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This HTML documentation is no longer maintained. See sciparam-manual.pdf for an updated version.

SciParam GUI features

Different types of values:
- strings - can contain any characters.
- float values - numbers, which can can be limited to ranges which specify a valid range and/or a usual range. Ranges can be specified in scientific notation, e.g. ]-oo;1.2E5] for a range from minus infinity upto and including 120000.
- integer numbers - can have ranges like float number, too.
- distributed values - like float numbers, but you can optionally add a distribution type like normal, log-normal or uniform.
- choices - You can select one of them with radiobuttons or from a list.
Details on values: A special details box provides helpful information on a currently focused entry.
Default values: For each entry a default can be specified, which is visible in the details box. A button allows to apply the default to the current entry.
Comment: It is possible to enter a comment for the current entry in the details box.
Status "unknown": For any value it is possible to enter the status "unknown" by deleting the current value. This avoids concepts where a special and potentially misinterpreted number represents an unknown value.
Status "required": A small cross ("sign here") informs about whether a parameter is necessary in a certain context (e.g. to complete a parameter set for a simulation equation). Giving a value here is not forced by the GUI, since this is only an indicator.

This dialog is created by running python control.py from inside the SciParam directory:

Sample Dialog

This is a dialog with a notebook that is created by python notebook.py:

Sample Notebook

The small cross indicates that this is a required parameter:

Required Parameter

When choosing a distribution type, a small dialog asks for additional parameters like standard deviation or maximum value. Illegal values for these parameters will be rejected:

Distributed Parameter

If you have a short list of choices, you can select one of them using radiobuttons. Choices include questions like Yes/No, or selecting one of few values like 3/5/7 meters.

Short Choice

If you have a long list of choices, selecting one of them is done in a different way. Otherwise they might not fit inside the input field.

A box will show additional details for the currently selected parameter. Here you see the parameter "Volume" with a long description "Volume of used samples". It only allows float values greater or equal zero up to infinity.

There was no distribution active, but now the user selected "uniform", therefore a new dialog shows up which asks for the maximum value.

The user already noted a comment to the value he's typing now, so nobody should wonder where it came from.

Using the [Apply Default] button, you can also set this value to a default value, which would be "2;20/uniform" in this case. This long format of "value;distribution parameter/distribution type" can be used in the input field, too, to save the user from putting his hands away from the keyboard to the mouse.

Details Box

If you enter a value which is outside the valid range (like less than -273.15°C for a temperature), the input field changes its color to red as soon as you leave the input field.

If you try to save this value using the [Ok] button or switch to another notebook page, an error dialog forces you to either enter a correct value or discard changes using the [Cancel] button.

Error

If you enter a value which is theoretically possible, but usually wrong (like an atomic number far higher than any known chemical element's number), the input field changes its color to yellow as soon as you leave the input field.

If you try to save this value using the [Ok] button or switch to another notebook page, a warning dialog asks if you really want to use this value. The input field will stay yellow to warn you, even if you confirm this value, but the warning dialog will only appear again if you change the value.

Warning

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