The success of the VTK Wiki Examples depends on the contributions from the VTK user community. If you wish to contribute to this valuable resource, please follow these guidelines. If you are a Wiki Example User, go here or a Wiki Example Administrator go here.

C++, C#, Tcl, Python and Java examples are welcome! Examples should illustrate a single concept.

# Follow the Coding Guidelines

When you write an example, please follow the coding guidelines. Create the example on your local repository, compile and run it before you generate a merge request.

# Setup for developement

## Fork the repository

1. Sign into gitlab at Kitware.

   If you do not have an account, you can register on the signin page.

2. Fork the VTKExamples repository

   A fork is a copy of a project. Forking a repository allows you to make changes without affecting the original project.

3. Clone the repository on your local machine

   `git clone https://YOURNAME@gitlab.kitware.com/YOURNAME/VTKExamples.git`

   Or, if you are using SSH:

   `git clone git@gitlab.kitware.com:YOURNAME/VTKExamples.git`

   where YOURNAME is your gitlab username.

4. Add the VTKExamples repository as a remote called upstream

   `git remote add upstream https://gitlab.kitware.com/lorensen/VTKExamples`

5. Before adding your examples, sync your repository with the VTKExamples repository. Remember that in order to run the following commands you need to be in the VTKExamples directory.

   `git fetch upstream`

   `git checkout master`

   `git merge upstream/master`

   `git push`

6. Build the VTKExamples

   `cd VTKExamples`

   `mkdir build`

   `cd build`

   `cmake -DVTK_DIR:PATH=YOUR_VTK_BIN_DIR -DBUILD_TESTING:BOOL=ON ..`

   `make`

   where YOUR_VTK_BIN_DIR is the location of your VTK build.

# Add the example

## Choose a Topic

The examples are organized by topic. Current topics include Animation, DataStructures, Filters, GeometricObjects, Images, Meshes, etc.

## Write the source

1. Create a branch in your repository

   `git checkout -b MyNewExample`

   where MyNewExample is the name of your new example.

2. Save your source code in VTKExamples/LANGUAGE/TOPIC/

   where LANGUAGE is Cxx, Python, CSharp, or Tcl.

   and TOPIC is the topic that you have chosen.

3. Build and test your example (NOTE: only for cxx examples)

   `cd VTKExamples/build`

   `cmake ..`

   `make`

   `ctest -V -R MyNewExample`

4. If your example does any rendering, the test will fail the first time and create an image in VTKExamples/build/Testing/Temporary. The image will be called TestMyNewExample.png.

5. Copy the image into: VTKExamples/Testing/Baseline/TOPIC/

6. Rerun ctest and the test should pass.

## Add the example to the language page.

Depending on the language of your example, edit the file Cxx.md, Python.md, CSharp.md, Java.md, or Tcl.md.

Find the section for your topic and add a line for your new example. The format of the line is:

[MyNewExample](LANG/TOPIC/MyNewExample) | doxygen | short description

where LANG is one of Cxx, Python, CSharp, Java, Tcl.

## Commit your changes to your topic branch

    git add MyNewExample.cxx

and if you have a baseline image,

    git add Testing/Baseline/TOPIC/TestMyNewExample.png

    git commit

## Push the changes to gitlab

    git push origin MyNewExample

## Go to your gitlab project and generate a merge request.

# Advanced usage

## Add a description

If your example could benefit from an extended description, you can create a file MyNewExample.md. Store the file along side your source code. Use markdown to format the description.

## Add arguments to the test

If your example requires arguments, you will need to edit the CMakeLists.txt in the topic directory.

1. Add the name of your example to the NEEDS_ARGS variable

2. Add an ADD_TEST line. See other CMakeLists.txt files for examples.

## Review changes on your wiki

If you want to preview your changes on a wiki (NOTE: You must have python nstalled on your system)

1. Install the markdown package for python. Go here

2. On gitlab, click the wiki button.

3. Create a home page. The contents will eventually be replaced

4. Clone the wiki repo on your local system

   `cd VTKExamples`

   `git clone https://YOURNAME@gitlab.kitware.com/YOURNAME/VTKExamples.wiki.git wiki`

   Or, if you are using SSH:

   `git clone git@gitlab.kitware.com:YOURNAME/VTKExamples.wiki.git wiki` where YOURNAME is your gitlab username.

5. Sync your wiki with your repository `./SyncWikiWithRepo.sh`