Prologue

A: Hola! Want to know about ‘ConMan’, the new interactive tool??

B: Thanks, I had enough of this already. I came across enough cool ones in Dr. North’s class!

A: Not the traditional, cumbersome, hard to manage, limited usage ones that can’t encapsulate all possible cases.

B: Stop it!  I love Dr.North.

A: I thought you were interested in a more dynamic, user-initiated, flexile interface…

B: Hmmph, you WIN!!!

ConMan

A Visual Programming Language

for

Interactive Graphics

Paul E. Haeberli , Silicon Graphics, Inc.

A presentation by Ajay Jampani

Motivation: why yet one more vis tool??

• Static user-interface reflects developer's vision

Non-user friendly at times • Users match a given toolkit to a particular task.

E.g. UNIX pipe: ls || pg, an IPC

Synergy: 2+2=5 rule in Sys Anal & Des • Same rule extended to visual tools. • User can use combinations to solve problems

that the designers didn't envision

IntroductionConMan?? Huh?

CONnection MANager:A High-level Visual Language (run on IRIS) A Graphical facility for connecting visually-oriented tools

KEY: Disintegration into modular components, (a)   Combined selectively depending on desired function

Flexible, easy to develop (b)  Users dynamically build, modify graphical applications

Encourages exploration, acts as “pseudo-developer”

(c)  Uses a Data Flow Metaphor

Example

• Separate interaction frame per component

• Extending: Connect interaction frames of the applications

• Connection as easy as directing I/p and o/p s

Mechanics

Basic unit: Component ( with code written in C lang.)(a) Developer concentrates more on a single unit

More efficient!(b) They can be combined to give better results

Better component Πeffective applications!

ConMan: Basically a user ‘process’ running under window mgr

Message Passing used to communicate

Why Visual Programming?

Visual Programming

• Describes any sys that lets user specify a prog using a 2D notation (representation)

• Easy to use and manipulate

• User has more freedom

• Effective Tailor made applications in less time

• Easy to undo/redo, effects rendered instantly

An Example- AVS

Why AVS (Advanced Visualization System)?

 Tools like AVS use a visual programming approach based on Haeberli's ConMan, enabling people to link together various components to build powerful scientific / technical visual applications without going through the process of learning

Some practical uses:

 Facilitates analysis and treatment of prostate cancer; can simulate placement of seeds within the patient's anatomy and vis results 

Data processing and Vis Networks etc

Features

Features:  

Provides traditional plots and graphs, 3D interactive rendering and volume visualization, simple interfaces  

Wide usage: Most Common application areas, wide range of functions supported (simple SQL to very complex db ops)

Interoperability: Huge repository of user-contributed modules, various formats, Cross-pf visualization, Application deployment with no recompiling and no changes to app code;

Sample AVS screenshots

Advantages

• Wraps most frequently used vis techniques in intuitive, easy-to-learn "viewers"  

• Explore data immediately: no programming experience

• Scales to very large data and very complex systems 0.5m modules/application

Yet easy: Visual programming environment

• Visual environment reduces error rate on user’s part

• More interactive and modular applications

 

Disadvantages

• Assumes user can handle tools provided to him effectively

Inherent weaknesses of user reflected in his work

• Difficult to build large scalable systems

•  But again, such tradeoff (Expressive Vs. Ready-made) benefits only some users, while others are left unsatisfied

HCI Metrics

• User Retention:

• Learning Curve: • User Satisfaction: • User Performance:

• Error Recovery:

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS??

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