Editing User:Sharan.nyn/GSoC18/Log

=== Development Logs ===

==== Community Bonding Period ==== 

Due to my semester end exams (Apr 26 - May 17), my time spent during community bonding period was less but I still managed to do the following:

* Week 1
** Prepared a flowchart to understand how the execution of the rtcheck program works : [http://brlcad.org/w/images/a/ad/Rtcheck_flow.jpeg rtcheck_flow]
** Was introduced to 'gdb' which helped me a lot to analyze the flow.
** Understood how the front-end portions of rt and back-end portions are connected by linking the view*.c files

* Week 2
** Read the documentation to understand the RTUIF API : https://brlcad.org/wiki/Developing_applications
** Understood the origins of libanalyze functions.
** Discussed some ideas on how to implement the libanalyze function, all were bad ideas because they all involved calling the rtcheck program using execvp() as they usually end with exit().
** Was suggested a basic plan on how to proceed.
** Understood how libanalyze functions were used by an example : libged/voxelize.c and libanalyze/voxels.c

* Week 3
** Complied a version of the rtcheck program by just copying the relevant files to libanalyze/overlaps/.
** Discussed the plan related to rtcheck in detail.
** Understood the concept of using contexts and callback functions.
** Tried out callback functions, implementing a basic callback function that alters an int.

==== Coding Period ====

===== Week 1 =====

* 14/05/18
** trying to build a new rtcheck command by stripping down the non-necessary parts of the front-end, so that the code is easier to understand.
** discussed a lot of issues with mentor.

* 15/05/18
** started working on the design of the libanalyze function
** all parts of rt/main.c and do_ae() done

* 16/05/18
** added do_frame(), do_run() and grid_setup() to libanalyze.

* 17/05/18
** added worker() and do_pixel()
** used a worker_context to pass data to worker using the void pointer for bu_parallel
** when I ran the command I was getting segfault at rt_gettrees, thought I'd fix it next day

* 18/05/18
** figured out the problem but it meant moving a lot of content to libanalyze
** I did it anyway out of curiosity and it fixed the problem with rt_gettrees still it crashed at rt_shootray!
** At the end of the day after a lot of debugging and trials, found out that rt_shootray was calling the hit sequence of gqa :O, not sure why. 
** A quick rename of the hit sequence of libanalyze to check_hit solved the problem.
** Still need to figure out how to call rt_gettrees without moving all function calls to libanalyze.

* 19/05/18
** Added code to fill the overlap list passed through callback data.
** Using `gedp->ged_wdbp->dbip` to get the db name instead of asking it before objects.

* 20/05/18
** Fixed printing of the overlap list.

===== Week 2 =====


* 21/05/18
** Clean-up of the libanalyze function :
*** Fixed a derp with setting default values of width and height in libanalyze instead of libged.
*** Removed redundant header files.
** Read code for libged/gqa.c
** Prepare patch for the work done in first week.


* 22/05/18
** Submitted the patch:[https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/patches/488 #488]
** Did follow up and submitted v2.

* 23/05/18
** Didn't do much today : Read the checker.tcl file for understanding.

* 24/05/18
** Updated the patch and submitted v3.

* 25/05/18
** Discussed the plans for refactoring rtcheck.
** Started work on rtcheck.

* 26/05/18
** Added plot file output option.
** Fixed check_overlaps command not showing up in Archer.
** Submitted patch [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/patches/491/ #491] fixing some minor issues with the accepted patch #488.

* 27/05/18
** Added old_way of processing stdin.
** Added command driven way of processing stdin.
** Have to test the changes, it compiles fine.

===== Week 3 =====

* 28/05/18
** Couldn't code in the morning hours. My cousin brother came and played games on my PC all day!
** Added getting objects from view feature to ged_check_overlaps
** Tested rtcheck executable for matflag inputs.

* 29/05/18
** Trying my best to get the display of overlaps working for ged_check_overlaps.
** Okay it worked but I used temp file so that I could use two inbuilt functions pdv_3line and rt_process_uplot_value. But using them is not needed. So as suggested by Daniel, I will try to merge them together and remove the file dependency and buildup the list in my overlapsHandler.
** With it I found one more bug with yesterday's work, that if do draw g4 and do checkover_laps g4 then it would consider g4 twice! :/. To solve this Daniel suggested to not consider visible objects if objects are mentioned with command.
** Success! all worked out with so much minimal code, just 5 lines instead of my initial work that involved 25 lines.

* 30/05/18
** Fixed bug with overlays considered as visible object on second run.
** while testing matflag for rtcheck:
*** fixed a bug in tree command.
*** added parsing of az/el in degree/radians values for cm_ae.
*** fixed issue with Multiview giving segfault.
** Added -r, -R flag to rtcheck.
** Added -d flag to rtcheck and check_overlaps to print some debug information.

* 31/05/18
** Fixed a major flaw in the overlapsHandler giving the same data for both reg1 and reg2.
** Fixed issue of getting first row of plot file as W 0 0 0 0 0 0
** Added feature to check_overlaps for getting view information from gedp.

* 1/06/18
** Fixed scrambled overlays from check_overlaps.
** Experimenting with bu_list for overlaps list.

* 2/06/18
** Using bu_list for overlaps_list in rtcheck
** Didn't do much other than that, spent some time with family :)

* 3/06/18
** Submitted v2 patch for check_overlaps changes [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/patches/491 #491]
** Fixed bug with multiview caused by handling overlapList in main, moving to do_frame solved it.
** Submitted patch [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/patches/494/ #494] fixing again some issues with #491 :D

===== Week 4 =====

* 4/06/18
** Adapting archer to use check_overlaps instead of rtcheck to libged/rtcheck.c
** Applied fix for fix-me comment as suggested by Daniel.
** Figured out why wireframes weren't displayed in Archer, turned out to be not compiling with openGL.

* 5/06/18
** Submitted patch [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/patches/495/ #495] for rtcheck program.
** Continuing work on adaptation of archer.
** Finally figured out how to deal with pane data in archer, spent hours to figure it out and it was a really simple thing xD. Just needed to use to_view_func instead of to_pass_through_func in tclcadobj.c
** with that I think I am done with adapting check_overlaps and ready to remove libged/rtcheck.c

* 6/06/18
** Started documentation works, it is not much fun :/ so didn't do much.

* 7/06/18
** Changed check_overlaps behavior to get objects only from view, updated the related documentation too. *REVERTED*
** Added handling for when the user mentions duplicate objects for rtcheck
** Submitted patch adapting check_overlaps to archer and mged [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/patches/496/ #496]

* 8/06/18
** Completed documentation.
** Submitted patch for documentation [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/patches/497/ #497].

* 9/06/18
** Had to revert adaption patch because we can't remove rtcheck without deprecation.

* 10/06/18
** Fixed a bug with check_overlaps and rtcheck allocation of memory for region names. committed - r71063
** compared the outputs of old rtcheck program and new rtcheck program.
*** got it to match finally after small tweaks

===== Week 5 =====

* 11/06/18
** reapply reverted changes for adaption of check_overlaps to archer.
*** committed the changes - r71065, r71066 and r71067
** Had a hard time fighting with sourceforge to push the commits :/
** reworked the documentation because of removal of rtcheck without deprecation.

* 12/06/18
** fixed MGED's overlap tool - r71068
** Just read through the checker.tcl file.

* 13/06/18
** Continued reading.
** Fixed rtcheck and matched output with new rtcheck

* 14/06/18
** Nothing much done today, made a plan to proceed further.

* 15/06/18
** Started work on porting check.sh to a Tcl file.
** Now able to print the list, need something to store the values efficiently.

* 16/06/18
** Storing the overlaps as objects of a class, which is stored in a list.

* 17/06/18
** Took some rest and spent time with family ^_^.

===== Week 6 =====

* 18/06/18
** Continued work on overlap tool.
** Added check for if the objects actually exists.
** Showing status on what the tool is doing.
** Better sorting done.

* 19/06/18
** Using simple lists now in overlap tool instead of using classes and objects which made everything complicated.
** Fixed a bug with check.sh [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71093/ r71093]

* 20/06/18
** Using Itcl and Itk for overlap tool.
** Added progress bar.

* 21/06/18
** Read documentation of Itcl and Itk to get idea on how to use it.

* 22/06/18
** Added overlap menu with options to browse, create new overlaps file and run check
** Integrated everything together

* 23/06/18
** Read gqa related code, since I was waiting for the feedback on the above works.
===== Week 7 =====

* 25/06/18
** Trying to fix bugs with check_overlaps and gqa with havoc.g.

* 26/06/18
** Added comments to the tcl file for overlaps menu.
** Cleaned up the overlaps menu code.

* 27/06/18
** Didn't do much work, just discussed about the issues with havoc.g.
* 28/06/19
** trying to visualize gqa using geogebra with the coordinates printed out with -d option.
** fixed a small bug  with gqa :) [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71101/ r71101]

* 29/06/18
** Bind return key to check overlaps button and take focus to text entry in overlaps file tool.
** Fixed a bug with loading of overlaps.
** Browsing is restricted to '.overlaps' file.
** Add a validity check to check if the browsed overlaps file is a valid one.

* 30/06/18
** Didn't code.

* 1/07/18
** Changed the looks of the overlaps menu.
** Added hints for the user.

===== Week 8 =====

* 2/07/18
** Committed : [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71106/ r71106] and [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71107/ r71107] for overlaps_tool
** Discussed next task.

* 3/07/18
** Fixed check_overlaps crash on windows build. [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71108/ r71108]
** Trying to figure out the arguments of the grid generator such that it is suitable for both check_overlaps and gqa.
** Thanks to Daniel, I have a good plan to proceed! Will get started on grid generator tomorrow.

* 4/07/18
** Added grid generating function to libanalyze.
** Reduced the parameter list to analyze_overlaps, now it just uses a grid structure and a grid shooting function.

* 5/07/18
** Made changes to gqa and made it use the grid generating function.

* 6/07/18
** Update rtcheck to use the new grid generator function.
** Committed the changes to repo : [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71117/ r71117], [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71118/ r71118] and [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71119/ r71119]

* 7/07/1
8, 8/07/18
** Discussing the next task to do.

===== Week 9 =====

* 09/07/18
** Started the next task of "Better object selection in overlaps tool"
** Added geometry browser in the overlaps tool
** Split the overlaps menu and overlaps file gen as two separate files.
** Improved object selection
** Added listview for selected objects

* 10/07/18
** Added ability to add/remove manual entry of objects.
** Can add/remove objects using wildcards.

* 11/07/18
** Added doxygen comments for grid-generating functions - [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71147/ r71147]
** Fixed a bug with gqa - [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71148/ r71148]
** Committed the whole progress into multiple commits :)
*** [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71149/ r71149]
*** [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71150/ r71150]
*** [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71151/ r71151]
** Restore handling visible objects
*** [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71152/ r71152]
** No need to check the objects again
*** [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71153/ r71153]
** Add clear selection button
*** [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71154/ r71154]
** Code cleanup
*** [https://sourceforge.net/p/brlcad/code/71155/ r71155]