![]() Introduction
to SPRING
This page presents an
introduction to the SPRING product. Here you
will find: Presentation
of the System
SPRING
Conceptual Model Presentation
of the System
SPRING (System for Georeferenced
Information Processing) is a second generation
geographical database system, developed by
INPE
(Brazilian National Institute for Space
Research)
for both Linux and Windows platforms, with the
following characteristics:
To attain these objectives SPRING
is based on an object-oriented data model from
where its menu interface and the LEGAL spatial
language are derived. Innovative algorithms,
like the ones used for spatial indexing, image
segmentation and triangular grid generation,
guarantee the necessary performance for the
most varied applications. Another very important
characteristics is that the database is
unique, that is, the data structure is the
same when the user works in a microcomputer
(IBM-PC) or in a UNIX RISC workstation, with
no need for data conversion. The same goes for
the interface, which is essentially the same
in both cases meaning there is no difference
in the operation of SPRING in both platforms. History
and Objectives
The development of a new
generation of geoprocessing and image
processing systems at INPE begun in 1991, and
brought the first results in 1993, when SPRING
version 1.0 was released. The evolution of
SPRING along the years led to the release in
1996 of SPRING version 2.0, in May 1998
version 3.0 (Windows) was released, in October
1998 version 3.1.1, in January 1999 version
3.2 (Windows), in May 1999 version 3.3
(Windows), in May 2000 version 3.4 (Windows)
and in March 2001 version 3.5 (Windows and
Linux), in August 2003 version 4.0 (Windows),
in July 2004 version 4.1 (Windows), in March
2005 version 4.1 (Linux), in September 2005
version 4.2 (Windows) in July 2006 version 4.3
(Windows and Linux) and nowadays the version
5.0 (Windows and Linux) is being developed. SPRING is an innovative system
originally designed for a network of RISC
workstations and the UNIX operating system.
Developed with advanced programming
techniques, SPRING combines highly interactive
interfaces using the X Window System and the
OSF/MOTIF presentation standards. The main drive for the
development of SPRING was: data
integration and ease of use. In
the first case we detected that the complexity
of the environmental problems in
SPRING aims at preserving the
investment users made in the previous SITIM
and SGI systems, since all the data generated
on those systems can be readily used (topology
included) in the new environment. SPRING has been designed as a second
generation GIS. The systems of this
generation are conceived to be used in groups
in client-server environments. Usually such
systems work coupled with relational database
management systems (Câmara e Freitas, 1995). The main objectives of SPRING
are:
To achieve these objectives
SPRING is based on an object-oriented data
model that combines the ideas of “field” and
“geographic objects”. This way we derive both
the menu driven interface and the LEGAL
language. Innovative algorithms for image
segmentation and classification by regions
(Bins et al., 1995) and modeling by
triangulation with restrictions (Namikawa,
1995) complement the traditional methods for
image processing and geographic analysis. Based on these characteristics
SPRING has proven to be a highly attractive
alternative in the geoprocessing field since
it is a public domain software that can e
downloaded freely from the internet ("
http://www.dpi.inpe.br/spring")
after registering in the homepage.
Geoprocessing Basics
What
you need to run SPRING
The minimum hardware and software
requirements necessary to correctly run SPRING
are the following. PC Platform
SPRING requires the following
software:
The minimum hardware platform
should be:
NOTE: The
procedures for the installation of Linux and
SPRING can be found in the Installation
Manual. Peripherals
Peripherals like digitizing
tables, and plotters compatible with HPGL-2 or
HPRTL, and PostScript color printers are also
supported and can be integrated to the system. For the communications of SPRING
with digitizing tables some of the more common
data formats are supported, that is :
The digitizing table models that
SPRING was tested with are:
About
the SPRING online documentation
SPRING offers this online Help
system to assist you in your work with the
menus and dialog boxes. Every page was written
in HTML and the figures are in GIFF format. SPRING Help was prepared to be
used by the browser installed in your machine. SPRING Help can be run in one of
two ways. Þ Help access modes:
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