High Level Architecture Module 2 Advanced Topics

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High Level Architecture Module 2Advanced Topics
Roy CrosbieJohn Zenor
California State University, Chico
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High Level Architecture Module 2Advanced Topics
Lesson 4TOOLS
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The Need for Tools

• Protofederation experiences identified automated
  tools as strategically important for the success
  of HLA
• Automated tools were needed for
• Creating
• Executing and
• Maintaining HLA simulations and federations
• A strategy needed to support automated tools so
  that the tools would be extensible, open and
  interoperable

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Tool Architecture Goals

• Manifest as an open specification
• Technical details of data interfaces are formally
  specified and publicly available.
• Promote interoperability among tools
• Support an evolutionary plan
• Emerging and future tool technologies are not
  precluded
• Allow user-driven requirements to evolve

(Slide modified from 98f-siw-101.ppt)
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Tool Architecture Strategy

• Tool Architecture derived from the Federation
  Execution and Development Process (FEDEP)
• Tools must be reusable across a variety of
  application domains
• Develop a Tool Architecture composed of
• Identification of components
• Interface specification in the form of Data
  Interface Formats (DIFs)

(Slide modified from 98f-siw-101.ppt)
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Mapping of FEDEP to Six-Step Process
Mapping of FEDEP to Six-Step Process
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Tool Architecture Components

• The HLA tool architecture is split into
• Two major types of tools
• End-user tools
• Library resources
• Three tool categories
• General purpose tools
• Modeling and Simulation domain specific tools
• HLA federation development and execution tools

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Tool Architecture Components

• Lifecycle Management Tools
• Requirements Definition Tools
• Conceptual Model Development Tools
• Federation Design Tools
• Federation Development Tools
• Federation Integration and Test Tools
• Execution and Analysis Tools

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HLA Tool Architecture Components
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Object Model Development Tool (OMDT)

• Allows documentation of HLA object models
• Features
• Compliance with HLA Object Model Template
• Electronic data entry/modification
• Syntax/Consistency checking
• Automated Object Model Library (OML) access
• Automated FED file generation
• Management Object Model (MOM) support
• Backwards compatibility for older OMT/FED DIFs
• On-line help
• Available at http//hla.dmso.mil, Software
  Distribution Center (Free of charge)

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Object Model Library (OML)

• The OML is a web-accessible library of Federation
  Object Models (FOMs) and Simulation Object Models
  (SOMs)
• FOMs/SOMs directly downloaded by OMDT
• Provides searching/browsing capabilities
• Populated by
• Developers directly submitting FOMs and SOMs from
  the OMDT
• SOMs from federates completing the Federate
  Compliance Testing are automatically included
• Free of charge

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Object Model Data Dictionary (OMDD)

• The OMDD is a web-accessible repository of
  reusable object model components
• Enhances reuse of FOMs and SOMs
• Populated from
• The OML using the OMT DIF
• Individually submitted data elements
• Conforms to the DoD Data Dictionary System
• Accessible via the DMSO web-site
  http//hla.dmso.mil
• Free of charge

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Federation Execution Planners Workbook (FEPW)

• The FEPW has been developed to assist federation
  developers in planning federation executions
• Identify hardware and networking environment
• Specify federates responsibilities
• Documents the shape and characteristics of past
  federation executions
• Available at http//hla.dmso.mil select Software
  Distribution Center free of charge

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Data Collection Tool (DCT)

• Collects and analyses data based on reading FOM
• Provides access to federation data at runtime
• Provides persistent storage for the data for
  After Action Review (AAR)
• The DCT uses a wizard-based interface to guide
  the user through the data collection planning and
  execution phase
• Uses MS Access and MS Excel, for storing and
  analyzing the data
• Available through the HLA Software Distribution
  Center, free of charge.

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Federation Test System (FTS)

• The FTS is a development aid/testing environment
  used to verify federate functionality associated
  with the HLA interface
• Uses the OMT - DIF
• Provides GUI based tools to create a federation
  testing environment
• Sends data to a simulation and analyzes data from
  a simulation
• Available at no cost to government agencies and
  their contractors at http//www.ads-test.org

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FedDirector

• Exercise controller designed specifically for the
  HLA
• It is part of the HLA Lab Works suite
• Provides the means to monitor and control the
  federation execution
• Provides a complete view of all the federation
  objects
• It can read OMT DIF and FED DIF files
• Find more about FedDirector at http//www.aegisrc.
  com
• Commercially available

DMSO and CSU Chico do not warrant or guarantee
any of the commercial tools presented in these
materials
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FedProxy

• The FedProxy is an HLA specific testing tool
• It is a part of the HLA Lab Works suite
• Provides hardware and software debugging
  capabilities
• Adapts to any FOM or SOM in minutes
• Allows for the rapid creation of repeatable test
  scripts
• Intuitive project interface
• Extensible Java code to include reactive behavior
  (for advanced users)
• Commercially available at http//www.aegisrc.com

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OMDT Pro

• An object modeling tool specifically designed for
  the HLA
• It is part of the HLA Lab Works suite
• It contains all the functionality of the freely
  distributed OMDT and it has additional features
  like
• Enhanced user interface
• Code generation for both C and Java
• Extensive HTML export capabilities
• Reads and writes OMT DIF files, FED DIF files and
  OMDD DIF files
• Commercially available through AEgis at
  http//www.aegisrc.com

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HLA Foundation Class (HFC)Software Development
Kit (SDK)

• It aims to simplify the development of HLA
  federate software through the following tools
• The HLA Foundation Class (HFC) Framework
• The HFC Automation Tool (HAT)
• Currently available for Windows NT
• Commercially available at http//www.jhuapl.edu/ms
  /rfd

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MODSIM III Simulation Language

• MODSIM III is a complete object-oriented
  simulation development environment.
• HLA API is packaged into MODSIM III objects thus
  supporting all HLA areas
• Has a number of distributed capabilities
• It is available for Windows 95/98/NT as well as
  all popular UNIX systems
• Commercially available at http//www.caciasl.com

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Exercise Explorer

• The Exercise Explorer is a fully functional HLA
  Manager Federate
• It is designed to aid the design of HLA Federates
  and Federations
• Provides the developer with
• Critical information about the current running
  state of an HLA Federation Execution
• Remotely monitors the interactions between
  individual Federates and the Run Time
  Infrastructure software
• Commercially available at http//www.simulation.co
  m

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RTI-Adaptor

• Facilitates RTI use with existing simulations by
  providing platform and language independent
  binding
• It is implemented in C under Windows NT 4.0 and
  runs as an autonomous NT process
• Uses the HLA RTI version 1.3 as the basis for the
  integration platform
• It provides a selected profile of RTI services
  through a simple socket interface
• Commercially available at http//www.iitb.fhg.de

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Ibis Model Editor

• It is an object model development tool
• Creates and browses HLA-compliant models with
  ease
• It navigates the components of object models with
  an intuitive hierarchical view and organizes the
  relevant information concurrently in a
  corresponding panel
• It features an OMDT 1.3 parser
• Supports both OMT and FED DIF formats
• Commercially available for beta testing at
  http//www.ibis-research.com

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Ibis RTI Adapter

• It is an ActiveX wrapper component that exposes
  RTI to COM/ActiveX applications
• Works with RTI 1.3v3 for C
• Integrates with RAD tool IDEs like Inprises
  Delphi and Microsoft Visual Basic
• The component does a straight translation for
  most of the functions in the C API and also
  provides Ixxx interfaces for each of the
  supporting classes
• It is commercially available for beta testing at
  http//www.ibis-research.com

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HLA Integration Framework

• Provides ready-made use of many HLA functions and
  simpler interfaces to the RTI
• The Framework provides
• A shortcut to HLA compliance
• Structure for a plan on how to adapt a simulation
  to HLA
• Framework features include
• Automatic delivery of attributes when they are
  updated
• A mechanism to correctly pass in received events
• Built in federation and time management services
• It currently works with version 1.3 of the HLA
  specifications

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MÄK Data Logger

• It is an easy-to-use system for capturing and
  replaying simulation data
• Uses both Motif and Windows interfaces
• When used with the Real-time Platform Reference
  (RPR) FOM, it provides standard VCR-like features
• Features a programmers interface with extensive
  capabilities
• It is available and does not rely on any other
  tools or data interchange formats
• Commercially available from http//www.mak.com

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MÄK Plan View Display (PVD)

• Allows overlaying HLA and other data onto 2D
  views and visual databases
• Uses standard map formats
• Has an intuitive interface
• Combined with the MÄK Stealth, the PVD provides a
  critical view of the synthetic environment
• It is available and functions as a standalone
• Commercially available from http//www.mak.com

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MÄK Stealth Observer

• Provides a real-time 3D view into an HLA based
  application synthetic environment
• Used to
• Provide situation awareness
• Simulation debugging
• After-action review
• Easy to use and runs out of the box without
  additional configuring
• Runs on SGI, and Windows 95/NT
• Commercially available at http//www.mak.com

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MÄK VR-Link Networking Toolkit

• Provides easy and quick networking of simulators
  and virtual reality applications using HLA
• Has an easy-to-use programmers interface
• Backed by expert technical support
• Object -oriented design
• Available as a standalone without any
  dependencies
• Commercially available at http//www.mak.com

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OSimFramework

• It is an extensible integrated environment for
  the rapid development and deployment of HLA
  compliant simulation components
• Provides an object-oriented development
  environment
• OSimFramework achieves HLA compliance by
  automatically generating
• An Object Model Template (OMT) DIF file
• Creating classes for the interface to the
  DMSO-sponsored RTI version 1.3 and 1.03
• Commercially available at http//www.originalsim.c
  om

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Visual OMT

• A graphical tool for efficient development and
  maintenance of HLA Object Models and Data
  Dictionaries
• Offers an intuitive and easy-to-use interface
• Provides access to private or shared repositories
• Features
• Integrated syntax / consistency checker
• OML and OMDDS web-access
• Generation of FED
• Support for MOT, FED, and OMDD DIFs
• Commercially available at http//www.pitch.se

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LiteFlite HLA-IPU

• The LiteFlite HLA-IPU (Interactive Playback Unit)
  is a PC based logger-playback tool
• Supports development and debugging of HLA
  simulations
• Enhanced to recognize entity associations and
  show changes of state as they occur within
  entities
• Filters updates to appropriate locations of
  retired or semi-retired entities
• Supports Above Real-Time and Below Real-Time
  Modes
• Commercially available

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LiteFlite Visual System

• It is a PC based Visualization Tool designed to
  support development and debugging of HLA
  simulations
• Tested with OTW (Out-The-Window) Multi-Channel
  Visuals, and Virtual Reality Helmet Mounted
  Displays (HMD) using Geo-Specific databases
• Provides Image Generator Independence
• Commercially available

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SYSECA InterSIM

• Enables simulations and systems to be networked
  together in accordance with the HLA specification
• Allows programmers to switch between HLA and
  legacy protocols without recompiling their
  applications
• Works with real time constraints and meets high
  performance requirements
• Available on UNIX and Windows NT platforms
• Commercially available at http//www.syseca.thomso
  n-csf.com/simulation

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CAFDE (Computer Aided Federation Development
Environment)

• CAFDE interface specification is associated with
  its own Tool Developers Kit (TDK)
• The TDK includes
• CAFDE Specification
• CAFDE Engine (including binary interface,
  library, and header files)
• CAFE API Tester (CAT)
• Manager Shell Application
• Protocol specific Network Interfaces
• Freeware to be updated semi-annually
• Available at http//www.cafde.org

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HLA Template Library

• The HLA Template Library was created to assist in
  the development of HLA federate software
• It works with the Microsoft Developer Studio
  version 5
• Contains all C sources
• To receive send email to tollys_at_transas.com
• For more information visit http//www.transas.com

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yaRTI

• yaRTI (yet another RTI) is a runtime
  infrastructure designed as a research and
  experimentation tool
• It has an open and modular architecture
• It conforms to the draft IEEE 1516.1 standard
• Does not implement all RTI services yet, bust has
  been used to run a complete federation
• It is available free of charge at
  http//perso.wanadoo.fr/dominique.canazzi/dominiqu
  e.htm and is distributed under the GNU Public
  License

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Federate Compliance Testing

• A web-based service offered by DMSO free of
  charge to the MS community
• Four step process
• Submission of application
• SOM test evaluation
• Interface Test evaluation
• Evaluation of consistency between SOM and
  Conformance Statement
• Classified and Unclassified testing available
  (free of charge)
• More information at http//hla.dmso.mil select
  HLA Compliance Testing

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Simulation Middleware Object Classes (SMOC)

• The SMOC is a set of C object classes with a
  well-defined Application Programmers Interface
  (API) that hides the HLA
• SMOC separates an interactive simulation
  application from specific data protocols,
  architectures, and transport mechanisms
• Can be configured in Middleware mode as part of a
  simulation, or it can run in Gateway mode, or
  both
• The SMOC supports all DMSO HLA Tools
• Released to U.S. Government Labs and Contractor
  organizations on a CD with supporting
  documentation

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Run-Time Infrastructure (RTI)

• Fully implements all services in HLA Interface
  Specification version 1.3
• Federation management
• Object management
• Declaration management
• Ownership management
• Time management
• Data distribution management
• Current version is RTI 1.3v6 (version 6)
• Available on UNIX and Windows platforms
• Free of charge at http//hla.dmso.mil select
  Software Distribution Center

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RTI RID Editor (RIDed)

• RIDed is used to generate and edit RTI.rid files
  for RTI 1.3
• Java based application.
• Available for Solaris 2.5 and Windows NT 4.0
• Uses an intuitive button/menu interface
• Has built in help feature
• Its display is based on a tree idea with
  expand/collapse toggles
• Available free of charge at http//hla.dmso.mil
  select Software Distribution Center

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Federation Verification Tool (FVT)

• FVT assists developers in the Federation
  Integration and Test phase of the FEDEP.
• It verifies that federates fulfill their
  update/reflect and send/receive responsibilities
• Information about federate responsibilities can
  be entered directly or can be imported from FEPW
  DIF format files
• It is Java based and available for Solaris
  2.5/2.6 and Windows 95/98/NT 4
• Available free of charge at http//hla.dmso.mil
  select Software Distribution Center

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Federation Management Tool (FMT)

• The FMT is designed to manage a federation
  execution and participating federates
• It is also an excellent debugging tool
• Among other things it can
• Understand where each participating federate is
  in time
• Maintain federate/federation synchronization
• Save federation status
• It can participate in a given simulation as a
  controller or as a passive observant
• Available free of charge at http//hla.dmso.mil
  select Software Distribution Center

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Object Model Data Dictionary System (OMDDS)

• Web-accessible repository of OMDD and mappings of
  OMDD contents with external data standards and
  object models
• Supports searching and browsing of its contents
• Allows for export of OMDD contents as well as
  addition to the contents
• OMDDS Contains
• Classes (names, synonyms, definitions, and notes)
• Generic elements (attributes and parameters)
• Complex data types (names, fields)
• Enumerated data types (names, enumerators,
  representations, and notes)
• Interactions (names, synonyms, and notes)

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pRTI

• Still in progress
• The Pitch portable RTI (pRTI) is a complete
  implementation of the HLA Interface Specification
  v1.3
• Implemented in Java to ensure cross-platform
  portability
• Constructed to make federation configuration and
  deployment easy
• Designed to use a minimum of resources
• Can be extended with add-on modules
• It is currently in beta-test
• More information at http//www.pitch.se

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Haptic Display Toolkit for HLA

• Still in progress
• Will allow users to easily incorporate force
  feedback devices (e.g., steering wheels,
  joysticks) into HLA federates
• Can be incorporated into HLA federations with
  guaranteed stability
• Does not rely on any other tools or any DIFs
• More information available at http//www.creare.co
  m

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FEDspresso

• Still in progress
• FEDspresso is an Integrated Development
  Environment (IDE) based on the open CAFDE
  architecture
• The FEDspresso IDE includes the CAFDE TDK,
  Blueprint Builder, OM Builder, and OM Spector
• Provides CASE-like environment for Windows
• Promotes cross-tool interoperability and
  automation via HLA DIFs and CAFDE API on-line
  collaboration and repository access validation
  tuning ...
• More information at http//www.cafde.org

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References / Suggested Reading

• HLA Home Page http//hla.dmso.mil
• DMSO, HLA Federation Development and Execution
  Process (FEDEP) Model, version 1.4, 1 July1999
• Hunt, K. Dahmann, J., Lutz, R., and Sheehan, J.,
  Planning for the Evolution of Automated Tools in
  HLA (97S-SIW-067), 1997 Spring Simulation
  Interoperability Workshop.
• Fullford, D., Wetzel, D., A Federation Management
  Tool Using the Management Object Model to
  Manage, Monitor, and Control an HLA Federation.
• Ahmad, F., Federation Management - Lessons
  Learned from Project FlasHLAmp
• 1998 Fall Simulation Interoperability Workshop
  (98F-SIW-101), (98F-SIW-123).
• 1998 Spring Simulation Interoperability Workshop
  (98S-SIW-043) , (98S-SIW-100) , (98S-SIW-142).