Customizing Manipulate's Autorun
in [Mathematica]
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From: Ingolf Dahl on 29 Jun 2010 06:58 I was about to write to MathGroup with a question how to customize the Autorun feature of Manipulate to stop it from running the controls sequentially and instead shake them simultaneously. But when I was preparing the question I found a solution, and since it was nontrivial I want to share it. The trick was to create a special hidden control, which manipulates the default values of the other controls dynamically. It is in the essence of this kind of solutions that it describes undocumented, or poorly documented features of Mathematica, and such features might be changed in future versions. But if the content of this notebook already was described in the documentation, there was no reason for me to repeat it. Sometimes we might want to control the Autorun feature of a Manipulate cell. Autorun can be started from the little "+" in a gray circle in the upper right corner of the Manipulate cell. Let us start with a simple Manipulate cell. Manipulate[ Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], {{color, Black}, {Black -> "Black", Red -> "Red"}}, {{x, 0}, -1, 1}, {{y, 0}, -1, 1}] Say, that we want the dot going around a circle instead! We add another control t to fix that, and let that control take over Autorun : Manipulate[ If[t > 0, x = Cos[t]; y = Sin[t]; color = Red, color = Black]; Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], {{color, Black}, {Black -> "Black", Red -> "Red"}}, {{x, 0}, -1, 1}, {{y, 0}, -1, 1}, {t, 0, 4*Pi}, AutorunSequencing -> {{4, 10}}] If we test the Autorun, we see a jitter in the other controls, since they are reset to their default whenever they are changed by t. The processor will be occupied by changing the controls back and forth. Moreover, the color control is locked up when Autorun is inactive. Can we fix that? Yes, we might control the other parameters without jitter if we control their default values dynamically. We might check if we are in the Autorun mode by testing the variable Typeset`bookmarkMode$$. The variable t has also been changed to run stepwise. Manipulate[ If[Typeset`bookmarkMode$$ === "Autorun", If[t < 2*Pi, color1 = Red, color1 = Black]; x1 = Cos[t]; y1 = Sin[t]]; Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], Control[{{x, Dynamic[x1], "x"}, -1, 1}], Control[{{y, Dynamic[y1], "y"}, -1, 1}], Control[{{color, Dynamic[color1], "color"}, {Black -> "Black", Red -> "Red"}}], Control[{{t, 0}, 0, 4*Pi, Pi/12}], AutorunSequencing -> {{4, 10}}, Initialization :> {color1 = Black; x1 = 0.; y1 = 0.}] Can we have the control for t invisible? Note the uncommon programming construction "If[False,...". In this embedding the control for t will never show up, but it is anyway found by the AutorunSequencing as the fourth control. Manipulate[ If[Typeset`bookmarkMode$$ === "Autorun", If[t < 2*Pi, color1 = Red, color1 = Black]; x1 = Cos[t]; y1 = Sin[t]]; Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], Control[{{x, Dynamic[x1], "x"}, -1, 1}], Control[{{y, Dynamic[y1], "y"}, -1, 1}], Control[{{color, Dynamic[color1], "color"}, {Black -> "Black", Red -> "Red"}}], Dynamic[If[False, Control[{{t, 0}, 0, 4*Pi, Pi/12}], Pane[" ", {0, 0}]]], AutorunSequencing -> {{4, 10}}, Initialization :> {color1 = Black; x1 = 0.; y1 = 0.}] Please send comments to ingolf.dahl(a)telia.com. The corresponding notebook might be available at http://www.familydahl.se/mathematica/CustomizingManipulatesAutorun.nb Best regards Ingolf Dahl
From: John Fultz on 29 Jun 2010 08:27 Two comments... First, did you consider setting bookmarks and animating through them instead of using the autorun functionality? This is well-documented and generally easier to puzzle out than the approach you took, I think. The bookmarks serve as keyframes which you can animate between. Something like this... Manipulate[ Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], {{color, Black}, {Black -> "Black", Red -> "Red"}}, {{x, 0}, -1, 1}, {{y, 0}, -1, 1}, Bookmarks -> {"frame1" :> (x = 1; y = 0; color = Black), "frame2" :> (x = 0; y = -1; color = Red), "frame3" :> (x = -1; y = 0; color = Red), "frame4" :> (x = 0; y = 1; color = Black), "frame5" :> (x = 1; y = 0; color = Black)}] Then choose "Animate Bookmarks" instead of "Autorun". Second, there is a much easier technique for making a hidden control. Manipulate supports this directly using the ControlType option. E.g., Control[{{t, 0}, 0, 4*Pi, Pi/12, ControlType -> None}] There are several examples in the Manipulate documentation which highlight this usage. Sincerely, John Fultz jfultz(a)wolfram.com User Interface Group Wolfram Research, Inc. On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 06:58:55 -0400 (EDT), Ingolf Dahl wrote: > I was about to write to MathGroup with a question how to customize the > Autorun feature of Manipulate to stop it from running the controls > sequentially and instead shake them simultaneously. But when I was > preparing the question I found a solution, and since it was nontrivial I > want to share it. The trick was to create a special hidden control, which > manipulates the default values of the other controls dynamically. > > It is in the essence of this kind of solutions that it describes > undocumented, or poorly documented features of Mathematica, and such > features might be changed in future versions. But if the content of this > notebook already was described in the documentation, there was no reason > for me to repeat it. > > Sometimes we might want to control the Autorun feature of a Manipulate > cell. Autorun can be started from the little "+" in a gray circle in the > upper right corner of the Manipulate cell. Let us start with a simple > Manipulate cell. > > Manipulate[ > Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, > PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], {{color, > Black}, {Black -> "Black", Red -> "Red"}}, {{x, 0}, -1, > 1}, {{y, 0}, -1, 1}] > > Say, that we want the dot going around a circle instead! We add another > control t to fix that, and let that control take over Autorun : > > Manipulate[ > If[t > 0, x = Cos[t]; y = Sin[t]; color = Red, color = Black]; > Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, > PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], {{color, > Black}, {Black -> "Black", Red -> "Red"}}, {{x, 0}, -1, > 1}, {{y, 0}, -1, 1}, {t, 0, 4*Pi}, AutorunSequencing -> {{4, 10}}] > > If we test the Autorun, we see a jitter in the other controls, since they > are reset to their default whenever they are changed by t. The processor > will be occupied by changing the controls back and forth. Moreover, the > color control is locked up when Autorun is inactive. Can we fix that? > Yes, we might control the other parameters without jitter if we control > their default values dynamically. We might check if we are in the Autorun > mode by testing the variable Typeset`bookmarkMode$$. The variable t has > also been changed to run stepwise. > > Manipulate[ > If[Typeset`bookmarkMode$$ === "Autorun", > If[t < 2*Pi, color1 = Red, color1 = Black]; x1 = Cos[t]; > y1 = Sin[t]]; > Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, > PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], > Control[{{x, Dynamic[x1], "x"}, -1, 1}], > Control[{{y, Dynamic[y1], "y"}, -1, 1}], > Control[{{color, Dynamic[color1], "color"}, {Black -> "Black", > Red -> "Red"}}], Control[{{t, 0}, 0, 4*Pi, Pi/12}], > AutorunSequencing -> {{4, 10}}, > Initialization :> {color1 = Black; x1 = 0.; y1 = 0.}] > > Can we have the control for t invisible? Note the uncommon programming > construction "If[False,...". In this embedding the control for t will > never show up, but it is anyway found by the AutorunSequencing as the > fourth control. > > Manipulate[ > If[Typeset`bookmarkMode$$ === "Autorun", > If[t < 2*Pi, color1 = Red, color1 = Black]; x1 = Cos[t]; > y1 = Sin[t]]; > Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, > PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], > Control[{{x, Dynamic[x1], "x"}, -1, 1}], > Control[{{y, Dynamic[y1], "y"}, -1, 1}], > Control[{{color, Dynamic[color1], "color"}, {Black -> "Black", > Red -> "Red"}}], > Dynamic[If[False, Control[{{t, 0}, 0, 4*Pi, Pi/12}], > Pane[" ", {0, 0}]]], AutorunSequencing -> {{4, 10}}, > Initialization :> {color1 = Black; x1 = 0.; y1 = 0.}] > > Please send comments to ingolf.dahl(a)telia.com. > The corresponding notebook might be available at > http://www.familydahl.se/mathematica/CustomizingManipulatesAutorun.nb > > Best regards > > Ingolf Dahl
From: Ingolf Dahl on 30 Jun 2010 01:48 Thanks for the comments! Yes, I have considered setting bookmarks and use bookmark animation. However, the demonstration I presently am trying to develop is a bit more complicated that the example I gave in the letter. It works in all other ways than bookmark animation, but when I ask for "Animate bookmarks" Mathematica runs havoc, and I get a pink mess of errors. One of the first errors is ListPlot::lpn: Interpolation[{{{-2.,-2.},{2.4,-2.},{2.,2.},{-4.08998,1.42527},{-1.02122,4.2 2125},{-0.339269,0.64103}},<<3>>,{{-2.,-2.},{2.4,-2.},{2.,2.},{-4.08998,1.42 527},{-1.02122,4.22125},{-0.339269,0.64103}}},InterpolationOrder->0][4.39874 7253417969`] is not a list of numbers or pairs of numbers. I also get Interpolation::indim: "\!\(\* StyleBox[\"\\\"The coordinates do not lie on a structured tensor product grid.\\\"\", \"MT\"]\) " I think this is a bug. I believe that the intension is to have implicit coordinate positions for the interpolation, with a list only of function values, Interpolation[{f1, f2, f3,...}]. In this case, the function values are point lists. (The point lists are of variable length, but that does not matter here and now.) But Mathematica thinks that we try to construct an interpolation of multidimensional data, and protests, because the points do not lie on a structured tensor product grid. When bookmark animation did not work for me, I concentrated on understanding Autorun, since even if bookmark animation had worked, I am not sure that I would be satisfied with it. As I see it, the bookmark animation is like ready-made clothing: when it fits, it fits, and when it works, it works, but sometimes a real tailor is needed. The second suggestion about "ControlType -> None" I have inserted into the notebook. Not as fun as my "If[False,..." construction, but a more proper programming solution. I will update the notebook at http://www.familydahl.se/mathematica/CustomizingManipulatesAutorun.nb further, if I get more good suggestions. Best regards Ingolf Dahl > -----Original Message----- > From: John Fultz [mailto:jfultz(a)wolfram.com] > Sent: den 29 juni 2010 14:28 > To: mathgroup(a)smc.vnet.net > Subject: Re: Customizing Manipulate's Autorun > > Two comments... > > First, did you consider setting bookmarks and animating through them > instead of > using the autorun functionality? This is well-documented and generally > easier > to puzzle out than the approach you took, I think. The bookmarks serve > as > keyframes which you can animate between. Something like this... > > Manipulate[ > Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, > PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], {{color, > Black}, {Black -> "Black", Red -> "Red"}}, {{x, 0}, -1, > 1}, {{y, 0}, -1, 1}, > Bookmarks -> {"frame1" :> (x = 1; y = 0; color = Black), > "frame2" :> (x = 0; y = -1; color = Red), > "frame3" :> (x = -1; y = 0; color = Red), > "frame4" :> (x = 0; y = 1; color = Black), > "frame5" :> (x = 1; y = 0; color = Black)}] > > Then choose "Animate Bookmarks" instead of "Autorun". > > Second, there is a much easier technique for making a hidden control. > Manipulate supports this directly using the ControlType option. E.g., > > Control[{{t, 0}, 0, 4*Pi, Pi/12, ControlType -> None}] > > There are several examples in the Manipulate documentation which > highlight this > usage. > > Sincerely, > > John Fultz > jfultz(a)wolfram.com > User Interface Group > Wolfram Research, Inc. > > > On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 06:58:55 -0400 (EDT), Ingolf Dahl wrote: > > I was about to write to MathGroup with a question how to customize > the > > Autorun feature of Manipulate to stop it from running the controls > > sequentially and instead shake them simultaneously. But when I was > > preparing the question I found a solution, and since it was > nontrivial I > > want to share it. The trick was to create a special hidden control, > which > > manipulates the default values of the other controls dynamically. > > > > It is in the essence of this kind of solutions that it describes > > undocumented, or poorly documented features of Mathematica, and such > > features might be changed in future versions. But if the content of > this > > notebook already was described in the documentation, there was no > reason > > for me to repeat it. > > > > Sometimes we might want to control the Autorun feature of a > Manipulate > > cell. Autorun can be started from the little "+" in a gray circle in > the > > upper right corner of the Manipulate cell. Let us start with a simple > > Manipulate cell. > > > > Manipulate[ > > Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, > > PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], {{color, > > Black}, {Black -> "Black", Red -> "Red"}}, {{x, 0}, -1, > > 1}, {{y, 0}, -1, 1}] > > > > Say, that we want the dot going around a circle instead! We add > another > > control t to fix that, and let that control take over Autorun : > > > > Manipulate[ > > If[t > 0, x = Cos[t]; y = Sin[t]; color = Red, color = Black]; > > Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, > > PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], {{color, > > Black}, {Black -> "Black", Red -> "Red"}}, {{x, 0}, -1, > > 1}, {{y, 0}, -1, 1}, {t, 0, 4*Pi}, AutorunSequencing -> {{4, 10}}] > > > > If we test the Autorun, we see a jitter in the other controls, since > they > > are reset to their default whenever they are changed by t. The > processor > > will be occupied by changing the controls back and forth. Moreover, > the > > color control is locked up when Autorun is inactive. Can we fix that? > > Yes, we might control the other parameters without jitter if we > control > > their default values dynamically. We might check if we are in the > Autorun > > mode by testing the variable Typeset`bookmarkMode$$. The variable t > has > > also been changed to run stepwise. > > > > Manipulate[ > > If[Typeset`bookmarkMode$$ === "Autorun", > > If[t < 2*Pi, color1 = Red, color1 = Black]; x1 = Cos[t]; > > y1 = Sin[t]]; > > Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, > > PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], > > Control[{{x, Dynamic[x1], "x"}, -1, 1}], > > Control[{{y, Dynamic[y1], "y"}, -1, 1}], > > Control[{{color, Dynamic[color1], "color"}, {Black -> "Black", > > Red -> "Red"}}], Control[{{t, 0}, 0, 4*Pi, Pi/12}], > > AutorunSequencing -> {{4, 10}}, > > Initialization :> {color1 = Black; x1 = 0.; y1 = 0.}] > > > > Can we have the control for t invisible? Note the uncommon > programming > > construction "If[False,...". In this embedding the control for t will > > never show up, but it is anyway found by the AutorunSequencing as the > > fourth control. > > > > Manipulate[ > > If[Typeset`bookmarkMode$$ === "Autorun", > > If[t < 2*Pi, color1 = Red, color1 = Black]; x1 = Cos[t]; > > y1 = Sin[t]]; > > Graphics[{color, Disk[{x, y}, 0.1]}, > > PlotRange -> {{-1.2, 1.2}, {-1.2, 1.2}}], > > Control[{{x, Dynamic[x1], "x"}, -1, 1}], > > Control[{{y, Dynamic[y1], "y"}, -1, 1}], > > Control[{{color, Dynamic[color1], "color"}, {Black -> "Black", > > Red -> "Red"}}], > > Dynamic[If[False, Control[{{t, 0}, 0, 4*Pi, Pi/12}], > > Pane[" ", {0, 0}]]], AutorunSequencing -> {{4, 10}}, > > Initialization :> {color1 = Black; x1 = 0.; y1 = 0.}] > > > > Please send comments to ingolf.dahl(a)telia.com. > > The corresponding notebook might be available at > > http://www.familydahl.se/mathematica/CustomizingManipulatesAutorun.nb > > > > Best regards > > > > Ingolf Dahl >
From: Ingolf Dahl on 1 Jul 2010 08:26 Here is a second comment on John Fultz's comments on my letter: > From: John Fultz [mailto:jfultz(a)wolfram.com] > snip > Second, there is a much easier technique for making a hidden control. > Manipulate supports this directly using the ControlType option. E.g., > > Control[{{t, 0}, 0, 4*Pi, Pi/12, ControlType -> None}] > > There are several examples in the Manipulate documentation which highlight this > usage. > > Sincerely, > > John Fultz When I read this, I thought I must have missed something in the documentation. So I became a little bit finicky and checked the documentation. This is what I have found, relating Control and ControlType: On the "Control Objects" page: " Control -- an interactive control with type automatically chosen", and ControlType is not mentioned. On the " Controls Options" page: ControlType is not mentioned. On the "Control" page, "opts" is mentioned as a possible argument with the comment " use the specified control options". But then no possible option are specified or used in the examples. On the "ControlType" page: "ControlType is an option for Manipulate and related functions that specifies what type of controls should be displayed". Please be specific and tell the names of the "related functions"! It is not easy to understand that Control is a related function, while Manipulator is not. Or can ControlType be given as option to Manipulator? In the "Introduction to Manipulate" and the "Advanced Manipulate Functionality": Neither Control nor ControlType is mentioned, as far as I have found when I scanned through. Have I missed some place? Finally, at the "Manipulate" page, both Control and ControlType are mentioned, and it is stated "ControlType options can be given separately for each variable. Options for the controls can also be given within the specification for the variables." This was what I missed. It is not explicitly stated, but I guess that it is so, that the argument of Control should have the same form as the specification of a variable for Manipulate. A variable for Manipulate is considered as an variable for Manipulate even if it is wrapped by a Control statement. Are there any examples of Manipulate using Control as argument? Control has also an own life outside Manipulate, but then ControlType->None does not seem to be an option. So I do not think I am unfair if I describe the use of Control with the option ControlType->None as an "undocumented, or poorly documented feature". One thing that might be clarified is what the difference is between the setting {{u,0}, None} and {{u,0}, ControlType->None} or setting u = 0 in the Initialization option. Ingolf Dahl
From: John Fultz on 1 Jul 2010 08:27 On Thu, 1 Jul 2010 07:24:20 +0200, Ingolf Dahl wrote: > Here is a second comment on John Fultz's comments on my letter: > >> From: John Fultz [mailto:jfultz(a)wolfram.com] >> >> snip >> >> Second, there is a much easier technique for making a hidden control. >> Manipulate supports this directly using the ControlType option. E.g., >> >> Control[{{t, 0}, 0, 4*Pi, Pi/12, ControlType -> None}] >> >> There are several examples in the Manipulate documentation which >> highlight > this >> usage. >> >> Sincerely, >> >> John Fultz >> > When I read this, I thought I must have missed something in the > documentation. So I became a little bit finicky and checked the > documentation. This is what I have found, relating Control and > ControlType: > > On the "Control Objects" page: " Control -- an interactive control with > type automatically chosen", and ControlType is not mentioned. > > On the " Controls Options" page: ControlType is not mentioned. > > On the "Control" page, "opts" is mentioned as a possible argument with > the comment " use the specified control options". But then no possible > option are specified or used in the examples. > > On the "ControlType" page: "ControlType is an option for Manipulate and > related functions that specifies what type of controls should be > displayed". Please be specific and tell the names of the "related > functions"! It is not easy to understand that Control is a related > function, while Manipulator is not. Or can ControlType be given as option > to Manipulator? > > In the "Introduction to Manipulate" and the "Advanced Manipulate > Functionality": Neither Control nor ControlType is mentioned, as far as I > have found when I scanned through. Have I missed some place? > > Finally, at the "Manipulate" page, both Control and ControlType are > mentioned, and it is stated "ControlType options can be given separately > for each variable. Options for the controls can also be given within the > specification for the variables." This was what I missed. > > It is not explicitly stated, but I guess that it is so, that the argument > of Control should have the same form as the specification of a variable > for Manipulate. A variable for Manipulate is considered as an variable > for Manipulate even if it is wrapped by a Control statement. Are there > any examples of Manipulate using Control as argument? Control has also an > own life outside Manipulate, but then ControlType->None does not seem to > be an option. > > So I do not think I am unfair if I describe the use of Control with the > option ControlType->None as an "undocumented, or poorly documented > feature". One thing that might be clarified is what the difference is > between the setting {{u,0}, None} and {{u,0}, ControlType->None} or > setting u == 0 in the Initialization option. > > Ingolf Dahl This example would have worked without Control. My use was superfluous, and I included it principally because your example included it. So, this syntax does the same thing... {{t, 0}, 0, 4*Pi, Pi/12, ControlType -> None} I will certainly concede that the documentation has weaknesses, some of which have been pointed out ad nauseum on this forum. Drawing specific conclusions about the usefulness of ControlType->None is among them. But the usage of the ControlType option to customize individual Manipulate variables is really quite prominently documented on the Manipulate reference page and the Introduction to Manipulate tutorial. However, in my hurry to dash off a response, I probably would have been more tentative about ControlType->None specifically being documented if I hadn't misinterpreted some examples in my haste. I don't think I would say now that there are "several examples" documenting this (there is one, but it's not anyplace you would think to look, and does not demonstrate why this is useful). I would say that you can connect the dots for using None as a ControlType, but concede that the dots may not be so easy to connect. I apologize for suggesting otherwise. Speaking of Control[] generally, I noticed a number of months ago that Control[] is pretty under-documented given its import. It's an incredibly powerful, useful, and easy-to-use construct for putting together Manipulates with customized interface appearances. While the core information to do this is generally available (except curiously, as you point out, the fact that Control exactly analogizes Manipulate variable syntax), too much is left to the reader to infer rather than spelled out in a clear and useful way. That will be fixed. And I'll look into dealing with ControlType->None in the documentation as well. Sincerely, John Fultz jfultz(a)wolfram.com User Interface Group Wolfram Research, Inc.
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