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ADTF Configuration Editor

This guide covers what an ADTF Session is and where the Configuration Editor comes into play. After reading this guide, you will know:

• The different files you need to know in ADTF3
• How to create ADTF Sessions with the Configuration Editor
• How to launch an ADTF Session
• How to work with the CE

Available commands

Although the ADTF Configuration Editor is a GUI application it still has some command line arguments.
Type: adtf_configuration_editor.exe --help into a console to get the list of the supported commandline arguments:

            
ADTF Configuration Editor

adtf_configuration_editor

Usage:
        adtf_configuration_editor [--help] [--debug-panel] [--enable-logging] [--reset] [--settings
                                  <cesettingsfile>] [--environment <adtfenvironmentfile>] [--project
                                  <project>] [<adtfproject>]

Options:
        --help, -h  Print the usage info and quit.
        --debug-panel
                    Enable debug window.

        --enable-logging
                    Redirect message buffer of CE to CE Log View (including JS/QML).

        --reset, -r Delete all user specific entries.
        --settings <cesettingsfile>
                    Path to a .cesettings file that should be used instead of the default one (in
                    your home directory).

        --environment <adtfenvironmentfile>
                    Specify an ADTF environment file that should be loaded. This is also stored in
                    the used .cesettings file.

        --project <project>
                    Path to the .adtfproject file. Note: Explicit option --project does not work in
                    combination with using <adtfproject> as argument.

        <adtfproject>
                    Path to the .adtfproject file.


            
        

Files you need to know

Creating a new ADTF Project with the Configuration Editor results in a new folder named after the project, containing:

• A project file *.adtfproject which defines
• Names and paths to all adtfsession files
• Names and paths to all adtfgraph files
• Names and paths to all adtfsystem files
• A new folder named adtfsessions
• New ADTF Session files are created here. These files have the suffix *.adtfsession and define the path to the selected
• ADTF System file
• ADTF System properties file
• ADTF Graph file
• ADTF Graph properties file
The ADTF Session is what the adtf_launcher can run. The ADTF Session defines:
• The ADTF System file for defining the features, platform dependencies and whole ADTF environment
• The ADTF Graph file for data receiving/sending/processing, filtering, calculation, visualisation, etc.
• A new folder named adtfgraphs
• New ADTF Graph files are created here. These files have the suffix *.adtfgraph and contain
• all created Filter Graphs as XML structure and the objects they consist of
• all created Streaming Graphs as XML structure and the objects they consist of
• The layout attributes of an ADTF Graph are stored in a file called *.adtfconfiglayout
• The properties of an ADTF Graph changed by the user are stored in a file called *.adtfproperties
• A new folder named adtfsystems
• When new ADTF System descriptions are created the *.adtfsystem files representing them at file level, are created here. Such a file contains
• a list of environment variables
• the platform dependend binaries
• a list of plugin descriptions to load
• an ordered list of ADTF Services to load
• The properties of an ADTF System configuration changed by the user are stored in a file called *.adtfproperties

Start the Configuration Editor

In order to start the Configuration Editor go to the bin directory of the ADTF directory and double click on the adtf_configuration_editor.exe file.

The different areas of the Configuration Editor

• Sessions View - Manage the files of your project
• Components View - The ADTF Components which can be used within your ADTF Graph
• Home View - Landing Page and personalizable dashboard
• Session Editor - Define the combination of ADTF Graph and ADTF System file
• Streaming Graph Editor - Define where data comes from and goes to
• Filter Graph Editor - Data receiving/transmitting/processing, filtering, calculation, visualisation, etc
• Property Editor - Tweak the available settings of the selected ADTF Component
• Priority Editor - Adapt the priorities of components and connections
• System Editor - The functionality your ADTF System provides (as well as environment setup)
• Validation Protocol - Listing current configuration problems
• CE Log View - Logs the console output from ADTF Configuration Editor itself (including JS/QML)
• Settings Editor (Options) - Dialog for global options of the ADTF Configuration Editor

After loading an ADTF Project, the ADTF Configuration Editor will appear similiar to the following screenshot:

As you might know and expect from other application, you can switch to a dark theme as well (see Tools -> Options... -> General):

The Sessions View

The main files that make up a ADTF Project are ADTF Session files, ADTF Graph files and ADTF System files. The Sessions View enables you to create, delete and rename ADTF Session files.

Common overview

Available options

Besides basic adding, renaming, open and removing ADTF Sessions from your loaded ADTF Project, the context menu contains quick launch options and entries for custom launch defintions (see Tools -> Options... -> Launchers).

Remote connection

Since ADTF 3.11.0 the ADTF Configuration Editor implements an RPC client which makes it possible to connect to an ADTF Session - better say the related RPC interface of the ADTF Launcher. This will provide the user the option to remote control from within the Sessions View in following two ways:

Within the General Options it is possible that the ADTF Configuration Editor will always automatically connect to a specified url, no matter if already running or needs to be launched, it will polled and connected when available:

Once there are one or more ADTF Sessions connected, it will be visualized within the Sessions View by displaying the current runlevel:

Within the context menu you will find options to control the ADTF Session,

set the runlevel

and execute addtional tools to control, analyze and visualize the connected ADTF Session:

Another benefit is the visualization of live statistics directly at the Sample Streams within the Filter Graph Editor:

The following animation will show a small use how to launch and remote connect an ADTF Session, control the runlevel, have a look at the Sample Stream activities and execute ADTF Control to check current runlevel and sessionname:

The launch and tools options are also available global for the selected ADTF Session:

The Components View

The Component View holds the elements that can be drag and droped into the Graph Editor. You can change the grouping of the list by doing a right click on the gouping header. You can choose between Type and Class ID

The Home View

Since ADTF 3.6.0 we provide a new entry point for the Configuration Editor. The Home View is not only a Landing Page, it offers some quick actions to create or open projects and jump to documentation at the top. The Left navigation bar provides some default actions linking to additional information which can be adapted in your cesettings file (see Settings Editor (Options))

The Editors

In the center of the graphical user interface you find three kinds of editors:

Session Editor

A project maybe contains one or more Streaming Graphs, Filter Graphs and System definitions, but as soon as we want to run a certain combination of it with the help of the ADTF Launcher things must be clearly defined. The ADTF Session defines what ADTF System should be loaded and which ADTF Graph should be set.

Streaming Graph Editor

Use right-click and context menu in any free space of the ADTF Graph area for adding notes and some zoom options.

Filter Graph Editor

The Filter Graph is where all about data streaming and runtime behaviour takes place. Since ADTF 3.8.0 Streaming Sources and Sinks can also be used within Filter Graph so there is no need to use a Streaming Graph and the data communication interfaces can also be design witin a Filter Graph. We still recommend to separate your Filter Graphs info different parts (e.g. data receiver/transmitter, playback, data processing, visualization, etc) but only by using Subgraphs within your Filter Graph. link for more information about Filter Graphs.

Processing can be triggered with the help of different types of Runners. By default triggers are sent between the data samples and stimulate the following Filter to do further processing, however if this behavior is not desired, connections can be configured to be asynchronous. In this case Time Runner can be used to take control over the exact timing (this can be useful for expensive visual updates) or Thread Runner to do heavy processing on a different thread. To let data flow between two elements place a Sample Stream between them and connect the pins by drawing a line.

Use right-click and context menu in any free space of the ADTF Graph area for defining interfaces for in and out relations and, of course, some zoom and auto layout functionality. Furthermore the context menu provides the option for adding an existing Filter Graph as Subgraph (handled like a common Filter), since ADTF 3.8.0 this can also be a graph from a different ADTF Session using ADTF Include Mechanism (see Session Editor).

Another improvement within ADTF 3.8.0 is that the Filter Graph Editor contains a Graph Navigator at the bottom right of the graph area for convenience regarding scrolling, moving, zooming and item selection in larger graph setups (see section Available shortcuts).

Due to the fact that graphs should be seperated but can be as well very large, we offer a Quick search since ADTF 3.10.0. This will help to find and jump to all containing components within the selected graph, which is very helpful especially for a Sample Stream or Binding Proxy which label name is hidden and only visible as tooltip for a better overview.

Since ADTF 3.13.0 it is possible to show or hide label names of graph components and their pins. In case of hidden, the related content will be visualized when selected or hovered by mouse. Furthermore, the Graph Editor only mark recommended target pins during connection draw. Please keep in mind the the value of the property will be stored in the adtfuilayout of the adtfsession to guarantee your arrangement after loading the adtfsession. Keep also in mind the auto-layout will only cover visible content including label names. Use this feature for compact behaviour. To enable/disable this feature, please navigate to View > Label Names or use shortcut Ctrl + Space.

It is available in the context menu anywhere in the Filter Graph Editor as well as a shortcut. It provides a dropdown menu including all containing graph components

as well as an case sensitive auto completion in the type field. Use the arrow keys of the keyboard to complete the search strings or navigate through the component list:

in upcoming versions we will improve the quick search, e.g. with wildcard options.

Property Editor

If components from Graph Editors or Services within System Editor provide some configuration options they are displayed inside the Property Editor by selecting the component within its Graph / System Editor.

Since ADTF 3.8.0 it is possible to add properties manually to each ADTF Components and whole Filter Graphs. This is useful to create generic Filter Graphs, which can be included as configurable Subgraphs. Furthermore you can link properties of ADTF Components to graph properties to make them available to set from "outside" (parent Filter Graph). Please also have a look at Use and link graph properties for more information.

Since ADTF 3.9.0 the Property Editor has been redesigned with more convenience and additonal information, but the functionality is still the same. Use the context menu for available options. With a right click on the tab name, you can change the sorting behaviour.

Equal to other search fields left-click the abc search button for advanced search options. Furthermore, the context menu contains an extended menu for options regarding sorting, filtering and displaying:

Priority Editor

In addtion to these changes, the ADTF Configuration Editor contains a second tab here to change the priority of connections and components since ADTF 3.9.0.

System Editor

Double clicking an ADTF System file in the Sessions View opens it inside the System Editor. If your ADTF Session incorporates with Filter, Streaming Sources or Streaming Sinks that have dependencies to libraries outside of ADTF this is the right place to define them. Environments variables are useful to abstract away from platform specific paths which makes it easier to transfer project files between different PCs or operting systems. You can define additional platform dependencies (e.g. OpenCV or Qt DLL libraries), ADTF Services and ADTF Plugins.
If a ADTF Component defines its ADTF dependencies properly required Services are added automatically as soon as an ADTF Components is dropped from the Components View into an Graph Editor. If you want to know more about how ADTF Components can define their ADTF dependencies follow this link.

The order in wich Services are loaded can be influenced in two ways:

• ADTF Services are loaded in a defined runlevel and can be changed in the System Editor
• Services are loaded in the order they are defined in the System Editor. This order can be change with the up and down buttons.

Since the Redesign in 3.6.0 all actions in each navigation section are available via context menu. This means, if you want to add a new ADTF Service instance, choose Service in the left navigation, and somewhere in the main widget choose Add Service... after right-click:

In order to avoid invalid ADTF System file paths when distributing an ADTF project, define an ADTF environment variable to abstract away the ADTF System file path. All you have to do when moving to a different PC is adjust the environment variable accordingly. Since ATDF 3.3.1 environment variables defined by the operating system e.g. set TOOLBOXES=C:\toolboxes can be used when defining ADTF environment variables.

Validation Protocol

All ADTF Session, ADTF Graph, ADTF System or setting problems spotted by the ADTF Configuration Editor are display here.

The get further information or help to solve the the entry, please consider the context menu for details:

Equal to other search fields left-click the abc search button for advanced search options. This will be especially useful if you want to filter messages regarding their severity:

Since the Graph Redesign in ADTF 3.6.0 the messages are also available as tooltip at the ADTF Components itself:

CE Log View

As new feature since ADTF 3.10.0 we provide a new tab view to log the console output including also JavaScript / QML occur within the ADTF Configuration Editor:

This can be different loglevels from the ADTF Configuration Editor itself, but also come along inside custom Filter Editor scripts. You can also have a look at $(ADTF)/bin/adtf_playback_input_filtereditor.qml which will be used to create pins from the .adtfdat within the ADTFDAT File Player. Other examples can be found as well at $(ADTF_DIR)/bin/*.qml.

You can enable/disable the logging persistent within Tools -> Options... -> General or temporary by starting the ADTF Configuration Editor with flag --enable-logging.

Settings Editor (Options)

Here you can define custom settings for the Configuration Editor. The layout has changed with ADTF version 3.6.0

The section General holds currently only one option which enables or disables a message dialog, telling you that your license is about to expire.

The section Layout lists all entries regarding the layout within the Graph Editors. For example the option to automatically add a sample stream or binding proxy when possible can be activated/deactivated.

The section Home View lists all entries which appear in the Home tab (which is selected by default when the Configuration Editor is started, since ADTF version 3.6.0). You can add new entries, edit existing entries or delete obsolete entries. Entries must have a unique name and they must point to a valid HTTP URL. If a path to an icon is given, the icon will be shown in fornt of the name. The optional JavaScript is executed as soon as the URL of the Home View element is loaded. You can use it the modify the page pefore it is displayed.

In the section Environment the used adtfenvironment is visualized and changable. This feature is available since ADTF 3.9.0 to define the conditions on your machine. Please refer to Set up an adtfenvironment for detailed information.

In the section Launchers you can define programs which are capable to run an ADTF Session. This configuration option was added with version 3.6.0. You can choose between the ADTF Launcher, the ADTF Control and the ADTF GUI Control. Every single one of them supports plenty of start parameters which can be parametrised as a command here. These launchers are available through the ADTF Session context menu inside the "Sessions View", the Tools-Menu and through short cuts (if they are defined).

Modules section - since 3.4.0 the functionality of the Configuration Editor can be extended by writing a module. The bootstrap meachnism of the Configuration Editor looks inside the folders defined in this list and searches for files with postfix .*adtfceplugin. When found the Configuration Editor loads these files as Qt plugins. You can find an example module in "examples/bin/ce_external_property_module_example.adtfceplugin" and have a look at ADTF CE Module and here Qt documentation

Plugindescriptions section - every element (Filter, Streaming Source, Streaming Sink, System Service, etc.) is delivered within an ADTF Plugin, the ADTF Configuration Editor uses the related Plugindescription to make the component available. This XML based file contains all the details about the resource like properties, description, version information and so on. This list defines a search path the Configuration Editor looks into to find files with the ending *.plugindescription.

The section Scripting provides a feature which allows the user to add a number of self defined JavaScript-Snippets. These snippets can be attached to various events and provide the possibility to automate certain tasks within the Configuration Editor.

For additional information please have a look at ADTF Configuration Editor - Scripting.

Tools section - You can start other programs from within the ADTF Configuration Editor over the Tools menu. If you like you can add additional programs to the menu by extending this list. This configuration option was added with version 3.6.0.

Available shortcuts

Common

Additional Tools

Projects and Sessions

System Editor

Graph Editor

Graph Navigator

Property Editor

Priority Editor

Validation Protocol

CE Log View

Where to go next?

Have a look at the Launcher guide to learn about the Launcher commandline tool.