aide(1) U.S. Geological Survey (wrdapp) aide(1) NAME aide - ANNIE Interaction Development Environment ABSTRACT AIDE provides a consistent methodology for building character-based user interfaces for environmental software. Potential applications range from generating input files from user-supplied data for already existing scientific or environmental models to allowing user access to data bases for the purpose of searching, analyzing, or displaying data values. AIDE provides applications programmers with the tools needed to build and store a convenient user interface whenever and wherever there is a need to perform one or more of the following operations: o display text o prompt the user to select a menu option o prompt the user to input or edit data fields o open a file to store or retrieve text and other information The advantages gained by using AIDE for interface development center on four concepts: modularity, consistency, portability, and ease of application. The system utilizes a library of routines to perform the basic communications functions between the user and the program. Repeated use of these subroutines allows the programmer to focus attention on designing an effective sequence of interactions while minimizing the effort needed to program the more mechanical aspects of the interface. At the same time, the repeated use of modular routines decreases the likelihood of introducing programming errors. The AIDE library is included in the LIB distribution. It requires the util and adwdm libraries from the LIB distribution. METHOD The user interface was developed under the guidance of Dr. Albert Badre of the Georgia Institute of Technology who provided expertise on human-computer interaction. The established theory and practice of user interfaces were used. HISTORY AIDE is a redesign of the interfaces from the original ANNIE program and the Environmental Model Input File Editor (EMIFE). The AIDE user interface was developed under the guidance of Dr. Albert Badre of the Georgia Institute of Technology who provided expertise on human-computer interaction. The established theory and practice of user interfaces were used. The original AIDE implementation was funded by EPA (1989). Additional features were added by the USGS (1992). Version 3.1 1996/12/11 - Updates Version 3.0 1996/03/01 - Include file names changed to lower case. Increased maximum number of fields on a screen from 60 to 180. File type data field added. 7 Jul 1998 1 aide(1) U.S. Geological Survey (wrdapp) aide(1) Version 2.1 1994/08/11 - Updates Version 2.0 1994/05/27 - General release Version 1.0 1992 - General release, ported to UNIX platform. NOTE: Version numbers and dates are for the entire LIB set of libraries. A new version does not necessarily indicate that the AIDE library has been changed. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AIDE is written in Fortran 77 with the following extension: use of include files. The AIDE library requires the ADWDM and UTIL libraries. DOCUMENTATION A subroutine reference guide is provided in the distribution. Kittle, J.L., Jr., Hummel, P.R., and Imhoff, J.C., 1989, ANNIE-IDE, a system for developing interactive user interfaces for environmental models (programmers guide): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA/600/3-89/034, Environmental Research Laboratory, Athens, Ga., 166 p. REFERENCES Flynn, K.M., Hummel, P.R., Lumb, A.M., and Kittle, J.L., Jr., 1995, User's manual for ANNIE, version 2, a computer program for interactive hydrologic data management: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4085, 211 p. General Sciences Corporation, 1987, EMIFE--Environmental Model Input File Editor Fortran Utilities--Preliminary Documentation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Toxic Substances, Washington, D.C. Landers, M.N., Mueller, D.S., and Martin, G.R., 1996, Bridge scour data management system user's manual: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-754, 72 p. Lumb, A.M., Kittle, J.L., Jr., and Flynn, K.M., 1990, Users manual for ANNIE, a computer program for interactive hydrologic analyses and data management: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 89-4080, 236 p. Lumb, A.M., McCammon, R.B., and Kittle, J.L., Jr., 1994, Users manual for an expert system (HSPEXP) for calibration of the Hydrologic Simulation Program--Fortran: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4168, 102 p. CONTACTS Operation and Distribution: U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Analysis Software Support Program 437 National Center 7 Jul 1998 2 aide(1) U.S. Geological Survey (wrdapp) aide(1) Reston, VA 20192 h2osoft@usgs.gov Official versions of U.S. Geological Survey water-resources analysis software are available for electronic retrieval via the World Wide Web (WWW) at: http://water.usgs.gov/software/ and via anonymous File Transfer Protocol (FTP) from: water.usgs.gov (path: /pub/software). The WWW page and anonymous FTP directory from which the LIB software can be retrieved are, respectively: http://water.usgs.gov/software/lib.html --and-- /pub/software/general/lib The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency documentation is available from: National Center for Environmental Publications and Information (NCEPI) P.O. Box 42419 Cincinnati, OH 45242 (513) 489-8190 (513) 489-8695 (Fax) 7 Jul 1998 3