Software engineering

The BODC Explorer software package

The BODC Explorer software package was written in Delphi. Its programs allow data on BODC's CDROMs to be selected and presented in different ways. The data can be saved, printed and exported to other applications, such as spreadsheets.

Contents

1. Database Explorer
2. Underway Explorer
3. Mooring Explorer

1. Database Explorer

The BODC Database Explorer is a Microsoft Windows application that allows data from a CDROM database to be retrieved in a matrix that may be exported to other applications, such as spreadsheets. It has been tested successfully under Windows95, Windows98 and Windows NT 4.0.

The program is designed to support one or more BODC CDROMs, providing the project specific installation has been run for each CDROM to be used. It includes full information on its use through an online help system, including functional descriptions of all the menu options and control buttons. 

The Database Explorer allows a query to be formulated through a series of forms. The first form, Data Selection, fulfils two functions

• It allows the subset of the data to be specified based on header parameters such as position, date/time, water depth and sample depth. 
• It allows specification of the header parameters that are to be included on each row of the final data set.

Once the program knows the data events that are of interest, it finds parameters that are present in the database for those events. Forms are then offered that allow the parameters of interest to be specified. This process is repeated at increasing levels of detail — doing it all at once could involve wading through a choice of hundreds of possibilities.

When the parameters have been specified, the requested data are listed in a matrix format with one row per measurement and one column per parameter. This may be saved, printed or copied over the clipboard to another application.

2. Underway Explorer

The BODC Underway Explorer is a Microsoft Windows application that allows data from BODC CDROM underway files to be presented as time series plots and listed in a matrix. The program also provides an indication of the spatial context of the data through a map of the cruise track overlaid on a coastline and bathymetric contours. The program has been tested successfully under Windows95, Windows98 and Windows NT 4.0.

The content of all program windows, be it a plot, a map or matrix, may be saved onto disk or printed using any printer installed on the Windows system. It is designed to support one or more BODC CDROMs containing underway data files providing the project specific installation program has been run for each CDROM to be used.

The program includes full information on its use through an online help system, including functional descriptions of all the menu options and control buttons.

The software provides a powerful interactive interface that allows the time series of interest to be quickly isolated. Those selected may then be iteratively displayed and listed as required.

3. Mooring Explorer

The BODC Mooring Explorer is a Microsoft Windows application that allows the moored instrument files on BODC CDROMs to be plotted as stacked time series. The data may also be listed in a matrix format that can be exported to other applications, such as spreadsheets. 

The program contains online help, including functional descriptions of all the menu options and control buttons.

The software provides a powerful interactive interface that allows the series of interest to be quickly isolated. Those selected may then be iteratively displayed and listed as required.

Related BODC pages