#!F-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--18*
#!N 
#!CNavyBlue #!N  #!Rall197 Introduction to the 
Data Model #!N #!EC #!N #!N The Data Explorer data model 
supports various types of simulation and observational data. Data structures that 
can be represented include: #!N #!I0 #!N  #!F-adobe-times-medium-r-normal--18*   #!N #!N #!I30 
#!N o Data defined on a regular orthogonal grid #!N #!I30 
#!N o Data defined on a deformed regular or curvilinear grid 
#!N #!I30 #!N o Data defined on various irregular grids, such 
as triangular, quadrilateral, and tetrahedral meshes #!N #!I30 #!N o Unstructured 
data with no connections between the data samples. #!N #!I0 #!N 
#!EF #!N The data samples can be defined over spaces of 
any dimensionality, and, independently, can also be connected by primitives of 
various dimensionalities (allowing, for example, triangular and quadrilateral meshes defined over 
2- or 3-dimensional points). The data values can be associated either 
with the sample points or with the connections between the sample 
points. Available data types include: #!N #!I0 #!N  #!F-adobe-times-medium-r-normal--18*   #!N #!N 
#!I30 #!N o Real and complex data #!N #!I30 #!N o 
Scalar, vector and tensor data #!N #!I30 #!N o Byte, short, 
integer (signed and unsigned), and floating-point data #!N #!I0 #!N #!EF 
#!N #!N #!N Data are stored in the form of  #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18*   
Objects #!EF for use by Data Explorer modules. An Object is 
a data structure stored in memory that contains an indication of 
the Object's type, along with additional type-dependent information. The bulk of 
the data is encapsulated in  #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18*   Array #!EF Objects. #!N #!N 
The data model centers on the notion of a  #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18*   sampled 
field #!EF . The next section describes the  #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18*   Field, Array, 
#!EF and  #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18*   Group #!EF Objects that implement sampled fields in 
Data Explorer. In addition to these basic Object types, other types 
are used to construct models for rendering (e.g., Transforms, Clipped Objects, 
Lights, and Cameras). These are described in  #!Ledf,dxall623 h Data Explorer Native Files  #!EL  and in IBM 
Visualization Data Explorer Programmer's Reference. #!N #!N Data are also stored 
in permanent file storage in the form of the same Objects. 
Although Data Explorer supports the creation of Objects from data stored 
in other file formats (such as netCDF), the Data Explorer file 
format offers significant additional functionality and flexibility. #!N #!N Note that 
the Data Explorer file format is versatile, allowing for future expansion 
of the capabilities of the system without requiring changes to the 
file format. It is possible to represent data types in a 
Data Explorer file that cannot be processed by the current version 
of Data Explorer. For example, in the current release of Data 
Explorer, only single-precision floating-point positions are universally supported. Also, most modules 
support only 1-, 2-, or 3-dimensional positions. #!N #!N #!N  #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18*   
Next Topic #!EF #!N #!N  #!Lall198,dxall199 h Object Types  #!EL  #!N  #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18*   #!N 
