DataPool User Guide

Version 2.13 | Published November 30, 2018 ©

Common Parameters for all DataPool Plugins

  • Field Name: Defines the name of the DataField from which the plugin receives the data.

  • Data Min and Data Max: Specifies value mapping between incoming data and a Viz value. These parameters are always used in conjunction with two parameters representing Viz values (usually named Value Min and Value Max). The Data Min value is converted to a minimum Viz value and the Max Data is converted to a maximum Viz value. All incoming values are converted respectively to Viz values. When the Clamp parameter is set On, Values out of this range (smaller than Data Min or larger than Data Max) is cropped to the Min/Max values. When Clamp is Off, incoming values are divided by the range between Data Min and Data Max and the remainder value is used as the incoming value and interpolated to Viz values.

    ## Example
    Data Min is 0
    Data Max is 100
    Viz Min is 0
    Viz Max is 100
    Sent value is 125

    If Clamp is On the Viz value is set to 100 (i.e. all values above Data Max (100) are cropped to the Data Max Value and interpolated to Viz Values)
    If Clamp is Off, Viz value is set to 25. Incoming value is 125, divided by 100 (the range between Data Min and Data Max), the remainder is 25 and it is interpolated to Viz value.

  • Prefix: Specifies a prefix string that is added in front of the incoming data string.

  • Suffix: Specifies a suffix string that is added at the end of the incoming data string.

  • Clamp: Clamps the incoming data values to the data min/max range when set to On. All DataPool plugins that use the Data Min and Data Max parameters have a clamp button. Values out of this range (smaller than Data Min or larger than Data Max) are cropped to the Min/Max values when the Clamp parameter is set On.

  • Notify only on value change: Triggers all DataPool plugins registered to that DataField when a DataField value is changed. This happens also if the DataField was set to the same values. Notifies the data plugins only if the field value was actually changed when enabled. The default behavior is Off (as it was in previous DP releases, before adding this feature).

  • Use Other Container: Allows one container to affect another container, or allows another instance of the same plugin to be used on the same container. DataPool container plugins affect the containers they are attached to, and cannot affect other containers directly. A common example of using this parameter is changing multiple keyframes in an animation. Since only one plugin can be attached to the container, dummy containers with DataKeyFrame plugin, using this parameter can be used to affect the remaining keyframes (This parameter makes the DataKeyFrame2 plugin unnecessary. The plugin is installed for backwards compatibility only). When enabled, additional options are also enabled:

    • PARENT: The DataPool plugin affects the parent container, i.e. the container residing above the current container in the scene hierarchy.

    • GrParent: The DataPool plugin affects the grandparent container, i.e. the container residing two levels above the current container in the scene hierarchy.

    • GrGrParent: The DataPool plugin affects the great grandparent container, i.e. the container residing three levels above the current container in the scene hierarchy.

    • REMOTE: When remote is selected another parameter, Remote Container, is enabled. Drag the container to be effected to the container place holder.

    Note: When using the Parent, GrParent or GrGrParent options, the link to the other container is relative. When using the Remote option the link to the other container is absolute. Using the relative options is recommended when using object designs that are duplicated in the scene and controlling containers within the object hierarchy (like in Viz Curious Maps Client labels or Viz Weather objects).

    Note: The REMOTE option maintains compatibility with previous versions of DataPool using the Use Remote Container option.

  • Incremental Change: Specifies if the incoming data is added to the current value of the data field (On) or replaces the current value of the data field (Off).

  • Use Conversion Table: Enables a Conversion Table Name parameter when enabled. Enter the table name as it appears in the DP_ConvTable.csv file, without the proceedings leading and proceeding underscore characters.