Pro gramming Without Writing Code



If you're a nonprogrammer but want to program using visual data, develop visual front ends to database files, or quic kly produce high-quality multimedia solutions, Digital Cell Technology and its commercial implementation, Quovis, may be your ticket to success.

by Steven Myers

Quovis, the multimedia application development tool from Sofmap F Design, has quickly become one of the most talked-about software products in the Japanese computer industry. In line with recent movements toward object/component- and visual-based programming paradigms, the Quovis application development environment c omprises a set of mini-applications, or "cells," that are customized and linked together by a programmer to produce a larger application. Each cell is optimized to perform a particular function -- such as displaying visual files, creating button s, or playing videos. By filling out dialog boxes to customize the cells, users can quickly create applications involving the presentation and interpretation of visual data (maps, photos, or videos) without having to write any code.

The technolo gy behind Quovis was conceived and developed by a diverse, synergistic trio called F Design. Wataru Shoji, chief "visionary" and spokesman for the group, joined forces with hardware engineer Daisuke Tabuchi and programmer Ichiro Nakajima to crea te the "cell-oriented" application development approach. The team, which dubbed its new concept "Digital Cell Technology," merged with Akihabara-based Sofmap in March 1995 to create a new company, Sofmap F Design. Sofmap F Design is de voted to the production and marketing of Quovis. It currently employs about 30 people, and has so far released Japanese versions of Quovis Standard 1.0 (a set of 12 cells for professional developers) and Quovis Personal (a lower priced package for home/in dividual use, containing only the three main cells). Work is underway on an English version of Quovis, which is expected to be ready for release sometime this year.

Because the Quovis development environment is so intuitive, even non-programmers can create sophisticated multimedia applications that would require significantly more effort using such popular programming languages as Visual Basic or C++. For one thing, no compilation is required when using Quovis; each cell is a fully debugged, exe cutable application in-and-of itself. The developer adds new features to his/her application simply by refining the appropriate cell. These features can then be used and tested immediately. Likewise, applications can be modified on-the-fly simply by click ing on a cell and changing the parameters in its dialog box.

The benefits of developing multimedia applications under Quovis are clear: quicker development, lower costs, and simplification of application maintenance. On the down side, however, t here are limits to the degree of customization that can be achieved with any one cell, and as with most visual-based programming tools, there often are times when the user wants to control the function of a program at a level of detail not yet supported b y the development environment. Still, the tool is excellent for prototyping and presentations, and as more cells are made available by Sofmap F Design, the level of control over application features should increase accordingly.

A usable tool

If your programming work calls for the handling of visual data, Quovis is certainly worth a look. All of the cells making up the development environment are optimized for displaying visual files, a feature most noticeable when scrolling large maps. (Quovis allows "superscrolling" in any direction without having to use scroll bars or wait for screen redraws.) Response is instantaneous, even for 1GB raster files, and the environment is extremely simple to learn and use.

Quovis can also be used to develop visual front ends to database files created in major relational databases, including Oracle, Sybase, and Informix. The visual interface is created using Quovis, and the resulting program can be linked to the database using a routine writte n in a high-level language such as C++.

For producing high-quality multimedia solutions in a minimum of time, the advantages of Quovis far outweigh the limitations. The program enables artists and graphic designers to take over jobs that previou sly required the assistance of professional programmers.

We've barely scratched the surface with this introductory look. Watch for more about this unique development tool, and the details of Digital Cell Technology, in an upcoming
issue of < I>Computing Japan.ç

Quovis

Typical applications:

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)/mapping

Scientific visualization

Blueprint management

Basic multimedia

Document manageme nt

Supported File Types:

Vector graphics (.dxf, .dvg)

Raster graphics (.bmp, .tif)

Animation (.avi)

Sound (.wav, .mid)

Text (.wri, .txt)

System Requirements:

IBM-compatible PC with 386 or higher CPU

Microsoft Windows 3.1 or higher

14" or larger display

8MB RAM

170MB available space on hard disk

Mouse

For more information about Digital Cell Technology and Quovi s, contact:

Sofmap F Design

Kitazawa Bldg.

3-14-9 Soto-Kanda

Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101

Japan

Phone +81-3-3251-3015

Fax +81-3-3253-4228

Sofmap F Design USA, Inc.

1111 Bay hill Drive, Suite 435

San Bruno, CA 94066

USA

Phone +1-415-827-7300

Fax +1-415-827-7301



(c) Copyright 1996 by Computing Japan magazine