Difference between revisions of "VTKpytools"
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==== Normal Use ==== | ==== Normal Use ==== | ||
| − | vtkpytools is already installed on the global (<code>main</code>) [[Anaconda|conda environment]] installed on the viz nodes. This also makes all vtkpytool scripts (ie. <code>bar2vtk.py</code> and <code>barsplit.py</code>, etc.) available in your <code>$PATH</code> when the conda environment is active, allowing them to be used in command line | + | vtkpytools is already installed on the global (<code>main</code>) [[Anaconda|conda environment]] installed on the viz nodes. This also makes all vtkpytool scripts (ie. <code>bar2vtk.py</code> and <code>barsplit.py</code>, etc.) available in your <code>$PATH</code> when the conda environment is active, allowing them to be used in command line without specifying a path to them. |
| − | This | + | This installation is with be updated periodically as updates are made. It is installed from a cloned repository at <code>/project/tools/vtkpytools</code> and running <code>python setup.py install</code> with the conda environment active (see [[Anaconda#Activating_conda_Environment]]). ''Please do not make any changes to this repository''; clone/fork your own copy and make any changes you want there. See next section for how to use your own copy of the package repository |
==== Development Use ==== | ==== Development Use ==== | ||
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====== Adding to Path ====== | ====== Adding to Path ====== | ||
| − | First is adding the development repository to the path that Python searches for packages. This maybe done by modifying the <code>$PYTHONPATH</code> environment variable or by using the following commands in a script: | + | First is adding the development repository to the path that Python searches for packages. This maybe done by modifying the <code>$PYTHONPATH</code> environment variable: |
| + | |||
| + | PYTHONPATH=path/to/vtkpytools/repository/directory:$PYTHONPATH | ||
| + | |||
| + | or by using the following commands in a script: | ||
import sys | import sys | ||
sys.path.insert(0, 'path/to/vtkpytools/repository/directory') | sys.path.insert(0, 'path/to/vtkpytools/repository/directory') | ||
| + | |||
====== Creating a New (personal) Conda Environment ====== | ====== Creating a New (personal) Conda Environment ====== | ||
| − | The second way is creating a new | + | The second way is [https://docs.conda.io/projects/conda/en/latest/user-guide/tasks/manage-environments.html#creating-an-environment-with-commands creating a new (personal) conda environment] and installing your copy of the repository there. If going this route, it is recommended to install the package via <code>python setup.py develop</code> as this will allow updates to be tested without reinstalling the package every time. |
=== Abbreviation === | === Abbreviation === | ||
Revision as of 15:23, 25 August 2020
vtkpytools is a python package developed in house that has useful tools for generating Visualization ToolKit (VTK) files, and for extracting and manipulating data from VTK files. The code is hosted on a repository in PHASTA's GitHub organization.
vtkpytools heavily utilizes the pyvista Python package, which provides a Pythonic interface to VTK objects, and the Python bindings for the VTK library itself (which are simply one-to-one copies of the C++ API).
Contents
Using vtkpytools
Installation
Normal Use
vtkpytools is already installed on the global (main) conda environment installed on the viz nodes. This also makes all vtkpytool scripts (ie. bar2vtk.py and barsplit.py, etc.) available in your $PATH when the conda environment is active, allowing them to be used in command line without specifying a path to them.
This installation is with be updated periodically as updates are made. It is installed from a cloned repository at /project/tools/vtkpytools and running python setup.py install with the conda environment active (see Anaconda#Activating_conda_Environment). Please do not make any changes to this repository; clone/fork your own copy and make any changes you want there. See next section for how to use your own copy of the package repository
Development Use
If you're making changes to the code and want to test it out, there are two ways to "override" the normal installation.
Adding to Path
First is adding the development repository to the path that Python searches for packages. This maybe done by modifying the $PYTHONPATH environment variable:
PYTHONPATH=path/to/vtkpytools/repository/directory:$PYTHONPATH
or by using the following commands in a script:
import sys sys.path.insert(0, 'path/to/vtkpytools/repository/directory')
Creating a New (personal) Conda Environment
The second way is creating a new (personal) conda environment and installing your copy of the repository there. If going this route, it is recommended to install the package via python setup.py develop as this will allow updates to be tested without reinstalling the package every time.
Abbreviation
In Python, it is somewhat customary to use an abbreviation for packages when importing them (numpy -> np or pandas -> pd). In that same vein, vtkpytools maybe abbreviated to vpt. For those unfamiliar, this maybe done by
import vtkpytools as vpt
Expanding vtkpytools
Currently, the vtkpytools repository is structured so that it can be expanded to host useful functions/utilities/scripts for many different kinds of problems/uses. If you would like to make changes/additions to the package, see the (to be added) CONTRIBUTING.md file in the repository for instructions.
