The original design of the filter base class required several specialized
base classes to control what information was pulled from the input
`DataSet` and provided to the derived class. Since the filter base class was
redesigned, the derived classes all get a `DataSet` and pull their own
information from it. Thus, most specialized filter base classes became
unnecessary and removed.
The one substantial exception was the `FilterField`. This filter base class
managed input and output arrays. This was kept separate from the base
`Filter` because not all filters need the ability to select this
information.
That said, this separation has not been particularly helpful. There are
several other features of `Filter` that does not apply to all subclasses.
Furthermore, there are several derived filters that are using `FilterField`
merely to pick a single part, like selecting a coordinate system, and
ignoring the rest of the abilities.
Thus, it makes more sense to deprecate `FilterField` and have these classes
inherit directly from `Filter`.
During the VTK-m 1.8 and 1.9 development, the filter infrastructure was
overhauled. Part of this created a completely new set of base classes. To
avoid confusion with the original filter base classes and ease transition,
the new filter base classes were named `NewFilter*`. Eventually after all
filters were transitioned, the old filter base classes were deprecated.
With the release of VTK-m 2.0, the old filter base classes are removed. The
"new" filter base classes are no longer new. Thus, they have been renamed
simply `Filter` (and `FilterField`).
Previously, `DataSet` managed `CoordinateSystem`s separately from `Field`s.
However, a `CoordinateSystem` is really just a `Field` with some special
attributes. Thus, coordiante systems are now just listed along with the
rest of the fields, and the coordinate systems are simply strings that
point back to the appropriate field. (This was actually the original
concept for `DataSet`, but the coordinate systems were separated from
fields for some now obsolete reasons.)
While updating the slides for an upcoming tutorial, some minor changes
were made to the tutorial examples to more clearly explain concepts or
simply fit things better on slides.