% ==========================================
\documentclass[11pt,final,a4paper]{article}
\input{config.tex}
-
-
-\def\todo{\scriptsize\fbox{\bf TODO !!}\normalsize}
-\def\x{\bm{x}}
-\def\BBTK{{\xspace}The {\bf Black Box Toolkit} }
-\def\bbtk{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbtk}$ }
-\def\bbi{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbi}$ }
-\def\bbStudio{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbStudio}$ }
-\def\bbfy{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbfy}$ }
-\def\bbdoc{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbdoc}$ }
-\def\bbCreatePackage{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbCreatePackage}$ }
-
-\def\bb{{\xspace}$\texttt{bb}$ }
-%\def\bbp{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbp}$\xspace}
-
-\def\cmake{{\xspace}$\texttt{cmake}$ }
-
-\def\C{{\xspace}$\texttt{C}$ }
-\def\CPP{{\xspace}$\texttt{C++}$ }
-
-\def\xml{{\xspace}$\texttt{xml}$ }
-
-\def\itk{{\xspace}$\texttt{itk}$ }
-\def\vtk{{\xspace}$\texttt{vtk}$ }
-\def\gdcm{{\xspace}$\texttt{gdcm}$ }
-\def\gsmis{{\xspace}$\texttt{gsmis}$ }
-\def\wx{{\xspace}$\texttt{wxWidgets}$ }
-
-\def\lin{{\xspace}\textit{Linux} }
-\def\win{{\xspace}\textit{Windows} }
-
-% the same macros with no space at the end
-
-\def\BBTKns{{\xspace}The {\bf Black Box Toolkit}}
-\def\bbtkns{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbtk}$}
-\def\bbins{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbi}$}
-\def\bbfyns{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbfy}$}
-\def\bbdocns{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbdoc}$}
-\def\bbCreatePackagens{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbCreatePackage}$}
-
-\def\bbns{{\xspace}$\texttt{bb}$}
-%\def\bbp{{\xspace}$\texttt{bbp}$\xspace}
-
-\def\cmakens{{\xspace}$\texttt{cmake}$}
-
-\def\Cns{{\xspace}$\texttt{C}$}
-\def\CPPns{{\xspace}$\texttt{C++}$}
-
-\def\xmlns{{\xspace}$\texttt{xml}$}
-
-\def\itkns{{\xspace}$\texttt{itk}$}
-\def\vtkns{{\xspace}$\texttt{vtk}$}
-\def\gdcmns{{\xspace}$\texttt{gdcm}$}
-\def\gsmisns{{\xspace}$\texttt{gsmis}$}
-\def\wxns{{\xspace}$\texttt{wxWidgets}$}
-
-\def\linns{{\xspace}\textit{Linux}}
-\def\winns{{\xspace}\textit{Windows}}
-
-
-
-
\begin{document}
-\begin{center}
-
-{\Large \BBTK}
-\vspace{1cm}
-
-{\Huge User's Guide}
-\vspace{1cm}
-
-\bbtk version 1.0
-\vspace{0.5cm}
-
-
-Last modified on : September 16, 2008 \\
-Generated on : \today
-\vspace{0.5cm}
-
-Laurent Guigues, Jean-Pierre Roux
-\end{center}
-
-% ==========================================
-\tableofcontents
+\bbtkGuide[User's Guide]
% ==========================================
-\listoftables
-
-\listoffigures
-
-
-% ==========================================
-%\section*{Abstract}
% ==========================================
\newpage
-% ==========================================
\hrule
-\section{What is {\bf bbtk} ?}
+\section{Introduction}
+Note: pdf version of this User's Guide can be retrieved from the following URL:\\
+\url{http://www.creatis.insa-lyon.fr/creatools/documentation}
+% ==========================================
+\subsection{What is bbtk?}
% ==========================================
-\BBTK(\bbtkns) is a set of tools
-(\CPP libraries and executables)
-providing a \CPP framework for the definition
-of elementary processing \emph{units}, called {\bf black boxes},
-and the definition and execution of processing \emph{chains}
+\BBTK(\bbtkns) is a set of tools (\CPP libraries and executables)
+providing a \CPP framework for the definition of elementary processing \emph{units}, called {\bf black boxes}, and the definition and execution of processing \emph{chains}
made up of these black boxes. \\
-It's a part of the \texttt{Creatools suite} composed mainly of :
-\begin{verbatim}
- bbtk
- creaContours
- creaImageIO
- creaLib
- gdcm
-\end{verbatim}
-which depend on the OpenSource libraries:
-\begin{verbatim}
- itk
- vtk
- wxWidgets
-\end{verbatim}
+
+%It's a part of the \texttt{Creatools suite} composed mainly of :
+%\begin{verbatim}
+% bbtk
+% creaContours
+% creaImageIO
+% creaLib
+
+%\end{verbatim}
+%which depend on the OpenSource libraries:
+%\begin{verbatim}
+% gdcm
+% itk
+% vtk
+% wxWidgets
+%\end{verbatim}
% ==========================================
-\subsection{The black box philosophy}
+\subsubsection{The black box philosophy}
% ==========================================
\href{http://www.answers.com/topic/black-box-theater}{The Answers Dictionary} defines a {\bf black box} as
\emph{``any component in a system in which only the input and output
characteristics are of interest, without regard to its internal mechanism
or structure''}. \\
-We should merge theese definitions. :
+We should merge these definitions:
not only the inputs and outputs are of interest but also
-\emph{what the box does} !
-Hence, I would say that a black box is any \emph{\bf documented}
+\emph{what the box does!}
+Hence, we would say that a black box is any \emph{\bf documented}
component of a system, letting the user know
\emph{\bf what} the box is supposed to do and
\emph{\bf how to use it}
\item{\bf symbolic} means that a particular
input or output is referenced by a 'name', that is by a symbol
which identifies the input or output.
-It also means that symbolic information (text!) is
+It also means that symbolic information (text) is
attached to a box: description of the box, author,
description of its inputs and outputs, etc.
\end{itemize}
We let you think about this\dots)
Of course, symbolic data attached to a box may be
-{\bf queried} : what are the inputs/outputs of the box ?
-what are their type ? their description ? etc.
+{\bf queried}: what are the inputs/outputs of the box?
+what are their type? their description? etc.
This allows {\bf automatic documentation} of boxes.
The abstract definition of black boxes is the most basic
aspect of \BBTK architecture.
-Another key aspect is the groupement of black boxes into
+Another key aspect is the grouping of black boxes into
so called {\bf packages},
-which are \emph{dynamic libraries} which can also
+which are \emph{dynamic libraries} that can also
be queried, in particular about the boxes they provide.
-The package structure then offers a mechanism which
-is like a \emph{'plug-in'} mechanism.
+The package structure then offers a mechanism similar to \emph{'plug-in'} mechanism.
\BBTK provides the methods to load a package at run-time,
and create instances of the boxes it contains.
These two mechanisms (black boxes and packages)
-then gives the way to:
+then give the way to:
\begin{itemize}
\item The definition of an {\bf interpreted script language},
which allows to manipulate packages and boxes very easily in symbolic way.
-\BBTK provides one : \bbi (the Black Box Interpreter).
+\BBTK provides one: \bbs (the Black Box Script language) and its interpreter
+\bbi (the Black Box Interpreter).
\item {\bf Automatic documentation} of existing packages.
\texttt{html} documentation of packages is proposed by
\bbStudions.
\end{itemize}
-Finally, these different components allow {\bf efficient} :
+Finally, these different components allow {\bf efficient}:
\begin{itemize}
\item {\bf capitalization and reuse} of existing processing units,
including {\bf documentation}
\item {\bf testing, prototyping} in a very simple script language
-\item {\bf inter-operability} between atomic processings which
+\item {\bf inter-operability} between atomic processings that
have been written by different persons, using different libraries, etc.
\end{itemize}
+
+% ==========================================
+\hrule
+\paragraph{Summary}
+%\hrule
+A \texttt{black box}:
+\begin{itemize}
+ \item has a name (this is actually a type name),
+ \item has a description and an author,
+ \item belongs to categories (keywords that allow to index it
+into automated documentation, and that are specified in the box definition),
+ \item has inputs and outputs that in turn have their:
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item names,
+ \item types (any C++ type),
+ \item descriptions,
+ \end{itemize}
+ \item does something and can be executed, i.e. outputs are updated according to inputs.
+\end{itemize}
+A \texttt{package}:
+\begin{itemize}
+ \item is a ``plug-in'' in the \bbtk framework,
+ \item has a name
+ \item has a description and an author.
+ \item contains:
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item a dynamic library (dll/so/dylib) that contains compiled
+black boxes (e.g.: dynamic library name of the package `std' is `bbstd.dll', `libbbstd.so' or `libbbstd.dylib' depending on the platform),
+ \item bbs scripts: script-defined boxes, examples, applications,
+ \item data: test data, resources.
+ \end{itemize}
+ \item is automatically documented.
+\end{itemize}
+\hrule
+% ==========================================
+
% ==========================================
-\subsection{\bbtk components}
+\subsubsection{{\bbtk} components}
% ==========================================
-\BBTK includes :
+\BBTK includes:
\begin{itemize}
\item A \CPP {\bf\emph{library}} - called \bbtk - which defines a framework
(abstract classes) to develop black boxes and store them into
dynamic libraries, called black box \emph{packages}.
- \item Different {\bf\emph{black box packages}} :
+ \item Different {\bf\emph{"core" black box packages}}:
\begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{std}} : the 'standard' package including basic useful boxes.
- \item {\bf\emph{wx}} : basic graphical interface elements (widgets : sliders, buttons, etc. based on the \texttt{wxWidgets} library).
- \item {\bf\emph{itk}} : the basic image processing package, based on the \itk library.
- \item {\bf\emph{vtk}} : the basic images and surfaces processing and vizualization package, based on the \vtk library.
- \item {\bf\emph{wxvtk}} : widget boxes based on the \vtk library (2D and 3D vizualization and
+ \item {\bf\emph{std}}: the 'standard' package including basic useful boxes.
+ \item {\bf\emph{wx}}: basic graphical interface elements (widgets: sliders, buttons, etc. based on the \texttt{wxWidgets} library).
+ \item {\bf\emph{itk}}: the basic image processing package, based on the \itk library.
+ \item {\bf\emph{vtk}}: the basic images and surfaces processing and visualization package, based on the \vtk library.
+ \item {\bf\emph{wxvtk}}: widget boxes based on the \vtk library (2D and 3D visualization and
interaction).
- %\item {\bf\emph{creaImageIO}} : Provides hight level widgets to read images, including DICOM.
- \item {\bf\emph{toolsbbtk}} : Tools for bbtk administration and package development..
+ %\item {\bf\emph{creaImageIO}}: Provides hight level widgets to read images, including DICOM.
+ \item {\bf\emph{itkvtk}}: adaptors permitting to connect \itk boxes to \vtk boxes and conversely.
+ \item {\bf\emph{kw}}: widgets based on \texttt{KWWidgets} library (medical-image oriented:
+slicer, transfer function editors, etc.).
+ \item {\bf\emph{demo}}: some black-box based demos.
+ \item {\bf\emph{appli}}: some black-box based standalone applications.
+ \item {\bf\emph{toolsbbtk}}: tools for bbtk administration and package development.
\end{itemize}
- \item A {\bf\emph{Developement environment}}, called \bbStudio, which provides
+ \item A {\bf\emph{development environment}}, called \bbStudio, which provides:
\begin{itemize}
- \item An online {\bf\emph{script editor and interpretor}}
- \item A powerfull html {\bf\emph{Help environment}},whith integrated :
+ \item An online {\bf\emph{script editor and interpreter}}
+ \item A powerful html {\bf\emph{help environment}}, integrating:
\begin{itemize}
- \item Online documentation scaning
- \item Retreiving boxes on various criterions
- \item Checking Demo and examples
+ \item Online documentation scanning
+ \item Retrieving boxes on various criteria
+ \item Checking demos and examples
\end{itemize}
\end{itemize}
- \item An standalone {\bf\emph{interpreter}}, called \bbins, which allows to
- load black box packages and to define and execute
- processing chains by connecting various black boxes.
- \item {\bf\emph{Various Development Utilities}} :
+ \item A standalone {\bf\emph{interpreter}}, called \bbins, which allows to
+ execute \bbs scripts.
+ \item {\bf\emph{Various development utilities}}:
\begin{itemize}
\item \bbfy generates the \CPP code of a black box from a
description file written in \texttt{xml}.
%author, description, inputs, outputs, and so on).
\item \bbCreatePackage allows to create the basic file architecture
to start the development of a new black box package.
+ \item \bbCreateBlackBox allows to create the basic file architecture
+ to start the development of a new black box, that will be included in an already existing package.
\item \texttt{bbs2cpp} translates a \texttt{.bbs} script into a \CPP file.
- \item \texttt{bbc} that
+ \item \bbc (sorry: Linux only, for the moment) that compiles \texttt{.bbs} scripts into executables.
+ \item \bbRegeneratePackageDoc which creates the html documentation of the Package.
+ \item \bbRegenerateBoxesLists which creates the html pages of the various lists of all the currenly installed boxes.
+ \item \bbPlugPackage which automatically incorporates a new package.
\end{itemize}
- \item A full {\bf\emph{documentation}} printable (pdf), browsable (html), queryable thru keywords.
+ \item A full {\bf\emph{documentation}} that can be printed (pdf), browsed (html) and
+ queried through keywords.
\end{itemize}
+
The general architecture of \BBTK
is shown in figure \ref{bb-architecture}.
\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{bb-architecture}\BBTK architecture}
+\caption{\BBTK architecture}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.6\textwidth]{bb-architecture.png}
\end{center}
+\label{bb-architecture}
\end{figure}
-\newpage
+%%\newpage
% ==========================================
-\section{Getting started with bbStudio}
+\subsection{Content of this guide}
% ==========================================
+Read this \texttt{Users' Guide} if you want to learn how to use
+\bbtk development environnement \bbStudio and how to write black box scripts.\\
+If your aim is to write your own Packages and Black Boxes, you have to read the
+\texttt{Package Developper's Guide}.
+
% ==========================================
+\newpage
+\hrule
+\section{Getting started with bbStudio}
+\label{bbStudio}
% ==========================================
-% ==========================================
-% ==========================================
-% ==========================================
-% ==========================================
+
% ==========================================
\subsection{The interface}
Just run it, typing in a console \bbStudio
or clicking on its icon or its menu entry.
-At start, \bbStudio opens with a very minimal 'How to use' in the middle. \\
-Don't forget to read it : it will vanish at the first mouse click. \\
-\begin{verbatim}
-1) Click on the 'Demo' or 'Examples' link.
-2) Select a Demo or an Example
-3) Click on the [Source] link : the source file is loaded in bbStudio
-4) Click on the 'Run button' (the down arrow at the bottom right
- of the source file).
-\end{verbatim}
-
You'll get something like in figure
-\ref{bbi-fig-bbStudio-gui-start}
-(the exact appearance of \bbStudio is Operating System and \bbtk version dependent)
-
-\newpage
-
-
-\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{bbi-fig-bbStudio-gui-start}The bbStudio Development environment interface at start time}
-\begin{center}
-\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{bbStudioMainPageStart.png}
-\end{center}
-\end{figure}
+\ref{bbi-fig-bbStudio-gui}
+(the exact appearance of \bbStudio is Operating System and \bbtk version dependent).
+%At start, \bbStudio opens with a very minimal 'How to use' in the middle.
+%Don't forget to read it: it will vanish at the first mouse click.
-Feel free to resize any part you want.
-Your preferences will be kept next time you run again \bbStudio. \\
-Let's have a look at the resized window :
+%\begin{figure}[!ht]
+%\caption{The bbStudio Development environment interface at start time}
+%\begin{center}
+%\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{bbStudioMainPageStart.png}
+%\end{center}
+%\label{bbi-fig-bbStudio-gui-start}
+%\end{figure}
+%Let's have a look at the resized window :
\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{bbi-fig-bbStudio-gui}The bbStudio Development environment interface}
+\caption{The bbStudio Development environment interface}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{bbStudioMainPage.png}
\end{center}
+\label{bbi-fig-bbStudio-gui}
\end{figure}
-You can see four parts : \texttt{Files}, \texttt{Messages},
- \texttt{Command}, \texttt{Help}.\\
-
-The stuff is written using the Advanced User Interface library of wxWidgets,
+The interface is divided into four parts: \texttt{Files}, \texttt{Messages},
+ \texttt{Command}, \texttt{Help}.
+It is written using the Advanced User Interface library of wxWidgets
+(a.k.a. AUI),
whose 'docking manager' allows windows and toolbars to be floated/docked
-onto a frame.\\
-Please don't use this feature at learning time (the snapshots of this document
- wouldn't match with your screen ...)
+onto a frame.
+Feel free to resize/reposition any part you want.
+Your preferences will be kept next time you run again \bbStudions.
+
+%Please don't use this feature at learning time
+%(the snapshots of this document wouldn't match with your screen ...)
\subsubsection{'Files' part}
\label{bbi-FilesPart}
-It's the .bbs script editor.\\
-If you load a file holding a script, it will be displayed here, and you'll be
-able to modify it, to save it, to save-as it, to run it, using the
-lower toolbar (see figure : \ref{lowertoolbar})
+It is the \bbs script editor (see section \ref{Scripting} to learn about scripting).
+
+If you load a file holding a script, it will be displayed in this area, and you will be
+able to modify it, to save it, to save-as it and to run it, using the respective
+lower-toolbar buttons (see figure \ref{lowertoolbar}).
\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{lowertoolbar}The lower tool bar}
+\caption{The 'Files' lower toolbar}
\begin{center}
-\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{lowertoolbar.png}
+\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{lowertoolbar2.png}
\end{center}
+\label{lowertoolbar}
\end{figure}
- \begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{New file}} : Create a new file to hold a script
- \item {\bf\emph{Open file}} : Open an already existing file holding a script
- \item {\bf\emph{Close file}} : Close a file holding a script
- \item {\bf\emph{Save file}} : Save he current file (if modified)
- \item {\bf\emph{Save file as}} : Save he current file under a different name
- \item {\bf\emph{Run file}} : Execute the script you just loaded/modified/written
- \item {\bf\emph{cursor position}} : column number : line number
- \end{itemize}
+% \begin{itemize}
+% \item {\bf\emph{New file}}: Create a new file to hold a script
+% \item {\bf\emph{Open file}}: Open an already existing file holding a script
+% \item {\bf\emph{Close file}}: Close a file holding a script
+% \item {\bf\emph{Save file}}: Save he current file (if modified)
+% \item {\bf\emph{Save file as}}: Save he current file under a different name
+% \item {\bf\emph{Run file}}: Execute the script you just loaded/modified/written
+% \item {\bf\emph{cursor position}}: column number : line number
+% \end{itemize}
\subsubsection{'Messages' part}
\label{bbi-MessagesPart}
Two kinds of messages will be output here:\\
-System messages : produced by the kernel, in case of a user mistyping, or an execution error\\
-Script messages : produced by the \bbtk equivalent of \texttt{printf}
-or \texttt{std::cout} in user programs
+\begin{itemize}
+\item {\bf\emph{System messages:}} produced by the kernel, in case of a user mistyping, or an execution error.\\
+\item {\bf\emph{Script messages:}} produced by the \bbtk equivalent of \texttt{printf}
+or \texttt{std::cout} in user programs.
+\end{itemize}
+
\subsubsection{'Command' part}
\label{bbi-CommandPart}
-This is where user will type his requirements.
+You can type here \bbs commands which are executed on the fly.
+The buttons are shortcuts to the most frequently used commands.
+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.
-\subsubsection{'Help Contents' part}
+\subsubsection{'Help' part}
\label{bbi-HelpContentsPart}
-The 'Help Contents' part of \bbStudio is used to browse the html help of \BBTK.
-All the entries of the starting page are self-explanatory :
- \begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{Help Contents}}
- \begin{itemize}
- %\item {\bf\emph{Wiki}} : Direct link to the bbtk Wiki (intranet only, right now, www
- %later).
- \item {\bf\emph{Demo}} : Link to some 'sophisticated' demonstrations.
- \item {\bf\emph{Examples}} : Link to some detailed 'How to use' examples
- \end{itemize}
-
- \item {\bf\emph{Guides}}
- \begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{User's Guide}} : Step to step How-to for user who wants to create his own
- application, just using already existing boxes.
- \item {\bf\emph{Package Developper's Guide}} : Step to step How-to for user who wants to create his own
- black boxes.
- \item {\bf\emph{Developper's Guide}} : For bbtk kernel developpers. Sorry, not yet written.
- \item {\bf\emph{Reference Manual}} : Sorry, not yet written.
- \item {\bf\emph{Booklet}} : Vade mecum. Sorry, not yet written.
- \item {\bf\emph{Doxygen Documentation}} : Doxygen source browser.
- \end{itemize}
-
- \item {\bf\emph{Boxes}} : Box retrieving on various criterions :
- \begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{ \texttt{By name}}} (Alphabetical list),
- \item {\bf\emph{ \texttt{{By package}}},
- \item {\bf\emph{ \texttt{{By category}}}.
- \end{itemize}
-
- A special hidden Box category, called \texttt{{Adaptors}} exists. \\
- They are used internaly to perform type conversions. Thought there are not end user intended, an aware user may query them.
-
-
- \end{itemize}
+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}).
% ==========================================
+% ==============================================
+\subsection{Online Help}
+% ==============================================
+
+Various levels of help are supplied by \bbStudions.
% ==========================================
+\subsubsection{Command-line help}
+% ==========================================
-\newpage
-% ==============================================
-\subsection{Running Demo and Examples}
-% ==============================================
+The 'working' area (the left one, as opposed to the (\texttt{Help}) area, on the right side) is composed of:
+one single line area (\texttt{Command}), at the bottom, in which you can enter your commands, and
+a multiple line zone (\texttt{Messages}) in which the command interpreter prints out the result of your commands.
+%The upper part contains the script editor; we shall not use it right now, you may reduce it.
+Command-line help for the black box scripting language \bbs (see section \ref{Scripting}) can be obtained in this zone. \par
+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
+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
+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 defined in binary files (dynamic libraries). 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
+
+It is important to note that the black boxes are implemented and have to be used according to the {\bf\emph{object-oriented}} programming principles. This means that you have to make difference between a black box {\bf\emph{type}} and an {\bf\emph{instance}} of the given black box type. The former defines a ``pattern'' (a mold), according to which are formed the actual objects. If you query for help on a black box type, you learn about its purpose, its author, the boxes it contains (if it is a complex black box) and the types of its inputs/outputs. The user-defined black box types belong to the package \texttt{user} and can be listed by use of the command \texttt{help user}. If you query for help on a black box instance, you learn about the values and the state of its inputs/outputs. The currently existing black box instances belong to the complex black box \texttt{workspace} and can be listed by use of the command \texttt{help workspace}.
+
+% ==========================================
+\subsubsection{Guides}
+\label{sec:guides}
+% ==========================================
+
+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:\\
+\url{http://www.creatis.insa-lyon.fr/creatools/documentation}
+
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item {\bf\emph{User's Guide}}: This guide!
+ \item {\bf\emph{Package Developer's Guide}}: Step-by-step "How-to" for programmers who want to create their own
+ black boxes/packages.
+ % \item {\bf\emph{Developper's Guide}}: For bbtk kernel developpers only. (This one is probably not very much
+ % up-to-date, since we spend more time in developping than writing documentation that's not of user concern).
+ % \item {\bf\emph{Reference Manual}}: Contains a exaustive description of all the features for all the commands.
+ %\item {\bf\emph{Booklet}}: Vade mecum.
+ \item {\bf\emph{Doxygen Documentation}}: Doxygen source browser.\\ Automatically generated from source files. Should only concern the kernel developers.
+ \end{itemize}
+
+
+
+
+% ==========================================
+\subsubsection{Boxes Help}
+\label{sec:boxes_help}
+% ==========================================
+ Lists of currently available boxes from installed packages, sorted according to the following criteria:
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item {\bf\emph{Alphabetical list}}%: This is the 'zero-level' of retrieving.
+ \item {\bf\emph{List by package}}%: The boxes are indexed by package they belong to
+ \item {\bf\emph{List by category}}:
+ Each box is indexed by a list of keywords, called 'categories', such as '\texttt{read/write}',
+ '\texttt{filter}', '\texttt{viewer}', ...
+ A given box may belong to more than one \texttt{category}, however some categories are mutually exclusive.
+ Standard categories are:
+ \begin {itemize}
+ \item\texttt{atomic box}/\texttt{complex box}\\
+ Any box is either atomic or complex.\\
+ The former are 'atomic' units written in C++ and available in binary form.\\
+ 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.
+ \item\texttt{example} / \texttt{demo} / \texttt{application} (see \ref{sec:demos_examples})\\
+ These ones are scripts that produce a result when executed (i.e. they
+ execute a pipeline), as opposed to the scripts that only define complex boxes but do not instanciate and execute boxes.
+ \begin {itemize}
+ \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.
+ \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.
+ \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)
+ \end {itemize}
+ \item\texttt{widget}: A piece of graphical interface (based on \texttt{wxWidgets}).
+ \item\texttt{dicom}: A box related to medical images in Dicom format.
+ \item\texttt{viewer}: A box allowing to view something (e.g. an image).
+ \item\texttt{read/write}: An I/O-related box.
+ \item\texttt{mesh}: A mesh-related box.
+ \item\texttt{filter}: A filter, mainly image filters.
+ \item\texttt{image}: An image-related box.
+ \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).
+ \item\texttt{math}: Maths of course.
+ \item\texttt{misc}: Miscellaneous...
+ \end {itemize}
+ 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.
+ \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.
+ \end {itemize}
+ For each box, 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. Note that for a given box only the inputs/outputs listed in white cells are of actual interest. The remaining ones, grouped after them in colored cells, are standard (have the same names and purpose) in all atomic boxes. 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.
+
+% ==========================================
+\subsubsection{The Package Browser}
+\label{Package_Browser}
+% ==========================================
-Run \bbStudio the way you need. \\
-In the part 'Help contents' (See figure \ref{HelpContents}), select \texttt{Examples} link.
+The package browser is a standalone application \texttt{bbPackageBrowser}, which
+dynamically loads and queries the available packages.
+It is thus a smarter tool than the static html documentation.
+You can run it independently or from \bbStudio using either the button labeled \texttt{Start Package Browser} of the 'Command' part or the corresponding entry in the menu 'Windows'.
+Note that it may take some time to start because it loads all available
+packages at start.
+Its appearance is reproduced in figure \ref{imPackage_Browser}.
\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{HelpContents}Help Contents}
+\caption{The Package Browser}
\begin{center}
-\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{HelpContents.png}
+\includegraphics[width=0.6\textwidth]{Package_Browser.png}
\end{center}
+\label{imPackage_Browser}
\end{figure}
-\newpage
+It allows you to find boxes by use of a multi-criteria filtering principle:
+the boxes listed are the ones the attributes of which match \emph{all} the
+words entered in the 'Filter' part.
+You can get the whole description of a given box by clicking on its name.
+\\
+Warnings:
+
+\begin{itemize}
+\item It is case sensitive, i.e '\texttt{Button}'
+will give different results than '\texttt{button}'.
+\item After typing a filtering string, you have to validate it by pressing the 'Enter' key, in order to update the display of the boxes list.
+\item A filtering string only needs to match a subpart of the related attribute of a box.
+For example, entering 'utt' in the 'Name' attribute will match a box called 'Button'.
+\end{itemize}
+
+Attributes:
+
+\begin {itemize}
+\item \texttt{Package}: The name of the package to which the box belongs (e.g. \texttt{wxvtk}, \texttt{std}).
+\item \texttt{Name}: The name of a box or an application (e.g. \texttt{Reader}, \texttt{example}).
+\item \texttt{Description}: A part of the description of a box (e.g. \texttt{3D}, \texttt{image}).
+\item \texttt{Category}: The categories of the box (e.g. \texttt{demo}).
+\item \texttt{Input/Output Type}: The \CPP type of an input or output (e.g. \texttt{vtkImageData*}, \texttt{std::string}).
+\item \texttt{Input/Output Nature}: The \texttt{nature} of an input or output (e.g. \texttt{file name}, \texttt{signal}).
+\end {itemize}
+
+%If 'Show widgets' is selected then
+
-You will be asked to select a Box category (See figure \ref{BoxCategories}); \\
-Select \texttt{example}.
+%%\newpage
+
+% ==========================================
+
+%\newpage
+
+% ==============================================
+\subsection{Running Demos and Examples}
+\label{sec:demos_examples}
+% ==============================================
+
+As previously mentioned, the links \texttt{Demos} and \texttt{Examples} in the 'Help' part (See figure \ref{HelpContents}), give access to special complex boxes from the respective categories. Here, we use an example, both to illustrate the use of this help and to explain a short \bbs script.\\
+
\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{BoxCategories}Box Categories}
+\caption{\bbStudio 'Help' panel}
\begin{center}
-\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{BoxCategories.png}
+\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{HelpContents.png}
\end{center}
-\end{figure}
+\label{HelpContents}
+\end{figure}
+
+%\newpage
+Select \texttt{Examples} link. You will get a list of examples (See figure \ref{example}).
+
+Note: due to an unfixed bug in Linux, you have to click on 'reload' to get it. \\
-You will be asked to choose a script (See figure \ref{example}).
\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{example}example list}
+\caption{Examples list}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{example.png}
\end{center}
+\label{example}
\end{figure}
+%\begin{figure}[!ht]
+%\caption{\label{BoxCategories}Box Categories}
+%\begin{center}
+%\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{BoxCategories.png}
+%\end{center}
+%\end{figure}
+
-Select \texttt{wx::exampleSlider} (See figure \ref{exampleSlider});
+Select \texttt{wx::exampleSlider}.
\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{exampleSlider}example 'exampleSlider'}
+\caption{Html documentation of example 'exampleSlider'}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{exampleSlider.png}
\end{center}
+\label{exampleSlider}
\end{figure}
-You can see the graphical summary representation of the current script (the elementary boxes that compose it, and their
-connections) \\
-Click on \texttt{source}, and you'll be able to see the (very simple) script,
+You can see information about the example and
+the graphical representation of the workflow defined by the script
+(the elementary boxes that compose it, and their connections, see figure \ref{exampleSlider}).
+
+Click on \texttt{[source]}, it will be loaded
in the 'Files' part, within the script editor (See figure \ref{exampleSliderSource});
\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{exampleSliderSource}source code of 'exampleSlider'}
+\caption{Source code of 'exampleSlider'}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{exampleSliderSource.png}
\end{center}
+\label{exampleSliderSource}
\end{figure}
-Run it, using the lower toolbar (see figure : \ref{lowertoolbar})
+Run it, using the 'Files' toolbar (see figure \ref{lowertoolbar})
You'll get something like in figure \ref{execSliderSource}.
\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{execSliderSource}execution of 'exampleSlider'}
+\caption{\label{execSliderSource}Execution of 'exampleSlider'}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{execSliderSource.png}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
-Feel free to move the slider, to check it actually works...
+Feel free to move the slider, to check whether it actually works...
-\newpage
+%\newpage
-Just a few words on what you saw :
+Just a few words on what you saw:
\begin{itemize}
-\item{in the File part} \\
-The source code of the script
-\begin{verbatim}
+\item{In the source code of the script}:
+ \begin{verbatim}
+ load std
+ load wx
+ \end{verbatim}
+ These \bbs commands load the packages \texttt{std} and \texttt{wx}
+ \begin{verbatim}
new Slider slider
- set slider.ReactiveOnTrack 1
-\end{verbatim}
-We create a \texttt{Slider} called \emph{slider}\\
-We tell it to inform anybody that's interested in, that the cursor moved, each time it moved. \\
-The standard behaviour is to inform, only when cursor is released.
-\begin{verbatim}
+ set slider.ReactiveOnTrack 1
+ \end{verbatim}
+ We create a \texttt{Slider} box called \emph{slider}.
+
+ We tell it to inform anybody that's interested in, that the cursor moved, each time it moved.
+ The default behaviour is to inform only when cursor is released.
+ \begin{verbatim}
new OutputText text
-\end{verbatim}
-We create a \texttt{OutputText} called \emph{text}
-(in which slider value will be displayed)
+ \end{verbatim}
+ We create an \texttt{OutputText} box called \emph{text}
+ (in which slider value will be displayed)
+
+ \begin{verbatim}
+ new LayoutLine layout
+ \end{verbatim}
+ We create a \texttt{LayoutLine} box called \emph{layout},
+ a widget box designed to embed other widgets (say, a main window)
+ \begin{verbatim}
+ connect slider.Widget layout.Widget1
+ connect text.Widget layout.Widget2
+ \end{verbatim}
+ We embed \emph{slider} and \emph{text} into \emph{layout}.
+ \begin{verbatim}
+ connect slider.BoxChange text.BoxExecute
+ connect slider.Out text.In
+ \end{verbatim}
+ We tell \emph{slider} to inform \emph{text} every time it's modified.
+
+ We tell \emph{slider} to pass its output value (\texttt{Out})
+ to \emph{text} input value (\texttt{In})
+ \begin{verbatim}
+ exec layout
+ \end{verbatim}
+ We tell \emph{layout} to process itself.
+ This also produces the execution of the boxes connected to it (the slider, the text).
+
+\item{In the Help part}
+
+ You can see the graphical representation of the workflow (pipeline) created by the script,
+ as in figure \ref{SmallGraph}.
+
+
+ \begin{figure}[!ht]
+ \caption{Graphical representation of a pipeline}
+ \begin{center}
+ \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{SmallGraph.png}
+ \end{center}
+ \label{SmallGraph}
+ \end{figure}
+
+ The representation includes
+ both the graphical interface-related pipeline
+ (\emph{slider} and \emph{text} are embedded into \emph{layout})
+ and the data processing-related pipeline
+ (\emph{slider} warns \emph{text} immediately when it's modified,
+ \emph{slider} passes \emph{text} its output value)\footnote{Yes, we know : all the arrows (graphical interface pipeline arrows and data processing arrows)
+ are blue; using different colors is planned for next release...}.
+
+ You can get a much more detailed graph,
+ like in figure \ref{LargeGraph},
+ just clicking on the button
+ '\texttt{graph (detailed)}' in the toolbar of the \texttt{Command} part.
-\begin{verbatim}
-new LayoutLine layout
-\end{verbatim}
-We create a \texttt{LayoutLine} called \emph{layout},
-a \emph{container} widget, designed to embed other wigets (say, a main window)
-\begin{verbatim}
-connect slider.Widget layout.Widget1
-connect text.Widget layout.Widget2
-\end{verbatim}
-We embed \emph{slider} and \emph{text} into \emph{layout}.
-\begin{verbatim}
-connect slider.BoxChange text.BoxExecute
-connect slider.Out text.In
-\end{verbatim}
-We tell \emph{slider} to inform \emph{text} every time it's modified.\\
-We tell \emph{slider} to pass its output value (\texttt{Out} to \emph{text} input value (\testtt{In})
-\begin{verbatim}
-exec layout
-\end{verbatim}
-We tell \emph{layout} to process itself (it will do it only if it's warned
-that one of its entries was modified since its (own) last processing.
+
+ \begin{figure}[!ht]
+ \caption{Detailed graphical representation of a pipeline}
+ \begin{center}
+ \includegraphics[width=0.75\textwidth]{LargeGraph.png}
+ \end{center}
+ \label{LargeGraph}
+ \end{figure}
-\item{in the Help part}
+\end{itemize}
+%\newpage
-You can see the graphical representation of the script, as in figure \ref{SmallGraph}.
+% ==============================================
+\subsection{The Menu}
+% ==============================================
+At last, let us have a look at \bbStudio menu (see figure \ref{themenu}).
\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{SmallGraph}Graphical representation of a script}
+\caption{The bbStudio menu}
\begin{center}
-\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{SmallGraph.png}
+\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{themenu.png}
\end{center}
+\label{themenu}
\end{figure}
-Both graphical pipe line (\emph{slider} and \emph{text} are embedded into \emph{layout})
- and processing pipe line (\emph{slider} warns \emph{text} immedialtely when it's modified, \emph{slider} passed \emph{text} its new value).\\
- Yes, we know : all the arrows (pipe line arrows and processing arrows) are blue; we are sorry about that...\\
-
- You could get a much more detailled graph, just clicking on the button \\ \texttt{graph (detailled)} in the toolbar of the \texttt{Command} part, like in
- figure \ref{LargeGraph}.
-
-\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{LargeGraph}Detailled graphical representation of a script}
-\begin{center}
-\includegraphics[width=0.75\textwidth]{LargeGraph.png}
-\end{center}
-\end{figure}
+\begin {itemize}
+ \item{\texttt{File}}
+ \begin {itemize}
+ \item{\texttt{Open the bbtk configuration file}}
+ \item{\texttt{Quit}}
+ \end {itemize}
+ \item{\texttt{Tools}}
+ \begin {itemize}
+ \item{\texttt{Create package}}:
+ Provides a graphical interface to help package developers to create a new empty package.
+ \item{\texttt{Create black box}}:
+ Provides a graphical interface to help package developers to create a new empty black box, and add it to an already existing package.
+ \item{\texttt{Plug Package}}:
+ Incorporates a package into the list of known packages. Updates the html documentation.
+ \item{\texttt{Regenerate package doc}}:
+ If a package has changed (e.g. new boxes) this updates the package html documentation.
+ \item{\texttt{Regenerate boxes list}}:
+ Updates the boxes lists (alphabetical, by package, ...)
+ \item{\texttt{Regenerate all}}:
+ Regenerates all the packages documentations and the boxes lists (may be long...).
+ \item{\texttt{Show last graph}}:
+ Shows the last pipeline graph that was generated
+ \end {itemize}
+ \item{\texttt{Options}}
+ \begin {itemize}
+ \item{\texttt{Reset before running}}: Before running a script, all the already created boxes are destroyed,
+ all the already loaded packages are unloaded (this is the recommended option).
+ \end {itemize}
+ \item{\texttt{Windows}}
+ User may decide, for any reason of his own, to hide one or more panels:
+ \begin {itemize}
+ \item{\texttt{Show 'Files' panel}}
+ \item{\texttt{Show 'Help' panel}}
+ \item{\texttt{Show 'Command' panel}}
+ \item{\texttt{Show 'Messages' panel}}
+ \item{\texttt{Start Package browser}}: starts the package browser (see \ref{Package_Browser}).
+ \end {itemize}
+ \item{\texttt{About}}
+ \begin {itemize}
+ \item{\texttt{About}}: Info about \texttt{bbStudio}.
+ \end {itemize}
+\end {itemize}
-\end{itemize}
-\newpage
-% ==============================================
-\subsection{Online Help}
-% ==============================================
-Various levels or help are suplied by \bbStudions.
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Command line help}
+% ==========================================
+% ==========================================
+% ==========================================
+\newpage
+\hrule
+\section{Writing black box scripts (\bbsns)}
+\label{Scripting}
+% ==========================================
+% ==========================================
% ==========================================
+This section introduces how to write down black box scripts (\bbsns)
+to create and execute pipelines.
-The 'working' area (the left one, as opposed to the 'help' area, on the right side) is composed of :
-one single line zone (Command), at the bottom in which you can enter your commands and
-a multiple line zone in which the Command interpreter prints out the result of your commands.
-The upper part contains the script editor; we shall not use it right now, you may reduce it
-
-Try typing in the \texttt{Command} area (in this manual,
-the commands entered by the user will be preceded by a prompt \textgreater) :
+% ==========================================
+\subsection{The commands}
+% ==========================================
+In the sequel the commands entered by the user will be preceded by a prompt (\texttt{>}).
+To get started, type in the \texttt{Command} area:
\begin{verbatim}
> help
\end{verbatim}
-you get the list of the commands of the interpreter :
+you get the following list of the commands recognized by the interpreter:
\begin{verbatim}
Available commands :
author
unload
\end{verbatim}
-To get help on a particular command type \texttt{help <command-name>},
-for example :
+To get the help on a particular command, type \texttt{help <command name>}, e.g.:
\begin{verbatim}
> help author
\end{verbatim}
-gives :
+gives:
\begin{verbatim}
usage : author <string>
- Adds the string <string> to the author information of the black box being defined
+ Adds the string <string> to the author information
+of the black box being defined
\end{verbatim}
The \texttt{help} command has multiple usages.
-It is used to get help about almost anything in the interpretor!
-Type \texttt{'help help'} to get help on the \texttt{help} command itself :
+It is used to get help about almost anything in the interpreter, including the \texttt{help} command itself! Indeed:
\begin{verbatim}
> help help
+\end{verbatim}
+
+gives:
+\begin{verbatim}
usage :
- (1) help
- (2) help <command name>
- (3) help packages [all]
-
(4) help <package name> [all]
- (5) help <black box type>
- (6) help <black box name>
+ (1) help
+ (2) help <command name>
+ (3) help packages [all]
+ (4) help <package name> [all]
+ (5) help <black box type>
+ (6) help <black box name>
Effect :
- (1) Lists all available commands;
- (2) Prints help on a particular command;
- (3) Lists the packages loaded and their black boxes.
- Add 'all' to list adaptors;
- (4) Prints short help on the black boxes of a package.
- Add 'all' to include adaptors;
- (5) Prints full help on a black box type;
- (6) Prints information on the inputs, outputs and connectionns
+ (1) Lists all available commands;
+ (2) Prints help on a particular command;
+ (3) Lists the packages loaded and their black boxes.
+ Add 'all' to list adaptors;
+ (4) Prints short help on the black boxes of a package.
+ Add 'all' to include adaptors;
+ (5) Prints full help on a black box type;
+ (6) Prints information on the inputs, outputs and connections
of a black box instance.
\end{verbatim}
-At start the interpretor does not know any black box.
+%More information about what is a 'box' will be given in the 'Scripting' part of this manual.
+
+
+% ==========================================
+\subsection{Creating and executing black box instances}
+% ==========================================
+
+At start the interpreter does not know any black box.
If you type \texttt{'help packages'}, which is
-the third form of the \texttt{help} command, you get :
+the third form of the \texttt{help} command, you get:
\begin{verbatim}
> help packages
user
workspace
\end{verbatim}
-which means that the interpretor only knows one package
+which means that the interpreter only knows one package
(library of black boxes) called \texttt{user}
and which contains a black box called \texttt{workspace}.
The \texttt{user} package is an internal package of the interpreter,
which stores user-defined black box types.
At start, it already contains
-one box, called \texttt{workspace}.
-\texttt{workspace} is a special type of black box,
-called complex black box, whose purpose is
+one box, called \texttt{workspace},
+which is a special type of black box,
+called complex black box, the purpose of which is
to store other black boxes.
-Any black box you create in \bbStudio is stored
+Any black box instance you create in \bbStudio is stored
in \texttt{workspace}
-(this will be explained in details in sections
-\ref{bbi-writing-scripts} and
-\ref{bbi-more-on-complex-black-boxes}).
+(see also section \ref{bbi-command-line-app}).
-If you type \texttt{'help workspace'}, you get :
+If you type \texttt{'help workspace'}, you get:
\begin{verbatim}
> help workspace
Complex Black Box <user::workspace>
User's workspace
By : bbtk
- Category(s) : complex box;
+ Category(s): complex box;
* No inputs
* No outputs
* No boxes
\end{verbatim}
In the text displayed,
-the \texttt{user::} prepended to the name \texttt{workspace}
+the \texttt{user::} prefixed to the name \texttt{workspace}
means that the box \texttt{workspace}
belongs to the \texttt{user} package.
Then comes a description and three lines which
In order to let the interpreter know of some black boxes,
you must load another package.
The \texttt{std} package is the ``standard'' package,
-which contains basic useful black boxes.
+which contains basic useful black box types.
-To load it, type :
+To load it, type:
\begin{verbatim}
> include std
\end{verbatim}
-Then if you type :
+Then if you type:
\begin{verbatim}
> help packages
\end{verbatim}
-you get something like :
+you get something like:
\begin{verbatim}
-
std
- ASCII : ascii codes sequence to string - string to ascii...
- Add : Adds its inputs
- ConcatStrings : String concatenation
- Configuration : Gets configuration informations
- Div : Divides its inputs
- ExecBbiCommand : Executes bbi commands
- ExecSystemCommand : Executes system (O.S.) commands
- GetVectorCharElement : Gets the i-th element from the input vector (std...
+ ASCII
+ Add
+ ConcatStrings
+ Configuration
+ Div
+ ExecBbiCommand
+ ExecSystemCommand
+ GetVectorCharElement
...
- MagicBox : Takes *any kind* of data and copies it to its ou...
- MakeFileName : Makes a kosher file name
- Mul : Multiplies its inputs
- MultipleInputs : This box has multiple Void inputs and one Void o...
- StringRelay : Just copies the value of its input to its output...
- StringSelect : Outputs the string set to the ith input Ini (In0...
+ MagicBox
+ MakeFileName
+ Mul
+ MultipleInputs
+ StringRelay
+ StringSelect
user
workspace
\end{verbatim}
-Now the interpreter knows the package \texttt{std} and the black boxes it provides,
-such as the \texttt{'Add'} box, the \texttt{'ConcatStrings'} box, and so on. Remark that the
+Now the interpreter knows the package \texttt{std} and the black box types it provides,
+such as the \texttt{Add} box, the \texttt{ConcatStrings} box, and so on. Remark that the
content of \texttt{std} may vary from one version to another
-as new black boxes might be added to it.
-If you type :
+as new black box types might be added to it. Note that you will get a more detailed information about the package loaded (here \texttt{std}) if you type:
+\begin{verbatim}
+> help std
+\end{verbatim}
+
+Indeed, each of the items listed is followed by its short description:
+\begin{verbatim}
+ Package std v1.0.0- laurent.guigues at creatis.insa-lyon.fr
+ Basic useful boxes
+ Black boxes :
+ ASCII : ascii codes sequence to string - ...
+ Add : Adds its inputs
+ ConcatStrings : String concatenation
+ Configuration : Gets configuration informations
+ ...
+\end{verbatim}
+Additionally, in the right part of the screen ('Help' zone) the corresponding html page is displayed.
+
+Now, if you type:
\begin{verbatim}
> help Add
\end{verbatim}
-You'll get a text help, in the 'Message' part :
+\bbStudio displays the appropriate html page in the 'Help' part (see figure : \ref{HelpAdd}), and the following text in the 'Message' part:
\begin{verbatim}
-Black Box <std::Add>S
- Adds its inputs
- By : laurent.guigues@creatis.insa-lyon.fr
- Categories : atomic box;math;
- * Inputs :
- 'BoxExecute' <bbtk::Void> [signal] : Any signal received by this input
+Black Box <std::Add>
+ Adds its inputs
+ By : laurent.guigues@creatis.insa-lyon.fr
+ Categories : atomic box;math;
+ * Inputs :
+ 'BoxExecute' <bbtk::Void> [signal] : Any signal received...
executes the box
- 'BoxProcessMode' <String> [] : Sets the processing mode of the box
- (Pipeline | Always | Reactive)
- 'In1' <Double> [] : First number to add
- 'In2' <Double> [] : Second number to add
- * Outputs :
- 'BoxChange' <bbtk::VoidS> [signal] : Signals modifications of the box
- 'Out' <Double> [] : Result
+ 'BoxProcessMode' <String> [] : Sets the processing mode...
+ (Pipeline | Always |...
+ 'In1' <Double> [] : First number to add
+ 'In2' <Double> [] : Second number to add
+ * Outputs :
+ 'BoxChange' <bbtk::VoidS> [signal]: Signals modifications...
+ 'Out' <Double> [] : Result
\end{verbatim}
-More information about what is a 'box' will be given in the 'Scriptting' part of this manual.
+\begin{figure}[!ht]
+\caption{The html Help}
+\begin{center}
+\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{HelpAdd.png}
+\end{center}
+\label{HelpAdd}
+\end{figure}
-% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Guides}
-% ==========================================
+These descriptions
+(provided by the author of the box) include:
+the author(s) of the box (usually e-mail address(es)) and
+the categories to which the box belongs,
+the lists of inputs and outputs of the box.
+For each input or output, the help provides
+its \emph{name},
+its \emph{type} (between \texttt{<} and \texttt{>}, e.g. \texttt{<Int>})
+and a description.
+Remark that the box \texttt{Add} is not a 'complex' black box
+but an 'atomic' box, hence its help does not
+include a pipeline graph.
-An html version of all the guides is browsable in the \texttt{Help} part of \bbStudions.
- \begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{User's Guide}} : Step to step How-to for user who wants to create his own
- application, just using already existing boxes.
- \item {\bf\emph{Package Developper's Guide}} : Step to step How-to for programmer who wants to create his own
- black boxes/packages.
- \item {\bf\emph{Developper's Guide}} : For bbtk kernel developpers only. (This one is probabely not very much
- up-to-date, since we spend more time in developping than writing documentation that's not of user concern).
- \item {\bf\emph{Reference Manual}} : Contains a exaustive description of all the features for all the commands.
- \item {\bf\emph{Booklet}} : Vade mecum.
- \item {\bf\emph{Doxygen Documentation}} : Doxygen source browser.\\ Automatically generated from source file
- headers. Should concern only the kernel developpers (i.e. : us).
- \end{itemize}
-
+You can see that \texttt{Add} boxes have two inputs,
+with name \texttt{In1} and \texttt{In2},
+and an output, named \texttt{Out}.
- \end{itemize}
-
-% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Boxes Help}
-% ==========================================
- Box retrieving on various criterions :
- \begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{Alphabetical list}} \\ This is the 'zero-level' of retrieving.
- \item {\bf\emph{List by package}} \\ Several packages are supplied with bbtk :
- \begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{std}} : the 'standard' package including basic useful boxes.
- \item {\bf\emph{wx}} : basic graphical interface elements (widgets : sliders, buttons, etc. based on the \texttt{wxWidgets} library).
- \item {\bf\emph{itk}} : the basic image processing package, based on the \itk library.
- \item {\bf\emph{vtk}} : the basic images and surfaces processing and vizualization package, based on the \vtk library.
- \item {\bf\emph{wxvtk}} : widget boxes based on the \vtk library (2D and 3D vizualization and
- interaction).
- %\item {\bf\emph{creaImageIO}} : Provides hight level widgets to read images, including DICOM.
- \item {\bf\emph{toolsbbtk}} : Tools for bbtk administration and package development, such as :
- \begin{itemize}
- \item{GUICreateBlackBox} For creating the XML or C++ code for a new black box
- \item{GUICreatePackage} For creating a new bbtk package file structure on disk (Graphical user interface for the shell script bbCreatePackage)
- \item{MakePackageDoc} For creating the html documentation of a package. The doc is generated at the 'canonical' location. Works both for a build tree or an installed toolkit.
- \end{itemize}
- \end{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{List by category}}.
-
-
- A given box may belong to more than one \texttt{category}.\\
- You have to consider categories like keywords to index black boxes.\\
- Some of them are mutually exclusive.
- A black box may be :
- \begin {itemize}
- \item{atomic box / complex box}\\
- Whether it's written is C++ or it's an assembly of several black boxes (atomic or complex).\\
- Any box is either atomic ou complex.
- \item{example / demo / application}\\
- Theese ones are always complex black boxes.
- \begin {itemize}
- \item{example}\\
- It's just a (simple) example on how to use a given feature.
- \item{demo}\\
- It can be a 'good looking' (a.k.a 'sexy') example on some sophisticated work.
- \item{application}\\
- It's a Final application, end user intended (e.g. Subscale a huge volume, Crop a DICOM image, etc)
- \end {itemize}
- \item{widget}\\
- Piece of graphical interface (based on \texttt{wxWidgets})
- \item{Dicom}\\
- Dicom medical image related box.
- \item{viewer}\\
- \item{read/write}
- \item{mesh}
- \item{3D Object creator}
- \item{math}
- \item{misc}
- \end {itemize}
- \end {itemize}
-% ==============================================
-\subsection{The Menu}
-% ==============================================
-TODO
-
-
-% ==========================================
-\section{bbs scripting}
-% ==========================================
-
-% ==========================================
-\subsection{Using an already existing}
-% ==========================================
-
-% ==========================================
-\subsection{Creating and executing black boxes}
-% ==========================================
-
-You'll get as well the same information in the 'Help' Part, in html format (see figure : \ref{HelpAdd}) :
-
-\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{HelpAdd}The html Help}
-\begin{center}
-\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{HelpAdd.png}
-\end{center}
-\end{figure}
-
-Like previously,
-the \texttt{std::} prepended to the name \texttt{Add}
-means that the box \texttt{Add}
-belongs to the \texttt{std} package.
-Then comes a description
-(the one which was provided by the author of the box),
-the author(s) of the box (usually e-mail adress(es)) and
-the categories to which the box belongs.
-Finally comes the lists of inputs and outputs of the box.
-For each input or output, \bbi provides
-its \emph{name} (between quotes, e.g. \texttt{'ProcessMode'}),
-its \emph{type} (between \texttt{<} and \texttt{>}, e.g. \texttt{<Int>})
-and a description.
-Remark that the box \texttt{Add} is not a 'complex' black box
-but an 'atomic' box, hence its help does not
-mention any information concerning possible internal boxes.
+After loading the package it belongs to, you can create an \emph{instance} of an \texttt{Add} box, by use of the command \texttt{new}:
-You can create an \emph{instance} of an \texttt{Add} box by
-the command \texttt{new} :
\begin{verbatim}
> new Add a
\end{verbatim}
-The \texttt{'a'} at the end is the \emph{name} of the instance,
+Here \texttt{'a'} is the \emph{name} of the instance,
which will be used to reference it later.
-It is important to distinguish a box \emph{type}
+Remind that it is important to distinguish a box \emph{type}
and an \emph{instance} of a box type.
The \texttt{Add} box of the package \texttt{std} is actually
-a \emph{box type} , like \texttt{int} is a data type
-in \texttt{C} langage. The \texttt{new} command allows to create
+a \emph{box type}, like \texttt{int} is a data type
+in \texttt{C} language. The \texttt{new} command allows to create
an instance of a box type, exactly like \texttt{int i;} in
-a \texttt{C} code, it declares a variable of type \texttt{int} whose
-name is \texttt{i}.
+a \texttt{C} code declares a variable of type \texttt{int}, the
+name of which is \texttt{i}.
Of course, like in \texttt{C} Language, you can declare multiple boxes of the
-same type in \bbi.
+same type in \bbs.
-After the creation of the box \texttt{a}, type :
+After the creation of the box instance \texttt{a} the command:
\begin{verbatim}
> help workspace
\end{verbatim}
-you get :
+gives the following result:
\begin{verbatim}
Complex Black Box <user::workspace>
User's workspace
By : bbtk
- Category(s) : complex box;
+ Category(s): complex box;
* No inputs
* No outputs
* Boxes :
'a' <std::Add>
\end{verbatim}
-which means that \bbi workspace now contains a black box named \texttt{a},
-of type \texttt{std::Add}.
+This means that the user's workspace now contains a black box named \texttt{a},
+of type \texttt{std::Add}. If you type:
+\begin{verbatim}
+> help workspace
+\end{verbatim}
-Now look back at the help on \texttt{Add} boxes :
-you can see that this type of box has two inputs,
-with name \texttt{In1} and \texttt{In2},
-and an output, with name \texttt{Out}.
+You get information about the actual instance \texttt{a} of the box type \texttt{std::Add}. It gives something like this:
+\begin{verbatim}
+> help a
+ Black Box 'a' <std::Add>
+ * Inputs :
+ 'BoxExecute' = '? (no adaptor found)' [Modified]
+ 'BoxProcessMode' = 'Pipeline' [Modified]
+ 'In1' = '0' [Modified]
+ 'In2' = '0' [Modified]
+ * Outputs :
+ 'BoxChange' = '? (no adaptor found)' [Out-of-date]
+ 'Out' = '0' [Out-of-date]
+\end{verbatim}
+Note that the inputs appear as \texttt{[Modified]}, since the code defining the box type includes an initialization of the inputs. On the other hand, the outputs appear as \texttt{[Out-of-date]}, as the box has not yet been executed and therefore its outputs have not been updated. See the second part of this section to learn more about the updating. For a moment, just note that one way to process the box \texttt{a} is to use the command:
+\begin{verbatim}
+> exec a
+\end{verbatim}
+
+This command does not display anything (except if the
+box itself displays something in its processing).
+It just processes the box if needed. In our case, the result can be seen as follows:
+\begin{verbatim}
+> exec a
+> help a
+ Black Box 'a' <std::Add>
+ * Inputs :
+ 'BoxExecute' = '? (no adaptor found)' [Up-to-date]
+ 'BoxProcessMode' = 'Pipeline' [Up-to-date]
+ 'In1' = '0' [Up-to-date]
+ 'In2' = '0' [Up-to-date]
+ * Outputs :
+ 'BoxChange' = '? (no adaptor found)' [Up-to-date]
+ 'Out' = '0' [Up-to-date]
+\end{verbatim}
+Note the change of status of all the inputs and outputs (\texttt{[Up-to-date]}).
+In practice, the command \texttt{exec} is useful to execute boxes that do not have any output,
+such as boxes that write something to a file or, display a
+graphical interface, and so on.
-You can set the input \texttt{In1}
-of the \texttt{Add} box \texttt{a} to the value $1$
-by the command :
+Now, let us set the input \texttt{In1}
+of the \texttt{Add} box \texttt{a} to the value $3.5$
+by the command:
\begin{verbatim}
-> set a.In1 1
+> set a.In1 3.5
\end{verbatim}
-Similarly, setting the input \texttt{In2} of \texttt{a} to the value $2$
-is done with :
+Similarly, setting the input \texttt{In2} of \texttt{a} to the value $4.3$
+is done with:
\begin{verbatim}
-> set a.In2 2
+> set a.In2 4.3
\end{verbatim}
-And you print the output \texttt{Out} of the box \texttt{a} with :
+And you print the output \texttt{Out} of the box \texttt{a} with:
\begin{verbatim}
> print "result=$a.Out$"
-result=3
+result=7.8
\end{verbatim}
In the string passed to the \texttt{print} command,
each substring enclosed between a couple of \$ is considered
as the name of an output of a box.
-To process this special substrings, the interpretor :
+To process these special substrings, the interpreter:
\begin{enumerate}
\item Processes the box if needed (see below)
\item Converts the output of the box to a string if possible
(see below)
\item Substitutes the result in the string to print
-\item Postpones an implicit 'new line' character to the string
+\item Places an implicit 'new line' character after the string
\end{enumerate}
%\paragraph
-Box processing is needed if :
+Box processing is needed if:
\begin{itemize}
-\item either at least input has changed since last processing
+\item either at least one input has changed since last processing
\item or the input \texttt{'BoxProcessMode'} of the box is set to
\texttt{'Always'}, which forces box reprocessing.
\end{itemize}
-Note that all boxes have an input named \texttt{'BoxProcessMode'}.\\
-
-Another way to process the box \texttt{a} is to issue the command :
-\begin{verbatim}
-> exec a
-\end{verbatim}
-
-however this command does not display anything (except if the
-box itself displays something in its processing).
-It just processes the box if needed.
-This command is used to execute boxes that do not have any output,
-such as boxes that write something to a file or, display a
-graphical interface, and so on. \\
+Note that all boxes have an input named \texttt{'BoxProcessMode'}. \newline
%To exit \bbi, type :
%\begin{verbatim}
%Good bye !
%\end{verbatim}
+
+
% ==========================================
\hrule
\paragraph{Summary}
%\hrule
\begin{itemize}
-\item The \texttt{include} command allows to load a package, and the complex black boxes that come with it..
-\item \texttt{help} gives help on :
+\item The \texttt{include} command allows to load a package, and the complex black boxes that come with it.
+\item \texttt{help} gives help on:
\begin{itemize}
\item Available commands if you just type \texttt{help}.
\item A particular command if you type \texttt{help <command-name>}.
\item All available packages and their boxes (without description) if you type \texttt{help packages}.
\item A particular package and its boxes (with brief description) if you type \texttt{help <package-name>}.
\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}).
+\item A particular black box instance (with full description, as well as the values and the status of the inputs/outputs) if you type \texttt{help <box-name>}.
\end{itemize}
%\item \texttt{list} displays the list of black box instances created so far (by \texttt{new}).
-\item \texttt{new} : creates an instance of a black box.
-\item \texttt{set} : sets the value of an input of a black box.
+\item \texttt{new}: creates an instance of a black box.
+\item \texttt{set}: sets the value of an input of a black box.
\item Under any component of \bbStudions, to reference the input called \texttt{i}
of a black box called \texttt{b} you must type \texttt{'b.i'}.
The same syntax holds for outputs.
-\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
+\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
implicit trailing 'new line character' is added at the final string.
-\item \texttt{exec} : runs, if needed, the process of a box.
-%\item \texttt{quit} : quits \bbi.
+\item \texttt{exec}: runs, if needed, the process of a box.
+%\item \texttt{quit}: quits \bbi.
\end{itemize}
\hrule
%\paragraph{Note :}
%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.
-%Wou'll get something like in figure \ref{bbCommandPlusHelp} :
+%Wou'll get something like in figure \ref{bbCommandPlusHelp}:
%\begin{figure}[!ht]
%\caption{\label{bbCommandPlusHelp}
% ==========================================
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Connecting black boxes}
+\subsection{Connecting black boxes}
\label{bbi-connecting-black-boxes}
% ==========================================
also called \emph{pipelines},
by connecting black boxes.
This section explains how to do it with examples.
-Read section \ref{bbi-more-on-pipeline-processing} to get
+Read section \ref{bbi-deep-box} to get
more information on pipeline processing.
-First start \bbStudio and load the package \texttt{std}, typing :
+First start \bbStudio and load the package \texttt{std}, i.e. type in the 'Command' part the following command:
\begin{verbatim}
> include std
\end{verbatim}
-in the 'Command' part.
-Assume you want to compute $1+2+3$. You can do it by
+Assume you want to compute a sum of three numbers (e.g. $1+2+3$). You can do it by
chaining two \texttt{Add} boxes, as shown in figure
\ref{bbi-fig-connecting-black-boxes-1}.
\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{bbi-fig-connecting-black-boxes-1} A simple pipeline which adds 3 numbers}
+\caption{ A simple pipeline that adds 3 numbers}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.5\textwidth]{1plus2plus3.png}
\end{center}
+\label{bbi-fig-connecting-black-boxes-1}
\end{figure}
-
-The \bbi instructions to create and execute this pipeline are :
+The \bbs instructions to create and execute this pipeline are :
\begin{verbatim}
> new Add a
> new Add b
> print $b.Out$
\end{verbatim}
-You will see the (very expected) result :
-\begin{verbatim}
-6
-\end{verbatim}
-
The first three commands build the pipeline,
-the next three set \texttt{a} and \texttt{b} black boxes inputs and the last one
-prints \texttt{b} black boxe output (the pipeline is executed before printing, because the interpretor 'knows' the box \texttt{b},
-whose output is requested, is not up to date.
+the next three set \texttt{a} and \texttt{b} black boxes' inputs and the last one
+prints the output of the black box \texttt{b}. The pipeline is executed before printing, because the interpreter 'knows' that the box \texttt{b}, the output of which is requested, is not up to date.
The command \texttt{'connect a.Out b.In1'} ``plugs'' the output
\texttt{Out} of the box \texttt{a} into the input \texttt{In1} of the
box \texttt{b}.
-Once the boxes connected, the processing of the two boxes are chained :
+Once the boxes are connected, the processings of the two boxes are chained:
getting the output of \texttt{b} requires getting its inputs,
hence getting the output of \texttt{a} which is connected to it.
-This pipeline mechanism can recurse into arbitrary long
-chains of boxes (see \ref{bbi-more-on-pipeline-processing}
+This pipeline mechanism can recurse into arbitrarily long
+chains of boxes (see \ref{bbi-deep-box}
for details).
-
-Lets' consider an other, more image oriented, example :
+Let us consider another, more image-oriented, example :
\begin{verbatim}
> include vtk
> include wx
> include itk
> include wxvtk
+> include itkvtk
> new FileSelector fileDialog
> new ImageReader reader
-> new Slider slider
> new Viewer2D viewer
> connect fileDialog.Out reader.In
> connect reader.Out viewer.In
-> connect slider.Out viewer.Slice
-> connect slider.BoxChange viewer.BoxExecute
> exec viewer
\end{verbatim}
-Some explainations : the \texttt{include} instructions load the necessary packages. \\
-
-\texttt{new FileSelector} will pop a File Selector, at run time, that will out the user chosen file name. \\
-\texttt{new Slider} will pop a Slider, at run time, that will out an integer, used later as a slice number.\\
-\texttt{new ImageReader} will read any itk readable file, whose name is passed as a std::string, and return a itk::ImagePointer.\\
-\texttt{new Viewer2D} display a plane, whose number id specified by an integer.\\
-\\
-\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).\\
-\texttt{connect reader.Out viewer.In} plugs the output of the reader (an itk::ImagePointer) to the input of the Viewer (a vtkImageData *)\\
-\texttt{connect slider.Out viewer.Slice} plugs the output of the slider (an int) to an other output (named Slide) of the viewer.\\
-\texttt{connect slider.BoxChange viewer.BoxExecute} says the viewer it must re process itself any time the slider is modified.\\
-\\
-\texttt{exec viewer} processes the viewer.
-
-
-This would correspond to the graph in figure \ref{bbi-simplegraph}
+Some explanations:
+\begin{itemize}
+ \item The \texttt{include} instructions load the necessary packages.
+ \item \texttt{FileSelector} will pop, at run time, a File Selector dialog box that will output the user-selected file name.
+ \item \texttt{ImageReader} will read any itk readable file, the name of which is passed as a std::string, and return a pointer on an itk image.
+ \item \texttt{Viewer2D} will display a two-dimensional image.
+ \item \texttt{connect fileDialog.Out reader.In} plugs the output of the File Selector (a \texttt{std::string}) to the input of the Image Reader (a \texttt{std::string}, too).
+ \item \texttt{connect reader.Out viewer.In} plugs the output of the Image Reader \\(a \texttt{bbtk::any<bbitk::ImagePointer>} which is a type defined by the
+itk package, and which can hold any itk image pointer) to the input of the Viewer (a \texttt{vtkImageData *})
+ \item \texttt{exec viewer} processes the Viewer.
+\end{itemize}
+This would correspond to the graph in figure \ref{bbi-verysimplegraph}.
\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{bbi-simplegraph}(Very) simple Graph of a (very) simple pipeline}
+\caption{\label{bbi-verysimplegraph}(Very) simple Graph of a (very) simple pipeline}
\begin{center}
-\includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{bbi-simplegraph.png}
+\includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{bbi-verysimplegraph.png}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
Of course, to be able to connect two boxes,
-the output and the input must be compatibles.
+the output and the input must be compatible.
You can always connect an output to an input of the \emph{same} type,
but you can do more, thanks to particular (hidden) black boxes called {\bf adaptors}.
-An adaptor is a black box which has at least one input, called \texttt{In},
-and at least one ouput called \texttt{Out} and whose role is to convert
+An adaptor is a black box that has at least one input, called \texttt{In},
+and at least one output called \texttt{Out} and the role of which is to convert
a data of the type of \texttt{In}
into a data of the type of \texttt{Out} (other inputs or outputs may serve
-to parameter the adaptor or retreive other usefull information).
+to parameter the adaptor or retrieve other useful information). In the example above the appropriate adaptor that converts \texttt{bbtk::any<bbitk::ImagePointer>} into \texttt{vtkImageData *} is provided in the package \texttt{itkvtk}.
-Under \bbStudions, if you type :
+Most of the useful standard adaptors are provided in the package \texttt{std}. Under \bbStudions, if you type :
\begin{verbatim}
> load std
> help std all
Package std v1.0.0 - laurent.guigues@creatis.insa-lyon.fr
Basic useful black boxes
Black boxes :
- ...
+ ASCII : ascii codes sequence to string - ...
+ Add : Adds its inputs
BoolToString [DA] : Converts a Bool (bool) into a string
- CastBoolToChar [DA] : Static cast from Bool (bool) to Char (signed c...
- CastBoolToDouble [DA] : Static cast from Bool (bool) to Double (double...
+ CastBoolToChar [DA] : Static cast from Bool (bool) to ...
+ CastBoolToDouble [DA] : Static cast from Bool (bool) to ...
...
- CastBoolToUChar [DA] : Static cast from Bool (bool) to UChar (unsigne...
- CastBoolToUInt [DA] : Static cast from Bool (bool) to UInt (unsigned...
+ CastBoolToUChar [DA] : Static cast from Bool (bool) to ...
+ CastBoolToUInt [DA] : Static cast from Bool (bool) to ...
...
- CastUIntToBool [DA] : Static cast from UInt (unsigned int) to Bool (...
- CastUIntToChar [DA] : Static cast from UInt (unsigned int) to Char (...
- CastUIntToDouble [DA] : Static cast from UInt (unsigned int) to Double...
+ CastUIntToBool [DA] : Static cast from UInt (unsigned ...
+ CastUIntToChar [DA] : Static cast from UInt (unsigned ...
+ CastUIntToDouble [DA] : Static cast from UInt (unsigned ...
...
\end{verbatim}
-\texttt{[DA]} stands for \emph{default adaptor}.
+In this long list you find many items marked \texttt{[DA]}, which stands for \emph{default adaptor}.
Once you have loaded the package \texttt{std}, you can
plug an output of type \texttt{char} into an input of type \texttt{double}.
it looks for an adequate \emph{adaptor} in the loaded packages.
In our case, as the package \texttt{std} provides the
\texttt{CastUCharToDouble} adaptor, the interpreter automatically creates an
-instance of this adaptor and place it \emph{between}
+instance of this adaptor and places it \emph{between}
the output and the input you want to connect
(however this adaptor is hidden to you,
it is embedded into the created connection and does not appear
in a totally transparent way.
In our example, the \texttt{CastUCharToDouble} adaptor
would simply cast the value of the \texttt{char} into a \texttt{double},
-however arbitrarily complex type conversion may be done.
+however arbitrarily complex type conversion may be done.\\
+\texttt{WARNING}: these adaptors are \texttt{C++ static cast}, i.e., there is, right now,
+ no 'intelligent' conversion (only truncation) e.g. think of \texttt{CastDoubleToUChar}!
%\begin{verbatim}
%Question (for info-dev):
%\hrule
\begin{itemize}
\item The \texttt{connect} command allows to connect two black boxes
-\item You can connect two black boxes if (and only if) :
+\item You can connect two black boxes if (and only if):
\begin{itemize}
\item The output and the input are of the same type, or
\item There is an adaptor black box in the packages loaded which
converts data of the output type into data of the input type
\end{itemize}
-\item \texttt{help <package name>} does not display the adaptors of the package. To see them use : \texttt{help <package name> all}.
-including adaptors
+\item \texttt{help <package name>} does not display the adaptors of the package. To see them use: \texttt{help <package name> all}
+including adaptors.
+\end{itemize}
+\hrule
+% ==========================================
+
+% ==========================================
+\subsection{Writing scripts files}
+\label{bbi-writing-scripts}
+% ==========================================
+
+Now that you know how to connect the existing black boxes, you will soon realize that you want to save and reuse some sequences of commands that you are particularly glad of. In the following subsections you will learn how to write ``simple'' pipeline applications and new complex black boxes built of existing black boxes.
+
+% ==========================================
+\subsubsection{Stand-alone pipeline applications}
+\label{sec:pipeline-appli}
+% ==========================================
+
+Let us take an example similar to that from section \ref{bbi-connecting-black-boxes}:
+
+\begin{verbatim}
+> include vtk
+> include wx
+> include itk
+> include wxvtk
+> include itkvtk
+
+> new DirectorySelector dirSelect
+> new DICOMDirReader reader
+> new Slider slider
+> new Viewer2D viewer
+
+> connect dirSelect.Out reader.In
+> connect reader.Out viewer.In
+> connect slider.Out viewer.Slice
+> connect slider.BoxChange viewer.BoxExecute
+> set slider.ReactiveOnTrack 1
+
+> exec viewer
+\end{verbatim}
+
+This is an elementary DICOM-image slicer (fig.~\ref{fig:simpleslicer}) designed to view 3D medical images slice-by-slice. The image is to be composed of a series of DICOM files contained in a separate directory. The index of the slice to be displayed is selected by means of a slider. The command \texttt{connect slider.BoxChange viewer.BoxExecute} permits the Viewer to update the display every time the output of the Slider changes. The command \texttt{set slider.ReactiveOnTrack 1} on its turn makes that the output of the Slider changes every time its cursor is moved, while the default behavior is to change only when the mouse-button is released after moving the cursor.\\
+
+\begin{figure}[!ht]
+\caption{ Graph of a (very) simple 3D slicer}
+\begin{center}
+\includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{bbi-simplegraph.png}
+\end{center}
+\label{fig:simpleslicer}
+\end{figure}
+
+Despite its simplicity, this application may already be useful. If you want to reuse it, you have to save the \bbs commands in a text file. The conventional (and mandatory) extension for such script files is \texttt{bbs}
+(black box script). For example, our elementary 3D DICOM-image slicer
+can be defined in the following file:
+
+\begin{file}{my\_slicer.bbs}
+\begin{verbatim}
+# my_slicer.bbs: elementary 3D image slicer"
+/*
+ the 3D image has to be stored in a separate directory
+ as a series of DICOM files representing the 2D slices
+*/
+
+include vtk
+include wx
+include itk
+include wxvtk
+include itkvtk
+
+new DirectorySelector dirSelect
+new DICOMDirReader reader
+new Slider slider
+new Viewer2D viewer
+
+connect dirSelect.Out reader.In
+connect reader.Out viewer.In
+connect slider.Out viewer.Slice
+connect slider.BoxChange viewer.BoxExecute
+set slider.ReactiveOnTrack 1
+
+exec viewer
+\end{verbatim}
+\end{file}
+
+Lines starting with a \texttt{\#} character or with double slash (\texttt{\//\//}) are ignored, they
+are considered as comments by the interpreter. A longer comment can be placed between the marks \texttt{\//*} and \texttt{*\//}. Each of this mark is to be placed alone in a separate line, like in the example.\par
+
+To use this file in \bbStudions, click on the \texttt{include} button, and browse your filestore to find the file. You can also type the command:
+
+\begin{verbatim}
+> include my_slicer.bbs
+\end{verbatim}
+
+provided that \bbStudio knows the path to the desired \texttt{bbs} file.
+See the section \ref{The_configuration_file} to learn about the configuration file and the way to add a new path to it. Note that, if you modify the configuration file, you will have to close \bbStudio and run it again, so that the new configuration be taken into account.
+
+Actually, since the file has the \texttt{bbs} extension, you can omit it and just type:
+\begin{verbatim}
+> include my_slicer
+\end{verbatim}
+
+% ==========================================
+\hrule
+
+\paragraph{Summary}
+%\hrule
+\begin{itemize}
+\item The \texttt{include} command tells the interpreter to include a script file.
+\item Lines starting with \texttt{\#} or \texttt{\//\//} are considered as comments by the interpreter.
+\item A longer comment can be written between two empty lines only containing \texttt{\//*} and \texttt{*\//} respectively.
\end{itemize}
+
\hrule
% ==========================================
\label{bbi-complex-black-boxes}
% ==========================================
-Remember the pipeline of figure
+Remind the pipeline of figure
\ref{bbi-fig-connecting-black-boxes-1}, which
-computed the sum of three doubles?
+computed the sum of three doubles.
You can consider it as a whole and define
a new black box type, which will be a \emph{complex black box},
having three inputs and one output,
\end{center}
\end{figure}
-The \bbi commands to define this complex black box are
-the following :
+The \bbs script file defining this complex black box will be as follows:
\begin{verbatim}
-> load std
->
-> define Add3
->
-> new Add a
-> new Add b
-> connect a.Out b.In1
->
-> author "myself"
-> description "adds 3 doubles"
-> input x a.In1 "first double to add"
-> input y a.In2 "second double to add"
-> input z b.In2 "third double to add"
-> output result b.Out "output"
->
-> endefine
-\end{verbatim}
-
-Explainations :
-
-As we will use \texttt{Add} boxes, we need to load the package \texttt{std}, which is done in first line.
+# bbAdd3.bbs: defines the Add3 black box which adds 3 doubles
-The command \texttt{define} then starts the definition
-of the complex box type, which will be called \texttt{Add3}.
+author "myself"
+description "adds 3 doubles"
-The next three lines define the pipeline,
-exactly in the same way than outside a complex box definition.
-
-The commands \texttt{author}, \texttt{description}, \texttt{input}
-and \texttt{output} are commands specific to complex boxes definition :
+load std
+define Add3
+ # Pipeline creation
+ new Add a
+ new Add b
+ connect a.Out b.In1
+ # Inputs definition
+ input x a.In1 "first double to add
+ input y a.In2 "second double to add
+ input z b.In2 "third double to add"
+ # Output definition
+ output result b.Out "output"
+endefine
+\end{verbatim}
-\texttt{author} and \texttt{description} are used for the documentation
-of the new box. You can provide multiple \texttt{author} or
+Explanations:
+\begin{itemize}
+ \item As we will use \texttt{Add} boxes, we need to load the package \texttt{std}, which is done in the first line.
+ \item The command \texttt{define} then starts the definition
+of the complex box type that will be called \texttt{Add3}.
+ \item The next three lines define the pipeline,
+exactly in the same way as outside of a complex box definition.
+ \item The commands \texttt{author}, \texttt{description}, \texttt{input}
+and \texttt{output} are specific to complex boxes definition:
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \item \texttt{author} and \texttt{description} are used for the documentation
+of the new box. They have to be placed at the very beginning of the script file. You can provide multiple \texttt{author} or
\texttt{description} commands, the arguments of the commands will
be concatenated to produce the final author and description strings.
-
-\texttt{input} and \texttt{output} are used to define the inputs and outputs
-of the new complex box.
-Their syntax is the same : for each new input/output you need to say
+ \item \texttt{input} and \texttt{output} are used to define the inputs and outputs
+of the new complex box. Their syntax is the same: for each new input/output you need to say
to which internal input/output it corresponds and to provide
a help string documenting the input/output.
In our example, we define that the box \texttt{Add3} has
-three inputs : \texttt{x}, \texttt{y} and \texttt{z}.
+three inputs: \texttt{x}, \texttt{y} and \texttt{z}.
The input \texttt{x} corresponds to the input \texttt{In1} of the
internal box \texttt{a}.
In the same way, the external input \texttt{y}
The figure \ref{bbi-fig-complex-black-box-1}
illustrates the external to internal
input/output correspondence.
-
-Finally, the \texttt{endefine} command ends the definition of the
+ \end{itemize}
+ \item Finally, the \texttt{endefine} command ends the definition of the
new box type.
+\end{itemize}
+
+If you type the command \texttt{include bbAdd3} and then you ask for help
+on the contents of the \texttt{user} package, you get:
-After this definition, if you ask for help
-on packages, you get :
\begin{verbatim}
-> help packages
-std
- Add
- ...
-user
- Add3
- workspace
+> help user
+ Package user - internal
+ User defined black boxes
+ Black boxes :
+ Add3 : adds three numbers
+ workspace : User's workspace
\end{verbatim}
The \texttt{user} package now contains a new black box type, called
-\texttt{Add3}. If you ask for help on this type of box, you get :
+\texttt{Add3}. If you ask for help on this type of box, you get:
\begin{verbatim}
> help Add3
Complex Black Box <user::Add3>
adds 3 doubles
By : myself
* Inputs :
- 'x' <double> : first double to add
- 'y' <double> : second double to add
- 'z' <double> : third double to add
+ 'x' <double> [] : first double to add
+ 'y' <double> [] : second double to add
+ 'z' <double> [] : third double to add
* Outputs :
- 'result' <double> : output
+ 'result' <double> [] : output
* Boxes :
'a' <std::Add>
'b' <std::Add>
\end{verbatim}
-and you can use it like any other box, for example type :
+and you can use it like any other box, for example:
\begin{verbatim}
> new Add3 a
6
\end{verbatim}
-
As a side note, we can say that, for consistency reasons, it would have been better to name
-\texttt{In1}, \texttt{In2} and \texttt{In3} the inputs of the black box \texttt{Add3},
-since all the 'natural entry' of a box is named \texttt{In}, or \texttt{In}\emph{x} if there are more than one 'natural
-entry'.
-
+\texttt{In1}, \texttt{In2} and \texttt{In3} the inputs of the black box \texttt{Add3}. Indeed,
+by convention all the 'natural entries' of a box are named \texttt{In}, or \texttt{In}\emph{x} if there is more than one 'natural entry'.
+\newline
% ==========================================
\hrule
\paragraph{Summary}
%\hrule
\begin{itemize}
-\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.
+ \item The \texttt{author} and \texttt{description} commands, placed at the very beginning of a script file, allow to document the new type of box.
+ \item The \texttt{define/endefine} commands allow to define complex black box types, i.e. types of black boxes made up of other black boxes.
Inside a \texttt{define/endefine} block :
-\begin{itemize}
-\item The \texttt{author} and \texttt{description} commands allow to document the new type of box
-\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
+ \begin{itemize}
+ \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
of internal boxes they correspond.
-\end{itemize}
+ \end{itemize}
\end{itemize}
\hrule
% ==========================================
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Writing scripts}
-\label{bbi-writing-scripts}
-% ==========================================
-
-Once you have defined a new type of complex box, you
-may like to reuse it. To do this, you can simply
-write the \bbi commands defining the new box
-into a text file and afterwards include that file in \bbi.
-Doing this, you start writing \bbi scripts.
-The conventionnal (and mandatory) extension for such scripts is \texttt{bbs}
-(black box script).
-For consistency reasons, you are requested to prepend \texttt{bb} to the name.
-
-For example, the \texttt{Add3} complex box we previously worked on
-can be defined in the \texttt{bbAdd3.bbs} file :
-
-\begin{file}{bbAdd3.bbs}
-\begin{verbatim}
-# Defines the Add3 black box which adds 3 doubles
-load std
-
-define Add3
- # I am the author
- author "myself"
- description "adds 3 doubles"
- # Pipeline creation
- new Add a
- new Add b
- connect a.Out b.In1
- # Inputs definition
- input x a.In1 "first double to add
- input y a.In2 "second double to add
- input z b.In2 "third double to add"
- # Output definition
- output result b.Out "output"
-endefine
-\end{verbatim}
-\end{file}
-
-Lines starting with a \texttt{\#} character or a \texttt{\//\//} character are ignored, they
-are considered as comments by the interpreter.
-To use this file in \bbStudions, click on the \texttt{include} button, and browse your filestore to find the file.
-
-\begin{verbatim}
-> include bbAdd3.bbs
-> help Add3
-Complex Black Box <user::Add3>
- adds 3 doubles
- By : myself
- * Inputs :
- 'x' <double> : first double to add
- 'y' <double> : second double to add
- 'z' <double> : third double to add
- * Outputs :
- 'result' <double> : output
- * Boxes :
- 'a' <std::Add>
- 'b' <std::Add>
->
-and so on ...
-\end{verbatim}
-
-If the file has the \texttt{bbs} extension, you can ommit it and just type :
-\begin{verbatim}
-> include Add3
-\end{verbatim}
-
\subsubsection{Creating complex black boxes that use complex black boxes}
\label{bbi-complex-complex-black-boxes}
-
+% ==========================================
Of course, you can include script files in other script files,
-like in the following example :
+like in the following example:
\begin{file}{bbAdd4.bbs}
\begin{verbatim}
# Defines the Add4 black box which adds 4 doubles
-include Add3
+author "myself"
+description "adds 4 doubles"
+include bbAdd3
define Add4
- author "myself"
- description "adds 4 doubles"
new Add3 a
new Add b
- connect a.Out b.In1
- input In1 a.In1 "first double to add
- input In2 a.In2 "second double to add
- input In3 a.In3 "third double to add"
+ connect a.result b.In1
+ input In1 a.x "first double to add
+ input In2 a.y "second double to add
+ input In3 a.z "third double to add"
input In4 b.In2 "fourth double to add"
output Out b.Out "output"
endefine
\end{verbatim}
\end{file}
-
+Here we kept the \texttt{bbAdd3.bbs} file unchanged, so the inner box of type \texttt{Add3} \texttt{a} has the entries \texttt{x, y, z}, while the entries of the inner box \texttt{b} of type \texttt{Add} are \texttt{In1, In2}.\\
+Only the inputs \texttt{x, y, z} of box the \texttt{a} and the input \texttt{In2} of the box \texttt{b} are of interest for the end user, but he/she does not need to care neither about the inner boxes name, nor about the names of their inputs.\\
+The author of the complex box has the ability to give these inputs meaningful names (here \texttt{In1, In2, In3, In4}) and to properly document them.
\subsubsection{Naming Conventions}
\label{bbi-Naming Conventions}
\begin{itemize}
\item
File names :
-For consistency reasons, you are requested to prepend \texttt{bb}, and postpone an extention \texttt{.bbs},
+For consistency reasons, you are requested to prefix \texttt{bb} and place an extension \texttt{.bbs},
to the names of the files that hold a \texttt{complex black box} definition.
For example, the \texttt{Add3} complex box we previously worked on
can be defined in the \texttt{bbAdd3.bbs} file.
\item
Search Paths :
-For consistency reasons, the names of dynamic libraries holding the packages must start by \texttt{libbb}.
-For instance, the package \texttt{wx} will be in the library \texttt{libbbwx.dll} (Windows) or \texttt{libbbwx.so}
+For consistency reasons, the names of dynamic libraries holding the packages start by \texttt{bb}.
+For instance, the package \texttt{wx} will be in the library \texttt{bbwx.dll} (Windows) or \texttt{libbbwx.so}
(Linux).
-\end{itemize}
-% ==========================================
-\hrule
-
-\paragraph{Summary}
-%\hrule
-\begin{itemize}
-\item The \texttt{include} command tells the interpreter to include a script file.
-\item Lines starting with a \texttt{\#} or with a \texttt{\//\//} are considered as comments by the interpreter.
-\item Lines between a line starting with a \texttt{\//*} an a line starting with a \texttt{*\//} are considered as comments by the interpreter.
\end{itemize}
-\hrule
-% ==========================================
-
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Creating command line applications}
+\subsubsection{Creating and using command-line applications}
\label{bbi-command-line-app}
% ==========================================
-Now that you know how to create complex black boxes
-(with \texttt{define/endefine}), think
-back to the \texttt{workspace} object.
+Command-line applications are those that can be executed by typing, in a console, the name of the application and the values of its parameters. The Linux users are very familiar with this way of working, while the Windows users are not, since they are used to execute the applications by clicking on the corresponding icons. Nevertheless, the command-line execution of the applications is feasible (although not very useful) in Windows. You just need to invoke the black ``console'' available either via \texttt{Start > Execute > cmd}, or via \texttt{Start > Programs > Accessories > Invoke commands}. Furthermore, command-line execution of applications is very useful in both environments in such cases as batches.
+
+You already know how to write script files that define stand-alone pipeline applications.
+In fact, these applications \emph{can} be executed directly from the console by typing:
+\begin{verbatim}
+> bbi <application-name>
+\end{verbatim}
+Note that this execution mode invokes the interpreter \texttt{bbi} and passes the name of the application to the interpreter.
+
+So, what more do you need to know? A command-line application may need some inputs. In order to define them, you need to use the (already known) command \texttt{input}.
+
+To understand the underlying mechanism let us think back of the \texttt{workspace} object.
Remember that it is also
a \texttt{complex black box}.
-Actually, when you type interpreter commands
-outside a \texttt{define/endefine} block,
+Actually, when you write \bbs commands
+outside of a \texttt{define/}\texttt{endefine} block,
you progressively define the \texttt{workspace}
complex black box.
-You can think of it like if at start the interpreter
+You can think of it as though at start the interpreter
was issuing a command \texttt{'define workspace'}
and then letting you define the interior of the box
\texttt{workspace}.
-Remember that the command \texttt{inputs}
+Remember that the command \texttt{input}
allows to define an input of a complex box.
Now, if you use the command \texttt{input}
outside a \texttt{define/endefine} block then
This input will then be connected to the
parameters that the user passes to the command line.
-For example, consider the script :
+For example, consider the script:
\begin{file}{add.bbs}
\begin{verbatim}
The third and fourth lines define two inputs \texttt{x}
and \texttt{y}. When you execute this script,
-you can pass these two arguments on the command line,
-like this :
+you can pass these two arguments in the command-line,
+like this:
\begin{verbatim}
> bbi add x=1 y=1
x+y=2
\end{verbatim}
-You can also invoke \bbi the option \texttt{-h},
-which gives help on the \texttt{workspace} box :
+You can also note that, in the command-line context, you can invoke \bbi with the option \texttt{-h},
+which gives help on the \texttt{workspace} box:
\begin{verbatim}
> bbi add -h
'y' <double> : second number to add
\end{verbatim}
-To get a better help, use the \texttt{description}
-and \texttt{author} commands :
-
+This is particularly useful to learn about the usage of the application, namely about the inputs that are to be set at execution. To improve the help provided, use the \texttt{description}
+and \texttt{author} commands in the script file defining the application:
+\\
+\\
\begin{file}{add.bbs}
\begin{verbatim}
description "Adds two numbers"
x+y=7
\end{verbatim}
-\bbStudio is always compiled in graphical mode (with \wx), therefore
-you can also use the \texttt{-g} commutator.
+You can also use the \texttt{-g} commutator.
\bbi then prompts the user in graphical mode,
displaying a dialog box for each input,
like in fig. \ref{bb-input-dialog-box}.
\end{center}
\end{figure}
+Note that for both \texttt{-t} and \texttt{-g} options,
+the input from the user is a \texttt{string} and
+\bbi converts it to the right input type using
+an \texttt{adaptor}, hence the right adaptors must be previously loaded.
+
% ==========================================
\hrule
\paragraph{Summary}
% ==========================================
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Using graphical interface boxes (widget boxes)}
+\subsection{Using graphical interface boxes (widget boxes)}
\label{bbi-widget}
% ==========================================
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Overwiew}
-\label{bbi-overview}
+%\subsubsection{Overview}
+%\label{bbi-overview}
% ==========================================
-\bbStudio is always compiled in graphical mode
-(option \texttt{BUILD\_bbi\_GRAPHICAL} of \cmakens, requires \wxns),
-then you can use special black boxes which are
-graphical interface components (widgets).
-Basic components are provided in the package \texttt{wx},
+Basic graphical interface components are provided in the package \texttt{wx},
such as buttons, sliders, file open/save dialogs, etc.
-As first example, type the following commands in \bbi :
+As first example, type the following commands in \bbStudio :
\begin{verbatim}
-> load wx
-> new InputText t
-> print $t.Out$\n
+> include wx
+> new DirectorySelector d
+> print $d.Out$
\end{verbatim}
-When you type \texttt{enter} after the last line,
-a window pops up in which you can entrer a text.
-When you close the window, the text you entered is printed by
+When you hit the \texttt{enter} key after the last line,
+the usual directory-selection window pops up.
+When you validate your selection, the directory name you selected, preceded by the corresponding path, is printed by
the \texttt{print} command.
+Note that you can determine a default directory by setting the appropriate input as follows:
+\begin{verbatim}
+> set d.DefaultDir <directory-name>
+\end{verbatim}
-Type \texttt{help wx}, you get something like :
+Now, type \texttt{help wx}, you get something like:
\begin{verbatim}
Package wx v1.0.0- info-dev@creatis.insa-lyon.fr
- Basic graphical interface elements (sliders, buttons ...) based on wxWidgets
+ Basic graphical interface elements (sliders, buttons ...) based ...
Black boxes :
- ColourSelector : Colour Selector dialog (bbfication of wxColourSele...
- ColourSelectorButton : A button which displays a colour picker dialog whe...
+ ColourSelector : Colour Selector dialog (bbfication of ...
+ ColourSelectorButton : A button which displays a colour picke...
CommandButton : Button which executes bbi commands
- DirectorySelector : Pops up a directory selection dialog (wxDirDialog)
- FileSelector : Pops up a file selection dialog for reading or sav...
- InputText : A zone in which the user can enter a text (wxTextC...
+ DirectorySelector : Pops up a directory selection dialog (...
+ FileSelector : Pops up a file selection dialog for re...
+ InputText : A zone in which the user can enter a t...
LayoutLine : LayoutLine widget (wxBoxSizer)
- LayoutSplit : Widget which splits a window in two fixed size par...
+ LayoutSplit : Widget which splits a window in two fi...
LayoutTab : LayoutTab widget (wxNotebook)
- OutputText : Text zone to be inserted into a window (wxStaticTe...
+ OutputText : Text zone to be inserted into a window...
RadioButton : RadioButton group widget 0-9 entries
Slider : Slider widget (wxSlider)
\end{verbatim}
-You can reproduce the same experiment as above using a
-\texttt{Slider} or a \texttt{FileDialog} rather than a \texttt{InputText}.
-See the files \texttt{test*.bbs} in the \texttt{scripts/test} directory.
+You can reproduce the same experiment as above using for example
+a \texttt{FileDialog} rather than a \texttt{DirectorySelector}.
+
+If you choose to reproduce the experiment with:\\
+\texttt{> new InputText t} (or \texttt{new Slider s}),
+
+you will have to precede the command:\\
+\texttt{> print \$t.Out\$} (or \texttt{print \$s.Out\$})
+
+by the following command:\\
+\texttt{> set t.WinDialog true} (or \texttt{set s.WinDialog true} respectively).
+
+This blocks the pipeline until the widget is closed. Also note that the corresponding widgets do not have a validation button. Therefore, you will have to close them by clicking in the appropriate corner.
+
+%There are two kinds of widgets : ``terminal'' widgets and ``container'' widgets.
+%The \texttt{InputText}, \texttt{FileDialog} or \texttt{Slider} widgets
+%are ``terminal'' widgets.
+%``container'' widgets are of another kind : they are
+% ==========================================
+%\subsubsection{Layout widgets}
+%\label{bbi-layout-widgets}
+% ==========================================
-There are two kinds of widgets : ``terminal'' widgets and ``container'' widgets.
-The \texttt{InputText}, \texttt{FileDialog} or \texttt{Slider} widgets
-are ``terminal'' widgets.
-``container'' widgets are of another kind : they are designed to
+There is a special kind of widget, called '\texttt{Layout}', designed to
contain other widgets in order to build larger dialog boxes.
+
For example, the \texttt{LayoutSplit} widget is a container which
-``splits'' horizontally a window into two parts,
+``splits'' a window into two parts, either horizontally or vertically,
each part including another widget.
-The size of the two parts can be adjusted by the user thanks
-to a ``handle''.
+The initial size of the two parts can be fixed by the input 'Proportion'
+and be adjusted by the user thanks to a ``handle''.
-The script \texttt{scripts/test/testSplit.bbs} demonstrate its use.
-Run it : it displays a window with two sliders.
+The example \texttt{exampleLayoutSplit} demonstrates its use.
+Run it: it displays a window with two sliders.
Move the sliders and close the window.
-The final positions of the sliders are printed out.
-Now edit the file to see how this is done :
+Now look at the source file to see how this is done:
\begin{file}{scripts/test/testSplit.bbs}
\begin{verbatim}
-load std
load wx
new Slider s1
connect s1.Widget s.Widget1
connect s2.Widget s.Widget2
-print s1=$s1.Out$\\n
-print s2=$s2.Out$\\n
+exec s
\end{verbatim}
\end{file}
First, the two sliders \texttt{s1} and \texttt{s2} are created.
A \texttt{LayoutSplit} box \texttt{s} is also created.
-The \texttt{connect} commands then ``includes'' the sliders in the
-split ``container''.
-The input \texttt{Widget} is common to all widget boxes :
+The \texttt{connect} commands then ``include'' the sliders in the
+split widget.
+The input \texttt{Widget} is common to all widget boxes:
every widget can be inserted into another widget.
-The outputs \texttt{Widget1},\texttt{Widget2} are specific of \emph{container}
+The outputs \texttt{Widget1}, \texttt{Widget2} are specific of \emph{layout}
widgets
-(in \bbi type \texttt{help Slider} :
+(in \bbStudio type \texttt{help Slider}:
you will see the output \texttt{Widget};
-type \texttt{help LayoutSplit} :
+type \texttt{help LayoutSplit}:
you will see the inputs \texttt{Widget1} and \texttt{Widget2}
and the output \texttt{Widget}).
-When you connect the \texttt{Widget} output of a container
-to the \texttt{Widget}i input of a widget,
-you order to include the widget in the container.
+When you connect the \texttt{Widget} output of a box
+to the \texttt{Widget}i input of a layout widget,
+you order to include the widget in the layout.
Of course, the order of connection is important.
In our case, the slider \texttt{s1} is included first,
-then the slider \texttt{s2} : \texttt{s1} will be placed
+then the slider \texttt{s2}: \texttt{s1} will be placed
on top of \texttt{s2} (the \texttt{LayoutSplit} box is
implemented that way, but this is arbitrary choice).
-Right now, there are only \emph{three} container widgets in the \texttt{wx} package :
+Right now, there are only \emph{three} layout widgets in the \texttt{wx} package :
\begin{itemize}
-\item {the \texttt{LayoutSplit} widget} we just described, the \texttt{LayoutLine} , and the \texttt{LayoutTab}
-widget.
+\item {the \texttt{LayoutSplit} widget} we just described
-\item {the \texttt{LayoutLine} widget} can have multiple children and
+\item {the \texttt{LayoutLine} widget} can have multiple children
+(\texttt{Widget1}, \texttt{Widget2},\dots \texttt{Widget9} inputs) and
divides its window into as much parts as children,
each part of equal size.
The orientation of the \texttt{LayoutSplit} or of the \texttt{LayoutLine} can be changed by the input \texttt{Orientation}.
-See the example \texttt{test/testSizer.bbs}.
-With only those two containers you can already create
-complex dialog boxes (of course containers can be nested, which leads to tree-like structures of widgets).
-See the script \texttt{bbtk/share/bbtk/bbs/wx/appli/ExampleLayoutSplit.bbs} for an example.
+With only those two layout widgets you can already create
+complex dialog boxes
+(of course layouts can be nested, which leads to tree-like
+structures of widgets). \\
+See the script \texttt{exampleComplexLayoutSplit\_In\_LayoutSplit} for an example.
+
+\item {The \texttt{LayoutTab} widget} arranges its children
+in different pages or 'tabs' (\texttt{wxNotebook}-based).
+The label of each page is the name of the widget it contains.
-\item {The \texttt{LayoutTab} widget} is based on the \texttt{wxNotebook.}\\
-The label of each 'note book' is the name of the object it contains.
\end{itemize}
%=====> TODO \\
-%One word about a special widget in the package \texttt{wx} :
+%One word about a special widget in the package \texttt{wx}:
%the \texttt{Button}... to be continued.
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Deeper in the boxes}
+\subsection{Deeper in the boxes}
\label{bbi-deep-box}
% ==========================================
-Any widget box has two mandatory Inputs :
+\subsubsection{Default and mandatory inputs and outputs}
\begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{BoxExecute}} : Any signal received by this input executes the box
- \item {\bf\emph{BoxProcessMode}} : Sets the processing mode of the box :
+\item Any \texttt{atomic} black box has two default Inputs, which are created by the system :
+\begin{itemize}
+ \item {\bf\emph{BoxExecute}} : Any signal received by this input executes the box
+ \item {\bf\emph{BoxProcessMode}}: Sets the processing mode of the box :
\begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{Pipeline}} : bbBackwardUpdate() calls Process() only if Status == MODIFIED \\
- The box executes itself only when an entry was changed (normal pipeline processing).
- \item {\bf\emph{Reactive}} : bbSetModifiedStatus() calls bbUpdate() \\
- Warning : Re-processed immediately when \emph{any entry} changed.\\
- To be more selective, better use \texttt{connect A.BoxChange \emph{currentBox}.BoxExecute}.
- \item {\bf\emph{Always}} : bbUpdate() always calls Process. \\
- Usefull for 'sources', that must be processed, even when no entry changed (e.g. : FileSelector, ColorSelector)\\
+ \item {\bf\emph{Pipeline}}:% bbBackwardUpdate() calls Process() only if Status == MODIFIED \\
+ The box executes itself only when an input was changed (normal pipeline processing).
+ \item {\bf\emph{Reactive}}: %bbSetModifiedStatus() calls bbUpdate() \\
+ Re-processes immediately when \emph{any input} changes.\\
+ To be more selective, better use
+ '\texttt{connect A.BoxChange B.BoxExecute}'.
+ \item {\bf\emph{Always}} :% bbUpdate() always calls Process. \\
+ Usefull for 'sources', that must be processed, even when no input changed (e.g.: FileSelector, ColorSelector)\\
This one is not end user intended (for Package developer only)
\end{itemize}
\end{itemize}
-
-Any 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} :
+\item And one default output :
\begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{WinHeight}} : Height of the window
- \item {\bf\emph{WinWidth}} : Width of the window
- \item {\bf\emph{WinTitle}} : Title of the window
- \item {\bf\emph{WinClose}} : Any received signal closes the window
- \item {\bf\emph{WinHide}} : Any received signal hides the window
- \item {\bf\emph{WinDialog}} : When set to 'true', creates a \emph{dialog window}, that blocks the pipeline until it is closed (\emph{modal})
+ \item {\bf\emph{BoxChange}} : Signals any modification of the box. This output may be connected if necessary to the \emph{BoxExecute}
+ 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.
\end{itemize}
+If you create complex boxes, it is a good idea to define those inputs and outputs to be able
+to force the execution of your complex box or be aware of its changes...
-Any \emph{Layout box} (i.e. \emph{LayoutLine}, \emph{LayoutSplit} or \emph{LayoutTab}) has at one or more mandatory Inputs :
+\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 :
\begin{itemize}
- \item {\bf\emph{Widget}}\texttt{i} : e.g. a \emph{LayoutSplit} box (Widget which splits a window in two resizeable parts)
- has two Input parameters \emph{Widget1} and \emph{Widget2}, used to embed the child windows.\\
- e.g. a \emph{LayoutLine} divides the window in up to 9 (depending on the number of inputs \emph{Widget}i) fixed size parts.
-\end{itemize}
+ \item {\bf\emph{WinHeight}}: Height of the window
+ \item {\bf\emph{WinWidth}} : Width of the window
+ \item {\bf\emph{WinTitle}} : Title of the window
+ \item {\bf\emph{WinClose}} : Any received signal closes the window
+ \item {\bf\emph{WinHide}} : Any received signal hides the window
+ \item {\bf\emph{WinDialog}}: When set to 'true', creates a \emph{dialog window}, that blocks the pipeline until it is closed (\emph{modal})
+\end{itemize}
+If you define a complex widget box, it is a good idea to define these inputs to be able
+to customize your window settings.
-Any widget box has two mandatory Outputs :
+\item Any {\bf widget} box has one mandatory Output :
\begin{itemize}
- \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}, it
- will popup. If it's connected to the \texttt{Widget}\texttt{\emph{i}} of any \texttt{Layout box}, it will be embedded in its parent window.
- \item {\bf\emph{Boxchange}} : Signals any modification of the box. This output may be connect if necessary to the \emph{BoxExecute} entry of an other box,
- further within the execution pipeline.
+ \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},
+ it will be embedded in its parent window.
\end{itemize}
+If you define a complex widget box, it is a good idea to use this standard name for your window output
+
+\item Any {\bf Layout} box (i.e. \emph{LayoutLine}, \emph{LayoutSplit} or \emph{LayoutTab}) has one or more mandatory Inputs :
+\begin{itemize}
+ \item {\bf\emph{Widget}}\texttt{i}: e.g. a \emph{LayoutSplit} box (Widget which splits a window in two resizeable parts)
+ has two Input parameters \emph{Widget1} and \emph{Widget2}, used to embed the child windows.\\
+ e.g. a \emph{LayoutLine} divides the window in up to 9 (depending on the number of inputs \emph{Widget}i) fixed size parts.
+\end{itemize}
+
+If you define a complex layout box, it is a good idea to use these standard names for your
+sub-windows inputs.
+
+\end{itemize}
% ==========================================
-\subsection{More on ...}
-\label{bbi-more-on}
+%\subsection{More on ...}
+%\label{bbi-more-on}
% ==========================================
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Black box packages}
-\label{bbi-more-on-packages}
+%\subsubsection{Black box packages}
+%\label{bbi-more-on-packages}
% ==========================================
-There are various others user-intended packages :
+%There are various others user-intended packages :
-\begin{verbatim}
----> Were moved in a 'Reference Manual' ?\\
----> Any suggestion welcome!
-\end{verbatim}
+%\begin{verbatim}
+%---> Were moved in a 'Reference Manual' ?\\
+%---> Any suggestion welcome!
+%\end{verbatim}
-\begin{itemize}
-\item{vtk} \\
-\item{itk} \\
-\item{...} \\
-\end{itemize}
+%\begin{itemize}
+%\item{vtk} \\
+%\item{itk} \\
+%\item{...} \\
+%\end{itemize}
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Pipeline processing}
-\label{bbi-more-on-pipeline-processing}
+%\subsubsection{Pipeline processing}
+%\label{bbi-more-on-pipeline-processing}
% ==========================================
-\begin{itemize}
-\item the ``control'' mechanism in bbi.
+%\begin{itemize}
+%\item the ``control'' mechanism in bbi.
-When a box is requested to update itself, it asks (recursively) each one of its inputs if it was modified.\\
-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.
+%When a box is requested to update itself, it asks (recursively) each one of its inputs if it was modified.\\
+%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.
+
+%(switch exec commands, e.g. Button)
+%\item the role of ProcessMode to update widgets.
+%\end{itemize}
+
+%\subsubsection{Advanced issues}
+%\paragraph{Reducing the number of inputs of a box}
-(switch exec commands, e.g. Button)
-\item the role of ProcessMode to update widgets.
-\end{itemize}
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Complex black boxes}
-\label{bbi-more-on-complex-black-boxes}
-Creation of complex widgets (containers, contained...)
+%\subsubsection{Errors}
+%\label{bbi-more-on-errors}
-You can include script files in other script files,
-like in the following example :
+% ==========================================
-\begin{verbatim}
-# Defines the Add4 black box which adds 4 doubles
-include Add3
-define Add4
- author "myself"
- description "adds 4 doubles"
- new Add3 a
- new Add b
- connect a.Out b.In1
- input In1 a.In1 "first double to add"
- input In2 a.In2 "second double to add"
- input In3 a.In3 "third double to add"
- input In4 b.In2 "fourth double to add"
- output Out b.Out "output"
-endefine
+% ==========================================
+%\vspace{0.5cm}
+\hrule
+\newpage
+\section{Using third party Package}
+\label{Third_Party_Package}
+% ==========================================
+% ==========================================
+\subsection{Installing a Package}
+\label{Installing_a_Package}
+
+% ==========================================
+\subsubsection{Linux users}
+\label{Installing_a_Package_for_Linux_users}
+
+After compiling a Package, at install time, think of using :
+\begin {verbatim}
+su -
+make install
\end{verbatim}
-The inner boxes have they own entries (In1, In2, In3 for box a, In1, In2 for box b )\\
-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
-care neither about the inner boxes name, nor about the names of their Inputs.\\
-The writer of the complex box has the ability to give these inputs a meaningfull name !
-\begin{verbatim}
- input In3 a.In3 "third double to add"
- input In4 b.In2 "fourth double to add"
+and neither :
+\begin {verbatim}
+su
+make install
\end{verbatim}
-%\subsubsection{Advanced issues}
-%\paragraph{Reducing the number of inputs of a box}
+nor :
+\begin {verbatim}
+sudo make install
+\end{verbatim}
+
+otherwise package documentation will not be generated. \\
+
+Think of updating your environment variable LD\_LIBRARY\_PATH (in .bashrc in
+you're using bash), to add the path to the shared library
+libbb\emph{YourNewPackageName}.so
+
+% ==========================================
+\subsubsection{Windows users}
+\label{Installing_a_Package_for_Windows_users}
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Errors}
-\label{bbi-more-on-errors}
+Think of updating your environment variable LD\_LIBRARY\_PATH to add the path to the dynamic library
+bb\emph{YourNewPackageName}.dll
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Creating and using your own uninstalled version of bbStudio}
-\label{bbi-more-on-your_own_version}
+\subsection{Plugging in a Package}
+\label{Plugging_in_a_Package}
+% ==========================================
-Suppose you want to run your own uninstalled version (say : you downloaded and compiled the
-cvs version in order to use a recently commited patch, but you want to be able
-to still use the standard version).
-
-You have to :
-\begin{itemize}
-\item cvs checkout the sources :
-\begin{verbatim}
-cvs checkout bbtk
-\end{verbatim}
-\item
-create a build directory
-\begin{verbatim}
-mkdir buildBBTK
-\end{verbatim}
-\item cd in the build directory:
-\begin{verbatim}
-cd buildBBTK
-\end{verbatim}
-\item run ccmake.
-\begin{verbatim}
-ccmake ../bbtk
-\end{verbatim}
+\bbStudio makes it easy for you : in the menu \texttt{Tools} just click on the
+option \texttt{Plug Package}. You will be asked to '\texttt{Select
+package directory}'. Browse untill you find the install or the build directory,
+depending whether you installed the package or not.
-Don't forget to switch ON the flag \textttBBTK\_COMPILE\_DEBUG\_MESSAGE \\
-(see figure : \ref{bb-ccmake})
+\bbStudio will update the configuration file, generate the 'Package
+documentation', and update the 'Boxes Lists'.
-\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{bb-ccmake}\Running ccmake}
-\begin{center}
-\includegraphics[width=0.6\textwidth]{ccmake.png}
-\end{center}
-\end{figure}
+You will be able to use the new package just as you did for any other \bbtk
+canonical Package.
-\item As usual, type \texttt{c} untill there is no longer any area quoted with a * (or enlighted in red)\\
-Ask for generation (type \texttt{g} -once is always enough-)
+% ==========================================
+\subsection{Hard incorporating of a Package}
+\label{Hard_incorporating_of_a_Package}
+% ==========================================
-\item Ask for compilation and link.
-\begin{verbatim}
-make
-\end{verbatim}
-For some strange reasons (?!?), you may be warned that an error occured while documentation generation.\\
-Take it easy, \texttt{make} again!\\
+If the Package you want to use is supplied in a non standard way (e.g.: you
+where given one ore more dynamic libraries (\texttt{.dll} or \texttt{.so}), and/or
+one or more directories containing \bbtk scripts (\texttt{.bbs})
+you can edit your \bbtk configuration and add the appropriate
+paths, see \ref{The_configuration_file}.
-The dynamic libraries (\texttt{.dll} or \texttt{.so} and the executable programs will be created in the \testtt{bin}
-directory of the built tree.
+%\end{itemize}
+% ==========================================
+\subsection{Updating the documentation}
+\label{Updating_the_documentation}
+% ==========================================
+You may add your own boxes (simple boxes, if you are aware enough in \CPP
+language, or complex boxes if you are aware enough in bbtk scripting).
-\item choose to install or not your own version.
-\begin{verbatim}
-make install
-\end{verbatim}
-Linux users : Don't forget to \texttt{sudo} before.
-\end{itemize}
+To update the html help of this package,
+use the option \texttt{Regenerate package doc}
+in the menu \texttt{Tools} of \texttt{bbStudio}.
+You'll be prompted for the Package name.
+Avoid using the \texttt{-a} option (Regenerate all), since it's time consumming.
+
+To update html boxes lists with the new boxes,
+use the option \texttt{Regenerate Boxes Lists}
+in the menu \texttt{Tools} of \texttt{bbStudio}.
+
+% ==========================================
+\subsection{Using the package}
+\label{Using_the_package}
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{\bbtk configuration file and search pathes}
-\label{bbi-more-on-configuration}
-At start, \bbi tries to open an \texttt{xml}
-configuration file named \texttt{bbtk\_config.xml}.
-The search order is
-\begin{enumerate}
-\item The current directory
-\item The subdir \texttt{.bbtk} of the user's home directory.
-\begin{itemize}
-\item On \texttt{Unix}, the home directory is the
-one stored by the environnement variable \texttt{HOME},
-typically \texttt{/home/username}.
-\item On \texttt{Windows}, the home directory is
-the user's profile directory stored by the environnement
-variable \texttt{USERPROFILE},
-typically \texttt{C:\\...}.
-\end{itemize}
-\item If none of these two pathes contains the file then it creates
-a new one in the \texttt{.bbtk} directory.
-\end{enumerate}
+The only thing you have to do is to \texttt{include} or \texttt{load} the package,
+within a script, or from the \texttt{Command} part,
+and enjoy the black boxes it contains.
-Once created, you can edit the \texttt{bbtk\_config.xml} file located
-in your \texttt{.bbtk} directory. It contains :
+% ==========================================%\subsection{Packages you'll probably want to use }
+%\label{Packages_you_ll_want_to_use}
+% ==========================================
+%\begin {itemize}
+%\item{\texttt{creaLib}} \\
+%a.k.a \texttt{crea}. It's a set of 'low level' utilities, needed by other
+%packages (an, sure, useful as well for people that doesn't use bbtkns.
+%\item{\texttt{creaContours}} \\
+%Provides sophisticated widgets for managing 3D R.O.I. (Regions of interest)
+%\item{\texttt{creaImageIO}} \\
+%Allows browsing, selectionning, ordering directories containing images of almost any type
+%(including DICOM)
+%\end {itemize}
+%\newpage
+
+% ==========================================
+%\vspace{0.5cm}
+\hrule
+\newpage
+\section{Using black boxes in \CPP programs}
+\label{cpp}
+% ==========================================
+
+A very useful feature is that you may use any widget
+black box within a \CPP program
+without worrying about writing a \wx main application.\\
+
+Let's look a the following bbs script :
-\begin{file}{bbtk\_config.xml}
\begin{verbatim}
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
-<config>
- <description> </description>
- <bbs_path> </bbs_path>
- <package_path>
- /usr/local/lib
- </package_path>
- <data_path> </data_path>
- <default_temp_dir>$</default_temp_dir>
-</config>
+# Load the packages
+load std
+load wx
+
+# Create the Objects
+new Slider slider
+new OutputText text
+new LayoutLine layout
+
+# Graphical pipeline
+connect slider.Widget layout.Widget1
+connect text.Widget layout.Widget2
+
+# Execution pipeline
+connect slider.BoxChange text.BoxExecute
+connect slider.Out text.In
+
+# Go!
+exec layout
\end{verbatim}
-\end{file}
-You can add pathes to
-\begin{itemize}
-\item A custom folder in which to search for \texttt{.bbs} scripts (\texttt{include} command of \bbi) by adding an \texttt{xml} tag :
-\texttt{<bbs\_path>complete\_path\_to\_folder<\/bbs\_path>}.
-\item A custom folder in which to search for packages (\texttt{load} command of \bbi) by adding an \texttt{xml} tag :
-\texttt{<package\_path>complete\_path\_to\_folder<\/package\_path>}.
-\end{itemize}
+User wants to create a slider and an output text, within a LayoutLine,
+and display the slider value in the output text.
+Think about the (little!) nightmare to code the same, in 'raw C++', using wxWidgets.
+The following \CPP code does the same :
-\newpage
+\begin{verbatim}
+#include <bbtkFactory.h>
+#include <bbwxSlider.h>
+#include <bbwxOutputText.h>
+#include <bbwxLayoutLine.h>
+
+int main(int argv, char* argc[])
+{
+ try
+ {
+ // we need to intanciate a bbtk::Factory to be aware of the adaptors
+ bbtk::Factory::Pointer factory = bbtk::Factory::New();
+
+ // Load the packages
+ // ----------------
+ factory->LoadPackage("std");
+ factory->LoadPackage("wx");
+
+ // Create the Objects
+ // ------------------
+ bbwx::Slider::Pointer slider = bbwx::Slider::New("slider");
+ bbwx::OutputText::Pointer text = bbwx::OutputText::New("text");
+ bbwx::LayoutLine::Pointer layout = bbwx::LayoutLine::New("layout");
+
+ // Graphical pipeline
+ bbtk::Connection::Pointer c1 = bbtk::Connection::New(slider,"Widget",
+ layout,"Widget1");
+
+ bbtk::Connection::Pointer c2 = bbtk::Connection::New(text,"Widget",
+ layout,"Widget2");
+
+ // Execution pipeline
+ // ------------------
+
+ // We have to pass the 'factory', in order to call automatically an adaptor,
+ // if necessary.
+ bbtk::Connection::Pointer s2t = bbtk::Connection::New(slider,"Out",
+ text,"In",
+ factory);
+ bbtk::Connection::Pointer c3 = bbtk::Connection::New(slider,"BoxChange",
+ text,"BoxExecute");
+ layout->bbSetInputWinDialog(true);
+
+ // Go!
+ // ---
+ layout->bbExecute();
+
+ }
+ catch (bbtk::Exception e)
+ {
+ bbtk::MessageManager::SetMessageLevel("Error",1);
+ e.Print();
+ }
+}
+
+In this code, we use the headers of the \texttt{bbwx} \CPP library,
+which define the black boxes of the \texttt{wx} package.
+
+to be continued ...
+
+\end{verbatim}
% ==========================================
-\subsection{Language reference}
+\hrule
+\newpage
+\section{\bbs language reference}
\label{bbi-reference}
% ==========================================
-
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{pipeline creation and execution related commands}
+\subsection{Pipeline creation and execution related commands}
\label{bbi-reference-creation-execution}
% ==========================================
-
+% See table \ref{bbi-reference-box}
% ==========================================
\begin{table}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{bbi-reference-box} \bbi pipeline creation and execution related commands.}
+\caption{\label{bbi-reference-box} \bbs pipeline creation and execution related commands.}
\small
\begin{tabular}{|lcm{6cm}|}
\hline
Command & Parameters & Effect \\ \hline
-\texttt{new} & \texttt{<boxtype>} \texttt{<box-name>}&
-Creates a box of type \texttt{boxtype} and name
+\texttt{new} & \texttt{<box-type>} \texttt{<box-name>}&
+Creates a box of type \texttt{box-type} and name
\texttt{box-name}.\\ \hline
+\texttt{newgui} & \texttt{<box-name>} \texttt{<gui-box-name>} &
+Automatically creates a graphical user interface with name \texttt{gui-box-name}
+for the black box \texttt{box-name} and connects it to the box inputs\\ \hline
+
\texttt{delete} & \texttt{<box-name>} &
-Destroys the box named \texttt{box-name}.\\ \hline
+Destroys the box named \texttt{box-name}\\ \hline
\texttt{connect} & \texttt{<box1.output>} \texttt{<box2.input>} &
Connects the output
in the packages loaded which converts a \texttt{std::string}
to the type of the input \texttt{input}. \\ \hline
-\texttt{print} & \texttt{<string>} &
-Prints the string after substituting each token of the form \texttt{\$box.output\$} by the adaptation to string of the value of the
-output \texttt{output} of the box named \texttt{box}.
-An \texttt{adaptor} must exist
-in the packages loaded which converts
-the type of the output \texttt{output}
-to a \texttt{std::string}.
-\\ \hline
-
\texttt{exec} & \texttt{<box-name>} &
Executes the box named \texttt{box-name}.
If needed the boxes
connected to its inputs
are also processed recursively (pipeline processing).\\ \hline
-\texttt{exec} & \texttt{freeze} &
- Allows to block execution commands while keeping definition commands active.(This one is not for end user)\\ \hline
-\texttt{exec} & \texttt{unfreeze} &
- Turns back to 'normal' mode (This one is not for end user).\\ \hline
+& \texttt{freeze} &
+ Allows to block execution commands while keeping definition commands active (this one is not for end user)\\ \hline
+& \texttt{unfreeze} &
+ Turns back to 'normal' mode (this one is not for end user).\\ \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
% ==========================================
\newpage
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{Interpreter related commands}
+\subsection{Package related commands}
+\label{bbi-reference-package}
+
+\begin{table}[!ht]
+\caption{\label{tabbbi-reference-interpreter_1}\bbs package related commands. }% (part 1).}
+\small
+\begin{tabular}{|lcm{6cm}|}
+\hline
+Command & Parameters & Effect \\ \hline
+
+
+\texttt{include} & \texttt{<package-name>} &
+Loads the package \texttt{package-name} and includes all its complex box definition scripts. \\ \hline
+
+\texttt{load} & \texttt{<package-name>} &
+Loads the atomic black boxes of package \texttt{package-name}.
+Loads the dynamic library but not the complex boxes defined in the scripts shipped with the package.
+Use it only if you know that you won't work with its complex black boxes \\ \hline
+
+\texttt{unload} & \texttt{<package-name>}&
+Unloads the package \texttt{package-name}.
+The package must have been previously loaded.
+No box of a type defined in this package must still exist.\\ \hline
+
+\texttt{reset} & - & Deletes all boxes and unloads all packages so
+that the interpreter gets back to its initial state \\ \hline
+
+
+\texttt{package} & \texttt{<package-name>} &
+All complex black boxes definitions until the next \texttt{endpackage}
+will be stored into the package \texttt{package-name} \\ \hline
+
+\texttt{endpackage} & - &
+Closes a \texttt{package} command \\ \hline
+
+
+\end{tabular}
+\end{table}
+\newpage
+
+% ==========================================
+\subsection{Interpreter related commands}
\label{bbi-reference-interpreter}
% ==========================================
-
+%See table \ref{tabbbi-reference-interpreter_1} and \ref{tabbbi-reference-interpreter_2}
% ==========================================
\begin{table}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{bbi-reference-interpreter}\bbi intepreter related commands.}
+\caption{\label{tabbbi-reference-interpreter_1}\bbs intepreter related commands. }% (part 1).}
\small
\begin{tabular}{|lcm{6cm}|}
\hline
Command & Parameters & Effect \\ \hline
-\texttt{author} & \texttt{<author-name>} &
-Adds the string \texttt{<author-name>} to the author information of the black box being defined \\ \hline
-
-\texttt{category} & \texttt{<category-name>} &
- Adds the string \texttt{<category-name>} to the category information of the black box being defined \\ \hline
\texttt{help} & - &
Prints help on available commands \\ \hline
\texttt{box-type}.
The box type must belong to a package which has been previously loaded \\ \hline
-& \texttt{<debug-directive>} &
-[expr|-C|-D]
- Prints debug info on living bbtk objects containing the string \texttt{expr} (default expr='').
- \texttt{-C} checks the factory integrity.
- \texttt{-D} turns on objects debug info after main ends\\ \hline
+\texttt{message}
+& - &
+Prints information on available kinds of messages and their current level\\ \hline
+
+ & \texttt{<kind>} \texttt{<level>} &
+Sets the level of verbosity of the interpreter for the kind of messages
+\texttt{kind} to \texttt{level}.\\ \hline
+
\texttt{include} & \texttt{<file-name>} &
Includes and executes the content of the file named \texttt{file-name}
exactly like if you were typing its content at the place were the
\texttt{include} command is. \\ \hline
-\texttt{load} & \texttt{<package-name>} &
-Loads the package \texttt{package-name} (use it only if you know that you won't work with complex black boxes) \\ \hline
+\texttt{print} & \texttt{<string>} &
+Prints the string after substituting each token of the form \texttt{\$box.output\$} by the adaptation to string of the value of the
+output \texttt{output} of the box named \texttt{box}.
+An \texttt{adaptor} must exist
+in the packages loaded which converts
+the type of the output \texttt{output}
+to a \texttt{std::string}.
+\\ \hline
-\texttt{include} & \texttt{<package-name>} &
-Loads the package \texttt{package-name} and includes all the complex black boxes that comes with it \\ \hline
+\texttt{graph} & ... &
+Generates the html doc including the pipeline graph for a given complex box \\ \hline
-\texttt{kind} & \texttt{<box kind>} &
-Specifies the \texttt{kind} of the complex black boxes you are describing \\ \hline
+\texttt{index} & ... &
+Generates the html index of currently loaded boxes types \\ \hline
-\texttt{unload} & \texttt{<package-name>}&
-Unloads the package \texttt{package-name}.
-The package must have been previously loaded.
-No box of a type defined in this package must still exist.\\ \hline
+\texttt{config} & - & Displays the configuration parameters\\ \hline
-\texttt{message} & \texttt{<category>} \texttt{<level>} &
-Sets the level of verbosity of \bbi for the category of messages
-\texttt{category} to \texttt{level}.\\ \hline
-%See \ref{verbosity}.
-\texttt{config} & - & Displays the Configuration parameters\\ \hline
-
-\texttt{reset} & - & Deletes all boxes and unloads all packages so
-that \bbi gets back to its initial state \\ \hline
+\texttt{debug} & \texttt{<debug-directive>} &
+[expr|-C|-D]
+ Prints debug info on living bbtk objects containing the string \texttt{expr} (default expr='').
+ \texttt{-C} checks the factory integrity.
+ \texttt{-D} turns on objects debug info after main ends\\ \hline
-\texttt{quit} & - & Exits the interpreter (Don't use it under \bbStudions)\\ \hline
+\texttt{quit} & - & Stops the interpretation of the current script\\ \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
% ==========================================
-
+\newpage
% ==========================================
-\subsubsection{complex black box definition related commands}
+\subsection{Complex black box definition related commands}
\label{bbi-reference-black-box-definition}
% ==========================================
+%See table \ref{bbi-reference-complex-box}
% ==========================================
\begin{table}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{bbi-reference-complex-box} \bbi complex black box definition related commands.}
+\caption{\label{bbi-reference-complex-box} \bbs complex black box definition related commands.}
\small
\begin{tabular}{|lcm{6cm}|}
\hline
Command & Parameters & Effect \\ \hline
-\texttt{define} & \texttt{<box-type>} &
-Starts the definition of a complex black box of type
-\texttt{box-type}\\ \hline
+\texttt{define} & \texttt{<box-type>} [\texttt{<package-name>}] &
+Starts the definition of a complex black box of type
+\texttt{box-type}. If \texttt{<package-name>} is provided then includes the
+box in the given package (otherwise it is defined in the current package,
+i.e. \texttt{user} if outside a \texttt{package/endpackage} block). \\ \hline
\texttt{endefine} & - &
Ends the definition of a complex black box type\\ \hline
\texttt{author} & \texttt{<string>} &
-Sets the author(s) of the complex black box currently being defined \\ \hline
+Concatenate the string to the author string
+of the current complex black box.\\ \hline
\texttt{description} & \texttt{<string>} &
-Sets the description of the complex black box currently being defined \\ \hline
+Concatenate the string to the description of the current complex black box.
+\\ \hline
+
+\texttt{category} & \texttt{<string>} &
+Specifies the \texttt{categories} of the current complex black box.
+The categories must be separated by semicolons, e.g. "\texttt{widget;image}"\\ \hline
+
+\texttt{kind} & \texttt{<box kind>} &
+Specifies the \texttt{kind} of the current complex black box
+( ADAPTOR, DEFAULT\_ADAPTOR, WIDGET\_ADAPTOR, DEFAULT\_WIDGET\_ADAPTOR )\\ \hline
\texttt{input} & \texttt{<name>} \texttt{<box.input>} \texttt{<help>} &
Defines a new input for the current complex black box,
\texttt{<help>} is the help string for the new output.
The box \texttt{box} must already have been created in the complex box and of course have an output named \texttt{output}. \\ \hline
-
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
-% ==========================================
-\newpage
+%\newpage
+Note : if outside a \texttt{define/endefine} block then the current complex black box
+is '\texttt{user::workspace}', that is the main program equivalent
+(this is how applications are documented).
+This remark holds for all complex black box related commands.
-% ==========================================
-\vspace{0.5cm}\hrule \\
-\section{The Package Browser}
-\label{Package_Browser}
-% ==========================================
-You can run it using the tool bar of the 'Command' part.
-See figure \ref{Package_Browser}.
-\begin{figure}[!ht]
-\caption{\label{Package_Browser}The Package Browser}
-\begin{center}
-\includegraphics[width=0.6\textwidth]{Package_Browser.png}
-\end{center}
-\end{figure}
-It allows you to query informations about what you can find in the packages (boxes and applications), using several criterions
-(warning : it's case sensitive, i.e \texttt{Button} will give different results thn \texttt{button} ...)
-\begin {itemize}
-\item Pakages :\\
-All the boxes and applications held in a given package (e.g. \texttt{wxvtk}, \texttt{std}, ...)
-\item Name :\\
-You can query on a subpart of the name of a box or an application (e.g. \texttt{DICOM})
-\item Description :\\
-You can query on a substring of the description of a box or an application (e.g. \texttt{utton} : user wants to get all
-the\texttt{Button} as well as the \texttt{button} )
-\item Category :\\
-You can query on a sub part of the category name of a box or an application (e.g. \texttt{3D})
-\item Input Type :\\
-You can query all the boxes or applications that have at least one Input entry of the given type (e.g. \texttt{int})
-\item Output Type :\\
-You can query all the boxes or applications that have at least one Output entry of the given type (e.g. \texttt{int})
-\item Input Nature :\\
-You can query all the boxes or applications that have at least one Input entry of the given nature (e.g. \texttt{signal})
-\item Output Nature :\\
-You can query all the boxes or applications that have at least one Output entry of the given nature (e.g.
-\texttt{signal},\texttt{file name})
-\end {itemize}
-
-
-All these criterions are \emph{AND}ed while the query process.\\
-You can get the whole description of a given box or application clicking on its name.
% ==========================================
-\vspace{0.5cm}\hrule \\
-\section{Using third party Package}
-\label{Third_Party_Package}
+% ==========================================
+% ==========================================
+% ==========================================
+% ==========================================
+% ==========================================
+% ==========================================
+% ==========================================
+% ==========================================
+% ==========================================
+%\hrule
+\newpage
+\section{Install and run time issues}
% ==========================================
-You will have to update the \emph{bbtk\_config.xml} file.\\
-To know where it is stored, just click on \texttt{Config} button of the \texttt{Command} part toolbar.
-You'll get something like :
+
+
+%%==============================================================================================
+%%==============================================================================================
+\subsection{\bbtk configuration file}
+\label{The_configuration_file}
+%%==============================================================================================
+%%==============================================================================================
+
+At start, \bbtk applications (\bbStudio, \bbi) try
+to open an \texttt{xml}
+configuration file named \texttt{bbtk\_config.xml}.
+The search order is
+\begin{enumerate}
+\item The current directory
+\item The subdir \texttt{.bbtk} of the user's home directory.
+\begin{itemize}
+\item On \texttt{Unix}, the home directory is the
+one stored by the environnement variable \texttt{HOME},
+typically \texttt{/home/username}.
+\item On \texttt{Windows}, the home directory is
+the user's profile directory stored by the environnement
+variable \texttt{USERPROFILE},
+typically \texttt{C:$\backslash$ Documents and Settings$\backslash$ username}.
+\end{itemize}
+\item If none of these two paths contains the file then it creates
+a new one in the \texttt{.bbtk} directory.
+\end{enumerate}
+
+
+Information on \bbtk configuration is
+obtained in \bbStudio by clicking on the
+\texttt{Config} button of the \texttt{Command} part toolbar.
+
+If you did not installed other packages than the ones
+provided by \bbtk, you get something like :
\begin{verbatim}
-=============
+ =============
Configuration
=============
- bbtk_config.xml : [/home/jpr/Creatis/bbtk/binLIN/bin/bbtk_config.xml]
- Documentation Path : [/home/jpr/Creatis/bbtk/binLIN/bin/../share/bbtk/doc]
- Data Path : [/home/jpr/Creatis/bbtk/binLIN/bin/../share/bbtk/data]
- Temp Directory : [/home/jpr/Creatis/bbtk/binLIN]
+ bbtk_config.xml : [/home/guigues/.bbtk/bbtk_config.xml]
+ Documentation Path : [/usr/local/bin/../share/bbtk/doc]
+ Data Path : [/usr/local/bin/../share/bbtk/data]
+ Temp Directory : []
File Separator : [/]
BBS Paths
--- [.]
- --- [/home/jpr/Creatis/bbtk/binLIN/bin/../share/bbtk/bbs]
- --- [/home/jpr/Creatis/bbtk/binLIN/share/bbtk/bbs]
+ --- [/usr/local/bin/../share/bbtk/bbs]
PACKAGE Paths :
--- [.]
- --- [/home/jpr/Creatis/bbtk/binLIN/bin]
- --- [/home/jpr/Creatis/bbtk/binLIN/bin/../lib]
- --- [/home/jpr/Creatis/bbtk/binLIN/bin]
- --- [/home/jpr/Creatis/bbtk/binLIN/bin\Debug]
- --- [/home/jpr/Creatis/bbtk/binLIN/bin\Release]
+ --- [/usr/local/bin/../lib]
\end{verbatim}
-(depending on who you are, and whether \texttt{bbStudio} is installed or not.)\\
+The first line let you know which configuration file is currently used.
-Just use your favourite text editor to add :
-\begin{itemize}
-\item
- at the end of the \texttt{BBS Paths} part
- the name of the directory that contains the \texttt{.bbs} scripts of the package you
-want to use,
-\item at the end of the \texttt{PACKAGE Paths} part
- the name of the directory that contains the dynamic libraries (\texttt{.dll} or \texttt{.so}) of the package
-\end{itemize}
-
-If you want (and sure you will) to be able to use the Help tools as well on the features provided by this package, you must use the
-option \texttt{Generate index} in the menu \texttt{Tools} of the \texttt{Files} part toolbar.
-% ==========================================
-\vspace{0.5cm}\hrule \\
-\section{Using black boxes in \CPP programs}
-\label{cpp}
-% ==========================================
-
-A very usefull feature is that you may use any black box within a \CPP program witout worrying about wxWigets main window.\\
+You can open this file using \bbStudio menu \texttt{Files$>$Open bbtk Config file}.
-Let's look a the following bbs script :
+You will get something like :
\begin{verbatim}
-# Load the packages
-load std
-load wx
-
-# Create the Objects
-new Slider slider
-new OutputText text
-new LayoutLine layout
-
-# Graphical pipeline
-connect slider.Widget layout.Widget1
-connect text.Widget layout.Widget2
+<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"iso-8859-1\"?>
+<config>
+ <bbs_path> </bbs_path>
+ <package_path> </package_path>
+ <default_temp_dir> $ </default_temp_dir>
+</config>
+\end{verbatim}
-# Execution pipeline
-connect slider.BoxChange text.BoxExecute
-connect slider.Out text.In
+The \texttt{xml} tags \texttt{bbs\_path} and \texttt{package\_path}
+allow to set additionnal directories in which to search
+for \bbs files and packages dynamic libraries.
-# Go!
-exec layout
+For example, if you add the line :
+\begin{verbatim}
+ <bbs_path> /home/guigues/bbs </bbs_path>
\end{verbatim}
-User wants to create a slider and an output text, within a layoutline, and display the slider value in the output text.\\
-Think about the (little!) nightmare to code the same, in 'raw C++', using wxWidgets.\\
+Then the interpreter will search for \bbs in the folder \texttt{/home/guigues/bbs},
+which allows a command like \texttt{'include bbMyBox.bbs'} to work if
+the folder \texttt{/home/guigues/bbs} contains the file \texttt{bbMyBox.bbs}.
-Using \bbtk you just 'convert' the script :
-\begin{verbatim}
+The same, the \texttt{xml} tag \texttt{<package\_path>} let you
+set additional path in which to find a package dynamic library,
+hence allowing to load additionnal packages with the \texttt{'load'} command.
-#include <bbwxSlider.h>
-#include <bbwxOutputText.h>
-#include <bbtkFactory.h>
-#include <bbwxLayoutLine.h>
+All \bbs and package paths are summmarized in the
+information output when pressing 'Config' in \bbStudio.
+You can see that two \bbs paths are always set :
+\begin{itemize}
+\item The current directory (\texttt{.})
+\item The \bbs folder of \bbtk
+\end{itemize}
+Also, two package paths are always set :
+\begin{itemize}
+\item The current directory (\texttt{.})
+\item The libraries folder of \bbtk
+\end{itemize}
-int main(int argv, char* argc[])
-{
- // we need to intanciate a bbtk::Factory to be aware of the adaptors
- bbtk::Factory::Pointer factory = bbtk::Factory::New();
-
- // Load the packages
- // ----------------
- factory->LoadPackage("std");
- factory->LoadPackage("wx");
-
- // Create the Objects
- // ------------------
- bbwx::Slider::Pointer slider = bbwx::Slider::New("slider");
- bbwx::OutputText::Pointer text = bbwx::OutputText::New("text");
- bbwx::LayoutLine::Pointer layout = bbwx::LayoutLine::New("layout");
-
- // Graphical pipeline
- bbtk::Connection::Pointer c1 = bbtk::Connection::New(slider,"Widget",
- layout,"Widget1");
-
- bbtk::Connection::Pointer c2 = bbtk::Connection::New(text,"Widget",
- layout,"Widget2");
-
- // Execution pipeline
- // ------------------
-
- // We have to pass the 'factory', in order to call automatically an adaptor,
- // if necessary.
- bbtk::Connection::Pointer s2t = bbtk::Connection::New(slider,"Out",
- text,"In",
- factory);
- bbtk::Connection::Pointer c3 = bbtk::Connection::New(slider,"BoxChange",
- text,"BoxExecute");
- layout->bbSetInputWinDialog(true);
-
- // Go!
- // ---
- layout->bbExecute();
+Additional paths set in your \texttt{bbtk\_config.xml} are added after those standard paths.
+Note that the order displayed is the one in which the folders are searched when
+\texttt{include} or \texttt{load} commands are issued.
- }
- catch (bbtk::Exception e)
- {
- bbtk::MessageManager::SetMessageLevel("Error",1);
- e.Print();
- }
-}
-\end{verbatim}
-%\bibliography{all}
+%%==============================================================================================
+
+\subsection{Misc}
+\begin {itemize}
+%\item{make} \\
+%For some strange reasons (?!?), at \texttt{cmake} time,
+%you may be warned that an error occured while documentation generation.\\
+%Take it easy, \texttt{make} again!\\
+\item{\bbStudio} is written using the Advanced User Interface library of wxWidgets.
+If, after some hazardous floating/docking operations onto the frame, you feel
+very unhappy with the result, just remove from the hidden directory
+\texttt{.bbtk} the file named \texttt{bbStudio.aui}. \\
+
+\end {itemize}
-%\section{Conclusion}
\end{document}
+
git://git.creatis.insa-lyon.fr / bbtk.git / blobdiff