[kepler-dev] port parameters

[Christopher Brooks]

I'm not sure why you would have an error getting to section 5.4.
What version of Adobe Reader are you using?  7.0 is the latest.
I was able to view the pdf inside IE under Windows from home using my
slow DSL connection.

You could try downloading the pdf by going to
http://ptolemy.eecs.berkeley.edu/papers/05/ptIIdesign1-intro/
and right clicking and selecting "Save As" on the pdf.

I yield to Edward on the port parameter questions.


_Christopher

--------

    Thanks Christopher.  I thought I looked there and don't know how I missed
    it.  For some reason I can access section 3.3.2 but I can't get to Section
    5.4 (get a file I/O error of all things).   I've tried several times.
    
    As to the colors of PortParameters and ParameterPorts, I need to get these
    straight in my head before really making any kind of informed
    recommendation.  
    
    >From a purely visual perspective, I will just raise the issue of using gra
   y
    as possibly problematic simply because it is often used to indicate some
    disabled state.
    
    I might be worried that a gray triangle will instead say to the users that 
   a
    port is disabled for some reason.
    
    Some of the things I would want to understand before making an informed
    recommendation would be things like:
    
    -Can PortParameters and ParameterPorts also be singular or multiple?
    -Is there a specific reason why we would need to somehow distinguish them t
   o
    the user visually?
    -If they really function on the basic level like regular ports do they need
    a different representation?
    -Would it be creators of workflows as opposed to runners or editors of
    workflows that need the distinction?
    
    Etc.
    
    Visual design can often get too cluttered if we try to differentiate too
    many things, then the coding (colors, symbols, shapes, thick lines, thin
    lines, dotted lines, bolded text, italics and so on) begins to be a burden
    to the user.
    
    
    Laura L. Downey
    Senior Usability Engineer
    LTER Network Office
    Department of Biology, MSC03 2020
    1 University of New Mexico
    Albuquerque, NM  87131-0001
    505.277.3157 phone
    505.277-2541 fax
    ldowney at lternet.edu
     
    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: cxh at EECS.Berkeley.EDU [mailto:cxh at EECS.Berkeley.EDU] 
    Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 7:04 PM
    To: Laura L. Downey
    Cc: kepler-dev at ecoinformatics.org
    Subject: Re: [kepler-dev] port parameters 
    
    Hi Laura,
    The best place to look is Volume 1 of the Ptolemy II Design doc:
    http://ptolemy.eecs.berkeley.edu/papers/05/ptIIdesign1-intro/ptIIdesign1-in
   t
    ro.pdf
    
    Section 3.3.2, "Port Parameters" is a good place to start.
    See also 5.4 "Couple Port and Parameter"
    
    The Javadoc can be found at
    http://ptolemy.eecs.berkeley.edu/ptolemyII/ptIIlatest/ptII/doc/codeDoc/ptol
   e
    my/actor/parameters/PortParameter.html
    
    This brings up a UI question.
    There are PortParameters and ParameterPorts.
    I get confused about which is which.
    
    ParameterPorts are ports that update a parameter in a container.
    ParameterPorts are:
    
     A specialized port for use with PortParameter.  This port is created
     by an instance of PortParameter and provides values to a parameter.
     Data should not be read directly from this port.  Instead, the update
     method of the corresponding PortParameter should be invoked.  This
     port is only useful if the container is opaque, however, this is not
     checked.
    
    When I was updating the relation icons to look like your gif images I
    ran in to ParameterPorts.  Currently non-multiport ParameterPorts are
    darkGray.  I think these should be lightGray so as to be closer to the
    white of regular non-multiports.  (I'm not sure if multiport
    ParameterPorts exist (Edward??).)
    
    The easiest way to see a ParameterPort is to start up Kepler:
    1) File -> New -> Graph Editor
    2) Search for Sinewave
    3) Drag the Sinewave actor in to a canvas.
    4) Then right click on the Sinewave composite actor and lookinside.
    
    What do you think, should I change the darkGrey to lightGrey
    to better match the white of single ports?
    
    _Christopher
    
    Laura writes:
    --------
        Is there an indepth discussion/description about port parameters
    anywhere?
        I thought I remembered seeing something in an earlier version of Ptolem
   y
        documentation but for some reason I can't find it.  Can someone point m
   e
    to
        it?
        
         
        
        Thanks.
--------