Visualizing Constraints in Visualization Rules

The visualization rules of TRIP systems are a set of mapping rules that maps source data into the high-level representation of target picture. The data of this representation consists of geometric graphical objects and geometric constraints among them. When the visualization rules have some bugs, the TRIP system cannot solve the constraints properly and cannot generate a target picture. In order to support debugging TRIP’s visualization rules, we have built two prototype tools for visualizing constraint systems in the visualization rules of TRIP systems. One is a tool for visualize them as a three-dimensional graph structure which shows the overall structure of the constraint system. Another tool uses target picture, and animates them so that the degrees of freedom of graphical objects in the constraint system are presented to the user. HiRise constraint solver is incorporated to this tool to deal with under-constrained systems. In addition, the cartoon technique that deforms graphical objects is utilized to depict whether a graphical object has a degree of freedom or not.