[SOLVED] Problems with Modeler: Can't modify particle property and change componets order

[David]

Hi, every one.
I have some question about using Medeler of Sofa version 18.12 in Ubuntu 16.04.
1. Can the order of components in a *.scn file be reordered by drag-move-place manipulation using mouse ?
I can not change the order of components and I have to delete components and re-add it, it is not very convenient.
2. Can properties of MechanicalObject Particles, such as positon in Vecotor 1/3, be modified in Modeler?
I am going through the tutorials of StepByStep/Pendulum. In Modeler, I want to modify the postion information of MechanicalObject Particles. In “Vector 1/3”, the position value of each particle is gray and I can not modify them. I have to open the *.scn file using text editor to modify the values. I am wondering if there is a way to managed it within the Modeler.
Version: Sofa-18.12
Platform: Ubuntu 16.04
Any comments and suggestion are welcomed and appreciated.

[Bruno Marques]

Hi @huntsmanydw,
I personally never used the SOFA modeler so I’m probably not the best suited to answer your question.. But be aware that the modeler, while being present in SOFA’s repository, is not much maintained anymore. While we still apply bugfixes to it, we very rarely add new features to it.
I don’t believe any of the two features you are mentioning are implemented in the modeler, but again, I don’t use the modeler much…

Maybe this topic could help you with you out?

How to add value in a item of a section

[David]

Hi @Bruno Marques,

Thank you for your suggestion. From your reply, I know that Modeler can only play some basic functions.

As newer to use Sofa, I am going through the tuturials which metioned Modeler. So I faced a lot of some low level and naive quetions. I am wondering the way how the senior developers like you develop a project on Sofa without using Modeler.

Do you mean that you directly write the source code of scene graph, namely, *.scn file?

As shown in the Modeler, there are many properties of each components to define. How to properly define these properties?

The way I am doing now is to going through the example tuturials and try to understand how Sofa works. Do you have any other suggestions and learning matrials to recommend for newer guys like me.

Thanks again for you help, and I am looking forward to hearing from you.

[Bruno Marques]

SOFA is more a simulation *Framework* as it is a simulation *Software*.
It’s programming language is C++, but (long ago), to simplify scripting, a system has been set in place to describe scenes with XML, and it’s been the main way to create SOFA scenes for a long time.
It’s now much more recommended to create scenes in Python. A Python plugin, present in SOFA’s repository, can be activated with the option PLUGIN_SOFAPYTHON=ON in CMake, and the plugin provides many examples of scenes to give you an idea on how to get started (in applications/plugins/SofaPython)

You can also find a (rudimentary) documentation on the plugin here:

Python scripting

It’s in the *optional-features* section, since the plugin is not activated by default, but I would recommend scenes to be created with python all the time, if not in C++ directly.

New developments are being made to improve the GUI user experience, in a separated plugin, but it’s at its premises, so probably not the way to go for you.

Good luck !

[David]

Hi, @Bruno.
Your comments and suggestions are of great help for me. Thank you so much.

I am exciting to know that python scripting is the recommended way to develop scenes. I am familiar with the C++ and Python programming language. And Python wrapped programming interface is very efficient and convenient.

I will try the python scripting.

[Author]

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