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Technologies Our team has been involved in building decison analysis systems since 1970 using various programming languages. However, in 1999 we were faced with a challenge when we were asked to produce an online system and in order to satisfy this we needed to satisfy several operational specifications including:
Language compatibilities Vanguard Software provides an authoring system for DecisionScript known as Studio (formerly DScript Author) which is used to code scripts using DScript. Since DScript's syntax is based on ECMAScript (international and ISO standard for JavaScript) JavaScript can be coded into any DScript code in Studio and the resulting code will run in a completely seamless fashion. It is the combination of JavaScript syntax, decision analysis orientated primitives and compatibility with JavaScript which makes DScript the most powerful server-end scripting language for online decision analysis systems development. Right from the start Vanguard Software avoided the server compatibility problems which plagued many of the early attempts at server-end JavaScript deployments by other software houses. They achieved this by designing a robust and dedicated server software which interprets not only DScript and JavaScript but also all of the HTTP standards and Internet protocols. As a result all models which are coded in a Vanguard authoring system can be debugged and test run and the models uploaded to the main server and will run without a hitch. Horizontal & vertical applications primitives A major asdvantage of DScript is that it extends server-end JavaScript with in excess of 500 so-called primitives. These are single word statements followed by a parameter list which an active script will use to carry out a range of specific functions. These can include statistical, financial calculations as well as simulation and optimization routines. A single line of code consisting of a single primitive can save a large amount of script, avoid programmer errors in writing out the full functions and respresent a common resource which remains logically consistent and compatible with any other section of scripts. User can design their own libraries of primitives for ease of repetitive use in subsequent coding for specialise vertical or horizontal applications. During the last decade Navatec and SEEL have built very large libraries of primitives (Seel-Telesis Scripts - STS) extending the original DScript series to in excess of 1,000 functions and which are exclusively available to Visual Model. Major benefits The development approach combining compatible authoring systems with standard sytax and a dedicated server, leads to coherent design processes, rapid deployment, ease of corporate roll-out and, as a result, significant savings in development costs. All major upgrades in a system including extension of capabilities can be introduced "just once" at the server so that all users are updated automatically gaining access to all new capacilities the next time they access the decision analysis application/s. If care is exercised in upgrading strategies then, by maintaining a standardised or a stable dialogue structure in terms of controls and appearance, it is possible to add significant enhancements in capabilities while minimising the learning time required to attain proficiency in their use. |
