what is the "inp" port of a process for？

lg21c

ceaperez

Hi @lg21c,

this is a input port. 

This is a link for abbreviations list used in rapidminer 
https://docs.rapidminer.com/latest/studio/getting-started/important-terms.html#port-info

regards

lg21c

yes ，It is a port，I wonder how to use it

MartinLiebig

@lg21c ,

this is an excellent question!

The input port can be used to 'push data in from the outside'. One Example for this is Execute Process. Lets say you have this process called inputport:

and you use it as an execute process like this:

then whatever you 'push in from the outside' (the inp port of execute process in the 2nd picture) arrives at the left hand side input port. This way you can turn your processes into a function like you may know it from programing languages.

The same thing occurs if you create a Post Webservice at AI Hub. That's a Web interface where people or software can send data, which is then processed with your process. The data the other user sends to you is available at the left hand side input port.

The third use case for this is Custom Operators to create an operator out of a process. That's basically the advanced version of execute process.

Cheers,

Martin

kayman

You can define what you want to use for this in the concept window, so you can run this process without the need to actually include a source in your window. This is pretty handy for debugging.when this is for instance a part of a larger workflow.

lg21c

mschmitz ，I can not understand what you mean，would you please explain it more clearly？or give me an use case in the help

lg21c

by the way ，I don't know how to @you

jacobcybulski

From the programming viewpoint, the "inp" port is simply the process parameter, which in RM is typically a collection of examples. At the top level of RM process it makes sense only when the process is to be later (re)used by another process, which would push some data for the process to process and then receive the results on the "res" port.

MarcoBarradas

Hi @lg21c if you whant to "@" someone you just need put the @ and the name of the user like I did on the this message.

Let me see if I can explain the concept of the inp port. That por will show the output of a previous process or datatsource whic you could define.

On the example martin gave you have two separate processes.
You could have define some ETL process for example Replace all missing values and deliver the output of that operation to the next process.

With these apprach you will alway be able to run the same process no mater what Datasource is comming to the process.

In that case you'll connect the inp port to the oerators you are using on the process and the output of that to the res port. And you'll be able to reuse the same process on future problems.

I hope my explanation helps.

 

lg21c

MarcoBarradas ，thanks for your answer.I seem to understand the usage,but You can only open one process at a time

lg21c

mschmitz ，I don’t quite grasp this，can you give a concrete instance？