[Paraview] Question on Multiple Ports in Custom Reader (repost from developer list)

[Joshua Murphy]

OK, So I have figured out where the problem lay, but I don't know how to
fix it (if I can)...

The problem only arrises if I try to use the reader as a time-series
reader.  If I take out the time-series XML, then it works fine.

I am attaching my generic reader... there is no dataset required... just open
any txt file and it will just produce sample data.

If you remove the file-series portion of the reader, you will see the
reader works fine...

Please let me know what you think...

-Josh


On 7/6/12 2:06 PM, "Utkarsh Ayachit" <utkarsh.ayachit at kitware.com> wrote:

>Joshua,
>
>Can you attach a data file to test the reader out as well? In the mean
>time here are few things I see:
>
>1. RequestInformation() should produce meta-data about both output
>ports, not just the one requested for. (I will have to dig in the code
>to confirm).
>2. You should not be saving the information objects passed into
>RequestInformation(..) i.e. there should be no place for
>this->DataOutInfo, this->MetaDataOutInfo!
>3. In RequestData, you can get access to the output data object by
>vtkDataObject::GetData(outputVector, 0) or
>vtkDataObject::GetData(outputVector, 1) and NOT
>this->GetExecutive()->GetOutputInformation(). You can also use
>vtkTable::GetData(outputVector, 1).
>
>Try fixing these issues, I am guessing that should solve the problems
>you are experiencing too.
>
>Utkarsh
>
>On Fri, Jul 6, 2012 at 12:53 PM, Joshua Murphy
><Joshua.Murphy at lasp.colorado.edu> wrote:
>> Hi Utkarsh,
>>
>> Here is the generic reader I am experimenting withŠ I haven't ported
>> anything into my actual reader yet, as I am just trying to get the
>>second
>> port to work before messing with my actual reader.
>>
>> Thanks for helping!
>>
>> -Josh
>>
>>
>> On 7/6/12 10:46 AM, "Utkarsh Ayachit" <utkarsh.ayachit at kitware.com>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>Can you post you reader's code? It might make things easier.
>>>
>>>Utkarsh
>>>
>>>On Fri, Jul 6, 2012 at 12:15 PM, Joshua Murphy
>>><Joshua.Murphy at lasp.colorado.edu> wrote:
>>>> Hello all,
>>>>
>>>> I am still struggling with this problem, so I figured I would re-post
>>>>the
>>>> question to the general list in hopes of getting a wider audience!
>>>>
>>>> Thanks in advance for any help you may provide!
>>>>
>>>> For Completeness, I have verified that I am setting the number of
>>>>output
>>>> ports in my constructor.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks again for any help!
>>>>
>>>> -Joshua Murphy
>>>>
>>>> Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
>>>>
>>>> University of Colorado, Boulder
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Hello,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I am attempting to write a reader that handles both structured grids
>>>>and
>>>> meta-data.  It was recommended to me that I use multiple ports, and
>>>>populate
>>>> a vtkTable with the meta-data.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I think I am having some conceptual problems with how this is supposed
>>>>to
>>>> work.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I have written a dummy reader in an attempt to get the meta-data
>>>>working
>>>> prior to porting it to my real reader, but I am having troubleŠ
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> My understanding is that I need to
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> specify the number of output ports with
>>>>this->SetNumberOfOutputPorts(2)
>>>> Populate the output port information
>>>>
>>>> int vtkGenericReader::FillOutputPortInformation(int port,
>>>>vtkInformation*
>>>> info)
>>>>
>>>> {
>>>>
>>>>   switch(port)
>>>>
>>>>     {
>>>>
>>>>     case 0:
>>>>
>>>>       info->Set(vtkDataObject::DATA_TYPE_NAME(), "vtkStructuredGrid");
>>>>
>>>>       break;
>>>>
>>>>     case 1:
>>>>
>>>>       info->Set(vtkDataObject::DATA_TYPE_NAME(), "vtkTable");
>>>>
>>>>       break;
>>>>
>>>>     }
>>>>
>>>>   return 1;
>>>>
>>>> }
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 3. Get the informationObject from the outputVector
>>>>
>>>>    outputvector->GetInformationObject(1);
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 4. Get the table data
>>>>
>>>>      this->MetaData = dynamic_cast<vtkTable*>
>>>>
>>>>       (this->MetaDataOutInfo->Get(vtkDataObject::DATA_OBJECT()));
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 5. Add string to the table
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>   vtkStringArray *MetaString = vtkStringArray::New();
>>>>
>>>>   MetaString->SetName("Meta Data");
>>>>
>>>>   MetaString->SetNumberOfComponents(1);
>>>>
>>>>   MetaString->InsertNextValue("This is a Test");
>>>>
>>>>   MetaString->InsertNextValue("Test 2");
>>>>
>>>>   MetaString->InsertNextValue("Test 3");
>>>>
>>>>   this->MetaData->AddColumn(MetaString);
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> It is my understanding that this information should then be available
>>>>in the
>>>> ParaView GUI.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The problems I am having are this:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 1.  When attempting to get both port information objects on the first
>>>>call
>>>> to RequestInformation(), port 1 returns a NULL object.  On the SECOND
>>>>call
>>>> to GetInformation(), both ports are available.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 2.  All calls to RequestData() only provide access to port 0 in the
>>>>Output
>>>> information Vector.  I can access port 1 if I utilize
>>>> this->getExecutive()->getOutputInformation(1)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 3.  When using #2 to get the information, I populate, but I am unsure
>>>> where/how things are supposed to be accessible in the GUI.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> What I am trying to do is be able to access the meta-data values from
>>>>within
>>>> ParaView so that I can utilize data values, units, model run data,
>>>>etc.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> If anyone can help me understand what is supposed to be going on, or
>>>>if
>>>>I am
>>>> completely doing something wrong, I would be grateful!  Am I missing
>>>>some
>>>> steps? Do I need to have XML code to access the vtkTable?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Joshua Murphy
>>>>
>>>> Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
>>>>
>>>> University of Colorado, Boulder
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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