared by vtkSetMacro/vtkGetMacro). Its name must be the same than the vtk parameter name                           
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_DECLARE\_VTK\_IMAGE\_ALGORITHM\_INPUT}     Declares a vtkImageAlgorithm-inherited    AtomicBlackBox input
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_DECLARE\_VTK\_POLY\_DATA\_ALGORITHM\_INPUT} Declares a vtkPolyDataAlgorithm-inherited AtomicBlackBox input                                      
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_PROCESS}   Defines the default bbUserProcess method for vtk inherited black boxes (actually : calls vtkParent::Update)
                                                                               
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_BEGIN\_DESCRIBE\_BLACK\_BOX}  : 
    (yourBoxName,  \texttt{bbtk::WxBlackBox} or \texttt{bbtk::AtomicBlackBox} depending on what you
    black box inherits from).
    Yes, we know it's redundant with public inheritance ... That's why we allow you to describe your class in xml format! 
    All the following items will be used in the Help interface; describe them carefully (i.e. in a Human understandable way!).
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_NAME} : the name of your box 
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_AUTHOR} : author name (better you put e-mail adress)
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_DESCRIPTION} : brief description of what does the box
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_CATEGORY} :box category  (see table \ref{categories})
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_INPUT} for each one of the input parameters, you have to supply : 
       \begin{itemize}
         \item The current Blackbox name.
         \item The parameter name
         \item A brief description of what the parameter is used for.
         \item The C++ type of the parameter (e.g. double, std::string, vtkImageData*, ...) 
         \item The nature of the parameter (see table \ref{nature}) if you wish  your box may be used by automatic GUI generator.
         Supply an empty string ("") if you don't care.          
       \end{itemize}
    \item \texttt{ BBTK\_OUTPUT} for each one of the output parameters, you have to supply :
       \begin{itemize}
         \item The current Blackbox name.
         \item The parameter name
         \item A brief description of what the parameter is used for.
         \item The C++ type of the parameter (e.g. double, std::string, vtkImageData*, ...) 
       \end{itemize} 
    \item \texttt{BBTK\_END\_DESCRIBE\_BLACK\_BOX} : means the torture is (almost) over.        
 \end{itemize}
% ==========================================
\subsubsection{\texttt{.cxx} description of a box}
% ========================================== 
 \begin{itemize}
    \item  \texttt{BBTK\_ADD\_BLACK\_BOX\_TO\_PACKAGE} : (Package name, Blackbox name)
    \item  \texttt{BBTK\_BLACK\_BOX\_IMPLEMENTATION} : (Blackbox name, Blackbox basic parent \\ (bbtk::AtomicBlackBox/ bbtk::WxBlackBox)see :\label{basic_parent}
    \item  \texttt{Process} :definition of your own callback function, that will be called in the box  method. \\ At least, you'll write here the default initialisation of the outputs
    \item  \texttt{UserConstructor} :  definition of your own callback function, that will be called in the box constructor method. \\
                                       At least, you'll write here the default initialisation of the inputs (to avoid unpredictable behaviour if user forgets to
                                       Set/Connect any Input).  
    \item  \texttt{UserCopyConstructor} : definition of your own callback function, that will be called in the box copy constructor method
    \item  \texttt{UserDestructor} :  definition of your own callback function, that will be called in the box destructor method      
 \end{itemize}
 
 
 
 %\bibliography{all}



%\section{Conclusion}
\end{document}