[Image] [AVS/Express logo, 9k] AVS/Express[Image]... A New Paradigm for the Technical Application Developer Application Development in the 1990s ----- Meeting the Challenge Too many development teams are still creating applications using proprietary in-house systems and tools. It's no surprise that more resources are poured into system level issues than value-added, user-visible application functionality. The natural results for developers are delayed release schedules, fewer enhancements and growing user frustration. For software vendors this translates directly into slower time-to-market, reduced competitiveness and declining market share. As developers of today's most sophisticated technical applications, you need to keep your focus on creating and improving applications for highly demanding users. This requires in-depth understanding to: * Support the Latest in Hardware Systems and Software Standards * Incorporate Visualization and Graphics in Applications * Support a Distributed, Heterogeneous Computing Environment * Leverage Existing, Critical Application Components Introducing AVS/Express... a breakthrough technology for the technical application developer AVS/Express[Image] is a multi-platform application development environment. Using object-oriented visual programming, AVS/Express lets you rapidly prototype and construct technical applications. It provides state-of-the-art technology for advanced graphics, imaging, data visualization, and presentation in an open and extensible environment. AVS/Express gives technical application developers the same benefits that client/server tools are giving commercial MIS developers. It's the first tool designed specifically for the technical application developer. It combines into one environment all the key components required to construct data-intensive, interactive graphics applications. Visual Programming: The intuitive way to build custom applications The same principles that fueled big productivity gains for developers using client/server development tools are at work with AVS/Express. The intuitive, graphical approach of object-oriented visual programming accelerates application prototyping and construction. Visual programming easily eclipses the more traditional methods using text-based 3GL and 4GL programming languages. You use visual programming to create and modify objects, and to combine them into higher-level application objects. A structured approach to application construction is encouraged by the ability of AVS/Express to quickly display the hierarchy of objects and their relationships. With visual programming, you will shorten the time required to build complete applications ready for testing and delivery to your end-users. Dynamic Visual Programming Environment Outpaces Other Tools Application construction as a connected, hierarchical graph of objects * Drag-and-drop creation and modification of data structures * GUI layout using direct manipulation of widgets * GUI Callback setup through visual connections between widgets and application methods * Integrated debugging tools to examine application state and data * External function integration through encapsulation of C, C++ and FORTRAN routines * Command line access with a powerful language designed for visual programming Add the power of visualization to your current applications Technical application users today want to go beyond analysis to visually interact with their data. Using AVS/Express you can give them just that. AVS/Express is a breakthrough suite of tools for graphics, imaging and data visualization integrated with a powerful application building environment. Its series of "kits" includes the objects comprising the data structures and methods needed for the widest variety of data sets -- from image data to complex finite element analyses. You easily create custom end-user applications by extending, reconfiguring or replacing objects with AVS/Express visual programming. Use advanced graphics features... even on 2D workstations and PCs The Graphics Display Kit includes the full spectrum of rendering technology essential to display and manipulate text, 2D images, and 2D and 3D geometric objects. This kit yields optimal performance on 2D and 3D graphics accelerators used with today's PCs and workstations. Our industry-leading software renderer lets you produce the same feature-rich images, even on platforms with no 3D graphics. Key features include display elements, rendering primitives, picking operators, and user interface editors and interactors. Apply the most extensive suite of data visualization techniques available... anywhere The Imaging and Data Visualization Kits combine tested, production algorithms with an extensible data model to construct applications dealing with real-world, two- and three-dimensional data. These include engineering analysis or seismic interpretation, and problems involving multi-variate data such as econometric modeling or environmental studies. Key features include data analysis, data processing, image processing and finite element visualization. Leverage existing, critical application components Application development with AVS/Express promotes true software reusability. At every level of the application hierarchy, you have a set of reusable objects. This increases your productivity and encourages consistency in your family of applications. To customize an application, you change the appropriate object, or group of objects, to match the new requirements. Software objects are readily interchangeable. They can be created internally, or obtained from third parties. You can retain and reuse all of your current, valuable, tested production code. Repackage your existing algorithms and subroutine libraries as AVS/Express software objects for use within the visual programming environment. Make objects out of: * C Structures and Functions * FORTRAN Subroutines * C++ Classes You can even repackage higher level objects, such as Motif Widgets. By repackaging production code you bring your own proven application components into an advanced development environment. Support multiple platforms from a single development environment The AVS/Express development environment looks and operates the same on all platforms. This consistent look-and-feel shortens your learning curve for developing cross-platform applications. Once a new application is up and running on one platform, it takes you little effort to port to other platforms. This is because AVS/Express handles platform-dependent technical issues in areas such as 2D and 3D rendering, user interface, file I/O, data transport, and communications. Your time and cost savings are obvious, and you'll be serving your clients better with faster delivery, fewer errors, and greater consistency. Integrated Graphical User Interface Builder for Motif and Windows Your AVS/Express applications will be fully portable across UNIX workstations and Windows-based PCs. The User Interface Kit lets you specify the construction and layout of an application's user interface in either native Motif or Windows. The user interface kit is integrated with the visual programming environment. Application development is streamlined through the elimination of the "edit-compile-link" process in traditional GUI building toolkits. And for your technical computing applications, the user interface kit has been designed to integrate seamlessly with 2D and 3D graphics display windows. The benefits of using AVS/Express * Frees developers to focus on value-added user functionality, not platform issues * Enables advanced rendering and visualization without graphics programming * Supports both UNIX/Motif and Windows for distributed, multi-platform environments * Combines state-of-the-art object technology and C++ support with encapsulation of legacy C and FORTRAN code * Protects technology investment by delivering standards compliance for user interface, graphics libraries, and data communications * Supports external GUI builders, graphics toolkits and function libraries Who uses AVS/Express? * Corporations and government organizations building their own technical applications * Software vendors and system integrators building technical applications for their customers * Scientists and engineers who require customized applications for their work The Role of AVS/Express in Application Development Client/Server tools have focused on delivering an integrated application development environment for commercial MIS applications. These tools have succeeded in providing the commercial MIS developer with an applica tion development environment that integrates the required component technology (i.e. GUIs and database) for their applications and accelerates the application development process. AVS/Express delivers these same benefits for application developers building technical com puting applica tions. AVS/Express combines into one environment development tools for data intensive applications and component technology for interactive graphics applications. Advanced Visual Systems Company Overview Advanced Visual Systems Inc. is the worldwide leader in the development and delivery of technical application development tools and visual data analysis products for technical professionals in science, engineering, and business. The company has been at the forefront of visualization technology since the 1980s. It's current range of graphics solutions evolved from the Application Visualization System (AVS), introduced in 1989, and the Uniras product line, acquired in 1993. Uniras, founded in 1980, was the first company to introduce applications and graphics development tools designed and optimized for the now dominant raster technology. Advanced Visual Systems' products are used to build applications in areas such as: * aerospace * engineering analysis * automotive * environmental studies * defense * financial modeling * education and research * geographic information systems * petroleum * medical imaging * telecommunications ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AVS, AVS/Express and Uniras are trademarks of Advanced Visual Systems Inc. All other product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective holders. © 1994 Advanced Visual Systems Inc. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Click here to return to the AVS Home Page.