18. Targeted: ParaView Web

18.1. Introduction

ParaViewWeb, is a Web framework to build applications with interactive scientific visualization inside the Web browser. Those applications can leverage a VTK and/or ParaView backend for large data processing and rendering.

There are example prototypes that have been built using the ParaViewWeb framework. Here is a webpage that has 4 of them - https://pvw.kitware.com/.

18.2. Visualizer

Visualizer is a web based prototype of ParaView using the ParaView Web framework. Click on the Visualizer icon. This brings up a web client, connecting to a backend server located at Kitware headquarters, in Clifton Park, New York. Visualizer can connect to any ParaView server, but in this case they use Kitware headquarters.

../../_images/ParaviewWeb_100.jpg

In the upper left corner are menu options. Running from the left side, these icons are:

  • Pipeline view.

  • Open File.

    • Note that this is wherever the server is located. In this example, it is in New York state.

  • Filters.

    • This is a subset of the ParaView Filters. Note that almost any ParaView filter can be exposed, customizing this list to the needs of the user.

  • Save Screenshot.

    • This will save locally or remotely, depending on the needs of the user.

  • Information.

    • This will give information for whatever filter is selected in the pipeline browser.

  • Server settings.

    • Generally speaking, leave this alone.

  • Reset View

18.2.1. Example with disk_out_ref.ex2

  • Open disk_out_ref.ex2.

  • Select Filters → Clip. - Sometimes, you need to click on the little paper airplane next to the search window.

  • disk_out_ref.ex2 and the clip are both visible. Click the disk to the left of disk_out_ref.ex2 in the pipeline browser. Now you see the clip.

  • Paint by Temp.

  • Select disk_out_ref.ex2. The original dataset now has focus.

  • Select Filters → Stream Tracer.

  • Select Filters → Tube.

  • Paint this filter by Pres.

  • Change the color map to be something else. I used Rainbow Desaturated.

  • In the image below, I also changed the background color to .3, .3, .4.

../../_images/ParaviewWeb_101.jpg

18.2.2. Example with can.ex2

This is left as an exercise. Try slices. Play this dataset forward in time.

18.2.3. How to use a local server

Open a terminal window. This works in Linux, Windows or OS X. List available applications

pvpython -m paraview.apps -l

Now, lets run visualizer, which we can run from your local ParaView download. Documentation is found at https://kitware.github.io/visualizer/

pvpython -m paraview.apps.visualizer --data ~/ --port 1234

You will have to open your browser and point it at: http://localhost:1234/

To run divvy, use the following command. Documentation is found at: https://kitware.github.io/divvy/

pvpython -m paraview.apps.divvy --data ~/path-to-file/examples/disk_out_ref.ex2 --port 1235

To run lite, use the following command. Documentation can be found at: https://kitware.github.io/paraview-lite/

pvpython -m paraview.apps.lite --data ~/ --port 1236