Understanding the Application Programming Interface
HLU Application Programming Interface (API) overview
There are several classes that are important in the writing of
HLU programs: application class, data classes, workstation
class, and view class. The application class (App) allows user access to
resource databases; it allows for the specification of resource datafile
pathnames. Objects belonging to the data class (DataItem)
define and input the data to be plotted. Objects of the view
class create the plots. Objects of the workstation class set up the
destination devices for the plots.
Version 4.1 contains the following classes that you may want to
use in your HLU program:
- Application class
- App - Used to manage the resource database and other
application-specific attributes.
- DataComm and DataItem classes
The DataComm class provides the functionality for its subclasses to
communicate with the DataItem class. The DataItem class provides a way to
describe data to the HLU library.
At this writing, there are four DataItem subclasses:
- ScalarField - Defines a 2-D dataset as is needed by the
ContourPlot class from C or Fortran.
- VectorField - Defines a 2-D dataset as is needed by the
VectorPlot class or StreamlinePlot class from C or Fortran.
- CoordArrays - A method for importing X and Y arrays of data
from C or Fortran. It uses two arrays, caXArray
and caYArray, to describe data to the HLU library.
It is often used in combination with the XyPlot class.
- CoordArrTable - A method for importing X and Y arrays of data
(C interface only). It is often used in combination
with the XyPlot class. It is useful in defining
multiple coordinate arrays of different lengths.
- Workstation subclasses
There are currently three devices to which graphical output can be sent:
an NCAR Computer Graphics Metafile (NCGM), a PostScript file, and
an X11 window on the workstation monitor.
- NcgmWorkstation - Draw commands are output to an NCAR
Computer Graphics Metafile (NCGM).
- PSWorkstation - Draw commands are output to a PostScript file.
- XWorkstation - Draw commands are output to an X11 workstation window.
- View subclasses
There are two kinds of View classes; one needs data from a DataItem object,
and the other does not.
View objects that require a DataItem object:
- ContourPlot - Draws a wide range of 2-D contour plots.
- StreamlinePlot - Draws 2-D streamlines.
- VectorPlot - Draws vectors at 2-D grid points.
- XyPlot - Draws plots of field X versus field Y.
View objects that do not require data input include:
- GraphicStyle - controls the appearance of graphics
primitives such as line, fill, marker, and text.
- LabelBar - Draws boxes filled with colors or patterns
and labels that relate the boxes to plot features.
- Legend - Draws dashed lines and markers and associated labels
that relate the lines/markers to plot features.
- MapPlot - Draws world and regional maps in many
scientifically useful projections.
- TextItem - Draws strings of text.
- TickMark - Draws plot grids with scaled, ticked, and
labeled axes.
- Title - Draws main, X, and Y axis titles.
- Error class
- Error - Used for logging and reporting errors.
- Transformation class
- PlotManager class
- PlotManager - Manages overlays of multiple graphical objects.
- AnnoManager class
- AnnoManager - Manages the overlay of annotational items and
graphical objects.
- Other classes
There are additional classes in the HLU library. Most play a
behind-the-scenes role. For a complete list see:
User Guide Control Panel
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$Revision: 1.24 $ $Date: 1998/07/31 00:52:02 $