From: Jeff Kallenbach <jeffk@fnal.gov>
To: Ruth Pordes <ruth@fnal.gov>
Subject: Visualization Status
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 1998 11:38 AM

Ruth -

Here is my status report.  It is based on the WBS dictionary for
Visualization.  Also, I will be submitting a separate report on the status
of the commercial product evaluation prescribed by PASREC.

>
>Project Scope and Deliverables
>
>This project will include
>
>  - Promote and support the use of Open Inventor (OI), available from Tem-
>    plate Graphics System (TGS) or Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI).

This is going fair.  TGS has now said that Open Inventor for Linux will be
available in mid- or late December, so we are still waiting for that.  On
the positive side, OI 2.5 for IRIX has been delivered and installed on
cdfsga and the visualization code there is building with this newest version.

>
>  - Contribute to the HEPVis library, a collection of HEP-specific extentions
>    to OI. This will include contributing code to the libary, maintaining the
>    cvs repository, and porting to relevant platforms.
>

Going very well.  We have received many contributions from the Geant4 vis
group, recently had a release 4.6, and are planning 4.7 for the next few
weeks (in time for Geant 4.0Beta).  Postscript printing and other niceties
are now part of the package.  Release 5.0, with some major upgrades, will
be available in January.  The repository is very busy, and we are
subjecting the product to a nightly build on fnvirt1.

>  - Make use of Virtual Reality. This will include maintaining a VR center,
>    and assisting in development of useful 3D representations for use with
the
>    VR equipment.
>

Only a few users of VR to this point.  We do have a demonstration program
which can be used by anyone to experience our version of VR.  We are just
waiting for a captive account on the VR machine to publicize this program.

>  - Evaluate and support supplemental software. Some examples would in-
>    clude software needed to produce hardcopy, GUI builders, and auxilliary
>    tools for increasing availability to the desktops (e. g. Mesa, eXceed3D).
>

Mesa 3.0 is available now and will be upd'd before too long.  The truth is
that until we get Linux OI, Mesa is not that useful, or at least more
bother than it's worth.

>  - Provde infrastructure support. This will include hosting workshops and
>    training classes in the use of OI and VR, and on installing and using a
>    system of graphics software for use on the experiments' desktops.
>

This is ongoing, at least with respect to distributing the oi and Hepvis
software.  There are some users of both products at CDF and D0, and I
maintain sporatic contact with them, as need arises.

>  - Support the integration of the above technologies to provide a "Visual-
>    ization Framework", whereby users will be able to make use of a variety
>    of desktops and the RunII platforms and operating systems to view their
>    data at various levels of display.

I haven't communicated with Joe and Amber on this subject.

Cheers, 
Jeff

===========================================================================
Jeff Kallenbach  |  Fermi National Accelerator Lab  |  Graphics,  X Windows
V: (630)840-2210 |          jeffk@fnal.gov          |    F: (630)840-2783
===========================================================================