Enable hiding of parameters

[swagner]

It should be possible to hide parameters of an algorithm or problem in order to reduce the complexity of the UI.

[swagner]

Implemented parameter hiding in r5768.

[swagner]

Continued implementation of parameter hiding in r5783.

[swagner]

Set some parameters to hidden per default in r5784.

[epitzer]

When changing the value of a ConstrainedValueParameter that is currently hidden, an Exception is thrown:

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at HeuristicLab.Core.Views.ItemCollectionView`1.UpdateListViewItemImage(ListViewItem listViewItem)
   at HeuristicLab.Core.Views.ItemCollectionView`1.Item_ItemImageChanged(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at HeuristicLab.Parameters.OptionalConstrainedValueParameter`1.OnValueChanged()
   at HeuristicLab.Collections.ObservableSet`1.Add(T item)
   at HeuristicLab.Algorithms.ParticleSwarmOptimization.ParticleSwarmOptimization.UpdateTopologyParameters()
   at System.EventHandler.Invoke(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at HeuristicLab.Parameters.OptionalConstrainedValueParameter`1.OnValueChanged()
   at System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox.OnSelectedIndexChanged(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox.WmReflectCommand(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

This can be reproduced by hiding the ParticleUpdater parameter of the PSO and changing the TopologyInitializer.

The problem seems to be the manipulation of GUI elements that are not instantiated at that moment.

[swagner]

Fixed the bug described by epitzer above in r5839.

[mkommend]

Please also hide the CopySelected parameter of selection operators.

[epitzer]

Maybe even LookupParameters should not be hidden in a ResultsCollector as it probably has no other parameters.

[swagner]

Added flag in ParameterCollectionView to define whether hidden parameters can be edited or not (r5901).

[gkronber]

The "Show/Hide parameters" context menu does not seem to work.

[swagner]

Replying to gkronber:

The "Show/Hide parameters" context menu does not seem to work.

Sorry, but I do not notice any problems in r5927. May you give me some more details?

[swagner]

Replying to swagner:

Replying to gkronber:

The "Show/Hide parameters" context menu does not seem to work.

Sorry, but I do not notice any problems in r5927. May you give me some more details?

Discussed this with mkommend and the problem is that the context menu is always shown, even if no parameter is selected. This is a bit misleading and should be changed.

[swagner]

Adapted context menu of ParameterCollectionView in r5929.

[swagner]

r6051:

• Changed some more parameters to be hidden per default.
• Fixed wrong layout in some parameter views.

[abeham]

r6053

• Added hiding to some more algorithms and problems

[abeham]

I was defining a custom algorithm in the GUI today and was close to run into some problems due to parameter hiding.

E.g. the IntCounter currently hides its ValueParameter, the Placeholder currently hides its OperatorParameter. When you don't know that you're looking for these parameters it will be difficult to do something meaningful with these operators.

The root of the problem is that LookupParameter<T> has set the hidden flag to true by default. This should be reverted.

I would suggest to remain with these two rules:

• Hide parameters which do not need to be adjusted (e.g. Successor) and which will likely not be wired
• Hide parameters when wiring them in the problem and algorithm. This works pretty well and hides a lot of the complexity exactly in that situation when its taken care of.

[swagner]

Replying to abeham:

I was defining a custom algorithm in the GUI today and was close to run into some problems due to parameter hiding.

E.g. the IntCounter currently hides its ValueParameter, the Placeholder currently hides its OperatorParameter. When you don't know that you're looking for these parameters it will be difficult to do something meaningful with these operators.

The root of the problem is that LookupParameter<T> has set the hidden flag to true by default. This should be reverted.

I would suggest to remain with these two rules:

• Hide parameters which do not need to be adjusted (e.g. Successor) and which will likely not be wired
• Hide parameters when wiring them in the problem and algorithm. This works pretty well and hides a lot of the complexity exactly in that situation when its taken care of.

You are right. Hiding all LookupParameters per default is not the best idea. However, as the problems you described only occur when modeling custom algorithms, I will move this issue to the 3.3.5 milestone.

[swagner]

Hid ReplacedSelectorParameter and SelectedSelectorParameter in RandomReplacer and WorstReplacer as their values are predefined and should not be changed (r6091).

[swagner]

Created follow-up ticket #1502.