[Paraview] Input Editor - Cramped Input Port Selection

Tue Mar 16 12:08:39 EDT 2010

Then I was right : I was not clear enough!

First, I talked about the current panel, not your mockup. I agree with
those who enthousiastic.
Second, the problem I noted on the multiple-input-port panel is that
the input are not ordered by index, but by name. Changing "Source"
to "ArbirtraySource" in the filters.xml for streamer with custom source
will change the order the inputs appear. Well, I know, if the name are
well-chosen, it is not a problem.

Now, let's take this pipeline:

builtin
   |
   |---Wavelet
   |        |
   |    Gradient
   |
   | --- PointSource

If you want to initialize a stream tracer in the Gradient at each point
of PointSource, you have to select Gradient, then choose filter ->
Stream tracer with custom source. The inputs panel is shown, with
the Input field being already set to the selected 'Gradient'. What you
have to do is to set the Source to PointSource from the pipeline. Well...
Attached is a screenshot of this procedure, but Source is named
ArbitrarySource. The Gradient is set as ArbitrarySource, and Input field
is not set.

I hope I am clearer now!

Jerome

2010/3/16 Utkarsh Ayachit <utkarsh.ayachit at kitware.com>

> I am not sure why there's a problem. In your case, your filters have 2
> input ports. e.g. in the stream tracer case,  referring to the mockup,
> INPUT1 will be called "Input" while INPUT2 will be called
> "ArbitrarySource" or "Source" as the case may be. Both of which
> allowing the user to only add  1 item in the input box next to them.
>
> Utkarsh
>
> On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 4:23 AM, Jérôme <jerome.velut at gmail.com> wrote:
> > My 2 cents on this :
> > It seems to me that the input list is provided in alphabetical order. In
> my
> > case I have a lot of custom plugins that take 2 inputs, one being
> > vtkImageData
> > and the other a vtkPolyData (such a stream tracer with custom source).
> > Depending on wich is the 'principal' input, the default input setting of
> > this
> > panel have non-corresponding type. For instance, the Image input is set
> > to an existing PointSet.
> >
> > I don't know if I am clear enough, but maybe you can try with the stream
> > tracer
> > with custom source: in the current configuration, there is no problem.
> But I
> > am
> > quite sure that if you rename the 2nd input "Source" to "ArbitrarySource"
> in
> > the
> > filters.xml, you will understand this tiny problem.
> >
> > Jerome
> >
> > 2010/3/16 Christian Werner <christian.werner at rwth-aachen.de>
> >>
> >> I vote yes for the mockup!
> >>
> >> Utkarsh Ayachit wrote:
> >>>
> >>> I agree, the pipeline preview is confusing and for the most part
> >>> useless. Unless people object, I'd vote for removing it as well.
> >>>
> >>> Attached is a sample mockup. In case of filters like Append which have
> >>> single input port, but multiple input connections, the use can type in
> >>> a comma separated list of the inputs in the input field or select
> >>> multiple items using the pipeline browser in the dialog.
> >>>
> >>> Utkarsh
> >>>
> >>> On Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 11:22 AM, Christian Werner
> >>> <christian.werner at rwth-aachen.de> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>> As a user, may I present three suggestions, two of which should be
> very
> >>>> easy
> >>>> and still yield an improvement.
> >>>>
> >>>> 1) remove the Pipeline Preview: This may be rude because it's somehow
> >>>> nice.
> >>>> But then again, you cannot change what happens to the pipeline anyway.
> >>>> Also,
> >>>> I don't think one would change his mind about the selection of the
> >>>> inputs
> >>>> just because the Pipeline Preview shows something unsuspected. Most of
> >>>> the
> >>>> time the user knows what he is doing and wants to quickly and easily
> >>>> select
> >>>> his inputs. The actual layout works against this intend. The Pipeline
> >>>> Preview can be included again once a nice layout is found.
> >>>>
> >>>> 2) hide the Pipeline Preview and make it visible if the user wants to
> >>>>
> >>>> 3) change the layout such that the inputs are shown on top and let QT
> >>>> manage
> >>>> the form's height. You normally don't use so many inputs, so this
>  most
> >>>> probably would never lead to problems.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Best regards,
> >>>> Christian
> >>>>
> >>>> Paul Edwards wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> One simple fix would be to make sure that the preview window isn't
> >>>>> selectable.  A lot of my users get confused thinking one box is for
> >>>>> the input and the other as the source.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Regards,
> >>>>> Paul
> >>>>>
> >>>>> On 12 March 2010 19:10, Utkarsh Ayachit <utkarsh.ayachit at kitware.com
> >
> >>>>> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> I cannot agree more. I am going to take a stab and fixing this
> before
> >>>>>> 3.8. We've just had too many complaints about this dialog to keep on
> >>>>>> delaying this.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Utkarsh
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> On Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 2:00 PM, Christian Werner
> >>>>>> <christian.werner at rwth-aachen.de> wrote:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Hello!
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> I wonder why the input port selection is so cramped in the input
> >>>>>>> editor.
> >>>>>>> It
> >>>>>>> is really bad that you cannot actually read out the selections you
> >>>>>>> make
> >>>>>>> without moving the scrollbar. Then, after scrolling, you cannot
> >>>>>>> change
> >>>>>>> the
> >>>>>>> other input without scrolling back. This really steals your time.
> On
> >>>>>>> the
> >>>>>>> other hand there is that pipeline preview which is nice to see but
> >>>>>>> honestly
> >>>>>>> I'd instantly trade it away for a better overview on my inputs. I
> >>>>>>> have
> >>>>>>> attached a picture that shows the situation on my PC.
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> By the way, doesn't anyone have any idea about my last issue? (no
> >>>>>>> cell/point
> >>>>>>> data in imported ITK volumes):
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> "Create Cell or Point Data out of Image"
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Best regards,
> >>>>>>> Christian
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>>>>
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> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>
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> >>>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Powered by www.kitware.com
> >>
> >> Visit other Kitware open-source projects at
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> >>
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> >
> >
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> >
> > Visit other Kitware open-source projects at
> > http://www.kitware.com/opensource/opensource.html
> >
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> >
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