[kepler-dev] feedback about installation and tutorial

[Silvia D. Olabarriaga]

hi,

Since one week I've been experimenting with Kepler - very impressive and 
useful system, thanks a lot and congratulations to you all!
So far I've (blindly) followed the available info (tutorials and 
instructions on the web). Here you find some feedback/suggestions:


RUNNING Kepler:

I changed kepler.sh to enable running it from another directory (see 
attached kepler.silvia.sh).


INSTALLING Kepler (for development):

+ it took me a while to understand that, indeed, I would have to 
checkout kepler by hand before installing it. My wrong assumption was 
that the downloaded version was complete, since the installation 
instructions come with it. Also, the cvs account is asked when compiling 
the system, so I thought it would automatically checkout the code, if 
necessary. Finally, building failed when using PtolemyII 4.0.1.

For dummies, maybe the following installation summary would be useful:
(note that this info is all present, but in a bit spread manner and 
sometimes out of date)

+ ask for CVS account (may take a few days)
*** by the way, have you considered including a complete version for 
download? The exisiting one does not include the website (at least?), 
and building fails.

+ download source distribution of PtolemyII 5.0-beta (installation not 
needed, since this will be done with kepler)
+ install apache ant (for building)

+ set environment
export CVS_RSH=ssh
export CVSROOT=":ext:<user>@cvs.ecoinformatics.org:/cvs"

+ get latest kepler
cvs checkout kepler
this creates/updates ./kepler directory, which should be set to the 
environment variables KEPLER_HOME and KEPLER

+ build and run
 > cd $KEPLER
 > ant -f build-ptolemy.xml clean
 > ant clean ptolemy run
*** the above sequence worked for me, but one can find different ones in 
the docs.
*** if CVSROOT is set, no interaction is needed


FOLLOWING THE STEPS ON THE USER'S GUIDE:

pages 11-12: could not activate the design actor (no "New Actor" option 
on the View Menu).


RUNNING THE DEVELOPER'S TUTORIAL:

+ Exercise 1, code for basicKeplerActorLibrary.xml:
<entity name="My Hello" class="edu.tutorial.%YOUR_DIRECTORY%.HelloWorld">

+ Exercise 3, code for icon has syntax error (too many quotes?)
The following worked for me:
                 + "<polygon points=\"-8,-19 8,-19 19,-8 19,8 8,19 "
                 + "-8,19 -19,8 -19,-8\" "

+ could not find class edu.tutorial.MainFractal


I'm sorry for the long list, and I do hope that this info is useful to 
you somehow!
best,
S.



Note:
let me briefly introduce myself, in case you care:
Silvia D. Olabarriaga (www.science.uva.nl/~silvia), researcher of the 
vl-e project (virtual laboratory for e-sciences, www.vl-e.com).
I participate in the branch
"e-Science applications - Medical Diagnosis & Imaging"
(http://www.vl-e.com/main_bottom_res_p13.htm).

Currently I am trying to implement an existing workflow into different 
workflow management systems.
This workflow implements image analysis operations (registration and 
segmentation) of MR brain images, using public software.

As I see it, I would fit better into the category "Kepler user", rather 
than "developer", but I do need to add very special actors in the system 
for this particular workflow...

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