PyQScimpl
Eric Dobbs
home: http://dobbse.net
work: bivio Software, Inc.
other: Tech-X Corporation
Tech-X Corporation
- http://txcorp.com/
- object oriented programming, modeling, and simulation
- distributed computing: CORBA, grids, massively parallel computing
- Dream Beam
- Tech-X, mostly PhD physicists, collaborate on research, commercialize related software.
- Dream Beam: Use of plasma and lasers to dramatically reduce the size of particle accelerators.
QScimpl
- Scientific visualization library
- Wrapping it with a a light python API
- python has too many graphing options, but here's one more
- Qt 3.3
Scientists vs. Engineers
A good scientist is a person with original ideas.
A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
Freeman Dyson, Disturbing the Universe
- My degree is in architecture, with false starts in CS and math.
- I am nevertheless a software engineer, not a scientist.
One step forward, Two steps back
- Let's call me a recovering Java geek
- Python is a big step forward
- QScimpl is written in C++
- I'm the guy who has more or less successfully avoided compiled languages for most of my career.
- ironic that "the python guy" (at bivio) landed on a C++ project
- 'make install' is a tax on your development time. If the build takes enough time that you switch to email while you wait, you're paying a huge cost in the context switch. That build step is a long way from the science you're trying to do.
PyQScimpl
- Funded by the US Dept. of Energy Office of High Energy Physics
- Small Business Innovation Research grant #DE-FG02-03ER83800
- Peter Stoltz
- Wenming Ye
- Kelly Luetkemeyer
Demo
- Moving 2D cross-section through the data
- Browse the same data as a 3D mesh
- demo.py
- testdemo.py
- graph is embedded in Qt application
- data in the graph can respond to Qt controls
- zoom in to take a closer look
- save image to a file
- 3d views: drag POV, scroll wheel to zoom
- copy current view to another application
API
class Plot2D(Txq2dPlotWin):
def __init__(self, window, data):
Txq2dPlotWin.__init__(self, window)
self.data = data
self.x = Numeric.arrayrange(data.xmax)
self.setAxes(data.xmin, data.zmin,
data.xmax,data.zmax)
def slice(self, i):
self.setSeries(self.x,
self.data.xSlice(i))
primarily setSeries() as shown and setPoints() for scatter plots
API
class Plot3D(Txq3dPlotWin):
def __init__(self, window, mesh):
Txq3dPlotWin.__init__(self, window)
self.setAxes(mesh.xmin, mesh.ymin,
mesh.zmin, mesh.xmax,
mesh.ymax, mesh.zmax)
self.mesh = mesh
def meshChanged(self):
self.setMesh(self.mesh.frame())
primarily setMesh() as shown and setPoints(x array, y array, z array) for scatter plots