Google Summer of Code Final Work Product

ganimtron_10
Published: 08/25/2023

gsoc fury

Google Summer of Code Final Work Product

Proposed Objectives

  • SpinBoxUI
  • Scrollbar as Independent Element
  • FileDialog
  • TreeUI
  • AccordionUI
  • ColorPickerUI

Stretch Goals:   

  • Exploring new UI Framework
  • Implementing Borders for UI elements

Objectives Completed

SpinBoxUI:

The SpinBoxUI element is essential for user interfaces as it allows users to pick a numeric value from a set range. While we had an active pull request (PR) to add this element, updates in the main code caused conflicts and required further changes for added features. At one point, we noticed that text alignment wasn't centered properly within the box due to a flaw. To fix this, we began a PR to adjust the alignment, but it turned into a larger refactoring of the TextBlock2D, a core component connected to various parts. This was a complex task that needed careful handling. After sorting out the TextBlock2D, we returned to the SpinBoxUI and made a few tweaks. Once we were confident with the changes, the PR was successfully merged after thorough review and testing.

Pull Requests:

SpinBoxUI

TextBlock2D Refactoring:

This was a significant aspect of the GSoC period and occupied a substantial portion of the timeline. The process began when we observed misaligned text in the SpinBoxUI, as previously discussed. The root cause of the alignment issue was the mispositioning of the text actor concerning the background actor. The text actor's independent repositioning based on justification conflicted with the static position of the background actor, leading to the alignment problem.

To address this, the initial focus was on resolving the justification issue. However, as the work progressed, we recognized that solely adjusting justification would not suffice. The alignment was inherently linked to the UI's size, which was currently retrieved only when a valid scene was present. This approach lacked scalability and efficiency, as it constrained size retrieval to scene availability.

To overcome these challenges, we devised a solution involving the creation of a bounding box around the TextBlock2D. This bounding box would encapsulate the size information, enabling proper text alignment. This endeavor spanned several weeks of development, culminating in a finalized solution that underwent rigorous testing before being merged.

As a result of this refactoring effort, the TextBlock2D now offers three distinct modes:

  1. Fully Static Background: This mode requires background setup during initialization.
  2. Dynamic Background: The background dynamically scales based on the text content.
  3. Auto Font Scale Mode: The font within the background box automatically scales to fill the available space.

An issue has been identified with TextBlock2D where its text actor aligns with the top boundary of the background actor, especially noticeable with letters like "g," "y," and "j". These letters extend beyond the baseline of standard alphabets, causing the text box to shift upwards.

However, resolving this matter is complex. Adjusting the text's position might lead to it touching the bottom boundary, especially in font scale mode, resulting in unexpected positioning and transformations. To address this, the plan is to defer discussions about this matter until after GSoC, allowing for thorough consideration and solutions.

For more detailed insights into the individual steps and nuances of this process, you can refer to the comprehensive weekly blog post provided below. It delves into the entire journey of this TextBlock2D refactoring effort.

Pull Requests:

TextBlock2D Feature Demo

TextBlock2D All Justification

ScrollbarUI as Independent Element:

We initially planned to make the scrollbar independent based on PR #16. The main goal was to avoid redundancy by not rewriting the scrollbar code for each element that requires it, such as the FileMenu2D. However, upon further analysis, we realized that elements like the FileMenu2D and others utilize the Listbox2D, which already includes an integrated scrollbar. We also examined other UI libraries and found that they also have independent scrollbars but lack a proper use case. Typically, display containers like Listbox2D are directly used instead of utilizing an independent scrollbar.

Based on these findings, we have decided to close all related issues and pull requests for now. If the need arises in the future, we can revisit this topic.

Topic: - https://github.com/fury-gl/fury/discussions/816

Other Objectives

Reviewing & Merging:

In this phase, my focus was not on specific coding but rather on facilitating the completion of ongoing PRs. Here are two instances where I played a role:

  1.    CardUI PR:
    I assisted with the CardUI PR by aiding in the rebase process and reviewing the changes. The CardUI is a simple UI element consisting of an image and a description, designed to function like a flash card. I worked closely with my mentor to ensure a smooth rebase and review process.                  
  2.         CardUI    
  3.  ComboBox Issue: 
    There was an issue with the ComboBox2D functionality, where adding it to a TabUI caused all elements to open simultaneously, which shouldn't be the case. I tested various PRs addressing this problem and identified a suitable solution. I then helped the lead in reviewing the PR that fixed the issue, which was successfully merged.

Updating Broken Website Links:

I addressed an issue with malfunctioning links in the Scientific Section of the website. The problem emerged from alterations introduced in PR #769. These changes consolidated demos and examples into a unified "auto_examples" folder, and a toml file was utilized to retrieve this data and construct examples. However, this led to challenges with the paths employed in website generation. My responsibility was to rectify these links, ensuring they accurately direct users to the intended content.    

 

Objectives in Progress

FileDialogUI:

An existing FileDialog PR by Soham (#294) was worked upon. The primary task was to rebase the PR to match the current UI structure, resolving compatibility concerns with the older base. In PR #832, we detailed issues encompassing resizing FileDialog and components, addressing text overflow, fixing ZeroDivisionError, and correcting ListBox2D item positioning. The PR is complete with comprehensive testing and documentation. Presently, it's undergoing review, and upon approval, it will be prepared for integration.    

 

FileDialogUI

TreeUI:

Continuing Antriksh's initial PR for TreeUI posed some challenges. Antriksh had set the foundation, and I picked up from there. The main issue was with the visibility of TreeUI due to updates in the set_visibility method of Panel2D. These updates affected how TreeUI was displayed, and after investigating the actors involved, it was clear that the visibility features had changed. This took some time to figure out, and I had a helpful pair programming session with my mentor, Serge, to narrow down the problem. Now, I've updated the code to address this issue. However, I'm still a bit cautious about potential future problems. The PR is now ready for review.    

 

TreeUI

GSoC Weekly Blogs

My blog posts can be found at FURY website and Python GSoC blog.
 

Timeline 

Date Description Blog Post Link
Week 0
(27-05-2023)		 Community Bounding Period FURY - Python
Week 1
(03-06-20223)		 Working with SpinBox and TextBox Enhancements FURY - Python
Week 2
(10-06-2023)		 Tackling Text Justification and Icon Flaw Issues FURY - Python
Week 3
(17-06-2023)		 Resolving Combobox Icon Flaw and TextBox Justification FURY - Python
Week 4
(24-06-2023)		 Exam Preparations and Reviewing FURY - Python
Week 5
(01-07-2023)		 Trying out PRs and Planning Ahead FURY - Python
Week 6
(08-07-2023)		 BoundingBox for TextBlock2D! FURY - Python
Week 7
(15-07-2023)		 Sowing the seeds for TreeUI FURY - Python
Week 8
(22-07-2023)		 Another week with TextBlockUI FURY - Python
Week 9
(29-07-2023)		 TextBlock2D is Finally Merged! FURY - Python
Week 10
(05-08-2023)		 Completing the Initial Version of AccordionUI FURY - Python
Week 11
(12-08-2023)		 TreeUI Updates and Code Revisions FURY - Python
Week 12
(19-08-2023)		 Wrapping Things Up FURY - Python
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