1 % ==========================================
2 \documentclass[11pt,final,a4paper]{article}
5 \bbtkGuide[User's Guide]
6 % ==========================================
9 % ==========================================
12 \section{Introduction}
13 Note: pdf version of this User's Guide can be retrieved from the following URL:\\
14 \url{http://www.creatis.insa-lyon.fr/creatools/documentation}
15 % ==========================================
16 \subsection{What is bbtk ?}
17 % ==========================================
18 \BBTK(\bbtkns) is a set of tools
19 (\CPP libraries and executables)
20 providing a \CPP framework for the definition
21 of elementary processing \emph{units}, called {\bf black boxes},
22 and the definition and execution of processing \emph{chains}
23 made up of these black boxes. \\
25 %It's a part of the \texttt{Creatools suite} composed mainly of :
33 %which depend on the OpenSource libraries:
41 % ==========================================
42 \subsubsection{The black box philosophy}
43 % ==========================================
45 \href{http://www.answers.com/topic/black-box-theater}{The Answers Dictionary} defines a {\bf black box} as
46 \emph{``A device or theoretical construct with known or specified performance characteristics
47 but unknown or unspecified constituents and means of operation''} \\
48 \href{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_box_\%28disambiguation\%29}{Wikipedia}
49 defines a {\bf black box} as
50 \emph{``any component in a system in which only the input and output
51 characteristics are of interest, without regard to its internal mechanism
53 We should merge these definitions:
54 not only the inputs and outputs are of interest but also
55 \emph{what the box does!}
56 Hence, we would say that a black box is any \emph{\bf documented}
57 component of a system, letting the user know
58 \emph{\bf what} the box is supposed to do and
59 \emph{\bf how to use it}
60 but not \emph{\bf how it does it}. \\
62 \BBTK provides a systematic framework
63 to encapsulate (or ``wrap'') any
64 existing \texttt{C} or \CPP processing code into an object
65 (a black box) having a {\bf generic symbolic interface}, where
68 \item{\bf generic} means that the interface is \emph{the same}
69 for all boxes. Hence one does not need to know which particular
70 method allows, say, to set a particular input or
71 get a particular output of the box.
72 One can use a black box in a purely abstract way.
73 \item{\bf symbolic} means that a particular
74 input or output is referenced by a 'name', that is by a symbol
75 which identifies the input or output.
76 It also means that symbolic information (text) is
77 attached to a box: description of the box, author,
78 description of its inputs and outputs, etc.
81 (Actually, genericity is achieved because the interface is symbolic.
82 We let you think about this\dots)
84 Of course, symbolic data attached to a box may be
85 {\bf queried}: what are the inputs/outputs of the box?
86 what are their type? their description? etc.
87 This allows {\bf automatic documentation} of boxes.
89 The abstract definition of black boxes is the most basic
90 aspect of \BBTK architecture.
91 Another key aspect is the grouping of black boxes into
92 so called {\bf packages},
93 which are \emph{dynamic libraries} that can also
94 be queried, in particular about the boxes they provide.
95 The package structure then offers a mechanism similar to \emph{'plug-in'} mechanism.
96 \BBTK provides the methods to load a package at run-time,
97 and create instances of the boxes it contains.
99 These two mechanisms (black boxes and packages)
100 then give the way to:
103 \item The definition of an {\bf interpreted script language},
104 which allows to manipulate packages and boxes very easily in symbolic way.
105 \BBTK provides one: \bbs (the Black Box Script language) and its interpreter
106 \bbi (the Black Box Interpreter).
107 \item {\bf Automatic documentation} of existing packages.
108 \texttt{html} documentation of packages is proposed by
112 Finally, these different components allow {\bf efficient}:
115 \item {\bf capitalization and reuse} of existing processing units,
116 including {\bf documentation}
117 \item {\bf testing, prototyping} in a very simple script language
118 \item {\bf inter-operability} between atomic processings that
119 have been written by different persons, using different libraries, etc.
122 % ==========================================
123 \subsubsection{\bbtk components}
124 % ==========================================
127 \item A \CPP {\bf\emph{library}} - called \bbtk - which defines a framework
128 (abstract classes) to develop black boxes and store them into
129 dynamic libraries, called black box \emph{packages}.
130 \item Different {\bf\emph{"core" black box packages}}:
132 \item {\bf\emph{std}}: the 'standard' package including basic useful boxes.
133 \item {\bf\emph{wx}}: basic graphical interface elements (widgets: sliders, buttons, etc. based on the \texttt{wxWidgets} library).
134 \item {\bf\emph{itk}}: the basic image processing package, based on the \itk library.
135 \item {\bf\emph{vtk}}: the basic images and surfaces processing and visualization package, based on the \vtk library.
136 \item {\bf\emph{wxvtk}}: widget boxes based on the \vtk library (2D and 3D visualization and
138 %\item {\bf\emph{creaImageIO}}: Provides hight level widgets to read images, including DICOM.
139 \item {\bf\emph{toolsbbtk}}: Tools for bbtk administration and package development.
141 \item A {\bf\emph{development environment}}, called \bbStudio, which provides:
143 \item An online {\bf\emph{script editor and interpreter}}
144 \item A powerful html {\bf\emph{help environment}}, integrating:
146 \item Online documentation scanning
147 \item Retrieving boxes on various criteria
148 \item Checking demos and examples
151 \item A standalone {\bf\emph{interpreter}}, called \bbins, which allows to
152 execute \bbs scripts or commands.
153 \item {\bf\emph{Various development utilities}}:
155 \item \bbfy generates the \CPP code of a black box from a
156 description file written in \texttt{xml}.
157 %\item \bbdoc generates the html documentation of a black box package
158 %(author, description, description of its black boxes :
159 %author, description, inputs, outputs, and so on).
160 \item \bbCreatePackage allows to create the basic file architecture
161 to start the development of a new black box package.
162 \item \bbCreateBlackBox allows to create the basic file architecture
163 to start the development of a new black box, that will be included in an already existing package.
164 \item \texttt{bbs2cpp} translates a \texttt{.bbs} script into a \CPP file.
165 \item \bbc (sorry: Linux only, for the moment) that compiles \texttt{.bbs} scripts into executables.
166 \item \bbRegeneratePackageDoc which creates the html documentation of the Package.
167 \item \bbRegenerateBoxesLists which creates the html pages of the various lists of all the currenly installed boxes.
168 \item \bbPlugPackage which automatically incorporates a new package.
170 \item A full {\bf\emph{documentation}} that can be printed (pdf), browsed (html) and
171 queried through keywords.
174 The general architecture of \BBTK
175 is shown in figure \ref{bb-architecture}.
178 \caption{\BBTK architecture}
180 \includegraphics[width=0.6\textwidth]{bb-architecture.png}
182 \label{bb-architecture}
187 % ==========================================
188 \subsection{Content of this guide}
189 % ==========================================
191 Read this \texttt{Users' Guide} if you want to learn how to use
192 \bbtk development environnement (\bbStudions) and how to write black box scripts.\\
193 If your aim is to write your own Packages and Black Boxes, you have to read the
194 \texttt{Package Developper's Guide}.
196 % ==========================================
199 \section{Getting started with bbStudio}
201 % ==========================================
204 % ==========================================
205 \subsection{The interface}
206 % ==========================================
209 %\vspace{0.5cm}\hrule
210 %\section{The Development environment (bbStudio)}
213 Just run it, typing in a console \bbStudio
214 or clicking on its icon or its menu entry.
215 You'll get something like in figure
216 \ref{bbi-fig-bbStudio-gui}
217 (the exact appearance of \bbStudio is Operating System and \bbtk version dependent).
219 %At start, \bbStudio opens with a very minimal 'How to use' in the middle.
220 %Don't forget to read it: it will vanish at the first mouse click.
224 %\caption{The bbStudio Development environment interface at start time}
226 %\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{bbStudioMainPageStart.png}
228 %\label{bbi-fig-bbStudio-gui-start}
231 %Let's have a look at the resized window :
233 \caption{The bbStudio Development environment interface}
235 \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{bbStudioMainPage.png}
237 \label{bbi-fig-bbStudio-gui}
240 The interface is divided into four parts: \texttt{Files}, \texttt{Messages},
241 \texttt{Command}, \texttt{Help}.
242 It is written using the Advanced User Interface library of wxWidgets
244 whose 'docking manager' allows windows and toolbars to be floated/docked
246 Feel free to resize/reposition any part you want.
247 Your preferences will be kept next time you run again \bbStudions.
249 %Please don't use this feature at learning time
250 %(the snapshots of this document wouldn't match with your screen ...)
252 \subsubsection{'Files' part}
253 \label{bbi-FilesPart}
255 It is the \bbs script editor (see section \ref{Scripting} to learn about scripting).
257 If you load a file holding a script, it will be displayed in this area, and you will be
258 able to modify it, to save it, to save-as it and to run it, using the respective
259 lower-toolbar buttons (see figure \ref{lowertoolbar})
262 \caption{The 'Files' lower toolbar}
264 \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{lowertoolbar2.png}
271 % \item {\bf\emph{New file}}: Create a new file to hold a script
272 % \item {\bf\emph{Open file}}: Open an already existing file holding a script
273 % \item {\bf\emph{Close file}}: Close a file holding a script
274 % \item {\bf\emph{Save file}}: Save he current file (if modified)
275 % \item {\bf\emph{Save file as}}: Save he current file under a different name
276 % \item {\bf\emph{Run file}}: Execute the script you just loaded/modified/written
277 % \item {\bf\emph{cursor position}}: column number : line number
281 \subsubsection{'Messages' part}
282 \label{bbi-MessagesPart}
284 Two kinds of messages will be output here:\\
286 \item {\bf\emph{System messages:}} produced by the kernel, in case of a user mistyping, or an execution error.\\
287 \item {\bf\emph{Script messages:}} produced by the \bbtk equivalent of \texttt{printf}
288 or \texttt{std::cout} in user programs.
292 \subsubsection{'Command' part}
293 \label{bbi-CommandPart}
295 You can type here \bbs commands which are executed on the fly.
296 The buttons are shortcuts to the most frequently used commands.
297 The command (or button) \texttt{help} permits to print in the \texttt{Message} zone the list of all recognized commands, while the command \texttt{help} \emph{command\_name} provides the help on the selected command.
299 \subsubsection{'Help' part}
300 \label{bbi-HelpContentsPart}
302 The 'Help' part of \bbStudio is used to browse the html help of \BBTKns. You can find there various guides (see section~\ref{sec:guides}) and detailed information about each black box available (see section~\ref{sec:boxes_help}). They can be browsed alphabetically, by package and by category. Two special categories, demos and examples, are available via direct links (see section~\ref{sec:demos_examples}).
305 % ==========================================
310 % ==========================================
311 % ==========================================
312 % ==========================================
313 % ==========================================
314 % ==========================================
318 % ==============================================
319 \subsection{Online Help}
320 % ==============================================
322 Various levels of help are supplied by \bbStudions.
324 % ==========================================
325 \subsubsection{Command-line help}
326 % ==========================================
329 The 'working' area (the left one, as opposed to the (\texttt{Help}) area, on the right side) is composed of:
330 one single line area (\texttt{Command}), at the bottom, in which you can enter your commands, and
331 a multiple line zone (\texttt{Messages}) in which the command interpreter prints out the result of your commands.
332 %The upper part contains the script editor; we shall not use it right now, you may reduce it.
333 Command-line help for the black box scripting language \bbsns (see \ref{Scripting}) can be obtained in this zone. \par
334 As mentioned above, the command (or button) \texttt{help} permits to print in the \texttt{Message} zone the list of all recognized commands, while the command \texttt{help} \emph{command\_name} displays in this zone the help about the selected command.\par
335 The command \texttt{help} \emph{package\_name} displays in the \texttt{Message} zone a short information about the selected package, provided that this package was previously loaded (Note that you can know which packages were loaded by executing the command \texttt{help packages}). Furthermore, it simultaneously displays in the right zone (\texttt{Help}) the corresponding full html help available.\par
336 In a similar way, one can obtain the information about any box from the loaded packages, by executing the command \texttt{help} \emph{box\_name}. Note that some boxes may be unavailable if the command \texttt{load} was used to load the package, since this command only loads the boxes in binary. Some boxes are defined in script files. To be sure that all the boxes from the package are loaded the command \texttt{include} is to be preferred.\par
337 You can also get the list of the objects currently present in the workspace, by executing the command \texttt{help workspace}.
339 % ==========================================
340 \subsubsection{Guides}
342 % ==========================================
344 All the guides can be browsed in html version in the \texttt{Help} part of \bbStudions. Their pdf versions (except Doxygen documentation) can be retrieved from:\\
345 \url{http://www.creatis.insa-lyon.fr/creatools/documentation}
348 \item {\bf\emph{User's Guide}}: This guide!
349 \item {\bf\emph{Package Developer's Guide}}: Step-by-step "How-to" for programmers who want to create their own
350 black boxes/packages.
351 % \item {\bf\emph{Developper's Guide}}: For bbtk kernel developpers only. (This one is probably not very much
352 % up-to-date, since we spend more time in developping than writing documentation that's not of user concern).
353 % \item {\bf\emph{Reference Manual}}: Contains a exaustive description of all the features for all the commands.
354 %\item {\bf\emph{Booklet}}: Vade mecum.
355 \item {\bf\emph{Doxygen Documentation}}: Doxygen source browser.\\ Automatically generated from source files. Should only concern the kernel developers.
361 % ==========================================
362 \subsubsection{Boxes Help}
363 \label{sec:boxes_help}
364 % ==========================================
365 Lists of currently available boxes from installed packages, sorted according to the following criteria:
367 \item {\bf\emph{Alphabetical list}}%: This is the 'zero-level' of retrieving.
368 \item {\bf\emph{List by package}}%: The boxes are indexed by package they belong to
369 \item {\bf\emph{List by category}}:
370 Each box is indexed by a list of keywords, called 'categories', such as '\texttt{read/write}',
371 '\texttt{filter}', '\texttt{viewer}', ...
372 A given box may belong to more than one \texttt{category}, however some categories are mutually exclusive.
373 Standard categories are:
375 \item\texttt{atomic box}/\texttt{complex box}\\
376 Any box is either atomic or complex.\\
377 The former are 'atomic' units written in C++ and available in binary form.\\
378 Any pipeline built up as an assembly of several black boxes (atomic or complex), and described in \bbs script language is itself viewed as a complex black box, and hence tagged as belonging to the latter category.
379 \item\texttt{example} / \texttt{demo} / \texttt{application} (see \ref{sec:demos_examples})\\
380 These ones are scripts that produce a result when executed (i.e. they
381 execute a pipeline), as opposed to the scripts that only define complex boxes but do not instanciate and execute boxes.
383 \item\texttt{example}: It is just a (simple) example, for programmers, of how to use a given feature. The \texttt{Examples} link on the starting page links to the list of the boxes of this category.
384 \item\texttt{demo}: It can be a 'good looking' (a.k.a 'sexy') example of some sophisticated work, done only by using \texttt{bbtk}. The \texttt{Demos} link on the starting page links to the list of the boxes of this category.
385 \item\texttt{application}: It is a final application, end-user intended (e.g. association of a DICOM image browser, reader, viewer with some interaction and processing)
387 \item\texttt{widget}: A piece of graphical interface (based on \texttt{wxWidgets}).
388 \item\texttt{dicom}: A box related to medical images in Dicom format.
389 \item\texttt{viewer}: A box allowing to view something (e.g. an image).
390 \item\texttt{read/write}: An I/O-related box.
391 \item\texttt{mesh}: A mesh-related box.
392 \item\texttt{filter}: A filter, mainly image filters.
393 \item\texttt{image}: An image-related box.
394 \item\texttt{3D object creator}: A box which creates a 3D object to be injected into a 3D view (e.g. a plane, a surface).
395 \item\texttt{math}: Maths of course.
396 \item\texttt{misc}: Miscellaneous...
398 Remark that the list of categories is 'auto-extensible': each time a new box is created which belongs to a new category and the boxes list is regenerated, the new category appears in the list, holding the new box. The above list only contains the categories used in the packages provided with current \bbtk release.
399 \item {\bf\emph{ List of adaptors}}: The adaptors are a special type of black boxes that are used internally to perform type conversions. Although they are not end user intended, you may see their list. Adaptors belong to the \texttt{adaptor} category.
401 For each boxe, the html \texttt{Help} provides the informations necessary to use it: its name, its purpose, the descriptions of its inputs/outputs and the name of the package (or script file) that is to be loaded. Additionally, for all boxes but the atomic ones (i.e. for all boxes defined in \bbs script language), the corresponding script is available via [\texttt{source}] link. Actually, by clicking on this link one loads the script into the \texttt{Files} area where it can be analyzed, edited and executed.
403 % ==========================================
404 \subsubsection{The Package Browser}
405 \label{Package_Browser}
406 % ==========================================
408 The package browser is a standalone application that
409 dynamically loads and queries the available packages.
410 It is thus a smarter tool than the static html documentation.
411 You can run it with the command \texttt{bbPackageBrowser}
412 or in \bbStudio using either the button of the 'Command' part
413 or the menu entry 'Windows$>$Start Package Browser'.
414 Remark that it may take some time to start because it loads all available
416 Its appearance is reproduced in figure \ref{imPackage_Browser}.
419 \caption{\label{imPackage_Browser}The Package Browser}
421 \includegraphics[width=0.6\textwidth]{Package_Browser.png}
425 It allows you to find boxes using a multi-criteria filtering principle :
426 The boxes listed are the one whose attributes match \emph{all} the
427 words entered in the 'Filter' part.
428 You can get the whole description of a given box clicking on its name.
433 \item It's case sensitive, i.e '\texttt{Button}'
434 will give different results than '\texttt{button}'
435 \item You have to press enter in the filter zone to update the boxes list
436 \item A filtering string only has to match a subpart of the related attribute of a box.
437 For example, entering 'utt' in the 'Name' attribute will match a box called 'Button'.
443 \item Package : The name of the package to which the box belongs (e.g. \texttt{wxvtk}, \texttt{std})
444 \item Name : The name of a box or an application (e.g. \texttt{Reader}, \texttt{example})
445 \item Description : A part of the description of a box (e.g. \texttt{3D}, \texttt{image})
446 \item Category : The categories of the box (e.g. \texttt{demo})
447 \item Input/Output Type : The \CPP type of an input or output (e.g. \texttt{int}, \texttt{vtkImageData*}, \texttt{std::string})
448 \item Input/Output Nature : The \texttt{nature} of an input or output (e.g. \texttt{file name}, \texttt{signal})
451 %If 'Show widgets' is selected then
458 % ==========================================
462 % ==============================================
463 \subsection{Running Demos and Examples}
464 \label{sec:demos_examples}
465 % ==============================================
467 In the 'Help' part (See figure \ref{HelpContents}), select \texttt{Examples} link.
470 \caption{\bbStudio 'Help' panel}
472 \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{HelpContents.png}
479 You will get a list of examples (See figure \ref{example}).
481 Note: due to an unfixed bug in Linux, you have to click on 'reload' to get it. \\
485 \caption{Examples list}
487 \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{example.png}
494 %\caption{\label{BoxCategories}Box Categories}
496 %\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{BoxCategories.png}
501 Select \texttt{wx::exampleSlider}.
504 \caption{Html documentation of example 'exampleSlider'}
506 \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{exampleSlider.png}
508 \label{exampleSlider}
511 You can see information on the example and
512 the graphical representation of the workflow defined by the script
513 (the elementary boxes that compose it, and their connections, see figure \ref{exampleSlider}).
515 Click on \texttt{[source]}, it will be loaded
516 in the 'Files' part, within the script editor (See figure \ref{exampleSliderSource});
519 \caption{Source code of 'exampleSlider'}
521 \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{exampleSliderSource.png}
523 \label{exampleSliderSource}
526 Run it, using the 'Files' toolbar (see figure \ref{lowertoolbar})
528 You'll get something like in figure \ref{execSliderSource}.
531 \caption{\label{execSliderSource}Execution of 'exampleSlider'}
533 \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{execSliderSource.png}
537 Feel free to move the slider, to check whether it actually works...
541 Just a few words on what you saw :
543 \item{In the source code of the script}: \\
548 These \bbs commands load the packages std and wx
551 set slider.ReactiveOnTrack 1
553 We create a \texttt{Slider} box called \emph{slider}.
555 We tell it to inform anybody that's interested in, that the cursor moved, each time it moved.
556 The default behaviour is to inform only when cursor is released.
560 We create an \texttt{OutputText} box called \emph{text}
561 (in which slider value will be displayed)
564 new LayoutLine layout
566 We create a \texttt{LayoutLine} box called \emph{layout},
567 a widget box designed to embed other widgets (say, a main window)
569 connect slider.Widget layout.Widget1
570 connect text.Widget layout.Widget2
572 We embed \emph{slider} and \emph{text} into \emph{layout}.
574 connect slider.BoxChange text.BoxExecute
575 connect slider.Out text.In
577 We tell \emph{slider} to inform \emph{text} every time it's modified.
579 We tell \emph{slider} to pass its output value (\texttt{Out})
580 to \emph{text} input value (\texttt{In})
584 We tell \emph{layout} to process itself.
585 This also produces the execution of the boxes connected to it (the slider, the text).
587 \item{In the Help part}
589 You can see the graphical representation of the workflow (pipeline) created by the script,
590 as in figure \ref{SmallGraph}.
594 \caption{Graphical representation of a pipeline}
596 \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{SmallGraph.png}
601 The representation includes
602 both the graphical interface-related pipeline
603 (\emph{slider} and \emph{text} are embedded into \emph{layout})
604 and the data processing-related pipeline
605 (\emph{slider} warns \emph{text} immediately when it's modified,
606 \emph{slider} passes \emph{text} its output value)\footnote{Yes, we know : all the arrows (graphical interface pipeline arrows and data processing arrows)
607 are blue; using different colors is planned for next release...}.
609 You can get a much more detailled graph,
610 like in figure \ref{LargeGraph},
611 just clicking on the button
612 '\texttt{graph (detailled)}' in the toolbar of the \texttt{Command} part.
616 \caption{Detailled graphical representation of a pipeline}
618 \includegraphics[width=0.75\textwidth]{LargeGraph.png}
626 % ==============================================
627 \subsection{The Menu}
628 % ==============================================
630 At last, let us have a look at \bbStudio menu.(See figure \ref{themenu})
633 \caption{The bbStudio menu}
635 \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{themenu.png}
643 \item{\texttt{Open the bbtk configuration file}}
646 \item{\texttt{Tools}}
648 \item{\texttt{Create package}}:
649 Provides a graphical interface to help package developers to create a new empty package.
650 \item{\texttt{Create black box}}:
651 Provides a graphical interface to help package developers to create a new empty black box, and add it to an already existing package.
652 \item{\texttt{Plug Package}}:
653 Incorporates a package into the list of known packages. Updates the html documentation.
654 \item{\texttt{Regenerate package doc}}:
655 If a package has changed (e.g. new boxes) this updates the package html documentation.
656 \item{\texttt{Regenerate boxes list}}:
657 Updates the boxes lists (alphabetical, by package, ...)
658 \item{\texttt{Regenerate all}}:
659 Regenerates all the packages documentations and the boxes lists (may be long...).
660 \item{\texttt{Show last graph}}:
661 Shows the last pipeline graph that was generated
663 \item{\texttt{Options}}
665 \item{\texttt{Reset before running}}: Before running a script, all the already created boxes are destroyed,
666 all the already loaded packages are unloaded (this is the recommended option).
668 \item{\texttt{Windows}}
669 User may decide, for any reason of his own, to hide one or more panels:
671 \item{\texttt{Show 'Files' panel}}
672 \item{\texttt{Show 'Help' panel}}
673 \item{\texttt{Show 'Command' panel}}
674 \item{\texttt{Show 'Messages' panel}}
675 \item{\texttt{Start Package browser}}: starts the package browser (see \ref{Package_Browser}).
677 \item{\texttt{About}}
679 \item{\texttt{About}}: Info about \texttt{bbStudio}.
686 % ==========================================
687 % ==========================================
688 % ==========================================
689 % ==========================================
692 \section{Writing black box scripts (\bbsns)}
694 % ==========================================
695 % ==========================================
696 % ==========================================
698 This section introduces how to write down black box scripts (\bbsns)
699 to create and execute pipelines.
701 % ==========================================
702 \subsection{The commands}
703 % ==========================================
704 In \bbStudio, try typing in the \texttt{Command} area (in what follows,
705 the commands entered by the user will be preceded by a prompt \textgreater):
710 you get the list of the commands of the interpreter :
743 To get help on a particular command type \texttt{help <command-name>},
751 usage : author <string>
752 Adds the string <string> to the author information of the black box being defined
755 The \texttt{help} command has multiple usages.
756 It is used to get help about almost anything in the interpreter!
757 Type \texttt{'help help'} to get help on the \texttt{help} command itself :
762 (2) help <command name>
763 (3) help packages [all]
764 (4) help <package name> [all]
765 (5) help <black box type>
766 (6) help <black box name>
768 (1) Lists all available commands;
769 (2) Prints help on a particular command;
770 (3) Lists the packages loaded and their black boxes.
771 Add 'all' to list adaptors;
772 (4) Prints short help on the black boxes of a package.
773 Add 'all' to include adaptors;
774 (5) Prints full help on a black box type;
775 (6) Prints information on the inputs, outputs and connectionns
776 of a black box instance.
779 %More information about what is a 'box' will be given in the 'Scripting' part of this manual.
782 % ==========================================
783 \subsection{Creating and executing black boxes}
784 % ==========================================
786 At start the interpreter does not know any black box.
787 If you type \texttt{'help packages'}, which is
788 the third form of the \texttt{help} command, you get :
795 which means that the interpretor only knows one package
796 (library of black boxes) called \texttt{user}
797 and which contains a black box called \texttt{workspace}.
798 The \texttt{user} package is an internal package of the interpreter,
799 which stores user-defined black box types.
800 At start, it already contains
801 one box, called \texttt{workspace}.
802 \texttt{workspace} is a special type of black box,
803 called complex black box, whose purpose is
804 to store other black boxes.
805 Any black box you create in \bbStudio is stored
806 in \texttt{workspace}
807 (this will be explained in details in sections
808 \ref{bbi-writing-scripts} and
809 \ref{bbi-more-on-complex-black-boxes}).
811 If you type \texttt{'help workspace'}, you get :
814 Complex Black Box <user::workspace>
817 Category(s): complex box;
823 In the text displayed,
824 the \texttt{user::} prepended to the name \texttt{workspace}
825 means that the box \texttt{workspace}
826 belongs to the \texttt{user} package.
827 Then comes a description and three lines which
828 tell that \texttt{workspace} does not have any input
829 nor output nor boxes yet.
831 In order to let the interpreter know of some black boxes,
832 you must load another package.
833 The \texttt{std} package is the ``standard'' package,
834 which contains basic useful black boxes.
846 you get something like :
851 ASCII : ascii codes sequence to string - string to ascii...
852 Add : Adds its inputs
853 ConcatStrings : String concatenation
854 Configuration : Gets configuration informations
855 Div : Divides its inputs
856 ExecBbiCommand : Executes bbi commands
857 ExecSystemCommand : Executes system (O.S.) commands
858 GetVectorCharElement : Gets the i-th element from the input vector (std...
860 MagicBox : Takes *any kind* of data and copies it to its ou...
861 MakeFileName : Makes a kosher file name
862 Mul : Multiplies its inputs
863 MultipleInputs : This box has multiple Void inputs and one Void o...
864 StringRelay : Just copies the value of its input to its output...
865 StringSelect : Outputs the string set to the ith input Ini (In0...
870 Now the interpreter knows the package \texttt{std} and the black boxes it provides,
871 such as the \texttt{Add} box, the \texttt{ConcatStrings} box, and so on. Remark that the
872 content of \texttt{std} may vary from one version to another
873 as new black boxes might be added to it.
879 You'll get a text help, in the 'Message' part :
883 By : laurent.guigues@creatis.insa-lyon.fr
884 Categories : atomic box;math;
886 'BoxExecute' <bbtk::Void> [signal] : Any signal received by this input
888 'BoxProcessMode' <String> [] : Sets the processing mode of the box
889 (Pipeline | Always | Reactive)
890 'In1' <Double> [] : First number to add
891 'In2' <Double> [] : Second number to add
893 'BoxChange' <bbtk::VoidS> [signal] : Signals modifications of the box
894 'Out' <Double> [] : Result
897 After loading the package it belongs to, you can create an \emph{instance} of an \texttt{Add} box by
898 the command \texttt{new}:
904 The \texttt{'a'} at the end is the \emph{name} of the instance,
905 which will be used to reference it later.
906 It is important to distinguish a box \emph{type}
907 and an \emph{instance} of a box type.
908 The \texttt{Add} box of the package \texttt{std} is actually
909 a \emph{box type} , like \texttt{int} is a data type
910 in \texttt{C} langage. The \texttt{new} command allows to create
911 an instance of a box type, exactly like \texttt{int i;} in
912 a \texttt{C} code declares a variable of type \texttt{int} whose
914 Of course, like in \texttt{C} Language, you can declare multiple boxes of the
915 same type in \bbi. \\
917 After the creation of the box \texttt{a}, type :
924 Complex Black Box <user::workspace>
927 Category(s): complex box;
934 which means that \bbi workspace now contains a black box named \texttt{a},
935 of type \texttt{std::Add}.
942 and have a look to the 'Help' Part (see figure : \ref{HelpAdd})
945 \caption{\label{HelpAdd}The html Help}
947 \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{HelpAdd.png}
952 You can see a description
953 (the one which was provided by the author of the box),
954 the author(s) of the box (usually e-mail adress(es)) and
955 the categories to which the box belongs.
956 Finally comes the lists of inputs and outputs of the box.
957 For each input or output, \bbi provides
959 its \emph{type} (between \texttt{<} and \texttt{>}, e.g. \texttt{<Int>})
961 Remark that the box \texttt{Add} is not a 'complex' black box
962 but an 'atomic' box, hence its help does not
963 include a pipeline graph.
965 You can see that \texttt{Add} boxes have two inputs,
966 with name \texttt{In1} and \texttt{In2},
967 and an output, with name \texttt{Out}.
969 You can set the input \texttt{In1}
970 of the \texttt{Add} box \texttt{a} to the value $1$
976 Similarly, setting the input \texttt{In2} of \texttt{a} to the value $2$
982 And you print the output \texttt{Out} of the box \texttt{a} with :
984 > print "result=$a.Out$"
988 In the string passed to the \texttt{print} command,
989 each substring enclosed between a couple of \$ is considered
990 as the name of an output of a box.
991 To process this special substrings, the interpretor :
993 \item Processes the box if needed (see below)
994 \item Converts the output of the box to a string if possible
996 \item Substitutes the result in the string to print
997 \item Postpones an implicit 'new line' character to the string
1002 Box processing is needed if :
1005 \item either at least input has changed since last processing
1006 \item or the input \texttt{'BoxProcessMode'} of the box is set to
1007 \texttt{'Always'}, which forces box reprocessing.
1010 Note that all boxes have an input named \texttt{'BoxProcessMode'}.
1012 Another way to process the box \texttt{a} is to issue the command :
1017 however this command does not display anything (except if the
1018 box itself displays something in its processing).
1019 It just processes the box if needed.
1020 This command is used to execute boxes that do not have any output,
1021 such as boxes that write something to a file or, display a
1022 graphical interface, and so on. \newline
1024 %To exit \bbi, type :
1032 % ==========================================
1038 \item The \texttt{include} command allows to load a package, and the complex black boxes that come with it..
1039 \item \texttt{help} gives help on :
1041 \item Available commands if you just type \texttt{help}.
1042 \item A particular command if you type \texttt{help <command-name>}.
1043 \item All available packages and their boxes (without description) if you type \texttt{help packages}.
1044 \item A particular package and its boxes (with brief description) if you type \texttt{help <package-name>}.
1045 \item A particular black box type (with full description) if you type \texttt{help <box-type-name>}. In particular, \texttt{help workspace} displays information on the content of the \texttt{'workspace'} black box, which stores the boxes created by the user (by \texttt{new}).
1047 %\item \texttt{list} displays the list of black box instances created so far (by \texttt{new}).
1048 \item \texttt{new}: creates an instance of a black box.
1049 \item \texttt{set}: sets the value of an input of a black box.
1050 \item Under any component of \bbStudions, to reference the input called \texttt{i}
1051 of a black box called \texttt{b} you must type \texttt{'b.i'}.
1052 The same syntax holds for outputs.
1053 \item \texttt{print}: prints a string, substituting each substring of the form \$b.o\$ by the value of the output \texttt{o} of the black box \texttt{b}. Note that an
1054 implicit trailing 'new line character' is added at the final string.
1055 \item \texttt{exec}: runs, if needed, the process of a box.
1056 %\item \texttt{quit}: quits \bbi.
1061 %A more 'modern' way to proceed is to run \texttt{bbStudio}, drag and drop the \texttt{Command} bookmark to the lower \texttt{Welcome to bbStudio!} bar.
1062 %Wou'll get something like in figure \ref{bbCommandPlusHelp}:
1064 %\begin{figure}[!ht]
1065 %\caption{\label{bbCommandPlusHelp}
1066 %An other way to run the command interpreter}
1068 %\includegraphics[width=0.5\textwidth]{bbCommandPlusHelp.png}
1072 % ==========================================
1074 % ==========================================
1075 \subsection{Connecting black boxes}
1076 \label{bbi-connecting-black-boxes}
1077 % ==========================================
1079 \BBTK allows to create
1080 and execute processing chains,
1081 also called \emph{pipelines},
1082 by connecting black boxes.
1083 This section explains how to do it with examples.
1084 Read section \ref{bbi-more-on-pipeline-processing} to get
1085 more information on pipeline processing.
1087 First start \bbStudio and load the package \texttt{std}, typing :
1091 in the 'Command' part.
1093 Assume you want to compute $1+2+3$. You can do it by
1094 chaining two \texttt{Add} boxes, as shown in figure
1095 \ref{bbi-fig-connecting-black-boxes-1}.
1098 \caption{\label{bbi-fig-connecting-black-boxes-1} A simple pipeline which adds 3 numbers}
1100 \includegraphics[width=0.5\textwidth]{1plus2plus3.png}
1105 The \bbi instructions to create and execute this pipeline are :
1109 > connect a.Out b.In1
1116 You will see the (very expected) result :
1121 The first three commands build the pipeline,
1122 the next three set \texttt{a} and \texttt{b} black boxes inputs and the last one
1123 prints \texttt{b} black box output (the pipeline is executed before printing, because the interpretor 'knows' the box \texttt{b},
1124 whose output is requested, is not up to date).
1126 The command \texttt{'connect a.Out b.In1'} ``plugs'' the output
1127 \texttt{Out} of the box \texttt{a} into the input \texttt{In1} of the
1129 Once the boxes are connected, the processing of the two boxes are chained :
1130 getting the output of \texttt{b} requires getting its inputs,
1131 hence getting the output of \texttt{a} which is connected to it.
1132 This pipeline mechanism can recurse into arbitrary long
1133 chains of boxes (see \ref{bbi-more-on-pipeline-processing}
1137 Lets' consider an other, more image oriented, example :
1145 > new FileSelector fileDialog
1146 > new ImageReader reader
1148 > new Viewer2D viewer
1150 > connect fileDialog.Out reader.In
1151 > connect reader.Out viewer.In
1152 > connect slider.Out viewer.Slice
1153 > connect slider.BoxChange viewer.BoxExecute
1158 Some explainations : the \texttt{include} instructions load the necessary packages. \\
1160 \texttt{FileSelector} will pop a File Selector, at run time, that will out the user chosen file name. \\
1161 \texttt{Slider} will pop a Slider, at run time, that will out an integer, used later as a slice number.\\
1162 \texttt{ImageReader} will read any itk readable file, whose name is passed as a std::string, and return a pointer on an itk image.\\
1163 \texttt{Viewer2D} displays a plane, whose number is specified by an integer.\\
1165 \texttt{connect fileDialog.Out reader.In} plugs the output of the File Selector (a std::string) to the input of the reader (a std::string, too).\\
1166 \texttt{connect reader.Out viewer.In} plugs the output of the reader (an bbtk::any<bbitk::ImagePointer> which is a type defined by the
1167 itk package which can hold any itk image pointer) to the input of the Viewer (a vtkImageData *)\\
1168 \texttt{connect slider.Out viewer.Slice} plugs the output of the slider (an int) to an other output (named Slide) of the viewer.\\
1169 \texttt{connect slider.BoxChange viewer.BoxExecute} says the viewer that it must re process itself any time the slider is modified.\\
1171 \texttt{exec viewer} processes the viewer.
1174 This would correspond to the graph in figure \ref{bbi-simplegraph}
1178 \caption{\label{bbi-simplegraph}(Very) simple Graph of a (very) simple pipeline}
1180 \includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{bbi-simplegraph.png}
1184 Of course, to be able to connect two boxes,
1185 the output and the input must be compatibles.
1186 You can always connect an output to an input of the \emph{same} type,
1187 but you can do more, thanks to particular (hidden) black boxes called {\bf adaptors}.
1189 An adaptor is a black box which has at least one input, called \texttt{In},
1190 and at least one ouput called \texttt{Out} and whose role is to convert
1191 a data of the type of \texttt{In}
1192 into a data of the type of \texttt{Out} (other inputs or outputs may serve
1193 to parameter the adaptor or retreive other useful information).
1195 Under \bbStudions, if you type :
1202 Package std v1.0.0 - laurent.guigues@creatis.insa-lyon.fr
1203 Basic useful black boxes
1206 BoolToString [DA] : Converts a Bool (bool) into a string
1207 CastBoolToChar [DA] : Static cast from Bool (bool) to Char (signed c...
1208 CastBoolToDouble [DA] : Static cast from Bool (bool) to Double (double...
1210 CastBoolToUChar [DA] : Static cast from Bool (bool) to UChar (unsigne...
1211 CastBoolToUInt [DA] : Static cast from Bool (bool) to UInt (unsigned...
1213 CastUIntToBool [DA] : Static cast from UInt (unsigned int) to Bool (...
1214 CastUIntToChar [DA] : Static cast from UInt (unsigned int) to Char (...
1215 CastUIntToDouble [DA] : Static cast from UInt (unsigned int) to Double...
1220 \texttt{[DA]} stands for \emph{default adaptor}.
1222 Once you have loaded the package \texttt{std}, you can
1223 plug an output of type \texttt{char} into an input of type \texttt{double}.
1224 When the interpreter encounters the \texttt{connect} command,
1225 it looks for an adequate \emph{adaptor} in the loaded packages.
1226 In our case, as the package \texttt{std} provides the
1227 \texttt{CastUCharToDouble} adaptor, the interpreter automatically creates an
1228 instance of this adaptor and place it \emph{between}
1229 the output and the input you want to connect
1230 (however this adaptor is hidden to you,
1231 it is embedded into the created connection and does not appear
1232 as an existing black box).
1233 When the pipeline is processed the
1234 adaptor converts the output data into the required input type,
1235 in a totally transparent way.
1236 In our example, the \texttt{CastUCharToDouble} adaptor
1237 would simply cast the value of the \texttt{char} into a \texttt{double},
1238 however arbitrarily complex type conversion may be done.\\
1239 \texttt{WARNING}: these adaptors are \texttt{C++ static cast}, i.e., there is, right now,
1240 no 'intelligent' conversion (only truncation) e.g. think to \texttt{CastDoubleToUChar}!
1243 %Question (for info-dev):
1244 %if two adaptors with the same input and output types exist
1245 %in two different packages, currenly loaded,
1246 %which one is chosen by the interpreter at connection time?
1247 %A feature is missing to specify explicitely which one user wants to choose
1248 %(use a namespace notation ?)
1250 %-> Role of default adaptors
1253 Note that the \texttt{set} and \texttt{print} commands of interpreter
1254 work with adaptors from \texttt{string} to the type of the input to set
1255 or from the type of the output to print to \texttt{string}.
1256 Hence in order to \texttt{set} or \texttt{print} values the adequate
1257 adaptors must be available in the packages currently loaded. \\
1260 % ==========================================
1265 \item The \texttt{connect} command allows to connect two black boxes
1266 \item You can connect two black boxes if (and only if):
1268 \item The output and the input are of the same type, or
1269 \item There is an adaptor black box in the packages loaded which
1270 converts data of the output type into data of the input type
1272 \item \texttt{help <package name>} does not display the adaptors of the package. To see them use : \texttt{help <package name> all}.
1276 % ==========================================
1278 % ==========================================
1279 \subsection{Creating complex black boxes}
1280 \label{bbi-complex-black-boxes}
1281 % ==========================================
1283 Remember the pipeline of figure
1284 \ref{bbi-fig-connecting-black-boxes-1}, which
1285 computed the sum of three doubles.
1286 You can consider it as a whole and define
1287 a new black box type, which will be a \emph{complex black box},
1288 having three inputs and one output,
1289 as shown in figure \ref{bbi-fig-complex-black-box-1}.
1292 \caption{\label{bbi-fig-complex-black-box-1} Creating the complex black box \texttt{Add3}}
1294 \includegraphics[width=0.5\textwidth]{Add3.png}
1298 The \bbi commands to define this complex black box are
1308 > connect a.Out b.In1
1311 > description "adds 3 doubles"
1312 > input x a.In1 "first double to add"
1313 > input y a.In2 "second double to add"
1314 > input z b.In2 "third double to add"
1315 > output result b.Out "output"
1322 As we will use \texttt{Add} boxes, we need to load the package \texttt{std}, which is done in first line.
1324 The command \texttt{define} then starts the definition
1325 of the complex box type, which will be called \texttt{Add3}.
1327 The next three lines define the pipeline,
1328 exactly in the same way than outside a complex box definition.
1330 The commands \texttt{author}, \texttt{description}, \texttt{input}
1331 and \texttt{output} are commands specific to complex boxes definition :
1333 \texttt{author} and \texttt{description} are used for the documentation
1334 of the new box. You can provide multiple \texttt{author} or
1335 \texttt{description} commands, the arguments of the commands will
1336 be concatenated to produce the final author and description strings.
1338 \texttt{input} and \texttt{output} are used to define the inputs and outputs
1339 of the new complex box.
1340 Their syntax is the same : for each new input/output you need to say
1341 to which internal input/output it corresponds and to provide
1342 a help string documenting the input/output.
1343 In our example, we define that the box \texttt{Add3} has
1344 three inputs : \texttt{x}, \texttt{y} and \texttt{z}.
1345 The input \texttt{x} corresponds to the input \texttt{In1} of the
1346 internal box \texttt{a}.
1347 In the same way, the external input \texttt{y}
1348 corresponds to the internal input \texttt{a.In2}, and
1349 the external input \texttt{In3} to \texttt{b.In2}.
1350 The only output of the new box is called \texttt{result}
1351 and corresponds to \texttt{b.Out}.
1352 The figure \ref{bbi-fig-complex-black-box-1}
1353 illustrates the external to internal
1354 input/output correspondence.
1356 Finally, the \texttt{endefine} command ends the definition of the
1359 After this definition, if you ask for help
1360 on packages, you get :
1371 The \texttt{user} package now contains a new black box type, called
1372 \texttt{Add3}. If you ask for help on this type of box, you get :
1375 Complex Black Box <user::Add3>
1379 'x' <double> : first double to add
1380 'y' <double> : second double to add
1381 'z' <double> : third double to add
1383 'result' <double> : output
1389 and you can use it like any other box, for example type :
1401 As a side note, we can say that, for consistency reasons, it would have been better to name
1402 \texttt{In1}, \texttt{In2} and \texttt{In3} the inputs of the black box \texttt{Add3},
1403 since all the 'natural entry' of a box is named \texttt{In}, or \texttt{In}\emph{x} if there are more than one 'natural
1407 % ==========================================
1412 \item The \texttt{define/endefine} commands allows to define complex black box types, i.e. types of black boxes made up of other black boxes.
1413 Inside a \texttt{define/endefine} block :
1415 \item The \texttt{author} and \texttt{description} commands allow to document the new type of box
1416 \item The \texttt{input} and \texttt{output} commands allow to define the inputs and outputs of the new type of box, that is to which inputs and outputs
1417 of internal boxes they correspond.
1421 % ==========================================
1423 % ==========================================
1424 \subsection{Writing scripts files}
1425 \label{bbi-writing-scripts}
1426 % ==========================================
1428 Once you have defined a new type of complex box, you
1429 may like to reuse it. To do this, you can simply
1430 write the \bbs commands defining the new box
1431 into a text file and afterwards include that file in \bbins.
1432 Doing this, you start writing \bbs scripts.
1433 The conventional (and mandatory) extension for such scripts is \texttt{bbs}
1435 For consistency reasons, you are requested to prepend \texttt{bb} to the name.
1437 For example, the \texttt{Add3} complex box we previously worked on
1438 can be defined in the \texttt{bbAdd3.bbs} file :
1440 \begin{file}{bbAdd3.bbs}
1442 # Defines the Add3 black box which adds 3 doubles
1448 description "adds 3 doubles"
1454 input x a.In1 "first double to add
1455 input y a.In2 "second double to add
1456 input z b.In2 "third double to add"
1458 output result b.Out "output"
1463 Lines starting with a \texttt{\#} character or a \texttt{\//\//} character are ignored, they
1464 are considered as comments by the interpreter.
1465 To use this file in \bbStudions, click on the \texttt{include} button, and browse your filestore to find the file.
1468 > include bbAdd3.bbs
1470 Complex Black Box <user::Add3>
1474 'x' <double> : first double to add
1475 'y' <double> : second double to add
1476 'z' <double> : third double to add
1478 'result' <double> : output
1486 If the file has the \texttt{bbs} extension, you can ommit it and just type :
1491 \subsection{Creating complex black boxes that use complex black boxes}
1492 \label{bbi-complex-complex-black-boxes}
1495 Of course, you can include script files in other script files,
1496 like in the following example :
1498 \begin{file}{bbAdd4.bbs}
1500 # Defines the Add4 black box which adds 4 doubles
1505 description "adds 4 doubles"
1509 input In1 a.In1 "first double to add
1510 input In2 a.In2 "second double to add
1511 input In3 a.In3 "third double to add"
1512 input In4 b.In2 "fourth double to add"
1513 output Out b.Out "output"
1519 The inner boxes have they own entries (In1, In2, In3 for box a, In1, In2 for box b )\\
1520 Only the inputs In1, In2, In3 of box a and the input In2 of box b is of interest for the end user, but he dosn't want to have to
1521 care neither about the inner boxes name, nor about the names of their Inputs.\\
1522 The writer of the complex box has the ability to give these inputs a meaningfull name !
1524 input In3 a.In3 "third double to add"
1525 input In4 b.In2 "fourth double to add"
1529 \subsection{Naming Conventions}
1530 \label{bbi-Naming Conventions}
1533 % ==========================================
1535 %\paragraph{Naming Conventions}
1539 % ==========================================
1543 For consistency reasons, you are requested to prepend \texttt{bb}, and postpone an extention \texttt{.bbs},
1544 to the names of the files that hold a \texttt{complex black box} definition.
1546 For example, the \texttt{Add3} complex box we previously worked on
1547 can be defined in the \texttt{bbAdd3.bbs} file.
1550 For consistency reasons, the names of dynamic libraries holding the packages start by \texttt{bb}.
1551 For instance, the package \texttt{wx} will be in the library \texttt{bbwx.dll} (Windows) or \texttt{libbbwx.so}
1556 % ==========================================
1562 \item The \texttt{include} command tells the interpreter to include a script file.
1563 \item Lines starting with a \texttt{\#} or with a \texttt{\//\//} are considered as comments by the interpreter.
1564 \item Lines between a line starting with a \texttt{\//*} an a line ending with a \texttt{*\//} are considered as comments by the interpreter.
1568 % ==========================================
1570 % ==========================================
1571 \subsection{Creating command line applications}
1572 \label{bbi-command-line-app}
1573 % ==========================================
1575 Now that you know how to create complex black boxes
1576 (with \texttt{define/endefine}), think
1577 back to the \texttt{workspace} object.
1578 Remember that it is also
1579 a \texttt{complex black box}.
1580 Actually, when you type interpreter commands
1581 outside a \texttt{define/endefine} block,
1582 you progressively define the \texttt{workspace}
1584 You can think of it like if at start the interpreter
1585 was issuing a command \texttt{'define workspace'}
1586 and then letting you define the interior of the box
1589 Remember that the command \texttt{inputs}
1590 allows to define an input of a complex box.
1591 Now, if you use the command \texttt{input}
1592 outside a \texttt{define/endefine} block then
1593 it defines an input of the \texttt{workspace} box,
1594 that is an input of the \emph{main program}.
1595 This input will then be connected to the
1596 parameters that the user passes to the command line.
1598 For example, consider the script :
1600 \begin{file}{add.bbs}
1604 input x a.In1 "first number to add"
1605 input y a.In2 "second number to add"
1610 The third and fourth lines define two inputs \texttt{x}
1611 and \texttt{y}. When you execute this script,
1612 you can pass these two arguments on the command line,
1620 You can also invoke \bbi the option \texttt{-h},
1621 which gives help on the \texttt{workspace} box :
1628 'x' <double> : first number to add
1629 'y' <double> : second number to add
1632 To get a better help, use the \texttt{description}
1633 and \texttt{author} commands :
1635 \begin{file}{add.bbs}
1637 description "Adds two numbers"
1638 author "foo@bar.com"
1641 input x a.In1 "first number to add"
1642 input y a.In2 "second number to add"
1647 Now if you ask for help on the \texttt{add} script, you get :
1654 'x' <double> : first number to add
1655 'y' <double> : second number to add
1658 Rather than getting the inputs of a script
1659 from the command line, you can ask \bbi to
1660 prompt the user for the values, using the \texttt{-t}
1665 x=[the program waits for user answer]2
1666 y=[the program waits for user answer]5
1670 You can also use the \texttt{-g} commutator.
1671 \bbi then prompts the user in graphical mode,
1672 displaying a dialog box for each input,
1673 like in fig. \ref{bb-input-dialog-box}.
1676 \caption{\label{bb-input-dialog-box}Input dialog box}
1678 \includegraphics[width=0.6\textwidth]{enter-the-value-of-x.png}
1682 Note that for both \texttt{-t} and \texttt{-g} options,
1683 the input from the user is a \texttt{string} and
1684 \bbi converts it to the right input type using
1685 an \texttt{adaptor}, hence the right adaptors must be loaded.
1687 % ==========================================
1692 \item The \texttt{input}, \texttt{description} and \texttt{author} commands,
1693 when they are used outside a \texttt{define/endefine} block allow
1694 to define the inputs, description and author of the main program.
1695 \item Inputs of the main program can be passed on the command line
1696 using the syntax \texttt{<input-name>=<value>}.
1697 No white space is allowed, if the value or the input name
1698 contains white spaces, enclose them
1699 between double quotes, e.g. \texttt{"parameter with white spaces = gnu's not unix"}.
1700 \item The \texttt{-h} option of \bbi prints help on the main program.
1701 \item The \texttt{-t} option of \bbi orders the program to prompt for its inputs in text mode.
1702 \item The \texttt{-g} option of \bbi orders the program to prompt for its inputs in graphical mode.
1705 % ==========================================
1707 % ==========================================
1708 \subsection{Using graphical interface boxes (widget boxes)}
1710 % ==========================================
1712 % ==========================================
1713 %\subsubsection{Overview}
1714 %\label{bbi-overview}
1715 % ==========================================
1717 Basic graphical interface components are provided in the package \texttt{wx},
1718 such as buttons, sliders, file open/save dialogs, etc.
1720 As first example, type the following commands in \bbi :
1727 When you type \texttt{enter} after the last line,
1728 a window pops up in which you can entrer a text.
1729 When you close the window, the text you entered is printed by
1730 the \texttt{print} command.
1732 Type \texttt{help wx}, you get something like :
1734 Package wx v1.0.0- info-dev@creatis.insa-lyon.fr
1735 Basic graphical interface elements (sliders, buttons ...) based on wxWidgets
1737 ColourSelector : Colour Selector dialog (bbfication of wxColourSele...
1738 ColourSelectorButton : A button which displays a colour picker dialog whe...
1739 CommandButton : Button which executes bbi commands
1740 DirectorySelector : Pops up a directory selection dialog (wxDirDialog)
1741 FileSelector : Pops up a file selection dialog for reading or sav...
1742 InputText : A zone in which the user can enter a text (wxTextC...
1743 LayoutLine : LayoutLine widget (wxBoxSizer)
1744 LayoutSplit : Widget which splits a window in two fixed size par...
1745 LayoutTab : LayoutTab widget (wxNotebook)
1746 OutputText : Text zone to be inserted into a window (wxStaticTe...
1747 RadioButton : RadioButton group widget 0-9 entries
1748 Slider : Slider widget (wxSlider)
1751 You can reproduce the same experiment as above using a
1752 \texttt{Slider} or a \texttt{FileDialog} rather than a \texttt{InputText}..
1755 %There are two kinds of widgets : ``terminal'' widgets and ``container'' widgets.
1756 %The \texttt{InputText}, \texttt{FileDialog} or \texttt{Slider} widgets
1757 %are ``terminal'' widgets.
1758 %``container'' widgets are of another kind : they are
1759 % ==========================================
1760 %\subsubsection{Layout widgets}
1761 %\label{bbi-layout-widgets}
1762 % ==========================================
1764 There is a special kind of widget, called '\texttt{Layout}', designed to
1765 contain other widgets in order to build larger dialog boxes.
1767 For example, the \texttt{LayoutSplit} widget is a container which
1768 ``splits'' a window into two parts, either horizontally or vertically,
1769 each part including another widget.
1770 The initial size of the two parts can be fixed by the input 'Proportion'
1771 and be adjusted by the user thanks to a ``handle''.
1773 The example \texttt{exampleLayoutSplit} demonstrates its use.
1774 Run it : it displays a window with two sliders.
1775 Move the sliders and close the window.
1776 Now look at the source file to see how this is done :
1778 \begin{file}{scripts/test/testSplit.bbs}
1786 connect s1.Widget s.Widget1
1787 connect s2.Widget s.Widget2
1793 First, the two sliders \texttt{s1} and \texttt{s2} are created.
1794 A \texttt{LayoutSplit} box \texttt{s} is also created.
1795 The \texttt{connect} commands then ``includes'' the sliders in the
1797 The input \texttt{Widget} is common to all widget boxes :
1798 every widget can be inserted into another widget.
1799 The outputs \texttt{Widget1},\texttt{Widget2} are specific of \emph{layout}
1801 (in \bbi type \texttt{help Slider}:
1802 you will see the output \texttt{Widget};
1803 type \texttt{help LayoutSplit}:
1804 you will see the inputs \texttt{Widget1} and \texttt{Widget2}
1805 and the output \texttt{Widget}).
1806 When you connect the \texttt{Widget} output of a box
1807 to the \texttt{Widget}i input of a layout widget,
1808 you order to include the widget in the layout.
1809 Of course, the order of connection is important.
1810 In our case, the slider \texttt{s1} is included first,
1811 then the slider \texttt{s2}: \texttt{s1} will be placed
1812 on top of \texttt{s2} (the \texttt{LayoutSplit} box is
1813 implemented that way, but this is arbitrary choice).
1815 Right now, there are only \emph{three} layout widgets in the \texttt{wx} package :
1817 \item {the \texttt{LayoutSplit} widget} we just described
1819 \item {the \texttt{LayoutLine} widget} can have multiple children
1820 (\texttt{Widget1}, \texttt{Widget2},\dots \texttt{Widget9} inputs) and
1821 divides its window into as much parts as children,
1822 each part of equal size.
1823 The orientation of the \texttt{LayoutSplit} or of the \texttt{LayoutLine} can be changed by the input \texttt{Orientation}.
1824 With only those two layout widgets you can already create
1825 complex dialog boxes
1826 (of course layouts can be nested, which leads to tree-like
1827 structures of widgets). \\
1828 See the script \texttt{exampleComplexLayoutSplit\_In\_LayoutSplit} for an example.
1830 \item {The \texttt{LayoutTab} widget} arranges its children
1831 in different pages or 'tabs' (\texttt{wxNotebook}-based).
1832 The label of each page is the name of the widget it contains.
1840 %One word about a special widget in the package \texttt{wx}:
1841 %the \texttt{Button}... to be continued.
1843 % ==========================================
1844 \subsection{Deeper in the boxes}
1845 \label{bbi-deep-box}
1846 % ==========================================
1848 \subsubsection{Default and mandatory inputs and outputs}
1850 \item Any \texttt{atomic} black box has two default Inputs, which are created by the system :
1852 \item {\bf\emph{BoxExecute}} : Any signal received by this input executes the box
1853 \item {\bf\emph{BoxProcessMode}}: Sets the processing mode of the box :
1855 \item {\bf\emph{Pipeline}}:% bbBackwardUpdate() calls Process() only if Status == MODIFIED \\
1856 The box executes itself only when an input was changed (normal pipeline processing).
1857 \item {\bf\emph{Reactive}}: %bbSetModifiedStatus() calls bbUpdate() \\
1858 Re-processes immediately when \emph{any input} changes.\\
1859 To be more selective, better use
1860 '\texttt{connect A.BoxChange B.BoxExecute}'.
1861 \item {\bf\emph{Always}} :% bbUpdate() always calls Process. \\
1862 Usefull for 'sources', that must be processed, even when no input changed (e.g.: FileSelector, ColorSelector)\\
1863 This one is not end user intended (for Package developer only)
1866 \item And one default output :
1868 \item {\bf\emph{BoxChange}} : Signals any modification of the box. This output may be connected if necessary to the \emph{BoxExecute}
1869 input of an other box : each time the boxes changes (e.g. a Slider is moved) the box it is connected to will be forced to update.
1872 If you create complex boxes, it is a good idea to define those inputs and outputs to be able
1873 to force the execution of your complex box or be aware of its changes...
1875 \item Any {\bf widget} box has five Inputs, that will be dealt with only if the box is not connected to the \emph{Widget}i of any \emph{Layout} box :
1877 \item {\bf\emph{WinHeight}}: Height of the window
1878 \item {\bf\emph{WinWidth}} : Width of the window
1879 \item {\bf\emph{WinTitle}} : Title of the window
1880 \item {\bf\emph{WinClose}} : Any received signal closes the window
1881 \item {\bf\emph{WinHide}} : Any received signal hides the window
1882 \item {\bf\emph{WinDialog}}: When set to 'true', creates a \emph{dialog window}, that blocks the pipeline until it is closed (\emph{modal})
1885 If you define a complex widget box, it is a good idea to define these inputs to be able
1886 to customize your window settings.
1888 \item Any {\bf widget} box has one mandatory Output :
1891 \item {\bf\emph{Widget}}: that is the \texttt{wxWindow} itself. If it's not connected to the \texttt{Widget}\emph{i} of any \emph{Layout box}, then the box will create its own window (frame or dialog) on execution. If it's connected to the \texttt{Widget}\texttt{\emph{i}} of a \texttt{Layout box},
1892 it will be embedded in its parent window.
1895 If you define a complex widget box, it is a good idea to use this standard name for your window output
1897 \item Any {\bf Layout} box (i.e. \emph{LayoutLine}, \emph{LayoutSplit} or \emph{LayoutTab}) has one or more mandatory Inputs :
1899 \item {\bf\emph{Widget}}\texttt{i}: e.g. a \emph{LayoutSplit} box (Widget which splits a window in two resizeable parts)
1900 has two Input parameters \emph{Widget1} and \emph{Widget2}, used to embed the child windows.\\
1901 e.g. a \emph{LayoutLine} divides the window in up to 9 (depending on the number of inputs \emph{Widget}i) fixed size parts.
1904 If you define a complex layout box, it is a good idea to use these standard names for your
1910 % ==========================================
1911 %\subsection{More on ...}
1912 %\label{bbi-more-on}
1913 % ==========================================
1915 % ==========================================
1916 %\subsubsection{Black box packages}
1917 %\label{bbi-more-on-packages}
1918 % ==========================================
1919 %There are various others user-intended packages :
1922 %---> Were moved in a 'Reference Manual' ?\\
1923 %---> Any suggestion welcome!
1931 % ==========================================
1932 %\subsubsection{Pipeline processing}
1933 %\label{bbi-more-on-pipeline-processing}
1934 % ==========================================
1936 %\item the ``control'' mechanism in bbi.
1938 %When a box is requested to update itself, it asks (recursively) each one of its inputs if it was modified.\\
1939 %In normal pipe-line mode, it will be re-processed if at least one of its imputs was actually modified, as the output of a previous box.
1941 %(switch exec commands, e.g. Button)
1942 %\item the role of ProcessMode to update widgets.
1945 %\subsubsection{Advanced issues}
1946 %\paragraph{Reducing the number of inputs of a box}
1948 % ==========================================
1949 %\subsubsection{Errors}
1950 %\label{bbi-more-on-errors}
1952 % ==========================================
1955 % ==========================================
1959 \section{Using third party Package}
1960 \label{Third_Party_Package}
1961 % ==========================================
1962 % ==========================================
1963 \subsection{Installing a Package}
1964 \label{Installing_a_Package}
1966 % ==========================================
1967 \subsubsection{Linux users}
1968 \label{Installing_a_Package_for_Linux_users}
1970 After compiling a Package, at install time, think of using :
1987 otherwise package documentation will not be generated. \\
1989 Think of updating your environment variable LD\_LIBRARY\_PATH (in .bashrc in
1990 you're using bash), to add the path to the shared library
1991 libbb\emph{YourNewPackageName}.so
1994 % ==========================================
1995 \subsubsection{Windows users}
1996 \label{Installing_a_Package_for_Windows_users}
1997 % ==========================================
1998 Think of updating your environment variable LD\_LIBRARY\_PATH to add the path to the dynamic library
1999 bb\emph{YourNewPackageName}.dll
2001 % ==========================================
2002 \subsection{Plugging in a Package}
2003 \label{Plugging_in_a_Package}
2004 % ==========================================
2006 \bbStudio makes it easy for you : in the menu \texttt{Tools} just click on the
2007 option \texttt{Plug Package}. You will be asked to '\texttt{Select
2008 package directory}'. Browse untill you find the install or the build directory,
2009 depending whether you installed the package or not.
2011 \bbStudio will update the configuration file, generate the 'Package
2012 documentation', and update the 'Boxes Lists'.
2014 You will be able to use the new package just as you did for any other \bbtk
2017 % ==========================================
2018 \subsection{Hard incorporating of a Package}
2019 \label{Hard_incorporating_of_a_Package}
2020 % ==========================================
2022 If the Package you want to use is supplied in a non standard way (e.g.: you
2023 where given one ore more dynamic libraries (\texttt{.dll} or \texttt{.so}), and/or
2024 one or more directories containing \bbtk scripts (\texttt{.bbs})
2025 you can edit your \bbtk configuration and add the appropriate
2026 paths, see \ref{The_configuration_file}.
2029 % ==========================================
2030 \subsection{Updating the documentation}
2031 \label{Updating_the_documentation}
2032 % ==========================================
2033 You may add your own boxes (simple boxes, if you are aware enough in \CPP
2034 language, or complex boxes if you are aware enough in bbtk scripting).
2036 To update the html help of this package,
2037 use the option \texttt{Regenerate package doc}
2038 in the menu \texttt{Tools} of \texttt{bbStudio}.
2039 You'll be prompted for the Package name.
2040 Avoid using the \texttt{-a} option (Regenerate all), since it's time consumming.
2042 To update html boxes lists with the new boxes,
2043 use the option \texttt{Regenerate Boxes Lists}
2044 in the menu \texttt{Tools} of \texttt{bbStudio}.
2046 % ==========================================
2047 \subsection{Using the package}
2048 \label{Using_the_package}
2049 % ==========================================
2051 The only thing you have to do is to \texttt{include} or \texttt{load} the package,
2052 within a script, or from the \texttt{Command} part,
2053 and enjoy the black boxes it contains.
2055 % ==========================================%\subsection{Packages you'll probably want to use }
2056 %\label{Packages_you_ll_want_to_use}
2057 % ==========================================
2059 %\item{\texttt{creaLib}} \\
2060 %a.k.a \texttt{crea}. It's a set of 'low level' utilities, needed by other
2061 %packages (an, sure, useful as well for people that doesn't use bbtkns.
2062 %\item{\texttt{creaContours}} \\
2063 %Provides sophisticated widgets for managing 3D R.O.I. (Regions of interest)
2064 %\item{\texttt{creaImageIO}} \\
2065 %Allows browsing, selectionning, ordering directories containing images of almost any type
2070 % ==========================================
2074 \section{Using black boxes in \CPP programs}
2076 % ==========================================
2078 A very useful feature is that you may use any widget
2079 black box within a \CPP program
2080 without worrying about writing a \wx main application.\\
2082 Let's look a the following bbs script :
2089 # Create the Objects
2092 new LayoutLine layout
2094 # Graphical pipeline
2095 connect slider.Widget layout.Widget1
2096 connect text.Widget layout.Widget2
2098 # Execution pipeline
2099 connect slider.BoxChange text.BoxExecute
2100 connect slider.Out text.In
2106 User wants to create a slider and an output text, within a LayoutLine,
2107 and display the slider value in the output text.
2108 Think about the (little!) nightmare to code the same, in 'raw C++', using wxWidgets.
2110 The following \CPP code does the same :
2113 #include <bbtkFactory.h>
2114 #include <bbwxSlider.h>
2115 #include <bbwxOutputText.h>
2116 #include <bbwxLayoutLine.h>
2118 int main(int argv, char* argc[])
2122 // we need to intanciate a bbtk::Factory to be aware of the adaptors
2123 bbtk::Factory::Pointer factory = bbtk::Factory::New();
2125 // Load the packages
2127 factory->LoadPackage("std");
2128 factory->LoadPackage("wx");
2130 // Create the Objects
2131 // ------------------
2132 bbwx::Slider::Pointer slider = bbwx::Slider::New("slider");
2133 bbwx::OutputText::Pointer text = bbwx::OutputText::New("text");
2134 bbwx::LayoutLine::Pointer layout = bbwx::LayoutLine::New("layout");
2136 // Graphical pipeline
2137 bbtk::Connection::Pointer c1 = bbtk::Connection::New(slider,"Widget",
2140 bbtk::Connection::Pointer c2 = bbtk::Connection::New(text,"Widget",
2143 // Execution pipeline
2144 // ------------------
2146 // We have to pass the 'factory', in order to call automatically an adaptor,
2148 bbtk::Connection::Pointer s2t = bbtk::Connection::New(slider,"Out",
2151 bbtk::Connection::Pointer c3 = bbtk::Connection::New(slider,"BoxChange",
2153 layout->bbSetInputWinDialog(true);
2157 layout->bbExecute();
2160 catch (bbtk::Exception e)
2162 bbtk::MessageManager::SetMessageLevel("Error",1);
2167 In this code, we use the headers of the \texttt{bbwx} \CPP library,
2168 which define the black boxes of the \texttt{wx} package.
2174 % ==========================================
2177 \section{\bbs language reference}
2178 \label{bbi-reference}
2179 % ==========================================
2181 % ==========================================
2182 \subsection{Pipeline creation and execution related commands}
2183 \label{bbi-reference-creation-execution}
2184 % ==========================================
2185 % See table \ref{bbi-reference-box}
2187 % ==========================================
2189 \caption{\label{bbi-reference-box} \bbs pipeline creation and execution related commands.}
2191 \begin{tabular}{|lcm{6cm}|}
2193 Command & Parameters & Effect \\ \hline
2195 \texttt{new} & \texttt{<box-type>} \texttt{<box-name>}&
2196 Creates a box of type \texttt{box-type} and name
2197 \texttt{box-name}.\\ \hline
2199 \texttt{newgui} & \texttt{<box-name>} \texttt{<gui-box-name>} &
2200 Automatically creates a graphical user interface with name \texttt{gui-box-name}
2201 for the black box \texttt{box-name} and connects it to the box inputs\\ \hline
2203 \texttt{delete} & \texttt{<box-name>} &
2204 Destroys the box named \texttt{box-name}\\ \hline
2206 \texttt{connect} & \texttt{<box1.output>} \texttt{<box2.input>} &
2208 \texttt{output} of the box named \texttt{box1}
2209 to the input \texttt{input} of the box named \texttt{box2} \\ \hline
2211 \texttt{set} & \texttt{<box.input>} \texttt{<value>} &
2212 Sets the input \texttt{input} of
2213 the box named \texttt{box} to the value \texttt{value}.
2214 An \texttt{adaptor} must exist
2215 in the packages loaded which converts a \texttt{std::string}
2216 to the type of the input \texttt{input}. \\ \hline
2218 \texttt{exec} & \texttt{<box-name>} &
2219 Executes the box named \texttt{box-name}.
2221 connected to its inputs
2222 are also processed recursively (pipeline processing).\\ \hline
2224 Allows to block execution commands while keeping definition commands active (this one is not for end user)\\ \hline
2225 & \texttt{unfreeze} &
2226 Turns back to 'normal' mode (this one is not for end user).\\ \hline
2229 % ==========================================
2233 % ==========================================
2234 \subsection{Package related commands}
2235 \label{bbi-reference-package}
2238 \caption{\label{tabbbi-reference-interpreter_1}\bbs package related commands. }% (part 1).}
2240 \begin{tabular}{|lcm{6cm}|}
2242 Command & Parameters & Effect \\ \hline
2245 \texttt{include} & \texttt{<package-name>} &
2246 Loads the package \texttt{package-name} and includes all its complex box definition scripts. \\ \hline
2248 \texttt{load} & \texttt{<package-name>} &
2249 Loads the atomic black boxes of package \texttt{package-name}.
2250 Loads the dynamic library but not the complex boxes defined in the scripts shipped with the package.
2251 Use it only if you know that you won't work with its complex black boxes \\ \hline
2253 \texttt{unload} & \texttt{<package-name>}&
2254 Unloads the package \texttt{package-name}.
2255 The package must have been previously loaded.
2256 No box of a type defined in this package must still exist.\\ \hline
2258 \texttt{reset} & - & Deletes all boxes and unloads all packages so
2259 that the interpreter gets back to its initial state \\ \hline
2262 \texttt{package} & \texttt{<package-name>} &
2263 All complex black boxes definitions until the next \texttt{endpackage}
2264 will be stored into the package \texttt{package-name} \\ \hline
2266 \texttt{endpackage} & - &
2267 Closes a \texttt{package} command \\ \hline
2274 % ==========================================
2275 \subsection{Interpreter related commands}
2276 \label{bbi-reference-interpreter}
2277 % ==========================================
2278 %See table \ref{tabbbi-reference-interpreter_1} and \ref{tabbbi-reference-interpreter_2}
2279 % ==========================================
2281 \caption{\label{tabbbi-reference-interpreter_1}\bbs intepreter related commands. }% (part 1).}
2283 \begin{tabular}{|lcm{6cm}|}
2285 Command & Parameters & Effect \\ \hline
2289 Prints help on available commands \\ \hline
2291 & \texttt{<command-name>} &
2292 Prints help on the command \texttt{command-name} \\ \hline
2294 & \texttt{packages} &
2295 Prints help on available packages and their box types
2296 (without description)\\ \hline
2298 & \texttt{<package-name>} &
2299 Prints help on the package \texttt{package-name} and its boxes
2300 (with brief description).
2301 The package must have been previously loaded \\ \hline
2303 & \texttt{<box-type>} &
2304 Prints help (with full description) on the type of box
2306 The box type must belong to a package which has been previously loaded \\ \hline
2310 Prints information on available kinds of messages and their current level\\ \hline
2312 & \texttt{<kind>} \texttt{<level>} &
2313 Sets the level of verbosity of the interpreter for the kind of messages
2314 \texttt{kind} to \texttt{level}.\\ \hline
2317 \texttt{include} & \texttt{<file-name>} &
2318 Includes and executes the content of the file named \texttt{file-name}
2319 exactly like if you were typing its content at the place were the
2320 \texttt{include} command is. \\ \hline
2322 \texttt{print} & \texttt{<string>} &
2323 Prints the string after substituting each token of the form \texttt{\$box.output\$} by the adaptation to string of the value of the
2324 output \texttt{output} of the box named \texttt{box}.
2325 An \texttt{adaptor} must exist
2326 in the packages loaded which converts
2327 the type of the output \texttt{output}
2328 to a \texttt{std::string}.
2331 \texttt{graph} & ... &
2332 Generates the html doc including the pipeline graph for a given complex box \\ \hline
2334 \texttt{index} & ... &
2335 Generates the html index of currently loaded boxes types \\ \hline
2337 \texttt{config} & - & Displays the configuration parameters\\ \hline
2340 \texttt{debug} & \texttt{<debug-directive>} &
2342 Prints debug info on living bbtk objects containing the string \texttt{expr} (default expr='').
2343 \texttt{-C} checks the factory integrity.
2344 \texttt{-D} turns on objects debug info after main ends\\ \hline
2346 \texttt{quit} & - & Exits the interpreter\\ \hline
2350 % ==========================================
2354 % ==========================================
2355 \subsection{Complex black box definition related commands}
2356 \label{bbi-reference-black-box-definition}
2357 % ==========================================
2359 %See table \ref{bbi-reference-complex-box}
2360 % ==========================================
2362 \caption{\label{bbi-reference-complex-box} \bbs complex black box definition related commands.}
2364 \begin{tabular}{|lcm{6cm}|}
2366 Command & Parameters & Effect \\ \hline
2369 \texttt{define} & \texttt{<box-type>} [\texttt{<package-name>}] &
2370 Starts the definition of a complex black box of type
2371 \texttt{box-type}. If \texttt{<package-name>} is provided then includes the
2372 box in the given package (otherwise it is defined in the current package,
2373 i.e. \texttt{user} if outside a \texttt{package/endpackage} block). \\ \hline
2375 \texttt{endefine} & - &
2376 Ends the definition of a complex black box type\\ \hline
2378 \texttt{author} & \texttt{<string>} &
2379 Concatenate the string to the author string
2380 of the current complex black box.\\ \hline
2382 \texttt{description} & \texttt{<string>} &
2383 Concatenate the string to the description of the current complex black box.
2386 \texttt{category} & \texttt{<string>} &
2387 Specifies the \texttt{categories} of the current complex black box.
2388 The categories must be separated by semicolons, e.g. "\texttt{widget;image}"\\ \hline
2390 \texttt{kind} & \texttt{<box kind>} &
2391 Specifies the \texttt{kind} of the current complex black box
2392 ( ADAPTOR, DEFAULT\_ADAPTOR, WIDGET\_ADAPTOR, DEFAULT\_WIDGET\_ADAPTOR )\\ \hline
2394 \texttt{input} & \texttt{<name>} \texttt{<box.input>} \texttt{<help>} &
2395 Defines a new input for the current complex black box,
2396 named \texttt{name}.
2397 It is defined as corresponding to
2398 the input \texttt{input} of the box \texttt{box}.
2400 \texttt{<help>} is the help string for the new input.
2401 The box \texttt{box} must already have been created in the complex box
2402 and of course have an input named \texttt{input}.\\ \hline
2404 \texttt{output} & \texttt{<name>} \texttt{<box.output>} \texttt{<help>} &
2405 Defines a new output for the current complex black box,
2406 named \texttt{name}.
2407 It is defined as corresponding to
2408 the output \texttt{output} of the box \texttt{box}.
2409 \texttt{<help>} is the help string for the new output.
2410 The box \texttt{box} must already have been created in the complex box and of course have an output named \texttt{output}. \\ \hline
2416 Note : if outside a \texttt{define/endefine} block then the current complex black box
2417 is '\texttt{user::workspace}', that is the main program equivalent
2418 (this is how applications are documented).
2419 This remark holds for all complex black box related commands.
2428 % ==========================================
2429 % ==========================================
2430 % ==========================================
2431 % ==========================================
2432 % ==========================================
2433 % ==========================================
2434 % ==========================================
2435 % ==========================================
2436 % ==========================================
2437 % ==========================================
2440 \section{Install and run time issues}
2441 % ==========================================
2446 %%==============================================================================================
2447 %%==============================================================================================
2448 \subsection{\bbtk configuration file}
2449 \label{The_configuration_file}
2450 %%==============================================================================================
2451 %%==============================================================================================
2453 At start, \bbtk applications (\bbStudio, \bbi) try
2454 to open an \texttt{xml}
2455 configuration file named \texttt{bbtk\_config.xml}.
2458 \item The current directory
2459 \item The subdir \texttt{.bbtk} of the user's home directory.
2461 \item On \texttt{Unix}, the home directory is the
2462 one stored by the environnement variable \texttt{HOME},
2463 typically \texttt{/home/username}.
2464 \item On \texttt{Windows}, the home directory is
2465 the user's profile directory stored by the environnement
2466 variable \texttt{USERPROFILE},
2467 typically \texttt{C:$\backslash$ Documents and Settings$\backslash$ username}.
2469 \item If none of these two paths contains the file then it creates
2470 a new one in the \texttt{.bbtk} directory.
2474 Information on \bbtk configuration is
2475 obtained in \bbStudio by clicking on the
2476 \texttt{Config} button of the \texttt{Command} part toolbar.
2478 If you did not installed other packages than the ones
2479 provided by \bbtk, you get something like :
2485 bbtk_config.xml : [/home/guigues/.bbtk/bbtk_config.xml]
2486 Documentation Path : [/usr/local/bin/../share/bbtk/doc]
2487 Data Path : [/usr/local/bin/../share/bbtk/data]
2489 File Separator : [/]
2492 --- [/usr/local/bin/../share/bbtk/bbs]
2495 --- [/usr/local/bin/../lib]
2498 The first line let you know which configuration file is currently used.
2500 You can open this file using \bbStudio menu \texttt{Files$>$Open bbtk Config file}.
2502 You will get something like :
2505 <?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"iso-8859-1\"?>
2507 <bbs_path> </bbs_path>
2508 <package_path> </package_path>
2509 <default_temp_dir> $ </default_temp_dir>
2513 The \texttt{xml} tags \texttt{bbs\_path} and \texttt{package\_path}
2514 allow to set additionnal directories in which to search
2515 for \bbs files and packages dynamic libraries.
2517 For example, if you add the line :
2519 <bbs_path> /home/guigues/bbs </bbs_path>
2522 Then the interpreter will search for \bbs in the folder \texttt{/home/guigues/bbs},
2523 which allows a command like \texttt{'include bbMyBox.bbs'} to work if
2524 the folder \texttt{/home/guigues/bbs} contains the file \texttt{bbMyBox.bbs}.
2526 The same, the \texttt{xml} tag \texttt{<package\_path>} let you
2527 set additional path in which to find a package dynamic library,
2528 hence allowing to load additionnal packages with the \texttt{'load'} command.
2530 All \bbs and package paths are summmarized in the
2531 information output when pressing 'Config' in \bbStudio.
2532 You can see that two \bbs paths are always set :
2534 \item The current directory (\texttt{.})
2535 \item The \bbs folder of \bbtk
2537 Also, two package paths are always set :
2539 \item The current directory (\texttt{.})
2540 \item The libraries folder of \bbtk
2543 Additional paths set in your \texttt{bbtk\_config.xml} are added after those standard paths.
2544 Note that the order displayed is the one in which the folders are searched when
2545 \texttt{include} or \texttt{load} commands are issued.
2548 %%==============================================================================================
2553 %For some strange reasons (?!?), at \texttt{cmake} time,
2554 %you may be warned that an error occured while documentation generation.\\
2555 %Take it easy, \texttt{make} again!\\
2557 \item{\bbStudio} is written using the Advanced User Interface library of wxWidgets.
2558 If, after some hazardous floating/docking operations onto the frame, you feel
2559 very unhappy with the result, just remove from the hidden directory
2560 \texttt{.bbtk} the file named \texttt{bbStudio.aui}. \\