Diagram Editor Research Articles

Design and Implementation of Digital Twin Diesel Generator Systems

In stationary power generation units such as distributed remote site power systems and ship power systems, diesel engine generator systems are essential for supplying electricity. This paper proposes a digital twin diesel generator system for teaching and research purposes. A five-layer resilient architecture, including a web interface layer, server cluster layer, real-time data layer, controller layer, and equipment layer, is proposed in this paper. Based on the resilient architecture, users are able to build, implement and monitor the digital twin through web interfaces. Apart from MATLAB/Simulink, a modeling tool called M2PLink is developed to allow users to create mathematical models using a block diagram editor similar to Simulink. Various basic blocks for control systems are provided for users to form sophisticated models. These models are converted into executable codes which are downloaded to the simulator in the controller layer, where the real-time simulations are implemented. A web-based real-time monitoring interface with many widgets such as charts, oscilloscopes, and three-dimensional (3D) animation is also provided for users to customize their monitoring interface. All the signals can be traced and all the parameters can be tuned in the monitoring interface. The users are able to interact with the digital twin just like they do with the real system. The proposed system can not only be used for research such as digital twin-assisted real-time online monitoring but also for educational purposes, which is not only cost-effective but can also ensure the safety of the user as well as the equipment.

Meclib: Dynamic and Interactive Figures in STACK Questions Made Easy

Abstract—Making and interpretation of drawings and schematics is an important skill to be developed in engineering education. The question type STACK in the Moodle learning management system combined with the interactive graphics library JSXGraph has a great potential for implementation of e-learning resources addressing these skills in formative and summative settings. The authoring process of such materials is complex due to multiple markup and programming languages like HTML, LaTeX, Maxima and JavaScript (JS) being involved. The Meclib concept mitigates this complexity and allows for efficient bulk production of material with consistent appearance and user experience. The core of Meclib is a set of pre-defined JSXGraph-based objects with an interface to Maxima, such that no problem specific JS code is required at all. The present paper outlines the basic ideas of the implementation and demonstrates the approach for some typical examples of different complexity. The focus is on applications in engineering mechanics, starting from static illustrations up to an editor for free body diagrams, with rich adaptive formative feedback.

Molecular cartooning with knowledge graphs.

Molecular "cartoons," such as pathway diagrams, provide a visual summary of biomedical research results and hypotheses. Their ubiquitous appearance within the literature indicates their universal application in mechanistic communication. A recent survey of pathway diagrams identified 64,643 pathway figures published between 1995 and 2019 with 1,112,551 mentions of 13,464 unique human genes participating in a wide variety of biological processes. Researchers generally create these diagrams using generic diagram editing software that does not itself embody any biomedical knowledge. Biomedical knowledge graphs (KGs) integrate and represent knowledge in a semantically consistent way, systematically capturing biomedical knowledge similar to that in molecular cartoons. KGs have the potential to provide context and precise details useful in drawing such figures. However, KGs cannot generally be translated directly into figures. They include substantial material irrelevant to the scientific point of a given figure and are often more detailed than is appropriate. How could KGs be used to facilitate the creation of molecular diagrams? Here we present a new approach towards cartoon image creation that utilizes the semantic structure of knowledge graphs to aid the production of molecular diagrams. We introduce a set of "semantic graphical actions" that select and transform the relational information between heterogeneous entities (e.g., genes, proteins, pathways, diseases) in a KG to produce diagram schematics that meet the scientific communication needs of the user. These semantic actions search, select, filter, transform, group, arrange, connect and extract relevant subgraphs from KGs based on meaning in biological terms, e.g., a protein upstream of a target in a pathway. To demonstrate the utility of this approach, we show how semantic graphical actions on KGs could have been used to produce three existing pathway diagrams in diverse biomedical domains: Down Syndrome, COVID-19, and neuroinflammation. Our focus is on recapitulating the semantic content of the figures, not the layout, glyphs, or other aesthetic aspects. Our results suggest that the use of KGs and semantic graphical actions to produce biomedical diagrams will reduce the effort required and improve the quality of this visual form of scientific communication.

WEB-BASED STICKER ORDERING INFORMATION SYSTEM

Ordering is an activity that is often carried out when transacting in trade or services between customers and providers of products and services. At printing office the ordering process is used to order sticker prints where the customer can place an order without coming directly to the printer, the problem that occurs is that there is often a difference in data in ordering and ordering financial statements because when placing an order there are still several applications that can be used. lead to a higher error rate. The design of the sticker ordering information system on the printing office Web-based administrator uses a prototype method that defines the workflow of the system starting from the activities of designing applications. The result of this design is a design in the process of making cover letters to archiving cover letters. Web design on this information system uses Draw.io as a diagram editor in making UML, use cases, activity diagrams, ERD and LRS.

A domain specific language notation for a language learning activity generation tool

Globalization has increased the need for society to master new languages. This need has encouraged the launch of many applications dedicated to language learning. This paper presents a graphical notation for a domain specific language to represent language learning activities. It describes how this notation enables developers to represent language learning activity characteristics using workflow, presentation, content, media and activity model conforming a metamodel that defines the abstract syntax of the domain specific language. This notation is implemented as part of an integrated development environment to build model-based applications. Finally, this proposal is evaluated with a framework that uses the cognitive dimensions of notations for notational systems. The proposed graphic diagram editor exceeds the experience that the user has with the reflexive model editor. In relation to the creation and editing of workflow models and presentation/activity models, the proposed graphical notation its more intuitive and easy to maintain visually than the traditional reflexive tree notation used by many model-based development frameworks.

Supporting Collaboration in Distributed Design Environments using a Shared Object Space Infrastructure

This paper adress the problem of supporting collaboration among designers in a distributed design environment. Our goal is to allow designers to work synchronously even though they are geographically dispersed. The collaboration support is based on shared object spaces as technological infrastructure and its methodology is based on Pair Programming. It was implemented using Jini/Javaspaces and it was incorporated in the Cave2 CAD framework. The implemented collaboration support is availabre as a servicee that ca be requested by the design tolls and it allows design data sharing and facilitates the experience sharing among designers. The proposed approach was validated with a case stufy on a diagram editor.

BioUML: an integrated environment for systems biology and collaborative analysis of biomedical data.

BioUML (homepage: http://www.biouml.org, main public server: https://ict.biouml.org) is a web-based integrated environment (platform) for systems biology and the analysis of biomedical data generated by omics technologies. The BioUML vision is to provide a computational platform to build virtual cell, virtual physiological human and virtual patient. BioUML spans a comprehensive range of capabilities, including access to biological databases, powerful tools for systems biology (visual modelling, simulation, parameters fitting and analyses), a genome browser, scripting (R, JavaScript) and a workflow engine. Due to integration with the Galaxy platform and R/Bioconductor, BioUML provides powerful possibilities for the analyses of omics data. The plug-in-based architecture allows the user to add new functionalities using plug-ins. To facilitate a user focus on a particular task or database, we have developed several predefined perspectives that display only those web interface elements that are needed for a specific task. To support collaborative work on scientific projects, there is a central authentication and authorization system (https://bio-store.org). The diagram editor enables several remote users to simultaneously edit diagrams.

Платформа комплексирования и тестирования средств трансформации естественно-языковых запросов в SPARQL-запросы

In the paper we discuss how to support the process of creating tools which transform natural language (NL) queries into SPARQL queries (hereinafter referred to as a transformation tool). In the introduction, we describe the relevance of the task of understanding natural language queries by information systems, as well as the advantages of using ontologies as a means of representing knowledge for solving this problem. This ontology-based data access approach can be also used in systems which provide natural language interface to databases. Based on the analysis of problems related to the integration and testing of existing transformation tools, as well as to support the creation and testing own transformation modules, the concept of a software platform that simplifies these tasks is proposed. The platform architecture satisfies the requirements for ease of connecting third party transformation tools, reusing individual modules, as well as integrating the resulting transformation tools into other systems, including testing systems. The building blocks of the created transformation systems are the individual transformation modules packaged in Docker containers. Program access to each module is carried out using gRPC. Modules loaded into the platform can be built into the transformation pipeline automatically or manually using the built-in third party SciVi data flow diagram editor. Compatibility of individual modules is controlled by automatic analysis of application programming interfaces. The resulting pipeline is combined according to specified data flow into a single multi-container application that can be integrated into other systems, as well as tested on extendable test suites. The expected and actual results of the query transformation are available for viewing in graphical form in the visualization tool developed earlier.

Application of computational models to creation of universal diagram editor

Application of computational models to creation of universal diagram editor

View to view transformations in domain specific modeling

Model-based software development tools should provide user-friendly navigation services to allow users browsing (show/hide and zoom in/zoom out) various model details in diagrams. This functionality is crucial in development of large-scale models. In this paper, we present an approach for formal definition of navigation services based on transformations. We introduce view-to-view transformations applying ATL, and present formal definition of navigation service. We also present a prototype implementing the approach. The prototype adds facilities of navigation servicers design to GMF and uses KIELLER toolset for layout of transformation results. A graphical editor for UML class diagrams with 12 navigation services, which have been specified using the approach, is presented.

Combining Sketching and Traditional Diagram Editing Tools

The least cognitively demanding way to create a diagram is to draw it with a pen. Yet there is also a need for more formal visualizations, that is, diagrams created using both traditional keyboard and mouse interaction. Our objective is to allow the creation of diagrams using traditional and stylus-based input. Having two diagram creation interfaces requires that changes to a diagram should be automatically rendered in the other visualization. Because sketches are imprecise, there is always the possibility that conversion between visualizations results in a lack of syntactic consistency between the two visualizations. We propose methods for converting diagrams between forms, checking them for equivalence, and rectifying inconsistencies. As a result of our theoretical contributions, we present an intelligent software system allowing users to create and edit diagrams in sketch or formal mode. Our proof-of-concept tool supports diagrams with connected and spatial syntactic elements. Two user studies show that this approach is viable and participants found the software easy to use. We conclude that supporting such diagram creation is now possible in practice.

A tool for visual and formal modelling of software designs

Diagrams are ubiquitous in software engineering and widely used for software modelling. The visual contract language (VCL) enables an approach to software design modelling that is entirely graphical and has a mathematical basis. VCL's main novelties lie in its capacity to describe predicates visually and in its graphical front-end to formal modelling. VCL is brought to life in the visual contract builder (VCB) tool presented in this paper. VCB provides diagram editors for the whole VCL suite, it type-checks diagrams and generates Z formal specifications from them; the Z specification enables formal verification and validation using Z theorem provers. The paper evaluates VCB based on the results of a survey carried out in the context of a controlled experiment. The work presented here is a contribution to the area of visual design modelling: the paper presents a state of the art tool supporting the novel VCL language and concrete empirical results on the usefulness and effectiveness of tool and language in particular, suggesting benefits of visual modelling in general.

A method of refinement in UML-B

UML-B is a `UML-like' graphical front-end for Event-B that provides support for object-oriented and state machine modelling concepts, which are not available in Event-B. In particular, UML-B includes class diagram and state machine diagram editors with automatic generation of corresponding Event-B. In Event-B, refinement is used to relate system models at different abstraction levels. The same refinement concepts are also applicable in UML-B but require special consideration due to the higher-level modelling concepts. In previous work, we described a case study to introduce support for refinement in UML-B. We now provide a more complete presentation of the technique of refinement in UML-B including a formalisation of the refinement rules and a definition of the extensions to the abstract syntax of UML-B notation. The provision of gluing invariants to discharge the proof obligations associated with a refinement is a significant step in providing verifiable models. We discuss and compare two approaches for constructing gluing invariants in the context of UML-B refinement.

Titelbild Chem. Ing. Tech. 6/2013

AbstractVisualization is indispensable in the analysis and interpretation of data from experiment and simulation. To adequately represent the diversity of biological phenomena, researchers need to be supported with tools that are easy to use and allow effective yet individual data visualizations. The visualization tool Omix is an editor for metabolic network diagrams and a customizable visualization framework. The scripting language OVL, the Omix Visualization Language, enables script‐based data visualization. An intuitive user interface, several newly developed, domain‐specific drawing automatisms as well as innovative visualization concepts, like atom mappings in the context of the network topology, make the software Omix a mature computational tool supporting the specific requirements of researchers from systems biology and life science domains.P. Droste, K. Nöh, W. Wiechert, Chem. Ing. Tech. 2013, 85 (6), 849 – 862.DOI: 10.1002/cite.201200234

Omix – A Visualization Tool for Metabolic Networks with Highest Usability and Customizability in Focus

AbstractVisualization has become indispensable in the analysis and interpretation of data from experiment and simulation. To adequately represent the diversity of studied phenomena, it is necessary to support researchers with tools that are easy to use and allow effective data visualization with special regard to individual requirements. This contribution presents the visualization tool Omix, an editor for metabolic network diagrams and a customizable visualization framework. As an outstanding feature, data visualization is script‐based. The dedicated new scripting language OVL (Omix Visualization Language) enables the user to freely design the manner data is visualized in the network. An intuitive user interface, several newly developed, domain‐specific drawing automatisms as well as visualization concepts make the software Omix a mature computational tool supporting the specific requirements of researchers from systems biology and life science domains as will be demonstrated on several application examples.

An Experimental Data Handling System for Ensemble Numerical Weather Predictions Using a Web-Based Data Server and Analysis Tool “Gfdnavi”

Gfdnavi is a web-based data and knowledge server program for geophysical fluid data that constructs databases, provides analysis and visualization tools, and shares knowledge documents. A new Gfdnavi user interface for analyzing and visualizing data on web browsers is developed to improve the user experience by providing seamless analysis and visualization operations, multiple diagram editing, a layer function, and so on. An experimental data handling system for ensemble numerical weather prediction data is constructed using Gfdnavi to address such issues as data processing and transfer between weather centers and decision makers in various sectors, including that of disaster management. Special tools to analyze and visualize ensemble numerical weather prediction data are implemented as user-defined Gfdnavi plug-ins. An interactive document that provides basic ideas of how to utilize probabilistic ensemble data information is written with the Gfdnavi knowledge documentation system, in which hyperlinks enable users to edit diagrams in the document.

On the Development and Usability of a Diagram-based Collaborative Brainstorming Component

The need for computer-supported collaboration has grown over the last years and made collaboration an important factor within organizations. This trend has resulted in the development of a variety of tools and technologies to support the various forms of collaboration. Many collaborative processes, e.g. strategy building, scenario analysis, root cause analysis and requirements engineering, require various collaboration support tools. Data flow, fishbone and brainstorming diagrams, play an important role within these synchronous collaborative applications to create, evaluate, elaborate, discuss, and revise graphical models. Currently, the necessary tools are not integrated and flexible enough to support such processes. In this paper, a synchronous collaborative brainstorming diagram editor integrated in a flexible group support system is described. This approach goes beyond the current state of the art as it can be seamlessly integrated with other collaboration support tools such as text-based brainstorming or voting. The usability of the taken approach is evaluated within a case study on collaborative learning.

Building process control simulations with Easy Java Simulations elements

This work presents a library of Java classes and Easy Java Simulation (EJS) elements, developed to provide a framework to allow an easy building of a wide range of process control related simulations. The potentiality of the framework is illustrated with an application example built by combining several elements of the library: the simulation of control loops composed of a SISO process and a PID controller with send-on-delta sampling. The framework has been designed to be somewhat similar to a block diagram editor, where the user can create a control loop simply by adding the constructive elements and interconnecting them as needed. The model creation is thus made much more intuitive and robust, mainly because the lines of code needed are reduced, if not at all, depending on the complexity of the simulation. The library provides the user with the implementation of the most frequently used control elements, such as a system described by state-space expressions, PID controllers, non-linear systems, etc. In addition, an extension mechanism is provided for advanced users, which can extend the functionality of the built-in blocks either by adapting them or by defining completely new blocks.

Implementation of Ladder Diagram Edit Module of Soft-PLC Based on MDI Application

Abstract. This paper presents an implementation of the Ladder Diagram edit module based on VC multi-document application. The module includes a ladder bitmap data processing, development of the main program interface, and text parameters can be edited, as well as insert and delete functions in the ladder diagram editor module to achieve. The advantage is the use of multi-view characteristics of the MDI application for the system to build a good interface for editing, and editing interface can be directly set and change parameters.

An Exercise in Invariant-based Programming with Interactive and Automatic Theorem Prover Support

Invariant-Based Programming (IBP) is a diagram-based correct-by-construction programming methodology in which the program is structured around the invariants, which are additionally formulated before the actual code. Socos is a program construction and verification environment built specifically to support IBP. The front-end to Socos is a graphical diagram editor, allowing the programmer to construct invariant-based programs and check their correctness. The back-end component of Socos, the program checker, computes the verification conditions of the program and tries to prove them automatically. It uses the theorem prover PVS and the SMT solver Yices to discharge as many of the verification conditions as possible without user interaction. In this paper, we first describe the Socos environment from a user and systems level perspective; we then exemplify the IBP workflow by building a verified implementation of heapsort in Socos. The case study highlights the role of both automatic and interactive theorem proving in three sequential stages of the IBP workflow: developing the background theory, formulating the program specification and invariants, and proving the correctness of the final implementation.