The Multi-Dimensional Graphic Visualiser User Manual


Program Overview:

In the future, the CDMS core program will run this visualisation program. Until this happens, however, the visualizer can be run as a Windows/XWindows application.

The program takes in numerical data files in a standard format (comma field separation, new-line record separation) and displays random samples of the data in a graph-like visual format. This visual representation can then be manipulated in various ways so that patterns in the data can be more readily be identified.


Requirements:


Program Files: (when uncompiled)

  • GO3DAxis.java
  • GO3DRGBAxis.java
  • GO3DScatterPlot.java
  • GO3DSpaceAxis.java
  • GO3DStarFieldPlot.java
  • GO3DSubObj.java
  • GO3DVisualizer.java
  • GO3DVizPanel.java

  • glass_ok.txt
  • iris.txt
  • images/Axes.gif
  • images/Down.gif
  • images/Home.gif
  • images/In.gif
  • images/Label.gif
  • images/Left.gif
  • images/Out.gif
  • images/Right.gif
  • images/Sample.gif
  • images/Select.gif
  • images/Type.gif
  • images/Up.gif

Compilation: (at Command Prompt)


Running the Program:

Assuming the program compiled correctly, (if it doesn't, email me!) you should be able to run the program with the default test data.

To run the program simply type: java GO3DVizPanel at the prompt. This should use the default data file "glass_ok.txt" and you should see the program window appear.

To run the program with your own numerical data:


Manipulating your Data:

On starting the program you should be presented with a window that looks like this:

The window is broken up into 3 sections:

  1. The View Panel
  2. The Navigation Panel
  3. The Toolbar

These are described in detail below. If you find that the icons for any of the bars are missing, check that the gif files are in a subdirectory of the code folder called "images" and that all the files have the capitalisation shown in the Program Files section.

The View Panel

This section of the window should contain a sample of the data in its current visual form.

When the program first begins, the default position is very close to the origin of the 3D axes. Hopefully this default position will be moved in an update of the program, but for now you will need to move the camera position back to a normal viewing distance. (See the next section for how!)


The Navigation Panel

The navigation was based on the simple idea that the less buttons, the easier. There are two sets of buttons which govern all the 3D movement in the program.

The first set of buttons is the pair on the very right of the navigation bar. These two buttons form a toggle switch that chooses whether you are in "Translate Mode" or "Rotate Mode".

In "Translate Mode", the second set of buttons (the six directional arrows) move the object in the direction of the arrow.

In "Rotate Mode" the 6 directional arrows rotate the object in the direction of the arrow.

Note that all navigation affects the object, not the camera position.


The Toolbar

The toolbar contains the other operations that alter the visual representation of the data:

  • A "Home" button that takes the User (back) to the initial viewing location,
  • A "Select" button that is not currently functional, (In future it will toggle a "Select Mode" that will let the user grab displayed data.)
  • A "Label" button that is also not currently functional, (In future the User will be able to enter non-data text to the displayed data.)
  • An "Alter Axis" button that creates a toolbox for altering the values displayed by each axis,
  • An "Alter Sample" button that creates a toolbox that changes the sampling rate and/or resamples the data,
  • And an "Alter Type" button that is not functional either. (In the future it will enable the User to change the method by which the data is being displayed. eg GO3DScatterPlot)


Using the Toolkits:

Alter Axis Toolkit

When the Alter Axes button is pressed, a sub-window is displayed. This subwindow is called the Alter Axis Toolkit. With this toolkit open, you can choose which field of your data you wish to be diplayed by each axis.

It contains 6 drop-down boxes, one for each axis. By selecting the required fields for each axis and pressing the Apply button, the data in the View Panel will be altered.

Note that once the toolkit is open, it will remain open until you close it again. You still have access to both windows, but the Alter Axis button is disabled until the current Alter Axis Toolkit is closed.

Alter Sample Toolkit

When the Alter Sample button is pressed, a sub-window is displayed. This subwindow is called the Alter Sample Toolkit. With this toolkit open, you can choose how much of your data you wish to be diplayed at a time.

It contains a drop down menu that contains various values for the sampling rate. Once one of these values is selected, you can press the Apply button to have it randomly sample at that rate.

Note that pressing the Apply button randomly samples the data. If you wish to use the current sampling rate but obtain a new set of data, you can just press Apply.

Note that all graphical display types (eg GO3DScatterPlot) have a maximum number of data points that can be displayed at once. No matter what the sampling percentage is, the number of data points will never exceed this value.

Note that once the toolkit is open, it will remain open until you close it again. You still have access to both windows, but the Alter Sample button is disabled until the current Alter Sample Toolkit is closed.