4.2.2 Tools for importing data
There are three main methods of importing data into AVS:
Standard AVS modules: there are a number of modules provided to read data files in one of the defined AVS datatype formats e.g., read_ucd, generate_colormap, read_geom;
AVS read_field: this module parses an ASCII header file which describes the organisation and structure of a binary/ascii datafile. The data is then imported and mapped onto the AVS field datatype. As the AVS field datatype is used then it is restricted to general N dimensional arrays of M data elements;
AVS Data Interchange Application (ADIA): this tool provides the ability to import data which matches the AVS field datatype but has a number of advantages over the read_field module:
- interactive graphical user-interface;
- supports variables and expressions removing the need for absolute values;
- reads information from the datafile itself e.g., dimensions, length;
- searches the file for token keywords which specify format values e.g., length=72;
- the forms created can be saved or loaded for re-use.
Figure 8 shows a sample of the ADIA interface.
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