Parameters need a more advanced data structure

[lxkain]

current scheme to check if the newly entered render parameters is a mess; definitely need something else

parameters as of right now are made up of a dictionary[str, value] where the value can be a string or numeric based on the type of parameter. We probably want to do something like a dictionary[str, tuple(value, check_function)], where the check function would be run on the inputted parameter to ensure it's valid, if valid, then it can be set.

[lxkain]

unlike Processor.pararmeters, render parameters can be combinations of inputs, options of some pre-selections (colors), sliders, and so on.

Each different parameter will have its own way for checking for valid user input.

I propose that we have a Renderer.parameters format as such:

parameter = namedtuple('Parameter', ['name', 'values', 'check_function']

the parameter.values should accommodate lists, scalars, etc, and the value that goes into the check_function should be a function that checks the values for a valid input.

[lxkain]

We discussed today, I think parameters in general will be easier as a custom object

class Parameter(ABCMetaclass):

name: str = 'metaclass'
dtype = typing.Union[Tuple, int, float, str]

    def __init__(self, track: tracking.Track):
        self.track = track
        self.value = self.default_values()

    @abstractmethod
    def default_values(self):
        """queries the track for a default value"""


    @abstractmethod
    def valid_input(self, input):
    """method to check that the inputs are appropriate"""

We will need render and processor interact with this parameter object for getting/setting.

[lxkain]

What min and max could provide is the possibility of a slider. We may even want to know whether the slider should be linear or log.

Although, some min and max values can only be known once the track is known.

[lxkain]

so in that case, the dtype of the parameter would be range.

range would map to slider
set would map to drop down menu
a tuple of float, int, str would map to series of text inputs (based on the number of values expected).

so let's walk through a couple of render parameter examples here.

the main one we use is the y-boundary setting, which would be a tuple of numeric values, so that parameter would have two text inputs; first would be the min, second would be a max

a parameter that would qualify for range is frame size; which the track would provide what the absolute minimum and maximum frame size is, and a slider would be generated accordingly.

the color parameter might be a bit tricky, it would be a tuple of int's ...but i may want to give the option for not just rgb....but i can keep it simple to start with.