IBM PE for AIX V2R4.0: Operation and Use, Vol. 2, Part 1

Appendix D. Visualization Customization and Data Explorer Samples

Included as part of the pedb debugger array visualization feature is a set of prepackaged sample visualization interfaces to IBM's Visualization Data Explorer (DX).

These interfaces are provided as a set of prepackaged tools that can be:

• used directly by pedb without modification

• used along with source code so you can modify them to fit your specific needs.

The Data Explorer samples use the DXLink feature of Version 3.1 of IBM's Visualization Data Explorer. For additional information on IBM's Visualization Data Explorer and DXLink, see the following references:

• IBM Visualization Data Explorer: Programmer's Reference (Fourth Edition) SC38-0497-03

• IBM Visualization Data Explorer: Quick Start Guide (Second Edition) SC34-3262-01

• IBM Visualization Data Explorer: User's Reference (Second Edition) SC38-0486-01

• IBM Visualization Data Explorer: User's Guide (Fifth Edition) SC38-0496-04

The sample interfaces can be found in the pedb samples directory /usr/lpp/ppe.pedb/samples. The following table describes the files included in the directory.

Name	Type	Description
DX Files	v*.net v*.cfg	Data Explorer visual nets Data Explorer configuration files for each of the visual nets
DXLink files	DXLvisual.c DXLvisual_Motif.c	Command line version Motif version
Makefile	makefile.DXL	Makefile to build the DXLink files
Executables	DXLvisual DXLvisual_Motif	The executables are installed and used as part of the integrated prepackaged visualizations in pebd.

You may wish to modify the samples in a variety of ways. Some examples include:

• Modifying the DX nets
• Enhancing the DXLink programs to use more advanced features
• Replacing the the DX samples with your own visualization tools.

Here is some information you may find useful when making these modifications.

• The visualization feature of pedb is designed to export the selected array to a temporary file first, and then pass the name of the temporary file to a Korn shell script for execution.

• Each Visualization type on the pedb Visualization Dialog Window has a corresponding Korn shell script associated with it. These are located in /usr/lpp/ppe.pedb/bin.

• Each Visualization type on the pedb Visualization Dialog Window has a corresponding entry in the X defaults file that defines its label.

• The default location of the shell scripts can be overridden using the MP_DEBUG_BIN_DIR environment variable. This allows you to override individual scripts without involvement of the system administrator.

• Each of the prepackaged scripts call DXLvisual_Motif, passing it the temporary file name and the DX visual program (.net) to execute.

There are three major points of customization that are available:

1. Modify the Korn shell scripts in /usr/lpp/ppe.pedb/bin to call an entirely different visualization program or a different DX visual net.

2. Enhance the DXLvisual_Motif or DXLvisual programs to take advantage of more advanced features of DX. A makefile (makefile.DXL) is included to rebuild these programs.

3. Modify the DX visual nets to perform a custom visualization.

Note:

The Pedb.ad for the Visualization Dialog menu label entry should be updated to be consistent with these changes.

The following steps give an example of a visualization customization.

1. Copy shell script VisualTypeOption_1.ksh from /usr/lpp/ppe.pebd/bin into your current working directory.

   $ cp /usr/lpp/ppe.pedb/bin/VisualTypeOption_1.ksh
   

2. Edit the script to pass a different DX visualization, v7.net.

   <old>
    
    
    
   $MP_DEBUG_SAMPLE_DIR/DXLvisual_Motif $MP_DEBUG_SAMPLE_DIR/v1.net $1 -geometry +0+0
    
    
    
   <new>
    
    
    
   $MP_DEBUG_SAMPLE_DIR/DXLvisual_Motif $MP_DEBUG_SAMPLE_DIR/v7.net $1 -geometry +0+0
   

3. Set the MP_DEBUG_BIN_DIR environment to allow pebd to find your custom version of the script.

   $ export MP_DEBUG_BIN_DIR=.
   

   Note:

   This will only override the script you have copied to your local directory.

4. Find the label entry in /usr/lpp/ppe.pedb/defaults/Pedb.ad to copy to your local .Xdefaults file.

   Pedb*VisualTypeOption_1.labelString:            DX 2D Colormap
    
   Pedb*VisualTypeOption_1.mnemonic:               C
   

5. Edit the label entry to display you own custom label.

   Pedb*VisualTypeOption_1.labelString:            My Custom Visual
    
   Pedb*VisualTypeOption_1.mnemonic:               M
   

6. Try out your new visualization within pedb.

Note:

Make sure that the Korn shell script is set to be executable.