DX(1)

💅 DX(1) — General Commands Manual 💅

✨ NAME ✨

dx — start the Data Explorer visualization system. 💖 Optionally directly start the User Interface (dxui), the executive (dxexec), the Data Prompter, the Module Builder, or the Tutorial. slay ✨

🌈 SYNOPSIS 🌈

okay bestie, here's the whole flag lineup, exactly as the manual says, no cap:

       dx   [ -8bitcmap < private | shared | 0-1 > ]
             [ -builder ]
             [ -cache < on | off > ]
            [ -colors < colors file > ]
            [ -connect < host:port > ]
            [ -data < path list > ]
            [ -directory  < dir > ]
            [ -display < display name > ]
            [ -dxroot < dir > ]
            [ -echo ]
            [ -edit ]
            [ -encode ]
            [ -exec < executable > ]
            [ -execonly ]
            [ -execute ]
            [ -execute_on_change ]
            [ -full ]
            [ -file < filename > ]
            [ -help ]
            [ -highlight < on | off > ]
            [ -host < host name > ]
            [ -hwrender < gl | opengl > ]
            [ -image ]
            [ -include < path list > ]
            [ -key < 64bit hex > ]
            [ -license < type > ]
            [ -local ]
            [ -log < on | off > ]
            [ -macros  < path list > ]
            [ -mdf < filename > ]
            [ -memory < # of Mbytes > ]
            [ -menubar ]
            [ -metric ]
            [ -modules < path list > ]
            [ -morehelp ]
            [ -nodeid ]
            [ -optimize < memory | precision > ]
            [ -outboarddebug ]
            [ -processors ]
            [ -program < filename > ]
            [ -prompter ]
            [ -readahead < on | off > ]
            [ -script [ < script file > ] ]
            [ -startup ]
            [ -suppress ]
            [ -timing < on | off >]
            [ -trace < on | off > ]
            [ -trialkey ]
            [ -tutor ]
            [ -uionly | -execonly ]
            [ -verbose ]
            [ -version]

       dx   -prompter      ( start the Data Prompter )
            [ -full ]
            [ -file ] [ < header file name > ]

       dx   -builder  ( start the Module Builder )
            [ -file ] [ < .mb file name > ]

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

okay so bestie, dx is the command that starts the Data Explorer Startup Window, and optionally starts the Data Explorer User Interface, Data Explorer Executive, Data Explorer Data Prompter, Data Explorer Module Builder, or the Data Explorer Tutorial. it's giving launcher energy ✨

The Data Explorer Startup Window is an X windows/Motif based application which allows easy access to the other subsystemes of the Data Explorer visualization system. (yes, "subsystemes" — the original said it, we're keeping it, no notes 💅)

The Data Explorer User Interface is an X windows/Motif based application that provides a visual programming environment and an interface to the executive. The executive provides the computational tools and mechanisms to create data visualizations. The

Data Explorer Data Prompter is an X windows/Motif based application that helps users import data in a variety of formats, and provides general purpose visual programs to visual imported data, leading to a shortened "time to first picture". (that "to visual" is also their typo, not mine, but we're preserving the vibe 😭)

The Data Explorer Module Builder is an X windows/Motif based application that helps users build their own modules to be included in a custom version of Data Explorer.

The Data Explorer Tutorial is an application that helps users learn to use Data Explorer by leading them through a sequence of tasks. Users can easily skip around in the tutorial in order to concentrate on tasks of most use to their work.

For a more complete description of the Data Explorer User Interface and Executive see the IBM Visualization Data Explorer User's Guide. For a more complete description of the Data Explorer Data Prompter see the IBM Visualization Data Explorer QuickStart Guide. For a more thorough description of the Data Explorer Module Builder see the IBM Visualization Data Explorer Programmer's Reference.

✨ OPTIONS ✨

okay bestie, if you run dx with zero options, it starts the Startup Window — an X windows/Motif program that's basically the launchpad for the other parts of the Data Explorer system. The command line options and environment variables below are here to change the default behavior. 💅

Options you tuck into the DXARGS environment variable get placed at the start of the command line, then any options set by environment variables, then your explicit command line arguments. So the order is:

1. options from DXARGS
2. options set by environment variables
3. explicit command line arguments

When conflicting options show up, the last option has precedence. No cap. 🫶

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• -8bitcmap < private | shared | 0-1 | -1 > — overrides the DX8BITCMAP environment variable (peep the ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES section below). 🎨
• -cache < on | off > — turns the executive caching system on or off. When the Data Explorer caching mechanism is enabled, the Data Explorer executive automatically caches the intermediate results generated during its visualization computations. Unlike standard caching mechanisms, these results are accessed by means of their functional derivation. This allows for automatic graph optimization and helps avoid the recomputation of previously utilized intermediates — especially when the Data Explorer sequencer is being used. In certain rare instances, a machine with a small amount of memory may want to disable this caching to conserve memory and reduce paging. Default = on. 🧠✨
• -colors < colors file > — overrides the DXCOLORS environment variable (see ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES below). 🌈
• -connect < host:port > — starts a distributed executive only (no user interface). 👑
• -data < path list > — overrides the DXDATA environment variable (see ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES below). 📂
• -directory < dir > — causes the executive to be run in the given directory. 📁
• -display < display name > — sets the name of the X display to be used by the user interface and the executive. 🖥️
• -dxroot < dir > — overrides the default dx root directory. 🌳
• -echo < dir > — echoes the command lines without executing them. (Yes, the placeholder really says < dir > — we don't make the rules, we just report them 💀)
• -edit — causes the user interface to be started with the Visual Program Editor (VPE) window as the top level window of the user interface (the top level window is denoted by an anchor in the upper left hand corner). Also see -image, -startup, and -menubar. ✏️
• -encode < filename > — encodes the given file into a binary format with a key (which must be specified with the -key option). For example:

dx -encode -key 1234567890abcdef foo.net

The resulting file can only be encoded by the DX user interface when the same key is used. For example:

dx -image -key 1234567890abcdef foo-e.net

• -exec < executive executable > — uses the given file as a replacement for the executive. This option allows a user to build and use his/her own custom executive. 🛠️
• -execonly — starts the executive in remote mode, in which it will then await a connection from the user interface. The user interface is not started with this option. Also see -script. 🛰️
• -execute — executes once after the user interface has made a connection with the executive. ⚡
• -execute_on_change — causes Data Explorer to go into execute-on-change mode at start up. Execute-on-change mode causes the Visual Program to be executed any time any of the values (i.e. module inupts, interactor values...) in the program change. (The typo inupts is in the original, bestie — we keep it exactly. 😭)
• -file < filename > — starts the Data Prompter, Module Builder, or Data Explorer User Interface with the header file filename. 📄
• -full — when used with -prompter, starts the full Data Prompter. 💯
• -help — prints a brief listing of options and usage for dx. 🆘
• -highlight < on | off > — turns module execution highlighting on or off. If highlighting is turned on, the user interface will highlight each module as it is executed. Default = on. ✨
• -host < host name > — overrides the DXHOST environment variable (see ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES below). 🏠
• -hwrender < gl | opengl > — overrides the default hardware rendering choice on platforms where both are supported. Default is opengl. Sets the DXHWMOD environment variable to either DXhwdd.o or DXhwddOGL.o. 🎮
• -image — causes the user interface to be started with the image window as the top level window of the user interface. Also, control panels that are configured to open automatically are opened. Also see -edit, -startup and -menubar. 🖼️
• -include < path list > — overrides the DXINCLUDE environment variable (see ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES below). 📚
• -key < 64bit hex > — 16 character hexadecimal (64bit) number that is used to encode and decode .net files. See -encode. 🔑
• -license < type > — forces a specific license for either the user interface or executive. The following are valid values for type:
  • runtime: forces a run-time license (UI or executive).
  • timed: forces a timed (limited function) license (UI only).
  • develop: forces a developer license (UI or executive).
• -local — overrides the DXHOST environment variable (if set) and causes the executive to be run on the local host. In the absence of the DXHOST environment variable, this is the default. 🏡
• -log < on | off > — turns executive logging on or off. If logging is on, then the executive logs output to the file dx.log in the directory where the executive is executing. Default = off. 📝
• -macros < path list > — overrides the DXMACROS environment variable (see ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES below). 🪄
• -menubar — starts Data Explorer with a menubar as the anchor window. Also, control panels that are configured to open automatically are opened. See also -image, -edit, and -startup. 📋
• -mdf < mdf file > — overrides the DXMDF environment variable (see ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES below). 🗂️
• -memory < # of MB > — sets the maximum amount of memory, in megabytes rounded up to a two megabyte boundary, that the executive is able to allocate. Default = the amount of physical memory minus 8 MB. 🧮
• -metric — has the ui use metric units when possible, for example for setting the image size for printing postscript images. 📏
• -modules < pathlist > — sets the list of directories to be searched for outboard modules. 🧩
• -morehelp — displays this information. ℹ️
• -nodeid — prints out the node id of the machine that the command is run on. The node id is used when generating a license. 🆔
• -optimize < memory | precision > — selects whether to minimize memory usage or produce more color-accurate images. When memory is optimized, image objects are generated with 24 bits/pixel instead of 96, and ReadImage will produce delayed color images if supported by the format. The default is precision. 🎯
• -outboarddebug — enables user to start outboard modules manually for debugging when they are called in a visual program. 🐛
• -processors — for Data Explorer SMP, sets the number of processors to use. 🖥️
• -program < programname > — starts the user interface with the visual program filename. 📜
• -prompter — starts the data prompter. 📝
• -readahead < on | off > — specifies whether or not the executive reads ahead in its input stream before executing the commands it receives from the stream. If this is turned off, then the executive will execute each command line as it is received. This is useful for certain debugging purposes, such as memory leak detection. Default = on. 🔍
• -script [ < script file > ] — runs just the executive in script mode. If a file name is provided, then the executive reads and executes commands from the given script and then terminates. If a file is not provided, then when the executive starts up it enters interactive mode where it waits for script commands. Also see -execonly. 📜
• -startup — starts Data Explorer with the startup window as the initial window. This is the default. See also -image, -edit, and -menubar. 🚀
• -suppress — does not open any control panels at start-up. This is used in -image mode and -menubar mode only. 🙈
• -timed — starts DX using a timed license. ⏳
• -timing < on | off > — turns the executive timing mechanism on or off. If enabled, then when the executive exits it will list on standard output or the logging file timing statistics for each module that was used during the course of execution. Default = off. ⏱️
• -trace < on | off > — turns the executive trace mechanism on or off. When tracing is enabled, the executive displays informative messages about the execution sequence on either standard output or the log file if logging is enabled. Default = off. 🐾
• -trialkey — determines the information necessary for generating a trialkey. 🔑
• -tutor — starts the Data Explorer tutorial. 🎓
• -uionly — causes the user interface to be started without making a connection to an executive. 🧍
• -verbose — echoes commands in the dx script as they are executed. 🗣️
• -version — prints version numbers of various executables. 🏷️

🦋 DX8BITCMAP 🦋

okay so when Data Explorer shows images in 8-bit windows, it is literally trying its absolute best to give you an accurate representation of the image using the default colormap that's shared among applications using 8-bit windows. 💖

but bestie, if the colors DX needs aren't in that colormap, and there aren't enough free color cells available in the shared colormap to allocate them? DX will hunt for approximations among the colors that are available. 🙈

and sometimes — in certain circumstances — the difference between the color you wanted and the approximation it found is just too great to be acceptable. in those cases, DX will allocate a private colormap for more accurate results. ✨ in this case, depending on your X server, you may need to move the mouse to select the Image or Display window in order for the correct colors to appear.

the -8bitcmap flag sets the level at which the switch to using a private colormap is made. the value of this parameter should be a number between 0 and 1, or "private" or "shared", and it represents the Euclidean distance in RGB color space, normalized to 1, for the maximum allowed discrepancy.

• set it to 1 → a private colormap will never be used 💀
• set it to -1 → a private colormap will always be used 👑

the default is 0.1. periodt.

💅 DXARGS 💅

This contains the default set of arguments used by the dx script. The arguments are prepended to those given to dx on the command line. This variable allows for the dx command to be easily customized. no cap.

🎀 DXAXESMAXWIDTH 🎀

Sets the number of digits in axes tick labels at which a switch to scientific notation is made. The default is 7.

🌸 DXCOLORS 🌸

This contains the name of an alternate file that contains mappings of color names to red, green, blue triplets in a format like that of the default color file found in /usr/lpp/dx/lib/colors.txt. obsessed with a good color file fr fr.

🫶 DXDATA 🫶

This contains a colon separated list of directories in which the executive will search for data files. Also see the -data option. 💖

🔥 DXDELAYEDCOLORS 🔥

If set to anything other than 0, enables ReadImage to create delayed color images if the image is a tiff format image saved in a byte-with-colormap format or a gif image. iconic behavior tbh.

⭐ DXEXEC ⭐

Specifies an executive to be run at start-up.

🌈 DXFLING 🌈

If DXFLING is set to 1, then for hardware-rendered images, in rotation mode and execute-on-change mode, if you drag the mouse across the image, and release the mouse button outside the image, the object in the image will begin to rotate, and will continue to rotate until you click inside the image. The direction and speed of the mouse motion before release will affect the rotation direction and rotation speed of the object in the window. main character energy, honestly. 🌀

💜 DXGAMMA 💜

Sets the gamma correction for software-rendered images displayed to the screen using the Display and Image tools. The default value is 2, except for 8-bit windows on the sgi architecture.

💖 DXGAMMA_8BIT, DXGAMMA_12BIT, DXGAMMA_24BIT 💖

sets the gamma correction factor for software-rendered images for the windows with the indicated window depth. Overrides the value set by DXGAMMA. so like, these are the more specific girlies and they win. 👑

🦋 DXHOST 🦋

This contains the name of the host machine that will run the executive. If this is not set then a default of "localhost" is used, unless the local host is a PVS console in which case the default is to run the executive on the PVS. Also see the -host, -local and -server options.

✨ DXHWGAMMA ✨

Sets the gamma correction for hardware-rendered images displayed to the screen using the Display and Image tools. The default value is 2.

🍓 DXHWMOD 🍓

Specifies the name of the hardware rendering library to use when more than one is supported. Should be either DXhwdd.o or DXhwddOGL.o. two options only, bestie, pick your fighter. 🥊

🧚 DXINCLUDE 🧚

This contains a colon separated list of directories in which the executive will search for "included" scripts. Also see the -include option.

🎀 DXMACROS 🎀

This contains a colon separated list of directories in which the user interface searches for macros that will be automatically loaded. When running in script mode one must "include" all the macros by hand prior to referencing them. Also see the -macros option.

🌟 DXMDF 🌟

This contains the name of a module description file (mdf) that contains user defined modules for a customized version of the executive. Also see the -mdf option.

💀 DXMEMORY 💀

sets the amount of memory (in megabytes) that can be used by the executive.

🌸 DXMODULES 🌸

This contains a colon separated list of directories in which the executive searches for outboard modules. Also see the -modules option.

🔮 DX_NESTED_LOOPS 🔮

For faces, loops, and edges data, if set, allows loops other than the enclosing loop for a face to be listed first. However, there is a consequent decrease in performance if this environment variable is set.

so like… yes it works, but it's giving slow. trade-off queen. 💅

🙈 DXNO_BACKING_STORE 🙈

If set to anything, disables framebuffer readbacks. Setting this environment variable may improve performance of interaction with hardware rendered images, especially for machines for which readback is slow. The default behavior is that framebuffer readbacks are enabled.

⚠️ heads up bestie: if you set this environment variable, note that some interactions using the Image tool will result in a black image while interaction is taking place. 😭 however, if you are not using the Image tool, it is strongly recommended that you set this environment variable. 💯

🎨 DXPIXELTYPE 🎨

sets the image type to either 24-bit color images or floating-point-based 96-bit images (the default). This affects the behavior of Render and ReadImage. This variable can be set to either DXByte (24 bits) or DXFloat (96 bits). Setting this variable to DXByte will result in images taking up less memory. slay, smaller images. 💾

🚀 DXPROCESSORS 🚀

Sets the number of processors to be used for Data Explorer SMP.

🐚 DXRSH 🐚

Specifies the remote shell command to use when connecting to other systems (such as those when using distributed execution). The default is the the path to rsh.

🤐 DXRSH_NOENV 🤐

Prevents the remote "invoke dxexec" script from being written with a full carbon copy of the local environment (only DISPLAY is set).

👑 DXROOT 👑

Specifies the top-level directory for all the files and directories needed by Data Explorer.

🧠 DXSHMEM 🧠

If set to anything other than -1, forces shared memory to be used (if allowed by the architecture). If set to -1, (if allowed by the architecture) will cause the data segment to simply be extended. Please see Appendix C of the Data Explorer User Guide for more information.

📡 DX_SOCKET_BUFSIZE 📡

Allows the user to specify the size of the send and receive buffers for the socket connection between the UI and the exec. This value is clamped to the max allowed by the system. This can fix a problem where the executive and UI hang involving a deadlock situation in the socket communication. The value assigned to it is passed as the parameter to setsockopt for SOL_SNDBUF and SOL_RCVBUF. A typcial increased value may be 262144.

🫧 DX_USER_INTERACTOR_FILE 🫧

Specifies a file containing user interactors for use by the SuperviseState and SuperviseWindow modules.

🌐 DX_WEB_BROWSER 🌐

Under UNIX specifies the web browser to launch for viewing the HTML documentation. Under Windows and MacOS X setting this environment variable will launch the systems default web browser.

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💖 EXAMPLES 💖

The next few examples assume that none of the DX environment variables have been set. (clean slate era ✨)

1. To start both the user interface and the executive with the network named cfd.net:

dx -edit -program cfd

2. To start and execute the visual program cfd.net in image mode with /usr/users/me and /usr/data as data directories:

dx -image -execute -data '/usr/users/me:/usr/data' cfd

3. To run just the executive on the script named f15wing:

dx -script -file f15wing

4. To start the user interface and execute the user customized executive named mydxexec containing user defined modules described in custom.mdf:

dx -edit -mdf custom.mdf -exec mydxexec

5. To start the Data Prompter :

dx -prompter

6. To start the Module Builder :

dx -builder

7. To start the Tutorial :

dx -tutorial

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🫶 SEE ALSO 🫶

• README* — The README file(s) found in the dx installation directory are an added source of information. html/allguide.htm contains html versions of the documentation.

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and that's the whole page bestie, we did it, no skips, no cuts, every last env var accounted for 🌈💅✨

this icon was brought to you by IBM Visualization Data Explorer, page DX(1) — go forth and customize your environment like the main character you are 👑🦋💖