1<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML 3//EN"> 2<HTML><HEAD> 3 <TITLE>User's Guide - Executing a Visual Program</TITLE> 4 <META HTTP-EQUIV="keywords" CONTENT="GRAPHICS VISUALIZATION VISUAL PROGRAM DATA 5MINING"> 6 <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1"> 7</HEAD><BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" link="#00004b" vlink="#4b004b"> 8 <TABLE width=510 border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0> 9 <TR> 10 <TD><IMG SRC="../images/spacer.gif" WIDTH=80 HEIGHT=1></TD> 11 <TD><IMG SRC="../images/spacer.gif" WIDTH=49 HEIGHT=1></TD> 12 <TD><IMG SRC="../images/spacer.gif" WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=1></TD> 13 <TD><IMG SRC="../images/spacer.gif" WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=1></TD> 14 <TD><IMG SRC="../images/spacer.gif" WIDTH=3 HEIGHT=1></TD> 15 <TD><IMG SRC="../images/spacer.gif" WIDTH=127 HEIGHT=1></TD> 16 <TD><IMG SRC="../images/spacer.gif" WIDTH=6 HEIGHT=1></TD> 17 <TD><IMG SRC="../images/spacer.gif" WIDTH=50 HEIGHT=1></TD> 18 <TD><IMG SRC="../images/spacer.gif" WIDTH=71 HEIGHT=1></TD> 19 </TR> 20 <TR> 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src="../images/flcgh_08.gif" width=100 height=17 border="0" alt="Table of Contents"></A></TD> 33 <TD colspan=3><A href="usrgu036.htm"><IMG src="../images/flcgh_09.gif" width=136 height=17 border="0" alt="Partial Table of Contents"></A></TD> 34 <TD><A href="usrgu080.htm"><IMG src="../images/flcgh_10.gif" width=50 height=17 border="0" alt="Index"></A></TD> 35 <TD><A href="../srchindx.htm"><IMG SRC="../images/flcgh_11.gif" width=71 height=17 border="0" alt="Search"></A></TD> 36 </TR> 37 </TABLE> 38 <H2><A NAME="HDREXVP" ></A>5.4 Executing a Visual Program</H2> 39 <A NAME="IDX647"></A><A NAME="IDX648"></A> 40<P> 41After you set up a visual program in the VPE window and build any desired 42Control Panels (or after you open an existing visual program file), you can 43execute the visual program program. 44The resulting image appears in the Image window. 45This section explains how to execute a visual program. 46Section <A HREF="usrgu040.htm#HDRUSEIMAG">6.1 , "Using the Image Window"</A> 47describes how to manipulate images in the 48Image window by using direct interactors. 49You can also manipulate images in the Image window using interactors in 50the Control 51Panels, the Colormap Editor, and the Sequencer. 52(For more information on these tools, see <A HREF="usrgu043.htm#HDRBUICO">7.1 , 53"Using Control Panels and Interactors"</A>, 54<A HREF="refgu035.htm#HDRCOLRMAP">Colormap</A>, and <A 55HREF="refgu134.htm#HDRSEQUENC">Sequencer</A> in <I>IBM Visualization Data 56Explorer User's Reference</I>.) 57<P> 58You can execute the visual program from the <TT><STRONG>Execute</STRONG></TT> 59menu of 60a VPE window, a Control Panel, an Image window, or 61a Message window. 62The options are the same in all four windows. 63When a visual program is executed, an Image window is created if one is not 64already open. 65(You can also control execution using the Execute module. 66See <I>IBM Visualization Data Explorer User's Reference</I>.) 67<TABLE><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP"><B>Note:</B></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" 68VALIGN="TOP">If the <TT><STRONG>Execute</STRONG></TT> options are grayed-out, 69your 70workstation may not be connected to the server. 71For information about connecting to the server, see 72<A HREF="usrgu049.htm#HDRCONSERV">9.3 , "Connecting to the Server"</A>. 73</td></tr></table> 74Although you can initiate execution from the Control Panel, VPE, 75Image, and Message windows, you may find it more efficient to 76execute your visual program through the Control Panel menu (if you 77are using a Control Panel). 78This efficiency is due to the ease with which you can change inputs 79with interactors and initiate execution. 80<P> 81You can choose one of four options from the <TT><STRONG>Execute</STRONG></TT> 82menu when executing a visual program. 83Select the first option, <TT><STRONG>Execute Once</STRONG></TT>, to execute 84the program once, using the values currently set in 85the interactors. 86If you change any interactor values after execution, the visual program does not 87automatically execute; you must again choose an option from the 88<TT><STRONG>Execute</STRONG></TT> menu to execute the altered program. 89<P> 90Choosing the <TT><STRONG>Execute on Change</STRONG></TT> option causes 91the visual program to execute every time you change an 92interactor setting. 93If you change values faster than Data Explorer can generate images, the system 94executes the program as quickly as possible, always using the 95current settings at the time an execution cycle begins. 96If you modify your visual program while <TT><STRONG>Execute on 97Change</STRONG></TT> 98is enabled, then the option automatically becomes disabled. 99After the changes are made, you can reenable it. 100<P> 101Choosing <TT><STRONG>End Execution</STRONG></TT> while the visual program is 102executing 103causes execution to stop after the currently executing module. 104<P> 105The final <TT><STRONG>Execute</STRONG></TT> menu option is 106<TT><STRONG>Sequencer</STRONG></TT>. 107If you select this option, and a Sequencer tool is present in the visual 108program, the Sequencer appears (see <A HREF="#HDRSEQUEN">"Using the 109Sequencer"</A> 110for more information). 111While the Sequencer runs, you can change interactor settings, and those 112changes are reflected in subsequent frames generated by 113the Sequencer. 114The <TT><STRONG>Execute Once</STRONG></TT> and <TT><STRONG>Execute on 115Change</STRONG></TT> options are grayed out when the Sequencer 116is running, but when you pause the Sequencer, you can 117use those two options to explore the particular 118frame the Sequencer paused on. 119<P> 120While the visual program is executing, the <TT><STRONG>Execute</STRONG></TT> 121option on 122the menu bar is highlighted. 123It remains highlighted until execution is finished. 124If <TT><STRONG>Execute on Change</STRONG></TT> is selected, the 125<TT><STRONG>Execute</STRONG></TT> option on the menu bar is 126highlighted with one color during execution, and 127another color outside of execution cycles. 128<P> 129<H3><A NAME="HDRSEQUEN"></A>Using the Sequencer</H3> 130<A NAME="IDX649"></A> 131<A NAME="IDX650"></A> 132<A NAME="IDX651"></A> 133<A NAME="IDX652"></A> 134<P> 135The Sequencer allows you to "animate" a visual image and is very 136easy to use. 137The process is rather like running a video cassette tape: 138You can play it forward or backward, stop it, pause, and so on. 139 140The Sequencer Control panel consists of 8 buttons as shown in 141<A HREF="#FIGVCRCON">Figure 33</A>. 142<P><B><A NAME="FIGVCRCON" HREF="../usrguide.htm#FT_FIGVCRCON">Figure 33. Sequence 143Control Panel</A></B>. The first two buttons at top left are Loop and 144Palindrome. The others are: Step (<<TT><STRONG>||</STRONG></TT>>), Counter 145(<TT><STRONG>...</STRONG></TT>), Back (<), Forward (>), Stop (&sqbul;), 146and Pause (<TT><STRONG>||</STRONG></TT>).<BR> 147<B><BR><CENTER><IMG SRC="../images/seqctrl.gif" ALT="Figure seqctrl not 148displayed."></CENTER><BR></B><BR> 149<P> 150The > button starts the animation sequence and plays forward. The 151< button plays the sequence in the opposite direction. 152<P> 153The &sqbul; button stops the animation and resets the animation to the 154beginning of the sequence, while the <TT><STRONG>||</STRONG></TT> button 155pauses the animation at the current frame. 156<P> 157The <TT><STRONG>Loop</STRONG></TT> button causes the animation to loop; that is 158to go from beginning to end, reset to beginning, play to end, and so on 159until terminated by either pause or stop. 160<P> 161The <TT><STRONG>Palindrome</STRONG></TT> button causes the sequence to be 162played from beginning to end, and then from end to beginning. 163<P> 164<TT><STRONG>Loop</STRONG></TT> and <TT><STRONG>Palindrome</STRONG></TT> can be 165pressed simultaneously, resulting in an continuous forward and reverse 166animation. 167<P> 168The <<TT><STRONG>||</STRONG></TT>> button causes the behavior of 169the > and < buttons to become single-step mode. Each time 170one of these buttons is pressed, the animation advances one frame in the 171specified direction. 172 173<P> 174The <TT><STRONG>...</STRONG></TT> button opens the Frame Control dialog. 175The Frame Control dialog box (see <A HREF="#FIGVCRFR">Figure 34</A>) is used to 176specify the first, "next," and last (end) frames, the number 177of frames, and the increment between successive frames. 178<P> 179If a frame is being displayed, the current frame number appears in the 180Frame Control dialog box, next to the word "Current," and a 181corresponding colored marker is shown on the slide bar. 182A colored marker indicating the position of the next frame is also 183shown. 184Black markers indicate the positions of <I>start</I> and 185<I>end</I> relative to the next range of min to max. 186<A NAME="IDX653"></A> 187<P><B><A NAME="FIGVCRFR" HREF="../usrguide.htm#FT_FIGVCRFR">Figure 34. Sequencer 188Frame Control Dialog Box</A></B><BR> 189<B><BR><CENTER><IMG SRC="../images/framctrl.gif" ALT="Figure framctrl not 190displayed."></CENTER><BR></B><BR> 191Values for the Start, Next, and End frames are set by: 192<UL COMPACT> 193<LI>Entering a value in the text field of the stepper 194buttons 195<LI>Using the stepper controls 196<LI>Moving the position marker. 197</UL> 198<TABLE CELLPADDING="3"> 199<TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD><P><B><TT><STRONG>Start</STRONG></TT> 200</B></TD><TD><P>The starting value for the sequence. 201By default, set to the value in the Min field, in a 202new program. 203To change the Start field, use the stepper controls or select the field 204and enter the new value or use the Start marker. 205If you change the value in the Min field, then the Start field is set 206to that new value. 207If you are working with a saved program, then the Min and Start fields 208are set to the values that were saved. 209</TD></TR><TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD><P><B><TT><STRONG>End</STRONG></TT> 210</B></TD><TD><P>The ending value for the sequence. 211By default, set to the value in the Max field, in a new program. 212To change the End field, use the stepper controls or select the 213field and enter the new value or use the End marker. 214If you change the value in the Max field, then the End field is set to 215that new value. 216If you are working with a saved program, then the Max and End fields 217are set to the values that were saved. 218</TD></TR><TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD><P><B><TT><STRONG>Current</STRONG></TT> 219</B></TD><TD><P>Displays the current frame number. 220</TD></TR><TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD><P><B><TT><STRONG>Increment</STRONG></TT> 221</B></TD><TD><P>By default, set to 1. 222To change the increment, use the stepper controls or select the field 223and enter the new value. 224</TD></TR><TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD><P><B><TT><STRONG>Next</STRONG></TT> 225</B></TD><TD><P>By default, set to the value in the Start field, in a new 226program. 227You can set the Next field to any value between the Start and End 228values: the Sequencer will begin running at that value. 229(When the Sequencer is in loop mode, subsequent loops begin at the value in 230the Start field.) 231</TD></TR><TR VALIGN="TOP"><TD><P><B><TT><STRONG>Min</STRONG></TT> 232 and <TT><STRONG>Max</STRONG></TT> 233</B></TD><TD><P>Specify the allowed range of sequence values. 234These are text fields that can be altered. 235Data Explorer ensures that the value in the Start field is greater than or equal 236to the Min value, and the value in the End field is less than or 237equal to the Max value. 238</TD></TR></TABLE> 239<TABLE><TR><TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP"><B>Note:</B></TD><TD ALIGN="LEFT" 240VALIGN="TOP">If the images change more quickly than you would like, use the 241<TT><STRONG>Throttle...</STRONG></TT> option (see 242<A HREF="usrgu040.htm#HDRSPEED">"Changing the Rate of Frame Display: 243Throttle..."</A>). 244</td></tr></table> 245<P> 246<H3><A NAME="Header_124" ></A>Using a Data-Driven Sequencer</H3> 247<P> 248The Sequencer can be <I>data driven</I>, meaning that its minimum, 249maximum, and step values can be set by connecting the output of 250a tool to the input of a Sequencer in the VPE or by a 251value typed into the Sequencer's Configuration 252dialog box, rather than by using the 253<TT><STRONG>Frame Control</STRONG></TT> 254panel. 255<P> 256If the Sequencer is data driven, then the information transmitted by 257connection or set in the Configuration dialog box overrides 258values set in the <TT><STRONG>Frame Control</STRONG></TT> 259panel. 260<P> 261A data-driven Sequencer allows you to create visual programs that will 262work with a variety of input data sets without your having to reset 263Sequencer attributes. 264For example, if the Sequencer minimum is set to zero and its maximum to 265the number of steps in a series, it can be used to drive the Select 266module to select each member of the series in turn. 267<P> 268The inputs are summarized in the corresponding module description 269in <I>IBM Visualization Data Explorer User's Reference</I>. 270<P> 271Each time an input to a data-driven Sequencer is changed (for example, 272by importing a new data set) the Sequencer is reexecuted, updating 273its attributes. 274<P> 275<H3><A NAME="HDRERMSGS" ></A>Error Messages</H3> 276<A NAME="IDX654"></A> 277<P> 278If Data Explorer encounters an error in your visual program while executing it, 279an error 280message is displayed in the Message window (see <A 281HREF="usrgu046.htm#HDRDEBUG">8.2 , "Using the Message Window"</A>). 282The name of the tool in which the error occurred is shown in the 283window. 284Pull-down menu options enable you to quickly locate 285the tool that caused the error. 286 287 <P> 288The title of the tool icon in the visual program that caused the error is 289displayed in a different color in the VPE until you execute 290the program again. 291When the error occurs, execution stops only in the path where the error 292is; 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