.. include:: ../../include/global.inc .. sectionauthor:: Marc Gronle, ITO .. _plugin-Algo-CatInterfaces: Algorithm Categories and Interfaces =================================== You can assign to every filter- or widget-method a certain category and/or algorithm interface, the method belongs or fits to. This is useful such that |itom| can ... * categorize your filter or widget. * is able to integrate the filter in specific parts of the GUI, e.g. the file load or save process or dialog. * might use your filters in image processing chains. * ... Algorithm Categories -------------------- Algorithm Interfaces -------------------- A programmer who wants to implement a filter or widget-method that fits to a specific algorithm interface can be forced by the interface to consider a certain set of rules. These rules can be: * The first **n** mandatory parameters can be determined. For each of these parameters the type and optionally some contraints by adding a meta information instance to the parameter are given. * The first **m** output parameter can be determined. Type and meta information (optional) are given as well). * The maximum number of mandatory parameters is determined, but can also be set to infinity (INT_MAX). * The maximum number of optional parameters is determined, but can also be set to infinity (INT_MAX). * The maximum number of output parameters is determined, but can also be set to infinity (INT_MAX). * The syntax or general form of the meta information string, added to the classes **FilterDef** or **AlgoWidgetDef** can be given. If a filter or widget-method pretends to implement a certain interface, |itom| checks at startup if the contraints are fullfilled are if this is not the case, the filter or widget-method is rejected and cannot be used within |itom|. The reason for the rejection can be seen by open the dialog **loaded plugins...** within the **help**-menu of |itom|. The following interfaces are available (in the enumeration **tAlgoInterface**, member of class **ito::AddInAlgo**: iNotSpecified +++++++++++++ This is the default implementation and indicates that your filter or widget-method does not fit to any interface. iReadDataObject +++++++++++++++ Filters fitting to this interface provide the functionality to read a certain file and load its content to an instance of dataObject. **Argument limitations** +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | Parameter group | Max. number of parameters | +======================+===========================================+ | mandatory parameters | infinity | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | optional parameters | infinity | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | output parameters | 0 | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ **Mandatory parameters** +--------------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ | Parameters | Type | Description | Further limitations (meta information) | +==========================+======================+==========================================================+==================================================+ | #1 dataObject | DObjPtr, In, Out | DataObject, where the file is loaded to | None | +--------------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ | #2 filename | String, In | absolute filename of the file to load | None | +--------------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ **Output parameters** - No - **Meta information string** This string must contain the file-filters with file-endings that this filter is able to load. Different file filters are separated by a double-semicolon (;;). Each filter begins with its name (arbitrary string), followed by a space and a sequence of file-endings within a pair of brackets. Examples are: * Images (\*.bmp \*.png \*.jpg \*.pgm) * Bitmap (\*.bmp);;JPEG (\*.jpg) * Text-Files (\*.txt) iWriteDataObject ++++++++++++++++ Filters fitting to this interface provide the functionality to export a dataObject with a specific file format. **Argument limitations** +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | Parameter group | Max. number of parameters | +======================+===========================================+ | mandatory parameters | infinity | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | optional parameters | infinity | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | output parameters | 0 | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ **Mandatory parameters** +--------------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ | Parameters | Type | Description | Further limitations (meta information) | +==========================+======================+==========================================================+==================================================+ | #1 dataObject | DObjPtr, In | DataObject that should be exported | None | +--------------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ | #2 filename | String, In | absolute filename of the file | None | +--------------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ **Output parameters** - No - **Meta information string** This string must contain the file-filters with file-endings that this filter is able to load. Different file filters are separated by a double-semicolon (;;). Each filter begins with its name (arbitrary string), followed by a space and a sequence of file-endings within a pair of brackets. Examples are: * Images (\*.bmp \*.png \*.jpg \*.pgm) * Bitmap (\*.bmp);;JPEG (\*.jpg) * Text-Files (\*.txt) iReadPointCloud +++++++++++++++ Filters fitting to this interface provide the functionality to read a certain file and load its content to an instance of pointCloud. **Argument limitations** +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | Parameter group | Max. number of parameters | +======================+===========================================+ | mandatory parameters | infinity | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | optional parameters | infinity | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | output parameters | 0 | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ **Mandatory parameters** +--------------------------+------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ | Parameters | Type | Description | Further limitations (meta information) | +==========================+========================+==========================================================+==================================================+ | #1 pointCloud | PointCloudPtr, In, Out | PointCloud, where the file is loaded to | None | +--------------------------+------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ | #2 filename | String, In | absolute filename of the file to load | None | +--------------------------+------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ **Output parameters** - No - **Meta information string** This string must contain the file-filters with file-endings that this filter is able to load. Different file filters are separated by a double-semicolon (;;). Each filter begins with its name (arbitrary string), followed by a space and a sequence of file-endings within a pair of brackets. Examples are: * Images (\*.bmp \*.png \*.jpg \*.pgm) * Bitmap (\*.bmp);;JPEG (\*.jpg) * Text-Files (\*.txt) iWritePointCloud ++++++++++++++++ Filters fitting to this interface provide the functionality to export a pointCloud with a specific file format. **Argument limitations** +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | Parameter group | Max. number of parameters | +======================+===========================================+ | mandatory parameters | infinity | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | optional parameters | infinity | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | output parameters | 0 | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ **Mandatory parameters** +--------------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ | Parameters | Type | Description | Further limitations (meta information) | +==========================+======================+==========================================================+==================================================+ | #1 dataObject | PointCloudPtr, In | PointCloud that should be exported | None | +--------------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ | #2 filename | String, In | absolute filename of the file | None | +--------------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ **Output parameters** - No - **Meta information string** This string must contain the file-filters with file-endings that this filter is able to load. Different file filters are separated by a double-semicolon (;;). Each filter begins with its name (arbitrary string), followed by a space and a sequence of file-endings within a pair of brackets. Examples are: * Images (\*.bmp \*.png \*.jpg \*.pgm) * Bitmap (\*.bmp);;JPEG (\*.jpg) * Text-Files (\*.txt) iReadPolygonMesh ++++++++++++++++ Filters fitting to this interface provide the functionality to read a certain file and load its content to an instance of polygonMesh. **Argument limitations** +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | Parameter group | Max. number of parameters | +======================+===========================================+ | mandatory parameters | infinity | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | optional parameters | infinity | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | output parameters | 0 | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ **Mandatory parameters** +--------------------------+------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ | Parameters | Type | Description | Further limitations (meta information) | +==========================+========================+==========================================================+==================================================+ | #1 pointCloud | PolygonMeshPtr, In, Out| PolygonMesh, where the file is loaded to | None | +--------------------------+------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ | #2 filename | String, In | absolute filename of the file to load | None | +--------------------------+------------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ **Output parameters** - No - **Meta information string** This string must contain the file-filters with file-endings that this filter is able to load. Different file filters are separated by a double-semicolon (;;). Each filter begins with its name (arbitrary string), followed by a space and a sequence of file-endings within a pair of brackets. Examples are: * Images (\*.bmp \*.png \*.jpg \*.pgm) * Bitmap (\*.bmp);;JPEG (\*.jpg) * Text-Files (\*.txt) iWritePolygonMesh +++++++++++++++++ Filters fitting to this interface provide the functionality to export a polygonMesh with a specific file format. **Argument limitations** +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | Parameter group | Max. number of parameters | +======================+===========================================+ | mandatory parameters | infinity | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | optional parameters | infinity | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ | output parameters | 0 | +----------------------+-------------------------------------------+ **Mandatory parameters** +--------------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ | Parameters | Type | Description | Further limitations (meta information) | +==========================+======================+==========================================================+==================================================+ | #1 polygonMesh | PolygonMeshPtr, In | PolygonMesh that should be exported | None | +--------------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ | #2 filename | String, In | absolute filename of the file | None | +--------------------------+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+ **Output parameters** - No - **Meta information string** This string must contain the file-filters with file-endings that this filter is able to load. Different file filters are separated by a double-semicolon (;;). Each filter begins with its name (arbitrary string), followed by a space and a sequence of file-endings within a pair of brackets. Examples are: * Images (\*.bmp \*.png \*.jpg \*.pgm) * Bitmap (\*.bmp);;JPEG (\*.jpg) * Text-Files (\*.txt) Definition of new algorithm interfaces -------------------------------------- At first the categories and interfaces are determined as an enumeration value in the enumerations **ito::AddInAlgo::tAlgoCategory** and **ito::AddInAlgo::tAlgoInterface** (file **addInInterface.h**). The constraints and rules for every interface are implemented in the methods **init** and **getTags** of class **AlgoInterfaceValidator**. Besides the syntax of the meta information string all necessary information is given in the method **init**.