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#!CNavyBlue #!N  #!Rovedx Overview of Data Explorer #!N 
#!EC #!N #!N The Data Explorer graphical user interface allows end 
users to perform tasks at various levels of sophistication. For example, 
a user can use the user interface to apply data and 
adjust input values to an existing visualization process. A slightly more 
advanced user can construct a new visualization process, called a visual 
program, by connecting a network of Data Explorer's modules. An expert 
programmer can create new modules, using C or FORTRAN, for use 
with the system modules. Besides the user interface, Data Explorer also 
provides a scripting language interface, for users who want to build 
their own visualization functions in a more traditional programming style. #!N 
#!N Data Explorer's graphical user interface provides an integrated online help 
facility. This facility provides users with online access to the Data 
Explorer user manuals, as well as with context-sensitive help information. In 
addition to the help information provided with Data Explorer, the online 
help facility allows users to document various aspects of their particular 
visual programs. Other users of these visual programs then have online 
access to this program-specific documentation. #!N #!N Data Explorer provides an 
extensive set of modules that you can use to visualize your 
data. For example, the Isosurface, Streamline, and AutoColor modules perform the 
standard visualization functions of creating constant-value surfaces, tracing particle paths through 
velocity fields, and coloring objects based on a data value, respectively. 
#!N #!N In addition to these expected functions, Data Explorer also 
provides tools to perform more sophisticated manipulation of data. The Map 
module is a general purpose module that can map a data 
field onto an arbitrary object--whether it is a streamline, an isosurface, 
or even another data field's computational mesh. The Compute module can 
perform arithmetic or trigonometric operations point-by-point not only on your data 
but also on the grid itself. Thus warping a grid, for 
example, is a simple matter of entering an expression. #!N #!N 
Even standard tools, such as Isosurface, operate on multiple types of 
input grids. For example, if the input field to Isosurface is 
2-dimensional, the module automatically creates contour lines. #!N #!N The Data 
Explorer renderer can handle opaque or translucent surfaces, translucent volumes, and 
opaque or translucent lines or points--all in the same image. In 
addition, data on different computational or observational grids can be visualized 
together, allowing you to correlate disparate data fields without requiring you 
to force the data onto the same grid. #!N #!N The 
power and interoperability of the modules is possible because of the 
underlying data model, which is capable of describing a wide variety 
of types of input data. Because the data itself is self-describing, 
modules can be flexible in the types of data they accept, 
and can perform their actions appropriately based on their input. #!N 
#!N #!N  #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18*   Next Topic #!EF #!N #!N  #!Lc11,dxall182 h System Structure  #!EL  #!N  #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18*   
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