Integration of Graphics and OSI Standards

The offices of GMD-FOKUS in Berlin provided the venue for a meeting in December 1987 which signalled the birth of the ARGOSI project. The proposal gradually took shape over the following months, and after merging with another project proposal in the field of standardization of computer graphics, finally received funding from the Esprit programme in March 1989. The project stemmed from a recognition of the importance of computer graphics a'i an ena­ bling technology in many application areas, and of the need to build bridges between computer graphics and telecommunications. The overall aims of the pro­ ject were twofold: • Advance the state of the art in the transfer of graphical information across international networks. • Improve quality and applicability of standards in this area. This book records the key results of the project and the contributions the project has made to standardization related to the transfer of graphical information across open networks. Contributions have included a demonstration of a prototype appli­ cation - a road transport information system running over public international of a new data networks - shown at the Esprit '91 exhibition, the standardization FT AM document type allowing structured access to graphical information (represented according to the Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM) standard) and major contributions to a mapping of the X-Windows protocol onto an OSI stack. The project also organized two international workshops. the first on Graphics and Communications, and the second on Distributed Window Systems.

1 Overview of Project.- 1.1 Introduction.- 1.2 Initial Objectives.- 1.3 Related Work.- 13.1 Graphics Standards.- 1.3.2 Examples of Distributed Graphics Systems.- 2 Classification.- 2.1 Overview.- 2.1.1 Aims and Goals.- 2.1.2 Collection of the Data.- 2.1.3 Relationship to External Activities.- 2.2 Results of Data Collection.- 2.2.1 General.- 2.2.2 Graphics Used.- 2.2.3 Networking Used.- 2.3 A Taxonomy for Application Classification.- 2.3.1 Overview.- 2.3.2 Classification Metrics.- 2.3.3 Derivation of Taxonomy.- 2.3.4 Taxonomy Framework.- 2.3.5 Initial Elaboration of the Taxonomy Framework.- 2.4 Examples of Using the Taxonomy Framework.- 2.4.1 Wide Range of Requirements.- 2.4.2 Similar Requirements.- 2.4.3 Multiple Associations.- 2.4.4 Semantic Content of Image Data.- 2.4.5 Design and Analysis Aid.- 2.5 Conclusions.- 2.5.1 Summary.- 2.5.2 Future Development.- 2.5.3 Acknowledgements.- 3 Network Connectivity Study.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Networking Requirements of the Application Prototype.- 3.3 PSPDN Connections and Host Equipment at Partner Sites.- 3.4 Performance and Reliability of PSPDNs.- 3.4.1 COSINE Performance Study.- 3.4.2 COSINE Reliability Study.- 3.4.3 Availability of Higher Speed Services.- 3.5 Development of a Testing Regime.- 3.6 Results of Throughput and Reliability Tests.- 3.6.1 Throughput Results.- 3.6.2 Reliability.- 3.7 Conclusions.- 3.8 Recommendations Concerning the Application Prototype.- 4 Standardization Activities.- 4.1 Standards.- 4.2 CGM and FTAM.- 4.2.1 Introduction.- 4.2.2 Mapping the CGM onto FTAM.- 4.2.3 Implementation of the Document Type.- 4.2.4 Evaluation of Document Types for General Structured Access.- 4.3 ASN.1 Notation for CGM.- 4.3.1 Background and Overview.- 4.3.2 Coverage of CGM Elements.- 4.3.3 Approach to ASN. 1 Description.- 4.3.4 ARGOSI CGM-ASN.1 Tools.- 4.3.5 Comparison of BER with Other Encodings.- 4.3.6 Final Status.- 4.3.7 Interim Conclusions.- 4.4 Mapping of the X Window System onto an OSI stack.- 5 The ARGOSI Demonstrator.- 5.1 The Demonstrator Scenario.- 5.2 The User’s View.- 5.3 Architecture of the Application.- 5.4 OSI Services.- 5.4.1 Common API Specifications and Implementation.- 5.4.2 First Implementation of a Hierarchical Document Type.- 5.4.3 Three Different Implementations.- 5.4.4 Limitations.- 5.4.5 Performance.- 5.5 Graphics Services.- 5.5.1 The Use of Metafiles.- 5.5.2 Editing of Metafiles.- 5.5.3 Use of CGM Amendment 1.- 5.5.4 Relationship between CGM and CGI.- 5.5.5 CGM Toolkits.- 5.5.6 CGI Implementation.- 5.5.7 Summary.- 5.6 GDF to CGM Format Converter.- 5.7 How did the Prototype Application Meet the Aims?.- 5.7.1 Introduction.- 5.7.2 Meeting the Aims.- 5.7.3 Summary.- 5.8 Conclusions.- 6 The ARGOSI Workshops.- 6.1 Graphics and Communications.- 6.1.1 Structure.- 6.1.2 Discussions.- 6.1.3 Discussion Groups.- 6.1.4 Summary and Conclusions.- 6.2 Distributed Window Systems.- 6.2.1 Structure.- 6.2.2 Working Groups.- 6.2.3 Conclusions and Recommendations.- 6.2.4 Proceedings.- 7 Evaluation of the Project.- 7.1 Demonstration at the 1991 ESPRIT Exhibition in Brussels.- 7.2 Dissemination of Results.- 7.2.1 Input to Standardization Bodies.- 7.2.2 Registration of CGM-FTAM Document Type.- 7.2.3 Finalization and Publication of ISO/IEC 9636 (CGI).- 7.2.4 Finalization and Publication of Amendments to ISO/IEC 8632 (CGM)..- 7.2.5 Transfer Formats for CGM Based on ASN.1.- 7.3 Contribution to Workshops and Conferences.- 7.4 Summary of Achievements.- Appendix 1—Summaries of Throughput Results.- Appendix 2—Call Failures.- Appendix 3—ASN.1 Notation for CGM Subset.- Appendix 4—Contributors to the Project Work.- Appendix 5—Publications and Contributions.