Module Conversion Steps

Phase 1: Physical file preparation

1. Copy the module's C++ source file into the correct path. Look under src/Modules/Legacy to see if it is already there.

• Example: src/Modules/Legacy/Fields/AlignMeshBoundingBoxes.cc is already checked in, so nothing to do.

2. Make a copy of the file SCIRunGUIPrototype/src/Modules/Legacy/Fields/CalculateGradients.h (TODO: general header template) and rename it using the same name as the module. It will act as a template for the newly-required module header file.

• Example: Copied CalculateGradients.h to AlignMeshBoundingBoxes.h.

3. Edit the corresponding CMakeLists.txt file to both (a) enable/add the module .cc file, and (b) add the newly-created module header file.

• Example: src/Modules/Legacy/Fields/CMakeLists.txt was edited to add AlignMeshBoundingBoxes.h to the Dataflow_Modules_Legacy_Fields_HEADERS list; and, the line containing AlignMeshBoundingBoxes.cc was uncommented to add both files to the project.

4. Under src/Modules/X/Tests, where X is the general category of your module, add a unit test source file both to the filesystem and to the corresponding CMakeLists.txt file.

• Example: Unit tests for the Legacy modules are separated from the Legacy directories to aid file diffing. Thus, a file AlignMeshBoundingBoxesTests.cc was added to src/Modules/Fields/Tests, and then added to the project using CMake. GetFieldBoundaryTests.cc was copied to create the new file; it will be edited in a later step.

5. At this point, the CMake project structure should be valid (although the projects won't build), and your git changeset should look like this:
6. CHECKPOINT: If there is no corresponding Algorithm class for your module, there is a limit on the size of its execute() method of 5 lines. Otherwise, a separate Algorithm class is required to be extracted from the Module's implementation.
7. With the Algorithm implementation separate, proceed to the Algorithm class's directory.

• Example: AlignMeshBoundingBoxes uses AlignMeshBoundingBoxes.h/.cc under src/Core/Algorithms/Legacy/Fields/TransformMesh, the files are already there.

8. Enable/add the algorithm source files to the correct CMake project.

• Example: src/Core/Algorithms/Legacy/Fields/CMakeLists.txt is edited to enable TransformMesh/AlignMeshBoundingBoxes.cc and add TransformMesh/AlignMeshBoundingBoxes.h (Most algorithm header files are not part of the CMakeLists file already and need to be added).