From goldgof@gasparilla.csee.usf.edu (Dr Dmitry Goldgof)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: CFP: BIOMEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING IV AND BIOMEDICAL VISUALIZATI0N
Message-ID: <3483@screamer.csee.usf.edu>
Date: 6 May 92 13:38:01 GMT
Sender: news@screamer.csee.usf.edu
Reply-To: goldgof@gasparilla.csee.usf.edu (Dr Dmitry Goldgof)
Organization: Univ of South Florida, Dept of Computer Science
Lines: 104



                       CALL FOR PAPERS

      BIOMEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING IV AND BIOMEDICAL VISUALIZATI0N

	Conference Chairs: Raj S. Acharya (SUNY/Buffalo) 
                           Dmitry B. Goldgof (University of South Florida)

	Cochairs: Kevin Bowyer (University of South Florida)
                  Chin-Tu Chen (University of Chicago)
                  Eric A. Hoffman (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania)
                  Thomas S. Huang (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign)
		  Andres Kriete (Universitat Giessen, Germany)
		  Richard A. Robb (Mayo Clinic/Foundation)
		  Demetri Terzopoulos (University of Toronto)

      Part of 1993 SPIE/SPSE Symposium on Electronic Imaging
     January 31 - February 5, 1993,  San Jose, California, USA


The large variety of imaging modalities for exploration of objects 
of biomedical interest has led to the necessity for solving many problems 
related to the specific characteristics of the radiation and sensing apparatus 
used.  Acquired biomedical images typically suffer from degradation related 
to the physical limitations of the imaging device. These degradations serve to 
complicate the generic goals of analysis and interpretation.  This conference 
is devoted to the presentation of new techniques directed towards the improved 
interpretation (interactive or automated) of biomedical images obtained from 
practical systems. Papers are solicited which detail methods for
reconstructing 
images from partial information, for correcting image defects, or for 
effectively extracting/analyzing/interpreting practical images of
biomedical
interest.

Papers are invited in the following and related areas: 

    Biomedical Image Processing

        - Image Reconstruction
        - Image Restoration and Enhancement
        - Feature Enhancement and Extraction in Biomedical Images
        - Biomedical Image Analysis and Interpretation
        - Multi-Dimensional Biomedical Image Processing
        - Motion Analysis in Biomedical Images
        - Multi-Modality Imaging
	- Microscopy Imaging
	- Knowledge-Based Methods

    Special sessions on
	
	- Three-Dimensional Microscopy
        - Image Processing for Mammography Applications


Submissions:

   Please send 3 copies of a 1000 word summary and a brief 
   biography by July 5, 1992 to:

     SPIE/SPSE Technical Program Committee:
     Electronic Imaging: Science and Technology 1992
     P.O. Box 10, Bellingham, WA 98227-0010 USA
     Shipping Address: 1000 20th St., Bellingham, WA 98225
     Telephone: 206/676-3290 (Pacific Time); Telex 46-7053
     Telefax: 206/647-1445; OPTO-LINK 206/733-2998

   Please include the author(s) name(s), company name, complete address
   and telephone/telex/telefax numbers (principal author first), and
   clearly designate for which conference within symposium the abstract
   is intended. For more information contact SPIE/SPSE or Conference
   Chairs below.

Important dates:

   Applicants will be notified of acceptance by mid-November.
   Camera-ready abstact is due December 2, 1992
   Manuscript is due January 4, 1993

Location:

   The conference will be held in San Jose Convention Center, San Jose,
   California USA, as a part of SPIE/IS&T Symposium on Electronic Imaging.
   This symposium will provide a rich interaction environment because of 
   numerous simultaneous conferences (Image Restoration and Enhancement,
   Image Compression, Image Processing and Graphics Hardware, Nonlinear
   Image Processing, Image Understanding, etc.) and because of its location 
   in the heart of the Silicon Valley.
   
Conference Chairs:

   Dr. Raj Acharya
   Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
   State University of New York at Buffalo
   Buffalo, New York 14260
   Internet: acharya@eng.buffalo.edu

   Dr. Dmitry B. Goldgof
   Department of Computer Science and Engineering
   University of South Florida
   Tampa, Florida 33620-5350
   Internet: goldgof@figment.csee.usf.edu
   


From avs@ncsc.org (Terry Myerson)
Subject: new module !!
Message-ID: <Bo710w.wr@doppler.ncsc.org>
Sender: usenet@doppler.ncsc.org
Nntp-Posting-Host: duck.ncsc.org
Reply-To: avs@ncsc.org 
Organization: North Carolina Supercomputing Center
Date: Wed, 13 May 1992 14:17:19 GMT

Just thought someone might be interested,


MODULE NAME : 	SHARE_VIEWS

INPUTS      : 	geometry

PARAMETERS  :   local integer
	        local float
                local string
	        connection list={hostname[1-9],talk_port[1-9],listen_port[1-9]}

OUTPUTS	    :   integer
	        float
	        string
                geometry

DESCRIPTION :

   This module is part of the collaboratory development being done at the
North Carolina Supercomputing Center.  This module allows AVS users, on 
up to 9 heterogeneous workstations, to perform shared visualization.  In
other words, the data can be located on one workstation's file system,
the computation could be done on that user's workstation, and then the
resulting geometry can be broadcast to all of the other users and then
rendered on each user's individual workstation.  Each user can then
take control of the visualization, rotating and translating not only his
view, but that of the other collaborators.  In addition, integers, floats,
and strings can be broadcast around the collaborative loop to allow
for interactive distributed data slicing, contouring, and file switching.

   The first step in using the module is to set up the connection list.
This list tells the module which machines to talk to, and on which ports.
See below.

   If BROADCAST is turned on, then any new geometry on the input port, or any
new float, integers, or string in the type_in will be broadcast on all of the
talk ports.  All of the local parameters can be turned into input ports through
standard AVS.  Any new float, integers, or string are passed onto the module
output, but the geometry is not copied over.

   If LISTEN is turned on, all listen ports are checked continuously for new
parameters.  Anything coming across the network is then outputted through
the module output ports.

   With the broadcast/listen options and separate output ports, each user can 
maintain a local view; while another user control the visualization parameters.

NOTES:
   1.  The GEOMETRY output port must be hooked up to the geometry viewer
in order
       to received transformations of selected objects.
   2.  Label and Line Geometries can not be transmitted.
   3.  All geometries are converted into polytriangle objects before being
       transmitted.
   4.  This modules has an iris-explorer counterpart - that only listens.
   5.  If the VERBOSE definition is turned on during compilation, the module
       will provide tremendous feedback on the network communication.

EXAMPLE NETWORK:

	machine 1                           machine 2-9
       ----------- 			   -------------

	read field                         share_views
               |                                    |
share views    |                                    |
   |   |       |                                    |
   |   ----    |                                    |
   |      |    |                                    |
   |    isosurface                         geometry viewer
   |           |
   -------     |
         |     |
        geometry viewer 
	
  With these networks set up, both users can toggle the isosurface threhsold,
  and both users can spin each others objects.	                    		
		
CONNECTION LIST :

   If you click on Show Connection List - a chart of hostnames, and ports will
appear.  If a port is listed as 0 - then no connection to the host exists.  The
minimum port number is 4200- this was arbitrarily chosen to avoid any system 
sockets.  There are nine identical entries in the connection list.  Each and
every entry should be different.

   In each host type_in, you can enter any hostname on the internet ( e.g. 
avs.ncsc.org ).  In the listen and talk entries, neither is required, you
should enter an arbitrary number above 4200 - if the entry is not reset to 
0 then you have established a socket connection to that machine. 

EXAMPLE CONNECTION LIST:

   machine 1 ( doppler )	       	machine 2 ( mach )
  -----------------------              --------------------
   Hostname 1    : mach			Hostname 1    : doppler
   Listen Port 1 : 4600			Listen Port 1 : 4601
   Talk Port 1   : 4601		        Talk Port 1   : 4600	 
    
   Hostname 2    : fermi		Hostname 2    : fermi
   Listen Port 2 : 4800			Listen Port 2 : 4900
   Talk Port 2   : 4801		        Talk Port 2   : 4901	 
    
   machine 3 ( fermi )
  ---------------------
   Hostname 1    : doppler
   Listen Port 1 : 4801
   Talk Port 1   : 4800

   Hostname 2    : mach
   Listen Port 2 : 4901
   Talk Port 2   : 4900

Credits :

  The socket communication is based upon NCSA's DTM library.  This library
can be obtained from ncsa.uiuc.edu 

FUTURE WORK:
   Work on the connection list interface is a dire necessary.

   PLEASE SEND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE WORK !!!!!

Please contact me for any assistance in using the module or any suggestions,
  bugs, etc...
   
   Terry Myerson
   International AVS Center
   North Carolina Supercomputing Center
    
   avs@ncsc.org or tvv@ncsc.org

   (919) 248 - 1186

---
Terry Myerson
International AVS Center
North Carolina Supercomputing Center
avs@ncsc.org


From avs@ncsc.org (Terry Myerson)
Subject: New IAC feature !!
Message-ID: <Bo71r9.19L@doppler.ncsc.org>
Sender: usenet@doppler.ncsc.org
Nntp-Posting-Host: duck.ncsc.org
Reply-To: avs@ncsc.org 
Organization: North Carolina Supercomputing Center
Date: Wed, 13 May 1992 14:33:09 GMT


Hi folks -

There is now an archive of all traffic on comp.graphics.avs on the
International AVS Center ftp site avs.ncsc.org ( 128.109.178.23 ).  

Thus if you know of anyone, whom does not have news access, they can
download the files in the COMP.GRAPHICS.AVS directory.  These files
are in the standard mailbox format so that anybody can peruse these
files using any mail utility with the -f command.

For example :

  Mail -f May_92

If a "message" in this mailbox is replied to, then a message is sent back
to the poster of the article - but it is not replied to the newsgroup.

The files will be stored in a separate mailbox for each month : May_92 June_92

------------ALSO--------------

If you know of someone whom does not have ftp access, then there is a sister
mailing list to the newsgroup established now as well.  This mailing list
is being maintained by the listserv utility.  Users can add and delete
themselves
from the mailing list at will through this utility.

If a user wishes to be added to this mailing list, they should send email to

listserv@avsusers.ncsc.org      with a body of one line : HELP

This will return email on a large number of AVS mailing lists, including
the avs_newsg mailing list.

All postings to the newsgroup will be forwarded to this list; however, separate
postings to this mailing list are not currently being posted to news.

------------------

If anyone has any suggestions on improving these utilities or any other IAC
facility, please let us know.

See ya,

terry

---
Terry Myerson
International AVS Center
North Carolina Supercomputing Center
avs@ncsc.org


From tvv@doppler.ncsc.org (Terry Myerson)
Subject: New IAC feature !!
Message-ID: <Bo71vD.1D8@doppler.ncsc.org>
Organization: North Carolina Supercomputing Center
Date: Wed, 13 May 1992 14:35:37 GMT

Hi folks -

There is now an archive of all traffic on comp.graphics.avs on the
International AVS Center ftp site avs.ncsc.org ( 128.109.178.23 ).  

Thus if you know of anyone, whom does not have news access, they can
download the files in the COMP.GRAPHICS.AVS directory.  These files
are in the standard mailbox format so that anybody can peruse these
files using any mail utility with the -f command.

For example :

  Mail -f May_92

If a "message" in this mailbox is replied to, then a message is sent back
to the poster of the article - but it is not replied to the newsgroup.

The files will be stored in a separate mailbox for each month : May_92 June_92

------------ALSO--------------

If you know of someone whom does not have ftp access, then there is a sister
mailing list to the newsgroup established now as well.  This mailing list
is being maintained by the listserv utility. Users can add and delete themselves
from the mailing list at will through this utility.

If a user wishes to be added to this mailing list, they should send email to

listserv@avsusers.ncsc.org      with a body of one line : HELP

This will return email on a large number of AVS mailing lists, including
the avs_newsg mailing list.

All postings to the newsgroup will be forwarded to this list; however, separate
postings to this mailing list are not currently being posted to news.

------------------

If anyone has any suggestions on improving these utilities or any other IAC
facility, please let us know.

See ya,

terry

---
Terry Myerson
International AVS Center
North Carolina Supercomputing Center
avs@ncsc.org


-- 
Terry Myerson
International AVS Center
North Carolina Supercomputing Center
avs@ncsc.org


From nimschec@hatteras.cs.unc.edu (Uwe Nimscheck)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: reading a 3d 16-bit field
Message-ID: <12045@borg.cs.unc.edu>
Date: 11 May 92 16:38:42 GMT
Sender: news@cs.unc.edu
Lines: 46

I'd like to read a CT-scan, consisting of 109 planes with 256 * 256 pixels.
The input file is a binary file, with all pixelvalues in sequential order.
Unfortunately, the pixelsvalues are in 16-bit format, which is not supported
by the read field(). I tried to use the file descriptor module and wrote
the following descriptor:

# AVS file descriptor: Version 1.0
#
#
field {
  compute_space 3
  physical_space 3
  vector_length 1
  data_type byte
  uniform uniform
  dimension_1 256
  dimension_2 256
  dimension_3 109
  data_1 {
     value        0
     file_number  1
     file_format  binary 
     data_type    short
     max_value    ***
     stride       1
  }
  coordinate_1 0
  coordinate_2 0
  coordinate_3 0
}


This way, I can read in the data without error, but applying some
statistics on the data shows that it consists of only 5 distinct values
between 0 and 15. This is obviously wrong. Any ideas on how to write
the file desciptor properly? One obvious fix would be to convert the
data to 32 bit, but I would like to get around doubling the file size.

Cheers,

Uwe
-- 
                Uwe M. Nimscheck, email : nimschec@cs.unc.edu
            Computer Graphics Lab, Department of Computer Science
               The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
		        Chapel Hill, NC 27599 - 3175


From tvv@doppler.ncsc.org (Terry Myerson)
Subject: World Geometry Data
Message-ID: <Bo983E.44J@doppler.ncsc.org>
Organization: North Carolina Supercomputing Center
Date: Thu, 14 May 1992 18:45:14 GMT

Hi folks -

its me again.  there is some new world geometry data in the IAC ftp site
courtesy of Larry Gelberg at AVS Inc. It is in the SAMPLE_DATA directory.

have fun,

terry

---------------------
here is his description :

This directory contains a set of AVS geometries (in ASCII format) which 
represent different aspects of world geometry.  The six files contain polyline 
representations of:

	boundaries.gtxt: coastlines
	countries.gtxt: political boundaries
	islands.gtxt: 	coastlines for smallish islands
	lakes.gtxt:     lakes
	rivers.gtxt:	rivers
	statest.gtxt:   US state boundaries

	globe.obj:  	AVS object file which reads in and colors all the 
                        geometries.

This is pretty low resolution and wire frame only,  but can be useful for many
demonstrations.  The scale is -1.0 to 1.0 in each X, Y, and Z.  You may need to 
apply some other scale if you want it in meters, miles, etc.
-- 
Terry Myerson
International AVS Center
North Carolina Supercomputing Center
avs@ncsc.org


From thorpe@doppler.ncsc.org (Steve Thorpe)
Subject: WAIS client AVS module is available
Message-ID: <BoB91B.H9D@doppler.ncsc.org>
Keywords:  AVS WAIS client excellent
Organization: North Carolina Supercomputing Center
Date: Fri, 15 May 1992 21:00:47 GMT

Hi AVSers,

I've gotten a Wide Area Information Server (WAIS) client 
module running within AVS and have installed it on our ftp 
site.  You can obtain this via anonymous ftp from:  
avs.ncsc.org:DATA/awais/* 

This module will enable you to query a database of text
files at our ftp site by providing key words of interest. 
You can also use this module to query several hundred
other databases that are freely available on the Internet.

Try it, you'll like it!

-Steve
----------------------------------------------------------------
   Steve Thorpe, Application Visualization System Specialist
International AVS Center, North Carolina Supercomputing Center
PO Box 12889   3021 Cornwallis Rd, RTP, NC 27709   avs@ncsc.org
----------------------------------------------------------------
Also.... in case you're interested, here is the module's 
documentation.  Have fun!

NAME:		awais

AUTHOR INFO:	Steve Thorpe
		Application Visualization System Specialist
		International AVS Center
		North Carolina Supercomputing Center
		3021 Cornwallis Road, PO Box 12889
		Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2889
		thorpe@ncsc.org

		Extensive portions of this code were developed
		by Thinking Machines Corporation's Brewster Kahle
		and his team.  Brewster is the Wide Area 
		Information Servers Project Leader. 

SOURCE FILES:	avs_wais_ui.c awais.c cdialect.h cutil.c cutil.h
		docid.c docid.h document.c document.h futil.c
		futil.h irdirent.h irfileio.c irfileio.h list.h
		panic.c panic.h qread.c qread.h question.c
		question.h server.h sockets.c sockets.h source.c
		source.h SourceID.h text.h transprt.h ui.c
		ui.h ustubs.h util.c util.h version.h
		wais.h waisq.c wmessage.c wmessage.h wprot.c
		wprot.h wutil.c wutil.h zprot.c zprot.h
		ztype1.c ztype1.h zutil.c zutil.h 

		The AVS code can be found in awais.c and avs_wais_ui.c.
		The rest is pretty much as obtained from Thinking 
		Machines Corporation.

TYPE:		DATA

INPUTS:		NONE

OUTPUTS:	NONE

PARAMETERS:     Name			Type		Default	
		Add Available Source    oneshot		empty
		Available Sources	choice browser  empty
		Browse Text		text browser	~/tmp/AVSretrieve.tmp
		Delete Selected Source  oneshot		
		Retrieve		oneshot
		Save File To:		typein		~/saved.txt
		Save Text File		oneshot		
		Search			oneshot
		Search Results		choice browser	empty
		Selected Sources	choice browser	empty
		Show Query Window	toggle		true
		Show Text Browser	toggle		true
		Tell me about		typein		empty

DESCRIPTION:

There is now a WAIS (Wide Area Information Servers) server running
at the International AVS Center.  WAIS allows a user to ask
a question to a server, which provides a ranked list of documents
that may help answer that question.  The user can then peruse
through the documents that seem useful.

All of the .txt files for AVS modules freely available on the
International AVS Center's anonymous ftp site have been indexed,
as well as informational files such as AVS_README and FAQ.
WAIS should prove more and more useful as the AVS module repository
continues to grow.  It provides a convienient interface to large amounts
of data.

To access information from a server, you can use this AWAIS AVS module.
AWAIS is a WAIS client, of which there are several freely available.
Some freely available WAIS client applications (via anonymous ftp) 
include: 

>From the International AVS Center:
	---------------------------------
	awais, an AVS module client
	(avs.ncsc.org:DATA/awais/*)

>From Thinking Machines:
	----------------------
	swais, a screen based client
	xwais, an X based client
	waissearch, a command line client
	WAIStation, a Mac client
	(think.com:wais/wais-8-b4.tar.Z)

>From UNC Chapel Hill:
	-------------------- 
	WAIS for Windows, a PC client
	(ftp.oit.unc.edu:pub/wais/UNC/Windows/winwais.zip)
	
For example, I might be interested in JPEG files, so I might ask
the server the question: "Can I read or write JPEG files using AVS?"
A typical response from a WAIS client that you could type
your question into, would be as shown below.  The resulting document
list is ranked from "most hits" on down.  Each line shows that
document's rank, its score (1000 is for the "most hits"), its name
(this may show only partially), and the number of lines.  I could 
then select any of these documents for viewing.

001:   [1000]   AVS_README   /src/avs/ftp/                 589
002:   [ 844]   AVS_CATALOG   /src/avs/ftp/               2008
003:   [ 603]   write_jpeg                                 459
004:   [ 592]   read_jpeg                                  456
005:   [ 413]   WHAT_IS_AVS   /src/avs/ftp/                290
006:   [ 380]   FAQ   /src/avs/ftp/                        274
007:   [ 184]   read_HDF_SDS                               198
008:   [ 184]   read_abekas_                               116
009:   [ 178]   read_tiff                                  225
010:   [ 173]   read_shak                                  461
011:   [ 139]   read_FLOW3D                                140
012:   [ 139]   read_compres                                67
013:   [ 139]   read_compres                                63
014:   [ 139]   write_compres                               67
015:   [ 111]   fast_animate                               109
016:   [ 106]   animate_file                               177
017:   [ 100]   write_abekas                                58
018:   [  89]   read_16_bit_                                69
019:   [  89]   read_sunras                                 63
020:   [  83]   Image_Sequen                               219
021:   [  83]   phoenics_int                                62
022:   [  83]   write_irreg                                 58
023:   [  83]   write_reg                                   58
024:   [  78]   Keyframe_Ani                               777
025:   [  67]   write_A60_yu                                44
026:   [  61]   readFLOW3D                                  71
027:   [  55]   Record_Anima                               301
028:   [  50]   read_dyna3d                                 89
029:   [  50]   read_gif                                    52
030:   [  50]   cone                                        78
031:   [  44]   field_conver                               132
032:   [  44]   my_mirror                                   64
033:   [  44]   new_crop                                   140
034:   [  44]   3D_axis                                    174
035:   [  39]   animate_floa                               274
036:   [  39]   animate_inte                               274
037:   [  39]   read_Dore_im                                24
038:   [  39]   Iterate                                    128
039:   [  39]   Stepper                                    115
040:   [  39]   collage                                     95

A description of a sample awais session:
---------------------------------------
First, set up a directory called ~/wais-sources.  In this directory,
place the source files you would like to use.  Source files end with
the suffix ".src", and contain the contact information for the
WAIS server they identify.  There are two source files provided with
this module:

avs-txt-files.src         The International AVS Center's database 
directory-of-servers.src  A database of registered sources.  This
			  is maintained at Thinking Machines, and
			  can be used to track down sources that
			  would be of interest to you.

You can also obtain all of the registered sources via anonymous ftp:
think.com:wais/wais-sources.tar.Z

Next, load the awais module into AVS.  You will see a list of 
available source files, and an empty list of selected sources.
When you highlight an available source choice, that file will show
up in the TextBrowser window for your perusal.

Double clicking on an available source will add it to the selected
sources list.  Alternatively, highlighting an available source then
clicking on the "Add Available Source" button will do the same thing.
The selected sources databases will be searched when you ask a question.

Double clicking on a selected source will remove it from the selected
sources list.  Alternatively, highlighting a selected source then
clicking on the "Delete Selected Source" button will do the same thing.

Next, in the "Tell me about" widget, type in a question you would 
like answered by the databases in your selected sources list.  
Clicking on the "Search" button will initiate a search through the
databases represented in the selected sources widget, and you will
see a resulting list of appropriate documents.  Double clicking on
a resulting document will download a copy of it into the TextBrowser
window.  Alternatively, highlighting a resulting document then clicking
on the "Retrieve" button will do the same thing.

If you want to save a copy of a retrieved document, type in a file name
in the "Save File To:" typein widget.  Then click on the "Save Text File"
button to save it.


Additional Notes:
----------------
The "Show Query Window" and "Show Text Browser" buttons toggle the
visibility of these respective windows.

If you do not have Internet access, you won't be able to use the
International AVS Center's WAIS server.  However, you might consider
using WAIS internally to query your own databases, such as your
mail folders.  This would involve setting up a local server using
the code freely available from Thinking Machines Corporation.

This version retrieves text files indexed at the International AVS Center's
anonymous ftp site.  Future versions of awais will download an entire
AVS module from the the Center, compile it, and load it into an AVS network,
all with the click of a button.  Another potential future enhancement 
would be the downloading of image files directly into an AVS network.
Your suggestions are more than welcome!  Please email me with any ideas
or comments.

The source file you will need to access the International AVS Center's
server is "avs-txt-files.src" (NOT including the lines with the asterisks):

************************avs-txt-files.src***********************
(:source
   :version  3
   :database-name "/usr1/avs/wais-sources/AVS_TXT_FILES"
   :cost 0.00
   :cost-unit :free
   :maintainer "avs@doppler.ncsc.org"
   :ip-address "128.109.178.23"
   :ip-name "doppler.ncsc.org"
   :tcp-port 210
   :description "Server created with WAIS release 8 b4 on Apr 23
16:22:03 1992 by avs@doppler

        All of the .txt files for Application Visualization System
(AVS) modules freely available on the International AVS Center's
anonymous ftp site have been indexed, as well as informational
files such as AVS_README and FAQ.  The anonymous ftp site can be
accessed at avs.ncsc.org.

        Please send email to avsemail@ncsc.org for an automated reply
with information about the International AVS Center and how you can
make use of it.

        Please send questions for the International AVS Center to
avs@ncsc.org.
"
)
****************************************************************


An overview of WAIS is provided below, in an article written by
Brewster Kahle of Thinking Machines.  Brewster is the Project
Leader of the WAIS project.


                 Overview of Wide Area Information Servers
                              Brewster Kahle
                                April 1991


The Wide Area Information Servers system is a set of products supplied by
different vendors to help end-users find and retrieve information over
networks.  Thinking Machines, Apple Computer, and Dow Jones initially
implemented such a system for use by business executives.  These products
are becoming more widely available from various companies.

What does WAIS do?
        Users on different platforms can access personal, company, and
published information from one interface.  The information can be anything:
text, pictures, voice, or formatted documents.  Since a single
computer-to-computer protocol is used, information can be stored anywhere
on different types of machines.  Anyone can use this system since it uses
natural language questions to find relevant documents.  Relevent documents
can be fed back to a server to refine the search.  This avoids complicated
query languages and vendor specific systems.  Successful searches can be
automatically run to alert the user when new information becomes available.


How does WAIS work?
        The servers take a users question and do their best to find
relevant documents.  The servers, at this point, do not "understand" the
users english language question, rather they try to find documents that
contain those words and phrases and ranks then based on heuristics.  The
user interfaces (clients) talk to the servers using an extension to a
standard protocol Z39.50.  Using a public standard allows vendors to
compete with each other, while bypassing the usual proprietary protocol
period that slows development.  Thinking Machines is giving away an
implementation of this standard to help vendors develop clients and
servers.

What WAIS servers exist?
        Even though the system is very new, there are already several
servers:
  * Dow Jones is putting a server on their own DowVision network.
This server contains the Wall Street Journal, Barons, and 450 magazines.
This is a for-pay server.
  * Thinking Machines operates a Connection Machine on the internet for
free use.  The databases it supports are some patents, a collection of
molecular biology abstracts, a cookbook, and the CIA World Factbook.
  * MIT supports a poetry server with a great deal of classical and
modern poetry.  Cosmic is serving descriptions of government software
packages.  The Library of Congress has plans to make their catalog
available on the protocol.
  * Weather maps and forecasts are made available by Thinking Machines as a
repackaging of existing information.
  * The "directory of servers" facility is operated by Thinking Machines so
that new servers can be easily registered as either for-pay or for-free
servers and users can find out about these services.

How can I find out more about WAIS?
        Contact Brewster Kahle for more information on the WAIS project,
the Connection Machine WAIS system, or the free Mac, Unix Server, and X
Window System interfaces.  There is a mailing list that has weekly postings
on progress and new releases; to subscribe send and email note to
wais-discussion-request@think.com.

Brewster Kahle
Project Leader
Wide Area Information Servers
Brewster@Think.com



From mhumi@borel.WPI.EDU (Mayer Humi)
Subject: PLOT 3d files
Message-ID: <1992May11.203140.9267@wpi.WPI.EDU>
Sender: news@wpi.WPI.EDU (USENET News System)
Nntp-Posting-Host: borel.wpi.edu
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Date: Mon, 11 May 1992 20:31:40 GMT
Lines: 6

I am using a program that generates files for visualizations
using the PLOT 3D program that was developed by NASA/AMES.
I wonder if there is an easy was (or a module) to import this
data into AVS format for Visualization.
Thank you. MH



From vesper@2draw.enet.dec.com ()
Subject: Re: PLOT 3d files
Message-ID: <1992May12.131200.5872@ryn.mro4.dec.com>
Lines: 26
Sender: news@ryn.mro4.dec.com (USENET News System)
Reply-To: vesper@2draw.enet.dec.com ()
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
References:  <1992May11.203140.9267@wpi.WPI.EDU>
Date: Tue, 12 May 1992 13:12:00 GMT


|>I am using a program that generates files for visualizations
|>using the PLOT 3D program that was developed by NASA/AMES.
|>I wonder if there is an easy was (or a module) to import this
|>data into AVS format for Visualization.

Yes, indeed you can read PLOT3D data files into AVS -- there are two
ways, in fact. 

First, you can write a header file so that AVS can
read in the PLOT3D data as a field. An example of this is the bluntfin.fld
file in /usr/avs/data/field. (I am looking at DEC AVS; if you are
using another variant it might be in a different place.) There
are some restrictions on the PLOT3D data files if you use this method.

Second, you can use the READ PLOT3D module in the Unsupported module
library. This can read more types of PLOT3D data files (2D/3D, with
or without blanking, multiple grids, etc.) and you can also use the
CFD VALUES module (also in Unsupported) to compute energy, pressure,
enthalpy, mach number, temperature, total pressure and total temp.

However, there is still some need for the visualization program PLOT3D --
AVS will only work on one grid at a time, AVS doesn't compute as many
functions, AVS doesn't do particle traces, etc.

Andy V


From larryg@avs.com (Larry Gelberg)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: Re: PLOT 3d files
Message-ID: <1992May12.142034.27311@avs.com>
Date: 12 May 92 14:20:34 GMT
Article-I.D.: avs.1992May12.142034.27311
References: <1992May11.203140.9267@wpi.WPI.EDU>
Sender: news@avs.com (*)
Organization: Advanced Visual Systems Inc.
Lines: 13
In-Reply-To: mhumi@borel.WPI.EDU's message of Mon, 11 May 1992 20:31:40 GMT

Mayer,

There is a READ PLOT3D module in the UNSUPPORTED library.  This should
satisfy your requirements.  Please feel free to call me if you have 
trouble locating it (seeing as how you're in the neighborhood!)

larryg

-- 
=== Larry Gelberg ============================ larryg@avs.com =======
      Advanced Visual Systems Inc. (AVS Inc.)
      300 Fifth Ave, Waltham, MA 02154
===== Tel: 617-890-4300 = Fax: 617-890-8287 =========================


From tohanson@gonzo.lerc.nasa.gov (Jeff Hanson)
Subject: Re: PLOT 3d files
Message-ID: <1992May12.160253.1687@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov>
Sender: news@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
References:  <1992May11.203140.9267@wpi.WPI.EDU> <1992May12.131200.5872@ryn.mro4.dec.com>
Date: Tue, 12 May 1992 16:02:53 GMT
Lines: 19

ATTENTION - THIS IS NOT A BASH AVS POSTING

If you have Explorer, you can get cfdExplorer (written by the CFD
group at SGI).  Lots of modules, data, examples, maps (you know,
networks), etc.  It can be ftp'd from swedishchef.lerc.nasa.gov
in the directory explorer/cfdExplorer.  Please note that this machine
is a CFD researcher's workstation and he is trying to get work done,
so don't ftp during working hours (8-5, EST5EDT).

Also, if you are into CFD visualization, consider FAST from NASA Ames.
Contact Pat Elson (pelson@nas.nasa.gov) for distribution information.
Note, you must be from a US site.  Sorry, write your ambassador.
-- 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Jeff Hanson - Scientific Graphics Programmer and Workstation Administrator
 Sverdrup Technology, NASA Lewis Research Center Group
 NASA Lewis Research Center, MS 86-4, Cleveland, Ohio 44135
 Telephone - (216) 433-2284  Fax - (216) 433-2182
 tohanson@gonzo.lerc.nasa.gov	-   ViSC: Better Science Through Pictures


From salem@mandala.think.com (Jim Salem)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: Particle advector
Message-ID: <SALEM.92May12164732@mandala.think.com>
Date: 12 May 92 23:47:32 GMT
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
Lines: 15
NNTP-Posting-Host: mandala.think.com


Could someone tell me how the input field to the particle advector module
is scaled ?  In other words, how far does a particle move if the magnitude
of the field at the particle's position is equal to 1 ?

Thanks,

-- jim
salem@think.com
--

-- Jim Salem
   Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge, MA   617-876-1111
   salem@think.com, rutgers!think!salem, harvard!think!salem, salem@igc.org
   Member of League for Programming Freedom (write league@prep.ai.mit.edu)


From avs@doppler.ncsc.org (Terry Myerson)
Subject: Postscript Module Catalog !!
Message-ID: <BoGLFv.H6B@doppler.ncsc.org>
Organization: North Carolina Supercomputing Center
Date: Mon, 18 May 1992 18:16:43 GMT

Hi folks -

There is now a postscript version of the International AVS Center
Module Catalog available on the IAC ftp site (128.109.178.23).  This
catalog is in a fancier, more readable format than the ASCII version which
has been available, and will continue to be available.

Warning : This postscript file is 80 pages long !!!

There are now 3 files associated with the module catalog :

142968 May 18 11:14 AVS_CATALOG		: ASCII Catalog
 72509 May 18 13:59 AVS_CATALOG.dvi.Z   : Device Independent Postscript Catalog
189110 May 18 13:59 AVS_CATALOG.ps.Z    : Postscript catalog


All three files are continuously updated as new modules are added to
the ftp site.  The ASCII version of the module catalog can be retrieved
at any time by mailing to an automatic response script at avsemail@ncsc.org

The AVS_CATALOG.ps and AVS_CATALOG files should be printable on any standard 
postscript printing device.

The AVS_CATALOG.dvi file requires a dvi2ps utility to be of any use, but 
provides a much more portable compact format for the postscript catalog for 
those who have this utility available.

NOTE: The AWAIS module, available in the DATA directory on the ftp site,
      provides interactive browsing of the module catalog.


Let us know if there is anything that might be improved upon in this catalog,
or any other of our services.

Have fun !!

-terry

---
Terry Myerson
International AVS Center
North Carolina Supercomputing Center
avs@ncsc.org


From avs@ncsc.org (AVS account)
Subject: Re: reading a 3d 16-bit field
Message-ID: <BoGw9o.1x3@doppler.ncsc.org>
Sender: usenet@doppler.ncsc.org
Nntp-Posting-Host: doppler
Reply-To: tvv@ncsc.org 
Organization: North Carolina Supercomputing Center
References:  <12045@borg.cs.unc.edu>
Date: Mon, 18 May 1992 22:10:35 GMT


Uwe -

there is a module on our ftp site called read_16_bit
which can be used for just this purpose.  check it out.

good luck,

terry


From schiano@vega.acs.uci.edu (Allen V. Schiano)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: Earth as a geom?
Keywords: geometries, earth
Message-ID: <2A11774F.23304@noiro.acs.uci.edu>
Date: 13 May 92 20:08:48 GMT
Reply-To: schiano@vega.acs.uci.edu (Allen V. Schiano)
Organization: University of California, Irvine
Lines: 21
Nntp-Posting-Host: vega.acs.uci.edu



I'm trying to superimpose above an AVS geometry model of the earth (mainly needs
coastlines) atmospheric features from an irregular grid.  I have the data already
in AVS field and I know how to make the appropriate geometry for the data, etc.
What I need to know is wether anyone has made a simple spherical model of the 
Earth that I could use to put 'under' the data.  I remember seeing a Stardent
texture-mapped model of the Earth running on a Vistra.  Since I don't want 
anything as fancy as this maybe someone out there can tell me where I could
just get an AVS geom of it.  I'd also be willing to reconstruct such if someone
had an appropriate database.

Thanks in advance..


Allen V. R. Schiano
Advanced Scientific Computing
Office of Academic Computing
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, Ca 92727
schiano@uci.edu


From cs224044@cs.brown.edu (Lars Bishop)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: Globe Data
Message-ID: <1992May14.003949.11957@cs.brown.edu>
Date: 14 May 92 00:39:49 GMT
Sender: news@cs.brown.edu
Organization: Brown University Department of Computer Science
Lines: 12

I, too would be interested in globe data, although I am more
interested in getting a coastline of the United states in 
lattitude/longitude coords.  I know that this is a tall request,
but I am looking to visualize some US weather data, and would like
an outline of the US.

Lars Bishop

Lars Bishop	Brown University department of Computer Science
cs224044@cs.brown.edu
Lars Bishop	University of Illinois at UC department of ECE
bishop@gate.spg.uiuc.edu


From larryg@avs.com (Larry Gelberg)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: Re: Globe Data
Message-ID: <1992May14.135926.7074@avs.com>
Date: 14 May 92 13:59:26 GMT
References: <1992May14.003949.11957@cs.brown.edu>
Sender: news@avs.com (*)
Organization: Advanced Visual Systems Inc.
Lines: 16
In-Reply-To: cs224044@cs.brown.edu's message of Thu, 14 May 1992 00:39:49 GMT


Gee, it seems that I have seen some images from Wes Bethel which
incorporate a wireframe 3D model of coastlines.  This sure would make
a useful addition to the International AVS Center's sample data
directory.  Whadaya say, Wes?

In the meantime, I will cruise through our data sets here to see if we
have something useful that is archived.

larryg

-- 
=== Larry Gelberg ============================ larryg@avs.com =======
      Advanced Visual Systems Inc. (AVS Inc.)
      300 Fifth Ave, Waltham, MA 02154
===== Tel: 617-890-4300 = Fax: 617-890-8287 =========================


From kniveton@zeus.swindon.rtsg.mot.com (Andy Kniveton)
Subject: AVS in the UK
Message-ID: <1992May14.105833.25212@zeus.swindon.rtsg.mot.com>
Sender: news@zeus.swindon.rtsg.mot.com
Nntp-Posting-Host: derwent
Organization: Motorola Ltd
Date: Thu, 14 May 1992 10:58:33 GMT
Lines: 11

Hi,

Does anyone have an address / contact in the UK for AVS ?

Cheers Andy.
-- 
  _ _ /|  	Andy Kniveton,	Tel No	+44 793 545349
  \'o.O'  	Motorola Ltd,	Fax No	+44 793 541228
  =(___)= 	16 Euro Way,	E-mail	kniveton@zeus.swindon.rtsg.mot.com
     U    	Blagrove, Swindon, 	uunet!motcid!zeus!kniveton
		England, SN5 8YW.


From stgprao@xing.unocal.com (Richard Ottolini)
Subject: Re: Globe Data
Message-ID: <1992May14.143247.16719@unocal.com>
Originator: stgprao@xing
Sender: news@unocal.com (Unocal USENET News)
Organization: Unocal Corporation, Anaheim, California
References: <1992May14.003949.11957@cs.brown.edu>
Date: Thu, 14 May 1992 14:32:47 GMT
Lines: 21

In article <1992May14.003949.11957@cs.brown.edu> cs224044@cs.brown.edu (Lars Bishop) writes:

Three globe datasets:
(1) Continents as x-y-z filled polygons- One of the standard Stardent DORE
demos.  The continent database is a separate file.  I have been able to
decode it for other applications, mainly overlay annotation of other global
data.
(2) NOAA whole earth topography. 30-minute subset (720 x 360 points) at
hanauma.stanford.edu anonymous ftp.  Format compress binary IEEE floating point
in meters.  YOU have to map it on to a sphere (easy 8th grade algebra).
(3) "The Earth from Space" composite from a geostationary weather satellite.
AVS Inc was using this as a demo at 1991 SIGGRAPH on Kubota VISTRAs and other
AVS ports.  This data is *not* in the public domain, but owned by the
Geosphere Project Corp of Santa Monica CA.  Stardent/AVS is allowed to display
the data because they lent resources to the company to generate the data.
There is an illegal scanned GIF of the data floating around the InterNet,

I've seen both the NOAA and Geosphere datasets used in various advertisements
and TV news shows.  I almost always see an attribution to Geosphere for the
latter.  I think the 1992 Olympics is using the Geophere data.
but I don't know where it is these days.


From charette@cheetah.det.dec.com (Mark Charette)
Subject: Re: Globe Data
Message-ID: <1992May14.134101.2285@nntpd.lkg.dec.com>
Lines: 8
Sender: usenet@nntpd.lkg.dec.com (USENET News System)
Reply-To: charette@cheetah.det.dec.com (Mark Charette)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
References:  <1992May14.003949.11957@cs.brown.edu>
Date: Thu, 14 May 1992 13:41:01 GMT


On gatekeeper.dec.com (and probably others) is the cia-wdb data in 
/pub/graphics/data/cia-wdb. 
--
Mark Charette                |Yes, I do speak for my employer. Really. Often.
Fisher Engineering Systems   |Digital Equipment Corporation is NOT my employer,
charette@cheetah.det.dec.com |so don't blame them. I just consult there.
(313) 280-0703               | 


From tvv@ncsc.org (Terry Myerson)
Subject: Re: Map Data
Message-ID: <BoI8I9.Mqx@doppler.ncsc.org>
Sender: usenet@doppler.ncsc.org
Nntp-Posting-Host: doppler
Reply-To: tvv@ncsc.org 
Organization: North Carolina Supercomputing Center
References:  <1992May14.003949.11957@cs.brown.edu>
Date: Tue, 19 May 1992 15:32:32 GMT

Hi folks -

I just placed some very good map data for the united states on the
IAC ftp site.  It is in the SAMPLE_DATA/map_data directory.

Here is the readme file i tossed together to describe the data :

------------------------- README FILE -----------------------

These files are geographics information system data obtained through 
Arc Info. I have placed three files here :

usa.plotxyz.dat		: map of usa in readable format by plot_xyz module
usa.dense.gis.dat       : very specific map of usa in standard arcinfo coverage
			  format	
usa.vague.gis.dat	: less specifc map of usa in standard arcinfo coverage
			  format	

All files are in an ASCII, endpoint/line segment format. The coordinates
are unprojected latitute and longitude.  

The usa.ployxyz.dat file can be read straight into AVS with the 
read_ploy_xyz module.

Perhaps someone could write a read_ARCinfo module ?

Be careful - these maps are very specific.  You can have up to 50,000
line segments in the Chesapeke bay alone if you don't be careful.

Have fun,

-terry


----
Terry Myerson
International AVS Center
North Carolina Supercomputing Center









Terry Myerson
International AVS Center
North Carolina Supercomputing Center
avs@ncsc.org


From ew@nobska.er.usgs.gov (Evelyn Wright)
Subject: zoom problem
Message-ID: <1992May14.194352.13600@netnews.whoi.edu>
Sender: news@netnews.whoi.edu
Organization: U.S.Geological Survey
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 14 May 92 19:43:52 GMT


We are trying to create an animation sequence for 3-D ocean circulation
data.  Essentially what we have is a series of 3-D irregular field files, 
i.e., one for each time step.    We have created a network that reads one 
data file, does some operations, and uses render geometry and display 
pixmap to display the data on the screen.  So far so good.

Here's the tricky part.  We want to zoom in on the area of interest, and
somehow save that zoomed-in position for displaying all the remaining
data files.  When we use "WRITE NETWORK", the zoomed-in position is not 
saved.  This causes problems for creating an animation because we want 
every frame to have exactly the same orientation.

Any suggestions on how to save the zoomed-in orientation?  Thanks in
advance.
--

 -----------
 Evelyn Wright			|   ew@orpheus.er.usgs.gov
 U.S. Geological Survey		|   (508) 457-2332


From jrv@orion.siemens.com (Jim Vallino)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: Module Generator problems
Message-ID: <91884@siemens.siemens.com>
Date: 14 May 92 15:14:13 GMT
Sender: news@siemens.siemens.com
Reply-To: jrv@siemens.siemens.com
Organization: Siemens Corporate Research, Inc.
Lines: 15

I can't read back a source file created with the Module Generator in AVS 4 if
any module parameter is specified.  I created an output port wrote and
immediately read it OK.  Then I created a parameter and tried the same thing.
The Module Generator barfed.  I deleted the parameter specification in the
generated header of the source file and I could read the source back in.  Is
there any work around this?  It is nice that the Module Generator went to
great pains to delimit where to add user code.  Too bad I can't read it back
in.


-- 
Jim Vallino
jrv@siemens.siemens.com            Siemens Corporate Research, Inc.
princeton!siemens!jrv              755 College Road East
(609) 734-3331                     Princeton, NJ 08540


From wayne@concave.cs.wits.ac.za (Wayne Smith)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: AVS information?
Message-ID: <1992May14.145838.5365@shannon.ee.wits.ac.za>
Date: 14 May 92 14:58:38 GMT
Article-I.D.: shannon.1992May14.145838.5365
Sender: news@shannon.ee.wits.ac.za
Organization: Wits Univ. Computer Science Dept.
Lines: 7

Hi,

I am looking for some good documentation on ConvexAVS or some books that deal with this kind of visualization. The manual that comes with the package is not comprehensive. I am in the process of learning to use the package in order to provide support for it here at my university. I would appreciate any assistance or suggestions.

Thank You
Wayne Smith
University of the Witwatersrand.


From griffioen@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov (Hank Griffioen 301-513-1669)
Subject: I need an internet address for AVS
Message-ID: <14MAY199212411270@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov>
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Sender: usenet@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov (Usenet)
Nntp-Posting-Host: nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov
Organization: NASA - Goddard Space Flight Center
Date: Thu, 14 May 1992 17:41:00 GMT


 Can someone send me a list if internet addresses for reps at AVS
I need to contact them.   Thanks....   Hank Griffioen




From griffioen@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov (Hank Griffioen 301-513-1669)
Subject: I need an internet address for AVS
Message-ID: <14MAY199212411270@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov>
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Sender: usenet@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov (Usenet)
Nntp-Posting-Host: nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov
Organization: NASA - Goddard Space Flight Center
Date: Thu, 14 May 1992 17:41:00 GMT


 Can someone send me a list if internet addresses for reps at AVS
I need to contact them.   Thanks....   Hank Griffioen




From thune@godemine.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Nils Thune)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: Re: Module Generator problems
Message-ID: <1992May20.073255.1305@alf.uib.no>
Date: 20 May 92 07:32:55 GMT
References: <91884@siemens.siemens.com>
Sender: thune@godemine (Nils Thune)
Organization: University of Bergen, Norway
Lines: 34

In article <91884@siemens.siemens.com>, jrv@orion.siemens.com (Jim Vallino) writes:
|> I can't read back a source file created with the Module Generator in AVS 4 if
|> any module parameter is specified.  I created an output port wrote and
|> immediately read it OK.  Then I created a parameter and tried the same thing.
|> The Module Generator barfed.  I deleted the parameter specification in the
|> generated header of the source file and I could read the source back in.  Is
|> there any work around this?  It is nice that the Module Generator went to
|> great pains to delimit where to add user code.  Too bad I can't read it back
|> in.
|> 
|> 
|> -- 
|> Jim Vallino
|> jrv@siemens.siemens.com            Siemens Corporate Research, Inc.
|> princeton!siemens!jrv              755 College Road East
|> (609) 734-3331                     Princeton, NJ 08540

I also have problems with the Module Generator in AVS 4. Ports etc. defined by this module is written and read in OK. When I add my own code inbetween the comment lines, using emacs, and try to read the code back in with Mod. Gen., make some port changes, then when I write the code back out again my brilliant code has vanished. Is this a bug in the Mod. Gen. ?

-- 



- Nils

--------------------------------
Nils Thune                      
Dept. of Science and Technology 
Christian Michelsen Research    
N-5036 Fantoft, Bergen, Norway  
Email: thune@cmi.no             
Phone: 05 574355                
Fax  : 05 574001                
--------------------------------


From indran@ac.dal.ca
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: Re: CONTOURS
Message-ID: <1992May22.082048.5858@ac.dal.ca>
Date: 22 May 92 11:20:48 GMT
References: <rcion.706520190@rw5.urc.tue.nl>
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Lines: 15

In article <rcion.706520190@rw5.urc.tue.nl>, rcion@rw5.urc.tue.nl (Ion Barosan) writes:
> I have an ungrided data example, and I want to make a contour plot
> of this data file.
> The form of the file is this one :
> 
>     Xcoord  Ycoor  Data-scalar
>     ......
>     ....
> There is a module available, which can plot a contour and built colours
> between the contours lines ?
> 

Try the contour_field module in AVS centre, which  creates nice contour plots 
and can be 
superimposed over a mesh created from the same data


From tvv@doppler.ncsc.org (Terry Myerson)
Subject: write*image and read*image modules
Message-ID: <BonMLp.595@doppler.ncsc.org>
Organization: North Carolina Supercomputing Center
Date: Fri, 22 May 1992 13:25:00 GMT

Hi folks -

A number of people download several of the read_*_image or write_*_image
modules which I placed on the ftp site yesterday.  I forgot to mention one
small fact in the txt files for the modules : 

The following machine specific include files need to be retrieved through 
anonymous ftp to sdsc.edu :

bin.h arg. tag.h sdscconfig.h

They are found in the sdsc and image tar files in

SDSCPUB.[machine architecture].GRAPHICS  ( yes, there server is a vax !! )

These can be placed in the module directories, or /usr/include

These header files are included in the same tar files as libim.a and
libsdsc.a - both of which need to be installed in /usr/lib for
this module to compile correctly.

Have fun,

terry

---
Terry Myerson
International AVS Center
North Carolina Supercomputing Center
avs@ncsc.org


From peters@convex.com (James Peters)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: using vaxstation as display ?
Keywords: avs vaxstation
Message-ID: <1992May22.165719.4964@convex.com>
Date: 22 May 92 16:57:19 GMT
Sender: usenet@convex.com (news access account)
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA
Lines: 8
Nntp-Posting-Host: mikey.convex.com
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.


i would like to know if anyone is using a color vaxstation as 
a display for avs and whether they have encountered troubles
using display pixmap. using output image is a valid workaround
but i would like a second or third opinion.

regards,
james, peters@convex.com


From xrcjd@terminator.gsfc.nasa.gov (Charles J. Divine)
Subject: Re: CONTOURS
Message-ID: <1992May22.183228.5584@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov>
Sender: usenet@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov (Usenet)
Nntp-Posting-Host: terminator.gsfc.nasa.gov
Organization: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD
References: <rcion.706520190@rw5.urc.tue.nl>
Date: Fri, 22 May 1992 18:32:28 GMT

In article <rcion.706520190@rw5.urc.tue.nl> rcion@urc.tue.nl writes:
>I have an ungrided data example, and I want to make a contour plot
>of this data file.
>The form of the file is this one :
>
>    Xcoord  Ycoor  Data-scalar
>    ......
>    ....
>There is a module available, which can plot a contour and built colours
>between the contours lines ?

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) produces a package
called NCAR Graphics.  Contained in this package (which has as one of its
features the ability to do contours in color) is a subroutine named BIVAR,
originally written by Hiroshi Akima.  This subroutine is capable of taking
irregularly spaced data in the format you describe and creating a regular
two dimensional array from it.  References include: 
    Akima, Hiroshi, 1978:  A method of bivariate interpolation and smooth
        surface fitting for values given at irregularly distributed points,
        ACM-TOMS, Vol. 4, No. 2, June 1978.
    Akima, Hiroshi, 1984:  On estimating partial derivatives for bivariate
        interpolation of scattered data,
        Rocky Mountain Journal of Mathematics, Vol. 14, No. 1, Winter 1984.


-- 
Chuck Divine


From prasad@cis.uab.edu (Prasad Bharatam)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: G90reader?
Message-ID: <1992May22.195350.11129@cis.uab.edu>
Date: 22 May 92 19:53:50 GMT
Sender: root@cis.uab.edu (Bruce Williams)
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Alabama at Birmigham
Lines: 16


Dear Friends,


	Can someone in this group tell me whether a G90reader or G92reader
to read MOs, geometry, density etc. from the Gaussian90 and Gaussian92 chekpoint
files is available?  I am interested in obtaining such readers.  FTP sites are 
preferable.  We have g88reader. 

	Thank you.





						Bharatam   


From lake@cwjcc.INS.CWRU.Edu (Dr. Robin Lake)
Subject: Re: using vaxstation as display ?
Message-ID: <1992May22.222819.7506@usenet.ins.cwru.edu>
Keywords: avs vaxstation
Sender: news@usenet.ins.cwru.edu
Nntp-Posting-Host: cwjcc.ins.cwru.edu
Reply-To: lake@po.CWRU.Edu
Organization: Case Western Reserve Univ. Cleveland, Ohio, (USA)
References: <1992May22.165719.4964@convex.com>
Date: Fri, 22 May 92 22:28:19 GMT
Lines:       19

In article <1992May22.165719.4964@convex.com> peters@convex.com (James Peters) writes:
>
>i would like to know if anyone is using a color vaxstation as 
>a display for avs and whether they have encountered troubles
>using display pixmap. using output image is a valid workaround
>but i would like a second or third opinion.
>
>regards,
>james, peters@convex.com


I have used a color VAXstation, running VMS, as an X server for AVS.
Don't try any serious interactive manipulations, as the Ethernet bandwidth
isn't up to it, but network editor work is reasonably interactive.

Rob Lake
BP Research
lake@rcwcl1.dnet.bp.com


From phalsema@x102a.ess.harris.com (halsema pb 64533)
Subject: Re: CONTOURS
References: <1992May22.183228.5584@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov>
Date: FFrom cmhui@cucs18.cs.cuhk.hk (Hui Chau Man)
Subject: 24-bit Graphics Display board on VMEbus wanted
Message-ID: <1992May25.092658.27014@cucs5.cs.cuhk.hk>
Sender: news@cucs5.cs.cuhk.hk
Organization: Faculty of Engineering, The Chinese U. of Hong Kong
Date: Mon, 25 May 1992 09:26:58 GMT
Lines: 11


Does anybody know whether there is any true-color 24-bit Graphics
Display board with the resolution equal to or higher than 1024x768
pixel, which is designed to run on the VMEbus?

Thank in advance

Best Regards

C.M. Hui
cmhui@cucs18.cs.cuhk.hk


From thorpe@doppler.ncsc.org (Steve Thorpe)
Subject: two new modules available shortly
Message-ID: <Bov1x0.Hy1@doppler.ncsc.org>
Organization: North Carolina Supercomputing Center
Date: Tue, 26 May 1992 13:39:00 GMT

Hi AVSers,

I've written two AVS modules that implement the "life"
problem:  one of them is runs standalone on the AVS 
workstation, and one of them uses the Wavetracer machine.
They will shortly be available on our anonymous ftp site as
Life and LifeWT.  In case you're interested, the documentation
for LifeWT is included at the end of this message.

Have fun,

-Steve
----------------------------------------------------------------
   Steve Thorpe, Application Visualization System Specialist
International AVS Center, North Carolina Supercomputing Center
PO Box 12889   3021 Cornwallis Rd, RTP, NC 27709   avs@ncsc.org
----------------------------------------------------------------

NAME:		Life_WT

AUTHOR INFO:	Steve Thorpe
		Application Visualization System Specialist
		International AVS Center
		North Carolina Supercomputing Center
		3021 Cornwallis Road, PO Box 12889
		Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2889
		thorpe@ncsc.org

		Extensive portions of this code were developed
		by Wavetracer, Inc.

SOURCE FILES:	lifeWT.mc

TYPE:		DATA

INPUTS:		Oneshot

OUTPUTS:	field 2D 2-space 4-vector byte (image)

PARAMETERS:     Name			Type		Default	
		X Procs			Integer		150
		Y Procs			Integer		150
		Generations		Integer		50
		Display Every		Integer		1
		Go for it!!		Oneshot

DESCRIPTION:

Life_WT is an implementation of the "Life" problem.  This is an
algorithm where "neighbors", or cells, propagate or die, based on the
proximity of other living neighbors.  In this case, a living neighbor
is represented by a processor in the massively parrallel Wavetracer 
being "turned on".   The thoughts behind the algorithm are:  If there
are too many neighbors, a cell will die due to overcrowding.  If there
are too few neighbors, a cell will die due to lack of resources.  

The user is able to control the number of processors in the X direction,
the number of processors in the Y direction, the number of generations
to compute, and the number of generations to compute between outputs of
an image.  A oneshot parameter, "Go for it!!" is supplied to begin the
execution of the module.

Life_WT is written in multiC, a fully compatible extension of the ANSI C
programming language.  It was developed using a Data Transport Computer
from Wavetracer, Inc.

It is meant to be used with the Life AVS module, which is a standalone
implementation of Life_WT.  As the number of processors increases, the
performance of Life_WT greatly supercedes that of Life, due to the
benefits of the Wavetracer's multiple processors operating in parrallel.

The output from this coroutine module is an AVS image, which can be 
sent to the display_image module for viewing as the computation
progresses.  The user sees a visualization of the processors that are
"alive" at that moment in the computation.


LIMITATIONS:

The AVS module crashes the second time it is run... a quick work
around until this bug is worked out is to "hammer it" after running 
it in a network, then drag it down into your network to run it again.


SAMPLE NETWORK:

			oneshot
			   |
	 -----------------------------------
	 |                                  |
	Life				Life_WT
	 |				    |
	display image			display image


From peters@convex.COM (James Peters)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: Re: G90reader?
Message-ID: <1992May26.215121.11954@convex.com>
Date: 26 May 92 21:51:21 GMT
References: <1992May22.195350.11129@cis.uab.edu>
Sender: usenet@convex.com (news access account)
Reply-To: peters@convex.COM (James Peters)
Distribution: usa
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA
Lines: 31
Originator: peters@mikey.convex.com
Nntp-Posting-Host: mikey.convex.com
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

In article <1992May22.195350.11129@cis.uab.edu> prasad@cis.uab.edu (Prasad Bharatam) writes:
>Dear Friends,
>	Can someone in this group tell me whether a G90reader or G92reader
>to read MOs, geometry, density etc. from the Gaussian90 and Gaussian92 chek-
>point files is available?  I am interested in obtaining such readers.  FTP
>sites are preferable.  We have g88reader. 
>	Thank you.
>						Bharatam   

hello,

Gaussian Inc. provides a tool called formchk which converts checkpoint
files to acsii.  This tool is designed to allow readers to be independent
of the internal workings of Gaussian, ie. they can decide to change the
structure of checkpoint files, and this will not cause readers to break.

Convex provides a module which reads formchk output and will allow one to
display:
	geometry
	Density (SCF, MP2, CI, CC or MP4)
	Spin Density (same types as above)
	Density gradients and divergence
	Vibrarional modes as either molecular displacements or as arrows

We typically send the modules out along with our MOPAC code.  We also
have a module which does the functionality listed above for MOPAC too.
If you have access to a Convex machine running AVS, you can run the modules.
To request the modules contact davem@convex.com.

regards,
james, peters@convex.com


From goto@yamato.bn.kubota.co.jp (Narushi Goto)
Subject: Re: G90reader?
Organization: Simulation Technology Inc., JAPAN
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 27 May 1992 01:28:14 GMT
Message-ID: <1992May27.012814.29280@yamato.bn.kubota.co.jp>
References: <1992May22.195350.11129@cis.uab.edu>
Lines: 25

        Talking about G90reader, it is now available as an AVS Chemistry
Viewer from Molecular Simulations, Inc. in Waltham, MA. And the G92reader
will be available the end of summer (I think).

        If you are interested in AVS Chemistry Viewer, you may contact to
the sales people at MSI. Their address and phone number ares as follows,

        200 Fifth Avenue Waltham, MA 02154
        (tel) 617-890-2888
        (fax) 617-890-8694

        By the way, we have g88reader and we also have CADPAC reader,
GAMESS reader and SPARTAN reader.

        Thanks,
**---***---***---***---***---***---***---***---***---***---***---***---***---**
        Simulation Technology Inc.
         Technical Department
         Application Sicentist             Narushi Goto

                           1-17-11 Shinjyuku Shinjyuku-ku Tokyo 160 Japan
                           Phone. 813-3358-5261 Fax. 813-3358-5260
                           e-mail goto%kubota.co.jp@kpc.com
**---***---***---***---***---***---***---***---***---***---***---***---***---**



From Isabella Weger
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.avs
Subject: Autocad dxf files
Message-ID: <1992May19.180413.18672@news.tu-graz.ac.at>
Date: 19 May 92 18:04:13 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.1992May19.180413.18672
Sender: news@news.tu-graz.ac.at (USENET News System)
Organization: Graz University of Technology, Austria
Lines: 6
Nntp-Posting-Host: fstgm201.tu-graz.ac.at

We would like to import data from Autocad (dxf-files) into AVS.
Does anybody know about a utility which converts dxf-files into
AVS-geometries or polyhedron-files? Or a module which reads dxf files?

Isabella Weger
Graz University of Technology


From fred@balzac.scd.ucar.edu (Fred Clare)
Subject: Re: CONTOURS
Message-ID: <1992May28.011431.27395@ncar.ucar.edu>
Sender: news@ncar.ucar.edu (USENET Maintenance)
Organization: NCAR/UCAR
References: <1992May22.183228.5584@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov> <1992May22.231443.22981@mlb.semi.harris.com>
Date: Thu, 28 May 1992 01:14:31 GMT

In article <1992May22.231443.22981@mlb.semi.harris.com>, phalsema@x102a.ess.harris.com (halsema pb 64533) writes:
 > 
 > Is NCAR Graphics available?  How, contacts, etc...  Thanks.
 > 	 --- Paul
 > _______________________________________________________________   _________
 > Paul Halsema               \\      AT&T: (407) 729-3536          |  _   _  |
 > Harris Corp., GASD          \\ INTERNET:                         |_| |_| | |
 > MS 102-4827 PO Box 94000     \\   phalsema@x102a.ess.harris.com  |_/\/\/\|_|
 > Melbourne, FL 32902           \\                                 | |_| |_| |
 > _______________________________________________________________  |_________|

-- 
The desired information is:

Graphics Information
NCAR Scientific Computing Division
P.O. Box 3000
Boulder, CO 80307-3000
(303) 497-1201
scdinfo@ncar.ucar.edu

----------------------------------------------------------
Fred Clare * NCAR (Nat'l Center for Atmospheric Research)
PO Box 3000 * Boulder, CO  80307-3000 * 303-497-1284
fred@ncar.ucar.edu


From bsd@scripps.edu (Bruce Duncan)
Subject: upstream transforms + colorize geom
Message-ID: <1992May28.012627.6253@riscsm.scripps.edu>
Sender: usenet@riscsm.scripps.edu
Organization: The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
Date: Thu, 28 May 1992 01:26:27 GMT
Lines: 29

Greetings,

I'm having trouble with upstream transforms and the colorize geom module.
This is on a Titan3000 running AVS4.0 (beta).

I have a module that creates a geometry and I want to move this geometry
around with the mouse and have the vertex colors set by the colorize geom module
based on field values.  If geometries are read in (via read_geom)
and colorized, everything works OK (but the geometry is static, that is,
if you move it, its colors don't change).  

With my new module, I transform
the input points (that are then sent to the module that actually makes the
geometry) by the matrix returned in the upstream transform structure.
The transformation mode is set to redirect.  The output of the colorize
geom module (the new geometry) does not seem correct.  The colors
of a slice plane through the geometry don't match the colors
of the geometry.  It seems like the coordinate system of the geometry
is not correct.  As the object is manipulated, the colors change 
(but are wrong).  Are the coordinates that colorize_geom uses to compute
the colors transformed in some way to map them into the field???

No extent information is set by any of my geometry producing modules.
The data field is scalar rectilinear and other geometries "line up" properly.

Any clues on what is wrong???

Bruce Duncan
bsd@scripps.edu


From wnc@sirius.larc.nasa.gov (Bill Cullifer)
Subject: Need AVS filter
Message-ID: <1992May29.183039.12523@news.larc.nasa.gov>
Sender: news@news.larc.nasa.gov (USENET Network News)
Organization: NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA  USA
Date: Fri, 29 May 1992 18:30:39 GMT
Lines: 15

I am trying to find out if it is possible to run a sun rasterfile produced
via the drawing utility called touchup through some filter to get an input
file that is readable by avs. I want to use the right type of data file so
both a color display of the data and manipulation of the colormap is posible.
The rasterfile is a rendition of South America. The manipulation will be
a simulation of a geosynchronous craft using a beam radar and sensing surface
tempratures by analyzing the colors of the map then outputting a display of
what was picked up in the beam footprint utilizing color coded cells to represent
pixels. I also want to display in another window the actual map as would be
seen from the craft.

If you have a clue to a filter that will help I would appretiate your input.
-- 
Bill Cullifer
wnc@radar0.larc.nasa.gov


