Visual programming environments for multi-disciplinary distributed applications

Shields, Matthew S. 2004. Visual programming environments for multi-disciplinary distributed applications. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.

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Abstract

A Problem Solving Environment is a complete, integrated computing environment for composing, compiling and running applications in a specific problem area or domain. A Visual Programming Environment is one possible front end to a problem solving environment. It applies the visual programming paradigms of "point and click" and "drag and drop", via a Graphical User Interface, to the various constituent components that are used to assemble an application. The aim of the problem solving environment presented here is to provide the ability to build up scientific applications by connecting, or plugging, software components together and to provide an intuitive way to construct scientific applications. Problem solving environments promise a totally new user environment for computational scientists and engineers. In this new paradigm, individual programs combined to solve a problem in their given area of expertise, are wrapped as components within an integrated system that is both powerful and easy to use. This thesis aims to address: problems in code reuse the combination of different codes in new ways and problems with underlying system familiarity and distribution. This is achieved by abstracting application composition using visual programming techniques. The work here focuses on a prototype environment using a number of demonstration problems from multi-disciplinary problem domains to illustrate some of the main difficulties in building problem solving environments and some possible solutions. A novel approach to code wrapping, component definition and application specification is shown, together with timing and usage comparisons that illustrate that this approach can be used successfully to help scientists and engineers in their daily work.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Computer Science & Informatics
Subjects:	Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
ISBN:	9781303201042
Funders:	Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, BAE SYSTEMS Ltd.
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	11 Dec 2023 10:35
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/55952

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