TSIPP Workbench - File Control (Loading and Saving)

File Control

This GUI area is used to load and save the ".tcl" source files for the graphic being edited, and for saving ".pbm" files of the rendered image. The source files contain the complete state of the GUI, including a "current state" of the image and all of the frames that have been created. The GUI area has the following appearance:

At the bottom you will see buttons for regression script capture and playback. This is an advanced feature intended to be used only for program maintenance. However, it is made available to the end-user in order that he or she may verify the TSIPPwb in the end-user's environment.

Source File Operations

Load

This button causes a dialog to be entered in which the name of a file containing the Tcl source of an existing image may be specified, and this image is loaded, displacing any image currently loaded. The filename is remembered for use in a subsequent Save operation.

Save As

This button causes a dialog to be entered in which the name of a source file to be created to save the state of the GUI is specified. The filename is remembered for use in a subsequent Save operation.

Save

The state of the GUI is written to the file with the name used in the last Load or Save As operation. This option is disabled until a "Load" or "Save As" operation is successfully performed.

Image File Operations

Save Image As

This button causes a dialog to be entered in which the name of a file is specified to which the current rendered image is written as a PBM or PPM file. The image is re-rendered to create the same picture as was produced by last render operation to the Perspective View. The "Width" and "Height" entryfields allow the resolution of the image to be specified. The default values of 320 and 200 respectively match the resolution of the perspective view. Note that rendering time will increase if larger values are used.

Save Image

This button causes the current rendered image to be written as a PBM or PPM file with the filename remembered from the last "Save Image As" operation. If there was no previous "Save Image As" operation, then this button is not enabled.

Capture/Playback

A capture file in this context is a Tcl script containing commands to invoke the mouse bindings of the TSIPPwb in order to reproduce a previous editing session. Such scripts are useful for the following:

as regression tests to verify the operation of the tool after modification;
as regression tests to verify the operation of the tool after installation in a new environment;
as a demonstration or tutorial on how to use the tool.

For more details on how the capture/playback feature is used in the qualification of the TSIPPwb, refer to regression testing.
The files contain low level commands which refer to specific widget pathnames and object names. This has implications for the collowing:

in general, these files will not work with release levels other than that which was used to create them, because this is likely to involve a change to widget pathnames.
the state of the tool on playback must be identical to the state of the tool on capture. This includes the history of work performed since when the tool was initiated; i.e., if the capture was initiated immediately after starting the tool, the capture file will not play back successfully if any operations have been performed which create [Incr tcl] objects (which means almost any operation). The reason for this is that objects are normally created with the #auto construct, and this provides a series of object names which is never reset. The playback requires that the names generated on playback match the names generated on capture.

Typically, the capture file is opened as the very first operation; in particular, before creating the MultiView. However, it is permissible to playback another existing file as the very next step. This is useful, because it means that an extensive capture can be performed in several stages, with each stage after the first playing back the previously generated capture file, immediately after starting the new cature.

DO NOT save files while performing capture.

Open

This button causes a dialog to be entered in which the name of the capture file to be created to save the state of the GUI is specified.

Close

This button will be enabled when a capture is begun with the "Open" button. After using it, it is safe to save source and image files.

Playback

This button causes a dialog to be entered in which the name of a previously saved file may be entered, which when selected will be played back.