Install extension module in built Slicer

Development
1

Hi all
I’m having trouble installing an extension module in the built Slicer. Here is my situation:

  • Slicer build was successful.

  • I separately built the source code of the extension module from a Git repository, following the Developer guide for extesion, and it was successful.

  • My current directory structure is as follows:

C:\D\S                             %slicer source
C:\D\SD                            %slicer build
C:\D\SlicerIGSIO                   %extesion source
C:\D\SlicerIGSIO-D                 %extesion build
C:\D\SlicerIGSIO-D\lib\Slicer-5.5
C:\D\SlicerIGT
C:\D\SlicerIGT-D
C:\D\SlicerOpenIGTLink
C:\D\SlicerOpenIGTLink-D

In this situation, how can I make Slicer recognize modules like SlicerIGSIO-D, SlicerIGT-D and ETC ?

*(following option A) I try to find ‘SlicerWithMyExtension’ following the Developer guide for extesion but I can’t

*(following option B) Moreover, I try to add the path to ‘Application setting’ but I could not find ‘qt-scripted-modules’ in ‘C:\D\SlicerIGSIO-D\lib\Slicer-5.5’ instruted in Developer guide

Should the extension module be included in the Slicer build process, or can it be separately built and then included?

2

The shell script below is and example of what I use when working with an extension that includes multiple c++ and python shared and loadable modules. This is for mac, but something similar should work on windows.

SLICER_BUILD=/opt/sr/Slicer-build
LIB_PATH=$(pwd)/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.3

${SLICER_BUILD}/Slicer $* \
  --additional-module-paths \
    ${LIB_PATH}/cli-modules ${LIB_PATH}/qt-loadable-modules ${LIB_PATH}/qt-scripted-modules
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3

When I am debugging multiple extensions with third-party libraries, I combine the AdditionalLauncherSettings.ini files from each of the extensions into a single one, and launch Slicer/VisualStudio with that file (--launcher-additional-settings GeneratedAdditionalSettings.ini).

I created a python script to combine the files (copied here), but you can copy and paste to merge the ini together manually.

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4

Thank you for kind reply!

Then, is it correct that I need to make the following steps every time I edit the code in the extension module?

  1. Edit somthing in extension
  2. build extension
  3. make ini from python
  4. build slicer

Am I right ?

If it is right, could I ask about your development environment? (e.g., cmake, vscode or visual studio)

I try to use vscode because it it easy to make settings.json for cmake and running python

5

You shouldn’t need to rebuild Slicer if you’re only editing the extension.

The ini also probably won’t need to be changed unless you

  • a) Add a new extension that you want to use.
    or
  • b) Modify the inclusion of ThirdParty libraries of an extension in CMake.

I use CMake and Visual Studio for compiling Slicer on Windows (see Windows — 3D Slicer documentation).

6

I am sorry for such a basic question.

I made .ini file follow your python code it is amazing !!

Then, I try to do command like this

C:\D\SD\Slicer-build>Slicer.exe --VisualStudio --launcher-additional-settings C:\D\SD\GeneratedSuperAdditionalLauncherSettings.ini

Is this right ?
After the visual studio come up I try to build slicer then, turn on it again
but I cannot find any changes …

7

Hi Kyle Sunderland
I tried this also

C:\D\SD\Slicer-build>slicer --launcher-additional-settings C:\D\S\GeneratedSuperAdditionalLauncherSettings.ini

There is no error but nothing was changed , I cannot find extension modules in my slicer.

This is my .ini file. Is there something wrong ?

[General]
additionalpathvariables = PYTHONPATH

[LibraryPaths]
1\path = C:/D/SlicerIGSIO-D/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.5/cli-modules/Debug
2\path = C:/D/SlicerIGSIO-D/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.5/qt-loadable-modules/Debug
3\path = C:/D/SlicerIGSIO-D/lib/Slicer-5.5/Debug
4\path = C:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.5/cli-modules/Debug
5\path = C:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.5/qt-loadable-modules/Debug
6\path = C:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/lib/Slicer-5.5/Debug
7\path = C:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/OpenIGTLink-buildC:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/OpenIGTLink-build/bin/DebugC:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/binC:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/bin/Debug
8\path = C:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/OpenIGTLinkIO-buildC:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/OpenIGTLinkIO-build/bin/DebugC:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/binC:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/bin/Debug
size = 8

[Paths]
1\path = C:/D/SlicerIGSIO-D/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.5/cli-modules/Debug
2\path = C:/D/SlicerIGSIO-D/inner-build/bin/Debug
3\path = C:/D/SlicerIGSIO-D/bin/Debug
4\path = C:/D/SlicerIGSIO-D/VP9/
5\path = C:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.5/cli-modules/Debug
6\path = C:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/inner-build/bin/Debug
7\path = C:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/bin/Debug
size = 7

[EnvironmentVariables]

[PYTHONPATH]
1\path = C:/D/SlicerIGSIO-D/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.5/qt-scripted-modules
2\path = C:/D/SlicerIGSIO-D/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.5/qt-loadable-modules/Debug
3\path = C:/D/SlicerIGSIO-D/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.5/qt-loadable-modules/Python
4\path = C:/D/SlicerIGSIO-D/lib/Slicer-5.5/Debug
5\path = C:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.5/qt-scripted-modules
6\path = C:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.5/qt-loadable-modules/Debug
7\path = C:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/inner-build/lib/Slicer-5.5/qt-loadable-modules/Python
8\path = C:/D/SlicerOpenIGTLink-D/lib/Slicer-5.5/Debug
size = 8
8

You also still need to include --additional-module-paths when launching Slicer, pointing to the qt-loadable-modules/Debug, qt-scripted-modules and cli-modules/Debug for each of the extensions.

9

You mean… in commend line?

I really appreciate if you provide to me the example of your commend line and .ini
Then I can follow you

10

Yes, in command line, something like:

"C:/d/s/S4W/Slicer-build/Slicer.exe" --launcher-additional-settings "C:d/s/GeneratedSuperAdditionalLauncherSettings.ini --additional-module-paths "C:\d\s\SIGSIOW\inner-build\lib\Slicer-5.5\qt-loadable-modules\RelWithDebInfo" "C:\d\s\SOIGTLW\inner-build\lib\Slicer-5.5\qt-loadable-modules\RelWithDebInfo" "C:\d\s\SOIGTLW\inner-build\lib\Slicer-5.5\qt-scripted-modules" "C:\d\s\SIGTW\lib\Slicer-5.5\qt-loadable-modules\RelWithDebInfo" "C:\d\s\SIGTW\lib\Slicer-5.5\qt-scripted-modules"
11

Thank you Kyle !

I sovled the problem!

Then I made a python code the to run Slicer with .ini setting
automatically consider additional path setting

import subprocess
import configparser

paths = []
config = configparser.ConfigParser()
config.read('C:/D3/S/GeneratedSuperAdditionalLauncherSettings.ini')

# Check if the 'Paths' section exists in the INI file
if 'Paths' in config:
    paths_section = config['PYTHONPATH']

    # Get all the keys in the 'Paths' section
    path_keys = paths_section.keys()

    # Iterate through the keys and print the corresponding values
    for key in path_keys:
        if key != 'size':  # Exclude the 'size' key
            path_value = paths_section[key]
            paths.append(path_value)

command = [
    "C:/D3/SR/Slicer-build/Slicer.exe",
    
    "--launcher-additional-settings",
    "C:/D3/S/GeneratedSuperAdditionalLauncherSettings.ini",
    
    "--additional-module-paths",
]+paths

subprocess.run(command)
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