STEP Tools News for Monday January 3

[Martin Hardwick]

This weekly newsletter is a brief update of what is going on in STEP
and at STEP Tools, Inc.  If you want to know more, try the STEP Tools
web site (http://www.steptools.com).


---------------
WSME SBIR Award

The Web-based Smart Modeling Environment (WSME) system is a Phase 1
SBIR program awarded to STEP Tools by the Navy.  The objectives of
Phase 1 are:

1. Define the WSME architecture:

 - A standards-based product data application server, using ISO 10303
   application protocols and EXPRESS-X mapping technology.

 - Selection of a transport mechanism for server-to-client
   communication; e.g., XML, STEP Part 21, Java Object Stream.

 - Selection of a candidate component technology for building clients;
   e.g., Enterprise Java Beans, ActiveX.

 - Selection of a candidate intra-client communication technology;
   e.g., Java InfoBus, OLE/COM.

2. Identify relevant portions of STEP ship building application
   protocols (AP 217, AP 218, etc.) and design appropriate client web
   applications.

3. Determine how DOD and the ship building industry can best leverage
   the WSME system.

The award will allows us to extend ST-Repository so that it can be
used to manage databases for ships.


-------------------------------------
ST-Developer 8.0 to contain ST-Viewer

ST-Developer 8.0 will be released this quarter. The new release will
include several productivity enhancements such as faster libraries and
easier user interfaces.

The main feature of the new release will be the inclusion of the
ST-Viewer along with documentation of its OLE/COM interface.  This
interface will allow ST-Developer customers to build STEP applications
that use the ST-Viewer for visualization.


-------------
Party Picture

A picture and article published in the local paper has been added to
our web site. The picture shows the Mayor of Troy and the Lieutenant
Governor of New York State with our CFO at the recent celebration
party.

   http://www.steptools.com/


--------------
Class Schedule

Please see the following master schedule for details on the classes
available in each month. These classes will be held at the times shown
in Troy or they can be held offsite by arrangement.

   http://www.steptools.com/training/


------------------------------------
Translation Service

Summary:
Period Covered: Mon Dec 27 17:30:13 1999 -- Mon Jan  3 17:30:13 2000
Total usage: 23
Successful usage: 18 (78%)
Errors: 5 (21%)


Translator	total	errors	success rate

acis-ap203	4	0	100%
ap203-acis	3	0	100%
expfront	1	0	100%
para-step	2	0	100%
step-para	11	3	72%
webviz		2	2	0%

=======================================
All-Time stats

------------------------------------
Summary:
Period Covered: Wed Dec 31 19:00:00 1969 -- Mon Jan  3 17:52:04 2000
Total usage: 7211
Successful usage: 6145 (85%)
Errors: 1066 (14%)

Translator      	total   errors  success rate
 
ACIS to STEP      	1418    57      95%
STEP to ACIS      	2493    266     89%
Parasolid to STEP 	197     97      50%
STEP to Parasolid 	242     133     45%
AP203 Checker     	428     38      91%
EXPRESS Checker   	11      1       90%
Visualization tools 	342     61      82%
Visualization Service  2       2       0%
XML to STEP       	65      21      67%
STEP to XML       	232     21      90%

--------------------
Our Tools

Programming:
* ST-Developer -- programming tools for understanding and writing
  STEP/EXPRESS applications, translators and databases.

* ST-ACIS Library -- programming functions to convert STEP data to 
  and from ACIS models and SAT files.

* ST-Parasolid Library -- programming functions to convert STEP
  data to and from Parasolid models.

* ST-Visualizer Library -- programming functions to visualize STEP
  data.

Desktop:
* ST-ACIS Translator -- desktop tool for translating STEP data to
  ACIS and vice versa.

* ST-Parasolid Translator -- desktop tool for translating STEP data to
  Parasolid and vice versa.

* ST-Viewer -- desktop tool to view, analyze and annotate STEP data.

Database:
* ST-Repository -- Parts library database for the supply chain with
  services for translating, viewing and editing product data using web
  browsers and desktop applications such as MS Excel and MS Access.


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