VTKPython and Other CS 526 Things

1
VTK-Python andOther CS 526 Things

• Allan Spale
• aspale_at_evl.uic.edu

2
You Wont Have All the Answers

• Its likely that no one else will know everything
  either
• Dont be afraid to ask questions
• Unless you like to spend 2 hours staring at the
  screen instead of doing something else
• Some people are likely feeling the same way that
  you are
• Be open to sharing your setup knowledge with
  others at the appropriate time
• Some people are more than willing to help out

3
Why I Used Python with VTK

• No segmentation faultswell, most of the time
• Ports to all platforms
• Interpreted language
• Try stuff from the Python command lineexcept
  for GUI stuff
• Weakly typed, object-orientated language
• The tradeoff
• Tkinter (the somewhat unpleasant UI toolkit with
  Python)
• Could try wxPython bindings (there should be VTK
  support) http//www.wxpython.org

4
Python

• Where to download the code/executables, read
  documentation
• http//www.python.org
• Use the Python editor (IDLE) or your favorite
  text editor
• If you really like Windows and want to use
  Python
• Download a nice IDE from http//www.activestate.or
  g
• If you really like Java but want to try Python
• Go to http//www.jython.org (Java implementation
  of Python)
• Disclaimer I have not tried VTK and Jython

5
VTK-Python Setuphttp//www.imaging.robarts.ca/dg
obbi/vtk/vtkpython.html

• Download and install/compile Python
• Upside If you are using the CD from the book,
  Python is already there in a nice happy format
• Downside Its oldPython 2.1
• Downside If you feel adventurous and want to use
  wxPython (wxWindows), good luck trying to get a
  compatible version with the old Python
• In the directory that Python is installed, make a
  file called VTK.pth
• This text file should only contain the letters VTK

6
VTK-Python Setuphttp//www.imaging.robarts.ca/dg
obbi/vtk/vtkpython.html

• Make a directory in the Python root directory
  called vtk.
• Copy all the files and directories from
  vtk42\Wrapping\Python (or your appropriate path)
  to the vtk directory in the Python root directory
• Follow the instructions in the README.txt file
  for installation option 3 (found at
  http//www.imaging.robarts.ca/dgobbi/vtk/vtkpytho
  n.html in the link named README.python)
• This basically ends up calling python setup.py.in
  install...wherever the setup.py.in files are
  located.

7
VTK-Python Setuphttp//www.imaging.robarts.ca/dg
obbi/vtk/vtkpython.html

• From vtk42\bin, I would just copy everything to
  the vtk directory of the Python root directory.
• Windows note one could be more careful, but I
  did not feel like picking and choosing the
  not-so-obvious .dlls and .exes that did not have
  Python in the name
• Make a system variable VTK_DATA_ROOT to
  correspond to the directory with the data for all
  the example files.
• You will learn more by playing with the examples
  provided by VTK than you will reading
  documentation
• The documentation is a bit difficult to
  understand
• At first, its hard to find what you are looking
  for

8
Links of Hope

• Repeating a useful VTK-Python link
• http//www.imaging.robarts.ca/dgobbi/vtk/vtkpytho
  n.html
• Has Python-VTK code examples
• Allans VTK Tutorial
• http//www.evl.uic.edu/aspale
• Click on the link VTK Tutorial
• Courtesy of Andys final from last year
• Tkinter PDF
• Do a Google search for An Introduction to
  Tkinter

9
And For Those of You Who Studied These Slides

• Prepare beforehand for demo presentations
• Slides should have a good style and be organized
  in a logical manner
• Text should be easy to read
• Style should not detract from the presentation
• Bring a watch to carefully monitor how much time
  you are spending
• Things break or do not work the first time
• Have a backup plan
• Take questions up-front while fixing things
• Know when to give up if things wont work

10
Questions and Answers