25-10-2012, 12:45 PM
Lapin Data Interchange Among Database, Analysis and Display Programs Using XML-Based Text Files
ABSTRACT
The purpose of grant NCC3-966 was to investigate and evaluate the interchange of application-specific data among
multiple programs each carrying out part of the analysis and design task. This has been carried out previously by creating a
custom program to read data produced by one application and then write that data to a file whose format is specific to the
second application that needs all or part of that data. In this investigation, data of interest is described using the XML markup
language that allows the data to be stored in a text-string. Software to transform output data of a task into an XML-string and
software to read an XML string and extract all or a portion of the data needed for another application is used to link two
independent applications together as part of an overall design effort. This approach was initially used with a standard analysis
program, Lapin, along with standard applications a standard spreadsheet program, a relational database program, and a
conventional dialog and display program to demonstrate the successful sharing of data among independent programs. Most
of the effort beyond that demonstration has been concentrated on the inclusion of more complex display programs.
Specifically, a custom-written windowing program organized around dialogs to control the interactions have been combined
with an independent CAD program (Open Cascade) that supports sophisticated display of CAD elements such as lines, spline
curves, and surfaces and turbine-blade data produced by an independent blade design program (UD0300).