Waltham, Massachusetts-based Advanced Visual Systems Inc has duly launched its new object-oriented application development environment for the technical market, as AVS/Express. The product comprises several elements. The Network Editor is a visual programming environment, which displays an application’s structure in flowchart-like graphics. It also enables users to add AVS/Express and other internally-developed object libraries for user interface, graphics, imaging and visualisation functions without needing specialised graphics programming skills. Other code such as C, C++, or Fortran subroutines can be encapsulated and integrated for use within Network Editor too. Object Manager, on the other hand, manages the application by defining data, functions, and data access as well as scheduling and executing functions. It provides the application’s run-time environment, but also acts as an insulating layer between different hardware and operating systems. Furthermore, AVS/Express includes a Data Visualisation Kit, an Image Kit for image processing, and a Graphics Display Kit for displaying data. These can be incorporated into an application via the Network Editor, while a User Interface Kit enables developers to build their own Motif or Windows front-end. The product is targeted at such application areas as medical imaging, financial modelling and geographical information systems. It is scheduled for release this quarter, and costs $18,000 for a Unix workstation-based developer’s licence, $4,500 for each additional user. And versions for Microsoft Corp Windows NT on iAPX-86 and Alpha RISC-based personal computers should be out later this year.
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