FEP - Format Utilization by a Tool Developer - NOESYS

1. Tool Identification

Noesys 2.0, developed by Fortner Software, distributed by Research Systems

2. Utilized Formats

• HDF 4.1 - read, write, visualize, all structures, edit
• HDF-EOS: Files contents displayed in the HDF-EOS profile tab. Edit HDF EOS Grids.
• ASCII: table, column, and ASCII Special files
• Binary: byte, integer, long integer, float: byte swapping, and header support
• netCDF: netCDF to HDF converter included
• TIFF
• GeoTIFF
• BMP: Windows only
• PICT: Macintosh only
• DTED (Digital Terrain Elevation Data*)
• SDTS (Spatial Data Transfer Standard) Raster Profile

Save as:

• HDF data files, HDF image files
• Exports to ASCII and Binary
• BMP (Windows)
• WMF (Windows)
• PICT (Macintosh
  

3. Format Selection Rationale

• HDF - evaluation of available options, desire to support open standard, and cross platform library support.
• ASCII & Binary import are supported due to the large amount of data already in these formats and the ease of which they can be created.
• netCDF import is supported because it was easy to get this additional support through the HDF Libraries.
• TIFF import is supported due to the large amount of data in this format and the amount of customer requests.
• DTED, SDTS, and GeoTIFF import are supported because we target earth science markets with our products.
• BMP, PICT, and WMF are supported due to the compatibility with these formats on Windows and Macintosh platforms with virtually any graphics application.
  

4. Lessons Learned

• HDF - access to data is not as fast as binary, but much more cross platform compatible.
• netCDF - HDF Library support is easy, but only compatible with 2.3 netCDF. Newer 2.4 support would require using netCDF libraries.
• DTED, SDTS, GeoTIFF - careful design and interface is required to provide attributes in a meaningful and timely manner.
• SDTS - several libraries are available, not all are cross platform yet.
  

5. Plans for Additional Formats

• FITS - to support astronomy related data.
• TIFF - improved TIFF support
• HDF 5.0 - to support future science data satellite missions.
• DICOM - to support medical community.
• SEG-Y - Seismological/Oil&Gas ,market requests
• SDTS (Spatial Data Transfer Standard) Vector Profile
• CDF - Additonal remote sensing and NASA data
• PDS - Planetary and related data
• BUFR - meteorologic data
• GRIB - meteorologic data
  

6. Plans to Support Format Evolution

• TIFF - support for 24 bit, 16 bit, compressed, and multi-image TIFF files.
• HDF 5.0 - Can be considered extension to HDF 4.0 or different format.
• netCDF next version - for atmospheric science community
  

7. Supported Object Types

For all formats: Data is opened into one of these object types:
• 24 bit RGB Image
• 8 bit Image
• 256 color Palette
• Text Attributes, annotations, metadata, macros
• Numeric Attributes (Scalar or vector, varying integer, floating point)
• Multidimenisonal array (floating point, integer, byte, signed/unsigned)
• Tables (Multi field, Multi record - varying field types)

8. Tool Environment

Most of the interface is GUI based and is detailed in the next section. Additional functionality is provided by the integration of Research Systems IDL(TM) programming language at various levels. Details of IDL can be referred to in a separate product submission.

9. Functions and Services

Overview of some Noesys functions:

• View all data objects in files
• Drag and Drop objects between files to organize or subset files
• GUI driven access
• Support profiles of multi-object aggregate objects
• Subset Tables and Arrays
• Export objects to ASCII, binary, other formats
• Add new data objects to files and create hierarchical groups
• Attach metadata and annotations directly to the data file
• Include macro programs inside the data file
• Print datasets, images and text attributes
• Edit object contents - palettes, tables, arrays, attributes, etc
• Display multidimensional data (up to 7 dimensions) in spreadsheet editor
• Create new objects from the data menu
• Use IDL language to manipulate existing data objects or create new ones
• Copy and Paste selected columns, rows, or regions of data
• Extract selected values or regions
• View and create raster images
• Project data with standard map projections, gridlines
• View byte level detailed content of data structures
• Move objects into IDL macro variables for imageing and processing
• Move IDL variables into data objects GUI imaging and processing
• Store IDL macros with data

10. Other Comments

NOESYS SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT KIT (SDK) allows users to add translators for additional standard, proprietary or project specific formats. SDK available from http://www.fortner.com/developer.

Wider Views