Graphical Viewer


Introduction

ProB can generate a wide range of visualizations for your models, e.g.:

  • the statespace of a model
  • the value of a particular formula
  • various reduced representation of the statespace of a model
  • one particular state of a model represented as a graph

Firstly, ProB generates a textual representation of a graph in the "dot" format. This information is typically saved to a file which has the same name and path as your main model but has a ".dot" extension. It then uses GraphViz to render this file. For this, it can either make use of the "dot" program to generate a Postscript file (generating a file with the ".ps" extension), or it uses a Dot-Viewer (such as "dotty") to view the file directly.

Setting up the Graphical Viewer

  • GraphViz: in order to make use of the graphical visualization features, you need to install a version of GraphViz suitable for your architecture. More details can be found in Installation.
  • Then use the command "Graphical Viewer Preferences..." in the "Preferences" Menu:
GraphicalViewerPreferencesMenuEntry.png

Then set or check the following preferences:

    • Path/Command for dot program
    • Path/Command for dot viewer (e.g., dotty)

Note: you can use the "Pick" button to locate the dot program and the dot viewer.

GraphicalViewerPreferences.png

In case you want to use the Postscript option, also make sure that you have a viewer for Postscript files installed, and set the preference "Path/Command for Postscript viewer".

  • You can select which viewer to use by going to the "Graphical Viewer" sub-menu of the "Preferences" Menu:
GraphicalViewerSubMenu.png.