How can I add a custom runtime visualization to my modules?

[Carsten Grenz]

Hi everybody,

to develop a P2P application, i.e. distributed key-value data stores, more efficiently I need to implement some specialized visualization. The visualization contains application-specific graphical representations of data structures as well as stats that are evaluated during runtime of the simulation.

In a second step, I want add controls to alter the behaviour of my modules. (This feature is optional at this point in time.)

Could you point me to a good starting point on where to implement my custom visualizations?

Currently, I see the following possibilities (which I haven't fully evaluated, yet):

1. Open a file and write the necessary data to it. This would lead to an independent tool which operates on this file.

2. Just instantiate a window from my own module and fill it with the appropriate data, e.g. drawing on my own canvas, e.g. using self-msgs in the module (seems to be the most dirty way of doing it, since model and view will be tightly coupled). Furthermore, this would lead to problems during execution in the cmdenv.

3. Extend the inspection capabilities of Omnet, e.g. writing my own inspector class.

4. Connect to an independent tool during runtime, e.g. through a socket. (similar to Veins, VNS)
   

For now, 2.) and 3.) seem to provide the most promising user experience.

Please feel free to point me to similar solutions. Any hint is appreciated!

Best regards

Carsten