Provides configurable and flexible applications
All SpatialAge applications begin with a commitment
to delivering end-user solutions, which will result
in higher productivity. The SpatialAge toolkit
is highly configurable, thereby giving the client the
flexibility to select components and create customized
applications. SpatialAge solutions avoid obsolescence
and provide a manageable technology evolution roadmap
for the evolving organization.
Platform evolution is part of our design. This allows
our clients to reap benefits now, while moving toward
true enterprise information technology.
Object-oriented
An essential contributing factor to the success of
SpatialAge technology is its object-oriented,
component-based software, developed to the highest standards
of usability and ease of extensibility by our clients'
IT departments. Since we have based our design on actual
"use" cases, we are able to identify commonly
used functions, which are necessary for job performance
and which include business logic to produce User Objects.
Thin Client
Java
Using a thin-client architecture, client applications
are based on a Java applet running in a web browser
or a Java application on the workstation. Because our
SpatialAge applications developed with Java
are highly extensible, the client can implement custom
solutions quickly.
Internet
With its platform of Java-based technology, SpatialAge
offers applications, which are accessible to the client
via the Internet or Intranet.
DataBridge
Java Servlet
Our SpatialAge DataBridge component is an
application server packaged as a Java servlet. The servlet
executes on the back-end of a web server with an API
specifically optimized for Java-hosted services.
Included in the DataBridge are the Object Server, Long
Transaction Manager, and Service Broker. This allows
us to produce intelligent features for the user from
the “rows and columns” of a geospatial database.
OBJECT SERVER
This component presents a single interface for retrieving
features in a distributed system, thereby presenting
a logical view to application components so that they
can behave as though there is only one database. What
this means is that, with the Object Server, application
developers need not be concerned with specific server
names or database types, which, in turn, simplifies
the coding of application components.
LONG TRANSACTION MANAGER
Using Oracle capabilities, this component manages proposed
changes to the model as separate versions of feature
data and supports the creation of: transactions, rollback,
commit, and view/modify, as well as managing the lifecycle
of facility items.
SERVICE BROKER
This component provides access to other DataBridge components,
which may be physically located on other network servers.
USER OBJECTS
User Objects are a key component of our architecture
that consist of modules of commonly used functionality
encapsulated in objects that are easily assembled into
applications to meet the needs of the diverse tasks
that must be performed.
User Objects provide the right functionality and the
right data so that users can perform their jobs efficiently.
New User Objects can be added when the user’s
task requires more functionality. In this way, applications
are dynamically presented to meet the changing needs
of the client's organization.
Oracle Spatial
Spatial Data Option integrates geospatial and
traditional data
SpatialAge has kept pace with the revolutionary
changes to relational databases in recent years. Databases,
such as Oracle, make it no longer necessary to isolate
geospatial data, since they can store geometry as a
geometry column type. Using Oracle’s Spatial Data
Option, SpatialAge applications seamlessly
integrate traditional relational data with geospatial
data and execute geospatial operations quickly and efficiently.
This avoids format translations and model mismatches
that make collaboration problematic.
Spatial Data Loader
The Spatial Data Loader transforms existing data types
and populates the Oracle Spatial database with facility
and base map data. In addition, Spatial Data Loader
offers tools and processes for cleansing the data during
the transformation and loading process.
Building Applications in SpatialAge
The component-based, modular architecture of SpatialAge
technology enables clients to purchase and configure
components separately in order to create a scalable
geospatial solution, which is easily updated for future
needs. Clients can customize or extend SpatialAge
solutions without modifying or rebuilding the core SpatialAge
software.
Figure 1 below is a high-level view of a developer
building a new User Object into an application. In this
instance, the developer is adding forecast functionality
to a planning application.
Figure 1 (Developer's View): Building a SpatialAge
User Object
The planner is now able to access the new forecasting
functionality through the user interface.
Figure 2 (Application View): Accessing a New User Object
The existing planning application in this example consists
of the core components: Geodata Display, which controls
feature display; Metadata Service, which controls configuration
information such as feature definitions, user interface
settings (toolbars and menus), application settings;
and the DataBridge. This application also consists of
the User Objects Spatial Query and Circuit Trace and
now includes the new Forecast User Object.
The Spatial Edge
Enhanced by the robust knowledge acquisition and user
modeling methodology, known as Knowledge Mapping, solutions
from SpatialAge incorporate the years of expertise
possessed by each company’s best employees. Knowledge
Mapping lets us build high user performance and productivity
directly into our products by uncovering and incorporating
the insights of the expert user. It helps us to model
specific business functions and incorporate expert user
knowledge into our software, thus enabling new and average
users to function at expert levels, thereby ensuring
that our clients reach their productivity improvement
goals.
With Knowledge Mapping we are able to create specialized
user objects which automate functions through SmartScripts™,
i.e., are programmable routines that reduce “clicks
and ticks”. By using this methodology in the software
development process we dramatically reduce new user
training time and optimize user productivity and talent.
Our SpatialAge Knowledge Mapping methodology
is available as a client consulting service that optimizes
SpatialAge Solutions software capabilities.
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