xulu/trunk/readme.txt

TODO:
- startXulu.bat erweitern:
   - /useXuluClasses auf SCHMITZM erweitern
- SCHMITZM in Xulu\lib aufnehmen
- How to start XULU from Eclipse
- How to develop XULU
- Hinweis, dass SCHMITZM im Classpath ueber GT liegen muss!

==============================================================
=== XULU README (2009-02-24, Martin Schmitz)               ===
===                                                        ===
=== http://wald.intevation.org/projects/xulu/              ===
=== http://wald.intevation.org/projects/schmitzm/          ===
==============================================================
This file contains some informations ...

(1) about the XULU modelling platform
(2) how to proceed after the first SVN checkout
(3) about the folder structur of XULU
(4) how to start XULU
    a) Requirements
    b) Start XULU from command line
    c) Start XULU from Eclipse
(5) how to develop XULU


-----------------------------------------------------------
(1) General informations about XULU
-----------------------------------------------------------
XULU (eXtendable Unified Land Use Modelling Platform) is a stand-alone
Java software which was designed as a part of my diploma thesis (Martin Schmitz,
2005, Institite of computer science, University of Bonn/Germany).
The goal was the create a generic framework, which provides general functionalities
needed for (simulation) modelling, without any relationship to a concrete
model context:
- data maintenance
- data types
- data import/export
- data visualisation
- GUI

With these components implemented once (--> XULU) there is no further need to
take into account during implementation of any model. The model designer and
programmer can concentrate on implementing themodel algorithm.
The interfaces to the upper mentioned components are realised as plugins,
so the field of application is not static.
Because the of the close cooperation with the ZFL (Zentrum für Fernerkundung der
Landoberfläche) and IMPETUS (http://www.impetus.de) the most plugins which
are currently implemented are for land use modelling:
- maintain raster and vector data (based on the Geotools Java library)
- layer based geo visualisation (based on the Geotools Java library)
- raster based models

But generally - with implementing appropriate plugins - XULU can also be used for
complete other application fields


-----------------------------------------------------------
(2) Initialize XULU after the first SVN checkout
-----------------------------------------------------------
The XULU folders contain multiple files to configure defaults for
the XULU main application as well as for XULU plugins.
Because the "normal" user defined changes on these files should not be
updated in SVN, these configuration files are initially located in the
"defaults" folder, instead of their "correct" position.

Therefore after the first SVN checkout you have to call the

          initXulu.bat  (on Windows systems)
     or   initXulu.sh   (on Linux systems: first call "chmod +x initXulu.sh"
                                           to make the file executable!!)

once to copy the configuration files from the "defaults" folder to their
expected locations. After that you can make changes on all config files
without any unintended effect on the whole XULU community.

The default behavior of "InitXulu.bat" is not to overwrite files if they
already exist. In case of trouble (e.g. deleted or damaged config files)
you can call
                    InitXulu.bat /reset
                or  InitXulu.bat /init   (no overwrite confirmation!)

to overwrite all configuration files with their defaults.

NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE (AND/OR COMMIT) FILES IN THE
      "DEFAULT" FOLDER!!


-----------------------------------------------------------
(3) The folder structure of XULU
-----------------------------------------------------------
main folder: The main folder contains some configuration files for
             the XULU main application as well as the startXulu.bat
             which can be used to start XULU from out of an
             development environment (like Eclipse):
             - InitXulu.bat: initializes the folder structure after
                             the first SVN checkout (see (2))
             - DefaultProperties: Defaults for XULU properties; after
                                  the first XULU start a new file
                                  "XuluProperties" is created with the
                                  user defined properties
             - registry.xif: contains the plugins used in XULU
             - readme.txt: this file :-)

defaults: Contains default configuration files for the XULU main
          application and plugins. By calling "InitXulu.bat" (see (2))
          these files are copied to the expected locations.
          NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE (AND/OR COMMIT) FILES IN
                THIS FOLDER!!

classes: Contains the compliled java classes of the XULU application
         and plugins.

doc:     Contains the JavaDoc for Xulu. Also the target folder of
         "makeDoc.bat"

lib:     Contains all the external libraries required to run/compile XULU.
         All JARs in this folder must be integrated in the Java classpath.

dist:    Contains the current version of the XULU classes as JAR
         so Xulu can be started without compile the source code
         for your own

plugin:  Contains configuration files for XULU plugins.

src:     Contains the java source code of the XULU application and plugins.

Temp:    Usually empty. Needed for temporary files.


-----------------------------------------------------------
(4) How to start XULU
-----------------------------------------------------------

a) Requirements
---------------
Besides the external libraries in "lib" folder, it is required that
the following components are installed on system:
- JRE 1.6
- JAI 1.1.3

b) Start XULU from command line
-------------------------------
To start XULU from command line there are 2 main variants:

 1) "startXulu.bat /useXuluJar"     (Default)
    uses the XuluModellingPlatform.jar and SCHMITZM.jar from the
    "lib" folder to run XULU. This option is recommended, if you
    only want to "use" XULU and not to develop.

 2) "startXulu.bat /useXuluClasses"
    uses the "classes" folder to run XULU. Use this option, if you
    want to take your own changes (or plugin extension) take effekt.
    This option requires that
      - XULU is previously compiled to "classes" folder
      - SCHMITZM is previously compiled to

c) Start XULU from Eclipse
--------------------------
t.b.c.
Important: SCHMITZM must be integrated in Classpath with
           higher priority than Geotools


-----------------------------------------------------------
(4) How to develop XULU
-----------------------------------------------------------
t.b.c.


===========================================================
http://wald.intevation.org/projects/xulu/
http://wald.intevation.org/projects/schmitzm/
===========================================================
1	TODO:
2	- startXulu.bat erweitern:
3	- /useXuluClasses auf SCHMITZM erweitern
4	- SCHMITZM in Xulu\lib aufnehmen
5	- How to start XULU from Eclipse
6	- How to develop XULU
7	- Hinweis, dass SCHMITZM im Classpath ueber GT liegen muss!
8
9	==============================================================
10	=== XULU README (2009-02-24, Martin Schmitz) ===
11	=== ===
12	=== http://wald.intevation.org/projects/xulu/ ===
13	=== http://wald.intevation.org/projects/schmitzm/ ===
14	==============================================================
15	This file contains some informations ...
16
17	(1) about the XULU modelling platform
18	(2) how to proceed after the first SVN checkout
19	(3) about the folder structur of XULU
20	(4) how to start XULU
21	a) Requirements
22	b) Start XULU from command line
23	c) Start XULU from Eclipse
24	(5) how to develop XULU
25
26
27
28	-----------------------------------------------------------
29	(1) General informations about XULU
30	-----------------------------------------------------------
31	XULU (eXtendable Unified Land Use Modelling Platform) is a stand-alone
32	Java software which was designed as a part of my diploma thesis (Martin Schmitz,
33	2005, Institite of computer science, University of Bonn/Germany).
34	The goal was the create a generic framework, which provides general functionalities
35	needed for (simulation) modelling, without any relationship to a concrete
36	model context:
37	- data maintenance
38	- data types
39	- data import/export
40	- data visualisation
41	- GUI
42
43	With these components implemented once (--> XULU) there is no further need to
44	take into account during implementation of any model. The model designer and
45	programmer can concentrate on implementing themodel algorithm.
46	The interfaces to the upper mentioned components are realised as plugins,
47	so the field of application is not static.
48	Because the of the close cooperation with the ZFL (Zentrum für Fernerkundung der
49	Landoberfläche) and IMPETUS (http://www.impetus.de) the most plugins which
50	are currently implemented are for land use modelling:
51	- maintain raster and vector data (based on the Geotools Java library)
52	- layer based geo visualisation (based on the Geotools Java library)
53	- raster based models
54
55	But generally - with implementing appropriate plugins - XULU can also be used for
56	complete other application fields
57
58
59	-----------------------------------------------------------
60	(2) Initialize XULU after the first SVN checkout
61	-----------------------------------------------------------
62	The XULU folders contain multiple files to configure defaults for
63	the XULU main application as well as for XULU plugins.
64	Because the "normal" user defined changes on these files should not be
65	updated in SVN, these configuration files are initially located in the
66	"defaults" folder, instead of their "correct" position.
67
68	Therefore after the first SVN checkout you have to call the
69
70	initXulu.bat (on Windows systems)
71	or initXulu.sh (on Linux systems: first call "chmod +x initXulu.sh"
72	to make the file executable!!)
73
74	once to copy the configuration files from the "defaults" folder to their
75	expected locations. After that you can make changes on all config files
76	without any unintended effect on the whole XULU community.
77
78	The default behavior of "InitXulu.bat" is not to overwrite files if they
79	already exist. In case of trouble (e.g. deleted or damaged config files)
80	you can call
81	InitXulu.bat /reset
82	or InitXulu.bat /init (no overwrite confirmation!)
83
84	to overwrite all configuration files with their defaults.
85
86	NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE (AND/OR COMMIT) FILES IN THE
87	"DEFAULT" FOLDER!!
88
89
90	-----------------------------------------------------------
91	(3) The folder structure of XULU
92	-----------------------------------------------------------
93	main folder: The main folder contains some configuration files for
94	the XULU main application as well as the startXulu.bat
95	which can be used to start XULU from out of an
96	development environment (like Eclipse):
97	- InitXulu.bat: initializes the folder structure after
98	the first SVN checkout (see (2))
99	- DefaultProperties: Defaults for XULU properties; after
100	the first XULU start a new file
101	"XuluProperties" is created with the
102	user defined properties
103	- registry.xif: contains the plugins used in XULU
104	- readme.txt: this file :-)
105
106	defaults: Contains default configuration files for the XULU main
107	application and plugins. By calling "InitXulu.bat" (see (2))
108	these files are copied to the expected locations.
109	NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE (AND/OR COMMIT) FILES IN
110	THIS FOLDER!!
111
112	classes: Contains the compliled java classes of the XULU application
113	and plugins.
114
115	doc: Contains the JavaDoc for Xulu. Also the target folder of
116	"makeDoc.bat"
117
118	lib: Contains all the external libraries required to run/compile XULU.
119	All JARs in this folder must be integrated in the Java classpath.
120
121	dist: Contains the current version of the XULU classes as JAR
122	so Xulu can be started without compile the source code
123	for your own
124
125	plugin: Contains configuration files for XULU plugins.
126
127	src: Contains the java source code of the XULU application and plugins.
128
129	Temp: Usually empty. Needed for temporary files.
130
131
132	-----------------------------------------------------------
133	(4) How to start XULU
134	-----------------------------------------------------------
135
136	a) Requirements
137	---------------
138	Besides the external libraries in "lib" folder, it is required that
139	the following components are installed on system:
140	- JRE 1.6
141	- JAI 1.1.3
142
143	b) Start XULU from command line
144	-------------------------------
145	To start XULU from command line there are 2 main variants:
146
147	1) "startXulu.bat /useXuluJar" (Default)
148	uses the XuluModellingPlatform.jar and SCHMITZM.jar from the
149	"lib" folder to run XULU. This option is recommended, if you
150	only want to "use" XULU and not to develop.
151
152	2) "startXulu.bat /useXuluClasses"
153	uses the "classes" folder to run XULU. Use this option, if you
154	want to take your own changes (or plugin extension) take effekt.
155	This option requires that
156	- XULU is previously compiled to "classes" folder
157	- SCHMITZM is previously compiled to
158
159	c) Start XULU from Eclipse
160	--------------------------
161	t.b.c.
162	Important: SCHMITZM must be integrated in Classpath with
163	higher priority than Geotools
164
165
166	-----------------------------------------------------------
167	(4) How to develop XULU
168	-----------------------------------------------------------
169	t.b.c.
170
171
172	===========================================================
173	http://wald.intevation.org/projects/xulu/
174	http://wald.intevation.org/projects/schmitzm/
175	===========================================================