Getting Started with AVS/Express Developer Edition

Preface

Audience 1-8

Conventions 1-8

File Naming Conventions 1-9

AVS/Express Documentation and Online Help 1-9

Documentation 1-10

Online Help 1-11

Customer Support 1-11

1 Welcome to AVS/Express

1.1 What is AVS/Express? 1-2

1.2 Working with AVS/Express 1-3

The Network Editor 1-3

Example of a Completed Application 1-4

V Code 1-4

Application Programmer Interfaces 1-5

1.3 AVS/Express Kits 1-6

1.4 Object-oriented Techniques in AVS/Express 1-7

1.5 Connections and Object Execution 1-10

1.6 Object Manager 1-12

1.7 The AVS/Express Field 1-13

Field components 1-13

Meshes 1-14

Structured Mesh 1-14

1-17

Unstructured Mesh 1-17

1.8 Developing and Delivering Applications 1-19

AVS/Express Projects 1-19

Delivering Applications 1-19

2 Using AVS/Express Demos and Examples

2.1 Start AVS/Express 2-2

2.2 Instance a Demo 2-4

2.3 Instance an Example 2-8

3 Creating an Application Using the Wizards

3.1 Introduction 3-2

3.2 Start AVS/Express 3-3

3.3 Using the Data Import Wizard 3-5

3.4 Using the Data Visualization Wizard 3-8

4 Assembling a Data Visualization Application

4.1 Start AVS/Express 4-2

The SingleWindowApp Workspace 4-4

The SingleWindowApp DataViewer 4-5

The V Command Processor 4-6

4.2 Instance Objects in the Network Editor 4-8

Working with Libraries and Objects 4-8

Scrolling Through Objects 4-9

Displaying Library Pages 4-9

Instancing a Read_Field Object 4-11

Parts of an Object Icon 4-13

Moving Objects in the Workspace 4-13

Using Module Object Controls 4-13

Instance isosurface and Position Uviewer3D 4-15

4.3 Connect Objects 4-18

Connect isosurface to Read_Field 4-19

Removing a Connection 4-19

Connect Uviewer3D to isosurface 4-20

Look More Closely at the Ports 4-20

Understanding the Object Hierarchy 4-23

Use the Object Info Dialog 4-23

4.4 Save Your Application 4-25

4.5 Execute Your Application 4-26

4.6 Execute Your Application from the Command Line 4-30

4.7 For More Information 4-31

5 Modifying the Data Visualization Application

5.1 Introduction 5-2

5.2 Start AVS/Express 5-3

5.3 Load Your Application 5-4

5.4 Add Objects to Your Application 5-6

Instance and Connect the bounds Object 5-6

Test the Application 5-7

5.5 Add a Crop Object to Your Application 5-11

Instance and Connect crop 5-11

Test the Application 5-14

5.6 Save Your Application 5-16

5.7 For More Information 5-17

6 Assembling a Data Visualization Application 2

6.1 Download the data file 6-2

6.2 Start AVS/Express 6-3

6.3 Create a Data Reader 6-5

Using the Group Reference to Examine the Field 6-6

6.4 Add a Legend 6-9

Translate the Data 6-9

6.5 Filter the Data 6-12

6-12

6.6 Add a Title 6-13

7 Creating a New Component

7.1 Introduction 7-2

7.2 Start AVS/Express 7-4

7.3 Instance and Name the Component's Objects 7-6

Create the ScratchPad Application 7-6

Use the Add Module Tool to Construct the Module 7-7

7.4 Connect Depth to an Expression 7-12

Connect Depth 7-12

Test the Component 7-13

7.5 Use the Object Editor to Turn Time and Depth into Arrays 7-16

Specify Dimensions Using the Object Editor 7-16

Test the Arrays by Assigning an Array Literal to Time 7-19

Notice the Difference between Connections and Assignments 7-20

7.6 Save Echo as a Template 7-21

Set Default Values for the Input Parameters 7-21

Save Echo in a Library 7-21

Instance Echo into the Default Application 7-22

Print Depth's Value Using the V Command Processor 7-23

7.7 Create a New Project 7-25

Use Echo in a Simple Application 7-26

Construct the Application 7-26

Test the Application 7-27

Experiment with Bidirectional Connections 7-27

7.8 Restart AVS/Express with the New Project 7-30

7.9 For More Information 7-32

8 Creating a Group Data Parameter

8.1 Introduction 8-2

8.2 Start AVS/Express 8-3

8.3 Create a point Object 8-4

Create point 8-4

Create an Output Port for point and Set the Port's Colors 8-5

Adding a Port Using The Object's Popup Menu 8-5

Specify the port's Colors Using the Properties Editor 8-6

Save point as a Template Object 8-8

8.4 Create a Distance Module 8-9

Create Distance 8-9

Use the Object Editor to Specify the Module and its Subobjects 8-10

Save Distance as a Template Object 8-13

8.5 Use point and Distance in an Application 8-15

8.6 For More Information 8-19

9 Integrating User Code

9.1 Introduction 9-2

9.2 Start AVS/Express 9-3

9.3 Create EchoReader 9-4

Starting the Add_Module Tool 9-5

Adding the Method 9-6

Creating and Setting the First Parameter 9-8

Creating and Setting the Other Parameters 9-11

Set Properties Related to Integrating a C Routine 9-13

9.4 Save EchoReader as a Template 9-16

9.5 Generate C-code 9-17

Generate the Code 9-17

Edit EchoReader's Definition 9-18

Modify echo.c 9-19

Look at echo.c 9-19

9.6 Compile the Process 9-22

9.7 Test EchoReader 9-23

9.8 For More Information 9-26

10 Building a User Interface

10.1 Introduction 10-2

10.2 Start AVS/Express 10-3

10.3 Create a Window 10-4

10.4 Add a Menu Bar 10-7

Add the Menu Bar Itself 10-7

Add a Menu to the Menu Bar 10-8

Add Pulldown Commands to the Menu 10-10

10.5 Add a File-Selection Dialog 10-13

Add the Dialog 10-13

Observe How UIcmdOpen and UIfileDialog Work 10-14

10.6 Add an Exit Confirmation Dialog 10-16

Add an exit_process Module 10-20

10.7 Encapsulate the User Interface in a Macro 10-23

Move the Network into a Macro 10-23

Export the File Dialog Port 10-26

Save EchoUI as a Template 10-27

10.8 For More Information 10-29

11 Creating and Compiling an Application

11.1 Introduction 11-2

11.2 Start AVS/Express 11-3

11.3 Assemble the Application 11-4

Assemble the Application 11-4

Map the Data to a Field 11-5

Test the Application 11-9

Modularize the Mapper Objects 11-10

Create an Application Object 11-13

Save Your Application to a V File 11-15

11.4 Save the Application as a Compiled Project 11-17

11.5 For More Information 11-21