Version 1.2 Officially Released

Modeling and Simulation Environment for developing and deploying scientific and engineering simulators without writing any Graphical User Interface code.

OpenGL 3D Graphics support in v1.2

Features Version 1.2 Features new Getting Started Slideshow (or in PDF) new Examples Example for MATLAB® Users FAQ On-Line Manuals Download Pricing & Ordering Educational Grant Program Other Resources Questions or Comments?

How do you develop the graphical user interface (GUI) for your scientific or engineering simulators?  Do you find it hard to develop and deploy windows-based simulation software?  Do you spend more time on developing the GUI front-end than the actual simulator core routines?  Do you create an ad hoc GUI for each and every simulator?  How do you let your users know what input ranges they should use?  How do you resolve the unit discrepancies between the user input/output and your simulator?  How do you synchronize the changing input specifications between your simulator and the GUI?  Does the GUI development force you to learn yet another programming language?  Do your users request GUI environments for your legacy simulation code?  Is the GUI only a shell to invoke your simulator without run-time user controls?  Do you outsource your GUI project to consultants but find it already obsolete as soon as it is delivered to them?  Does the GUI cost you too much to develop, maintain, and support?

SansGUI has been developed to address all of these issues for you.  Using the innovative SansGUI software, you get a modern, highly interactive, object-oriented modeling and simulation environment for your simulators without writing a single line of GUI code.

The SansGUI Solution

For simulation developers, research scientists or engineers, SansGUI is a framework for modeling physical or abstract systems.  You can use SansGUI to create models with different levels of complexity, from a few simple data forms, to a single level network of parts and links, or to as complex as multiple levels of assemblies with interconnections and reference data in many scientific and engineering disciplines.

One of the many innovative concepts introduced by SansGUI is the SansGUI Data Object, a simple and easy-to-implement protocol for simulation engines to communicate with SansGUI.  One data object format and one application programming interface (API) are the only requirements for creating simulators tightly coupled with SansGUI.  Such simplicity implies that it requires only minimal effort from developers to master the whole system and be ported to other platforms or translated to other protocols easily.

A simulation developer uses SansGUI to specify the classes of model building blocks in a target system as a Schema Definition which compiles it into an Object Library and a set of source routines, in supported programming languages, for implementing the behavior of the classes.  A simulation user installs the Object Library and the associated simulator executables from the simulation developer to create a Project Model with a model configuration, a certain input data set, and parameters.  SansGUI takes care of user interaction, hierarchical model configuration, object sharing, data entry assistance and validation, unit conversion, dynamic memory allocation, multi-thread/process simulator execution, simulation control, result logging, displaying, plotting, and most importantly, evolving the user's model data in the event that the simulator experienced Schema Definition changes between versions.

SansGUI currently implements continuous, cycle-driven simulation control for highly interactive, tightly-coupled, in-process simulators.  Stand-alone, external process simulators are not limited to built-in simulation flow controls.  An external process simulator receives a textual Model File, in Tabular Data Blocks or XML Model Data formats, with a flattened model configuration.  SansGUI provides a mechanism to integrate legacy simulators written in any programming language.  Dealing with hierarchical models and object-orientation is highly recommended, but not required.

The Application Domains

The following are some sample application domains that can take advantage of SansGUI's modeling capabilities:

• Physical Systems
• Mechanical Dynamics
• Hydraulic Pipeline Systems
• Control Systems
• Communications Networks
• Electrical/Electronic Circuits
• Artificial Neural Networks
• Other Simulation Fields

Supported Environments

Run-Time Environment System Requirements

• Pentium class or compatible computer system
• 16 MB physical memory, 32 MB or more recommended
• 800x600 SVGA display with 256 colors, higher recommended
• 15 MB minimum hard disk space for installation
• Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 (SP3 or later), 2000, XP, or Windows 95/98/Me

Developer Environment System Requirements

• Pentium class or compatible computer system
• 32 MB physical memory, 64 MB or more recommended
• 1024x768 SVGA display with 256 colors, higher recommended
• 20 MB minimum hard disk space for installation
• Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 (SP3 or later), 2000, XP, or Windows 95/98/Me

Development Environment for In-Process Simulators

• Microsoft Visual C/C++ 6.0 or later
• Compaq Visual Fortran 6.1 or later
• Any programming language or environment that can generate Win32 DLLs callable by Microsoft Visual C/C++

Development Environment for External Process Simulators

• Any programming language or environment that can generate stand-alone executables

License Options

More about SansGUI

• Features: see a list of SansGUI innovative features and their benefits to you.
• new Slideshow: view Getting Started with SansGUI: A Quick SansGUI Tutorial for Simulation Users and Developers, 60 slides in PowerPoint Format.  See the slideshow in PDF format.
• Examples: have a quick tour of SansGUI examples.
• Example for MATLAB® Users: see how to set up and solve a system of linear equations in conjunction with the MATLAB® software from The Mathworks, Inc..
• FAQ: find the answers to some frequently asked questions about SansGUI.
• Manuals: access SansGUI on-line manuals from your browser.
• Download: obtain free evaluation software and other SansGUI documentation.
• Simulator Integration Services: find the quality services we provide.
• Training Courses: to be announced.
• Educational Grant Program: apply for course adoption or special project.
• Resources: link to other useful modeling and simulation program development sites.
• Compaq Newsletter Article: read a feature article about SansGUI in Compaq Visual Fortran Newsletter issue IX, June 2001.

* MATLAB is a registered trademark of The Mathworks, Inc.  OpenGL is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc.