[GRASS-dev] Re: graphical modeler results

[Martin Landa]

Hi,

2011/9/3 Michael Barton <Michael.Barton at asu.edu>:

>Here are some results of my experiments with the graphical modeler in GRASS 6.5. Question: is the code the same for the modeler across all GRASS versions currently?

yes, the code should be same in all three active branches (as it's
marked as experimental).

> I tried to create a model that did the following steps using the Spearfish
> demo data set:
> 1) convert the vector streams map to raster
> 2) run r.buffer on the rasterized streams
> 3) convert the raster buffers to vector areas

Here is workflow for this model for which the modeler has been
designed by me (~ 1 year ago) [1].

> **Data Item"
>
> Adding data item works fine. But data items added with this button cannot be
> linked with GRASS command items AFAICT. You must enter a data item in the
> command module dialog and a data item is automatically generated. So what is
> the point of this button? The mouseover calls this a data item. If it is

Some users start the model with an action (as me) other with a data.
The modeler should satisfy all users ;-) I fixed data item first
approach some weeks ago [2].

> only a map, then it is probably easier for GRASS users to understand if the
> mouseover text said "add map to model". If it includes other kinds of data,
> I do not know how to indicate this.

It can be anything you can list by g.list, so probably it should be
called "element" ?

> **Command Item**
>
> Mouseover to this item is "add action (GRASS module) to model". It would
> probably make more sense to GRASS users if it said "add GRASS command to
> model"

The users, what do you think?

> Once an action item has been added to the model, it opens a dialog that lets
> the user select a GRASS command. A GRASS command typed in command text
> window not recognized; the command must be selected from the combo box. The
> command is then written to the command window.

Fixed in SVN.

> GRASS commands are duplicated in the combo box.

Not all, anyway now fixed in SVN.

> After selecting a command in the combox box and clicking OK, nothing shows
> up in modeler canvas.

Unable to reproduce it.

* select command from combobox -> command is shown in command window
* click on 'OK' -> action is added to the model, properties dialog shown

> It turns out that after selecting the command from the combobox, it is
> necessary to then place the cursor in the command window, after the command,
>  and press return. But the command must first be selected from the combobox.
> Why have the command window at all if they must be picked from the combobox?
>
> Clicking OK in command dialog does not make it go away. It is necessary to
> press the close button. The OK button should kill this dialog.

> What does "parmeterized in model" mean? When it is checked, I can see no way
> of connecting a data item to a command item. And I can find no place to
> define a dummy data item into which data can be place when the model is run.
> There is a section on variable controls, but it isn't clear how to use
> these.

See [3]

Defining relation manually also fixed in SVN [4].

[...]

Martin

[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeWavDSOhQk&feature=player_embedded
[2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzlpfXNbjuA&feature=player_embedded
[3] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2UfmXbzvpg&feature=player_embedded
[4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxi_TblVYa0&feature=player_embedded

-- 
Martin Landa <landa.martin gmail.com> * http://geo.fsv.cvut.cz/~landa