6 VISTA Data Level Implementation

  
Figure 6.1: VISTA data level core diagram

Fig. 6.1 shows the core components of the VISTA data level (cf. Fig. 3.4). The PIF Binary File Manager (PBFM) - implemented as a separate TCAD tool - is responsible for conversion of PIF ASCII files into PIF binary files (PBFs) vice versa. The PIF ASCII format which was presented already in Section 4.2 was the first ``implemented'' component by defining its syntax and associated rules. This syntax description is given in Appendix A. The VISTA components above the data level are described in [Hala94][Pimi93] and [IuE94]. The thickly framed components of Fig. 6.1 make up the PIF Application Interface (PAI) which will be described in detail in the next sections.

• 6.1 PAI - The Layered Procedural Interface
  • 6.1.1 Error Handling
  • 6.1.2 VISTA Operating System
  • 6.1.3 File Layer
  • 6.1.4 Network Layer
  • 6.1.5 Caching Layer
  • 6.1.6 Basic Layer
  • 6.1.7 Interface Layer
  • 6.1.8 Application Layer and Language Bindings
    • FORTRAN Interface
    • LISP Interface
  • 6.1.9 Procedural Interfaces
  • 6.1.10 PIF Binary File Manager
• 6.2 Semantic Issues
• 6.3 Grid Representations
  • 6.3.1 Tensor Product Grids
  • 6.3.2 Unstructured Grids
• 6.4 Performance Evaluation