CashFlow, A Visualization Framework for 3D Flow - Studierstube ...

Software Design3.13. Conclusion3.13 ConclusionIn this chapter the following concepts have been introduced:• The CashFlow visualization pipelineThis visualization pipeline is an adaption of the traditional visualization pipeline.It is designed to suite the special needs of a dynamic data flow model craftedinto a scene graph with respect to scripting. The main components LOADER –DATA – MAPPER – RENDER used in CashFlow were introduced. Each of thesecomponents are defined in order to make scripting the OpenInventor files easier.• Virtual ArrayThe virtual array is implemented in the DataAccess node. It is a filtering at runtimewith small overhead depending on the type of virtual array. The virtual arraycan be accessed and handled easily using one of three virtual array iterators.• Indirect ReferencesTo be able to use absolute and relative linking between nodes a special traversalstate object is needed. On the one hand this traversal state object allows absolutelinking of nodes similar to field connections. On the other hand it also providesrelative or implicit linking of nodes.While the scene graph is traversed the ordering of nodes have an effect on whichnodes are linked together. This concept is only possible by applying implicitlinking in addition to absolute linking.• Unique keysTo be able to address nodes in the script file unique keys are used. The uniquekey is a simple string, which has to be unique during the scene graph traversal.Two concepts are used:Absolute address keycreating a direct node–to–node connection. The data source is addressedby its unique name comparable to a field connection.Relative address keystaking traversal order of nodes into account.• Decoupling of algorithm and type of gridBy separating the topology information of a grid from the other data of the gridalgorithms can be defined to access several different types of grids instead ofonly one type of grid. The disadvantage of that approach is, that this additionallayer slows down the algorithms.• Dynamic Data Flow Model The components of CashFlow can be used to createa dynamic data flow model. These data flow models can be scripted and actuallybe altered at runtime.65