#!F-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--18* #!N #!CNavyBlue #!N #!Rmdfsec Module Description Files #!N #!EC #!N #!N A module description file ( #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* .mdf #!EF file) contains essential information about Data Explorer modules, including their inputs and outputs. Data Explorer uses this information for various executive and user-interface operations, among them the creation of tool icons. #!N #!N A module description file consists of one or more "definition" sections, one section for each module described. Every section must contain the first two statements shown here, along with #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* INPUT #!F-adobe-times-medium-r-normal--18* and #!EF OUTPUT #!EF : #!N #!N #!CForestGreen #!N #!F-adobe-courier-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!N MODULE #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* name #!EF #!N CATEGORY #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* category name #!EF #!N DESCRIPTION #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* module description #!EF #!N FLAGS #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* optional flags #!EF #!N OUTBOARD " #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* executable #!EF " ; #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* host #!EF #!N #!N LOADABLE " #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* executable #!EF " #!N #!N INPUT #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* name #!EF [ #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* visible #!EF ]; #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* type #!EF ; #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* default #!EF ; #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* description #!EF #!N #!N OPTIONS #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* option1; option2;... #!EF ; #!N #!N OUTPUT #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* name #!EF [ #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* cache #!EF ]; #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* type #!EF ; #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* description #!EF #!N REPEAT #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* n #!EF #!EF #!EF #!N #!N #!EC Note: A module description may contain an #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* OUTBOARD #!EF or a #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* LOADABLE #!EF statement, but not both. #!N #!I0 #!N #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* MODULE #!EF #!EF #!I50 #!N Is required and must be the first statement in the definition section. It assigns a name to the module being described. #!N #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* name #!EF must be a single alphanumeric word, with a letter for the first character. #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* CATEGORY #!EF #!EF #!I50 #!N Is required. It assigns the module to a Data Explorer or user-defined category. (Categories function as tool menus in the VPE window; see #!Lundus2,dxall298 h Graphical User Interface: Important Windows #!EL in IBM Visualization Data Explorer User's Guide.) #!N #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* category name #!EF may contain more than one word (e.g., "Import and Export"). #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* DESCRIPTION #!EF #!EF #!I50 #!N Is optional. It serves as a help function. #!N #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* module description #!EF should briefly describe the module function. Brevity is recommended since this description shares limited space with other information (accessed with the #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* Description... #!EF button in the module's configuration dialog box). #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* FLAGS #!EF #!EF #!I50 #!N Is optional. Most modules do not need to set flags. #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-r-normal--18* #!N #!N #!I30 #!N o #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* PIN #!EF : Specifies that a module is always to execute on the same processor. Applicable only to multiprocessor systems. #!N #!I30 #!N o #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* PERSISTENT #!EF : Specifies that the outboard #!Rprsflag executable is not to be terminated after each execution of the visual program. #!N #!I30 #!N o #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* ERR_CONT #!EF : Specifies that modules downstream are to continue to execute even when this module returns #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* ERROR #!EF . #!N #!I30 #!N o #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* SIDE_EFFECT #!EF : Specifies that the module has side effects and must execute each time the visual program is executed, even if its inputs have not changed. #!N #!N #!N #!I30 #!N o #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* ASYNC #!EF : Identifies the module as being able to initiate execution in response to an external event. (See also #!Lasynmod,dxall1048 h Asynchronous Modules #!EL .) #!N #!I0 #!N #!EF #!N #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* OUTBOARD #!EF #!EF #!I50 #!N Is optional. It identifies the module as a separate executable program. Note: If this statement is included, the module definition must not have a #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* LOADABLE #!EF statement (see below). #!N #!N " #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* executable #!EF " specifies the name of the executable and any arguments to be passed. (Quotation marks are required for executable specifications containing spaces or tabs; otherwise they are optional.) Note: If you are running Data Explorer on the IBM POWER Visualization System**, the name of the executable must be preceded by the term "os," and the combination enclosed in quotation marks (e.g., "os executable"). #!N #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* host #!EF is optional and specifies a remote machine on which the executable is to be run. The default host is the one on which the executive runs. (See also #!Lclo,dxall998 h ...as an outboard module #!EL and #!Lclo2,dxall1051 h Compiling, Linking, and Debugging an Outboard Module #!EL .) #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* LOADABLE #!EF #!EF #!I50 #!N Is optional. It identifies the module as being runtime loadable (i.e., compiled separately and loaded into Data Explorer at run time. Note: If this statement is included, the module definition must not have an #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* OUTBOARD #!EF statement (see above). #!N #!N " #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* executable #!EF " specifies the name of the executable and any arguments to be passed. (Quotation marks are required for executable specifications containing spaces or tabs; otherwise they are optional.) #!N #!N See also #!Lclrtlm,dxall999 h ...as a runtime-loadable module #!EL and #!Lmodruns,dxall1059 h Compiling, Linking, and Debugging a Runtime-loadable Module #!EL #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* INPUT #!EF #!EF #!I50 #!N Is required for each input parameter (i.e., two input parameters, two statements). A statement consists of four fields separated by semicolons: #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-r-normal--18* #!N #!N #!I30 #!N 1. #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* name #!EF (of a parameter) must be one word and must conform to the executive's lexical conventions (see #!Lusl,dxall495 h Data Explorer Scripting Language #!EL in IBM Visualization Data Explorer User's Guide). #!N #!N [ #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* visible #!EF ] is optional. #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* visible: #!EF #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* n #!EF specifies the accessibility and initial visibility of input tabs: #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-r-normal--18* #!N #!N #!I30 #!N 0: Not initially visible. #!N #!I30 #!N 1: Initially visible (default). #!N #!I30 #!N 2: Not available to the user interface. #!N #!I0 #!N #!EF #!N #!N #!N A hidden parameter ( #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* visible:0 #!EF ) can be exposed with the #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* Expand #!EF button in the module's configuration dialog box. Less commonly used parameters are often hidden by default. #!N #!I30 #!N 2. #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* type #!EF specifies the type(s) of the input and is used for type matching in the Visual Program Editor. The valid types are: #!CForestGreen #!N #!N #!F-adobe-courier-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!N camera integer list scalar value #!N field matrix scalar list value list #!N flag matrix list series vector #!N group object string vector list #!N integer #!EF #!EF #!N #!N #!EC #!N #!N To specify more than one type, use the word #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* or #!EF as a separator (see, for example, the description file for Filter in #!Lexmdf,dxall1047 h Examples of Module Description Files #!EL ). #!N #!N If the type of the input value is not explicit (e.g., a string without quotation marks or a vector without brackets), the user interface attempts to match the input against the type(s) specified in the #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* INPUT #!EF statement. It reads from left to right and stops at the first successful match. For this reason, #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* string #!EF should be specified last, because any series of characters can always be converted to a string by adding double-quotation marks. #!N #!I30 #!N 3. #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* default #!EF identifies the value to be used if none has been specified. #!N Note: This part of the #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* INPUT #!EF statement is informational only: it is the module writer's responsibility to implement a default value. #!N By convention, parentheses identify a description of default behavior rather than an actual value. If no default is applicable, specify #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* (no default) #!EF . If the parameter is required, specify #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* (none) #!EF . #!N #!I30 #!N 4. #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* description #!EF should contain a short phrase describing the parameter. #!N #!I0 #!N #!EF #!N #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* OPTIONS #!EF #!EF #!I50 #!N Is optional. It identifies a list of possible values for the parameter. This list can be accessed by clicking on the #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* ... #!EF button to the right of the #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* Value #!EF field in the module's configuration dialog box. #!N #!N Options in the list are separated by a semicolon (;). If the option itself includes a semicolon, use a back slash (\) to escape it with. To accommodate inputs that have more options than will fit on a single line, use multiple OPTIONS statements. If the REPEAT statement is used, the OPTIONS statement must precede it. #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* OUTPUT #!EF #!EF #!I50 #!N Is required for each output parameter (i.e., two output parameters, two statements). A statement consists of three fields separated by semicolons: #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-r-normal--18* #!N #!N #!I30 #!N 1. #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* name #!EF (of a parameter) must be one word and must conform to the executive's lexical conventions (see #!Lusl,dxall495 h Data Explorer Scripting Language #!EL in IBM Visualization Data Explorer User's Guide). #!N #!N [ #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* attribute #!EF ] is optional. #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* cache: #!EF #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* n #!EF specifies the caching to be performed by the executive: #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-r-normal--18* #!N #!N #!I30 #!N 0: Do not cache the output. #!N #!I30 #!N 1: Cache all outputs (default). #!N #!I30 #!N 2: Cache the output of the last execution only. #!N #!I0 #!N #!EF #!N #!N #!N Output caching is similar to module caching (see #!Lfca,dxall543 h Function Call Attributes #!EL in IBM Visualization Data Explorer User's Guide.) Cache specifications for outputs override those for the module. #!N #!I30 #!N 2. #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* type #!EF specifies the type of the output and is used for type matching in the Visual Program Editor. The valid types are: #!CForestGreen #!N #!N #!F-adobe-courier-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!N camera integer list scalar value #!N field matrix scalar list value list #!N flag matrix list series vector #!N group object string vector list #!N integer #!EF #!EF #!N #!N #!EC #!N #!N To specify more than one type, use the word #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* or #!EF as a separator. #!N #!I30 #!N 3. #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* description #!EF should be a short phrase describing the parameter. #!N #!I0 #!N #!EF #!N #!N #!N #!I0 #!N #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* REPEAT #!EF #!EF #!I50 #!N Is optional. It specifies some number of #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* INPUT #!EF or #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* OUTPUT #!EF statements to be repeated. The parameter #!F-adobe-times-bold-i-normal--18* n #!EF specifies the number of statements (input or output) affected: "1" specifies the first immediately preceding statement; "2," the first and second preceding statements; and so on. #!N #!N #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* REPEAT #!EF must come immediately after #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* INPUT #!EF (after the last input statement if there are two or more) or after #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* OPTIONS #!EF if #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* OPTIONS #!EF is used. The same requirement applies to #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* OUTPUT #!EF . That is, one #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* REPEAT #!EF for all inputs and another for all outputs. #!N #!N The number of repetitions of a single statement is determined by the number of corresponding tabs on the module icon (up to a maximum of 21). Thus, #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18* REPEAT #!EF makes it possible to add input and output tabs to (or delete them from) a module icon, thereby adding or deleting inputs and outputs. #!I0 #!N #!N #!N #!N #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* Next Topic #!EF #!N #!N #!Lexmdf,dxall1047 h Examples of Module Description Files #!EL #!N #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18* #!N
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