Add State Component GUI

Table of Contents

• Usage
• Plugin Entry Points

The Network Callback Manager example demonstrates the following:

• How to build a plugin module for the VR-Forces GUI
• How to create a protocol dependent accessory and add GUI elements to it
• How to update and retrieve data from the new state component in a sim component
• How to access data from a new state component in a network interface
• How to add data to a state view and retrieve that information in a state view and display it in an information panel

In order to incorporate a protocol-specific extension in the VR-Forces front-end, the VR-Vantage Accessories concept is used. An accessory is an external plugin that can be used in association with a particular application driver (scene, transport, etc). In the case of this example, a transport driver is used to extend functionality of the system.

The example adds a new remote entity net interface to read the new reflected state repository that contains the temperature:

void DtAddStateComponentGuiAccessory::slot_onConnectionSetUp()
{
   makVrv::DT_PROTOCOL_NAMESPACE::DtVrlinkConnection* connection =
      dynamic_cast<makVrv::DT_PROTOCOL_NAMESPACE::DtVrlinkConnection*>(myDriver->connection());
   DtSimObjectNetInterface::factory()->addCreatorFcn(
         DtVrfIndividualRemoteEntityWithPropertiesNetInterfaceType,
         DtIndividualRemoteEntityNetInterfaceWithTemperature::creator);
   DtReflectedEntity::setStateRepCreator((DtReflectedEntity::DtStateRepCreator)
      DtEntityStateRepWithTemperature::create);

   // Add the new sim data processor into the system such that when components of type temperature are created, the state view and
   // data for that will be created
   DtTemperatureSimDataProcessor* iffdp = DtTemperatureSimDataProcessorCreator::instance(*connection).create(myDriver->stateDataManager(), *connection);
   DtSimDataProcessorManager::instance(*connection).addDataProcessor(iffdp);
}

Make sure to create a new DtEntityStateInterceptor that is derived from the new reflected class

DtEntityStateRepository* DtAddStateComponentEntityStateInterceptorCreator::create(makVrv::DT_PROTOCOL_NAMESPACE::DtVrlinkEntityStateListener* listener)
{
   return new makVrv::DT_PROTOCOL_NAMESPACE::DtEntityStateInterceptor<DtEntityStateRepWithTemperature>(listener);
}

And, when the network interface needs to update itself from the network, it places the internal temperature into the state component:

   DtEntityStateRepWithTemperature * netState = dynamic_cast<DtEntityStateRepWithTemperature*>(individualNetworkState());

   if (netState)
   {
      try
      {
         // Find the state component, and, if it exists, set the temperature.  Next frame state is used in order to write in the new information
         makVrf::DtInternalTemperatureStateComponent* stateComp = mySimObject->
            nextFrameState()->getStateComponent<makVrf::DtInternalTemperatureStateComponent>();

         if (stateComp)
         {
            stateComp->setInternalCoreTemperature(netState->temperature());
         }
      }
      catch(...)
      {
         // State component does not exist, so, that is ok
      }
   }

When using accessories to extend the protocol-specific workings, it is important to note the following:

• The isCompatible method must be overriden to return "true" if the accessory is compatible with the supplied driver
• The install method must be overriden so as to set up connections that send notifications when the driver has been connected
• Similarly, the uninstall method must be overridden so that any connections made during the run of this plugin are disconnected

Usage

In the Launcher, . Enable the Add State Component plugin. Add the appropriate FOM module to the FOM modules line in the launcher and launch the front and back-end.

1. Copy AddStateComponent.fed, AddStateComponent.xml, and AddStateComponent_evolved.xml from examples to the bin64 directory.
2. If you are using HLA, edit FED File Name to be AddStateComponent.fed (HLA 1.3), AddStateComponet.xml (HLA 1516-2000), or AddStateComponent_evolved.xml (HLA Evolved).
3. Click the Plug-ins button to bring up the Plug-ins Selection dialog.
4. Enable the Add State Component plugin.
5. Start the launcher.
6. Load the addStateComponent developer example.

Plugin Entry Points

examplePlugin.cxx

/*******************************************************************************
** Copyright (c) 2012 MAK Technologies, Inc.
** All rights reserved.
*******************************************************************************/

//\file examplePlugin.cxx
//\brief Loads the plugin

//This file defines the generic DT_DLL_VRF_PLUGIN_EXPORT_MACRO.  Use that macro when
//you want to export symbols.  Also, in your CMakeLists.txt file, make sure to
//define the VRFPLUGIN_EXPORTS define to tell the compiler to define the macro as an
//export
#include <vrfGuiCore/vrfGuiExportPlugin.h>

#include "networkCallbackManagerAccessory.h"
#include "DtTestInteractionInterface.h"
#include "exampleMenu.h"

#include <vrfGuiCore/guiThreadNetworkCallbackManager.h>

#include <vrvCore/DtDe.h>
#include <vrvCore/DtAccessoryManager.h>

#include <vrvCoreQt/DtQtMenuAssembler.h>

#include <QtWidgets/QMessageBox>

using namespace makVrv;
using namespace makVrf;

void initPluginMenus(DtVrvApplication& app, DtDe& de)
{
   //First, register the creators with the menu assember
   DtQtMenuAssembler::instance(de).registerMenu(new DtCallbackMenu(de));
   DtQtMenuAssembler::instance(de).registerMenu(new DtCallbackMenuItem(de));

   //Now, add the menu to the master mode configuration.  mainMenu indicates that
   //the example menu is going to be used as a top-level main menu rather than a
   //sub-menu.  Add it before the Task menu.  To leave off the path will
   //put the menu at the end of the menu bar
   app.masterModeMenuConfiguration().addMenuPathBefore(DtMenuPath::mainMenu("DtCallbackMenu"),
      DtMenuPath::mainMenu("DtTaskMenu"));

   //Now, register the DtCallbackMenuItem as an item of DtCallbackMenu
   app.masterModeMenuConfiguration().addMenuPath(
      DtMenuPath::mainMenu("DtCallbackMenu").item("DtCallbackMenuItem"));
}

void DtTestInteractionInterfaceCallback(DtNetworkMessageInterface* iface)
{
   DtTestInteractionInterface* inter = dynamic_cast<DtTestInteractionInterface*>(iface);

   if (!inter)
   {
      QMessageBox::warning(0, "Received Incorrect Pdu", "Received Incorrect Pdu");
      return;
   }

   QString message;

   message.sprintf("Received pdu message ");
   message += inter->message().c_str();

   QMessageBox::information(0, "Received Pdu", message);
}

//Implemented to be able to use the INIT_ONCE method
bool initDeModule(DtDe* de)
{
   //Add this accessory into the accessory manager so it can be loaded by the VRL drivers
   DtAccessoryManager::instance(*de).addAccessory(new DtNetworkCallbackManagerAccessory());

   DtVrvApplication* igApp = DtVrvApplication::findFromDe(*de);
   if(igApp)
   {
      initPluginMenus(*igApp, *de);

      //Add callbacks for test interaction callback and test pdu callback

      makVrf::DtGuiThreadNetworkCallbackManager::instance(*de).networkInterfaceMessageSignal(
         DtTestInteractionInterface::theName()).connect(boost::bind(&DtTestInteractionInterfaceCallback, _1));
   }

   return true;
}

void DtPluginInformation(DtVrfPluginInformation& info)
{
   info.pluginName = "networkCallbackManager";
   info.pluginDescription = "This is an example of how to send interactions/pdus from the front-end and then receive those pdus/interactions and report that information to the front-end.";
   info.pluginVersion = "1.00";
   info.pluginCreator = "MAK Technologies";
   info.pluginCreatorEmail = "sales@mak.com";
   info.pluginContactWebPage = "www.mak.com";
   info.pluginContactMailingAddress = "10 Fawcett Street, Suite 204, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA";
   info.pluginContactPhone = "(617) 876 8085";
}