About the Isight Library

Items in the Isight library are organized according to a hierarchical naming scheme. The top folder is called the Library. All folders are placed underneath the Library folder. Each published item is given a distinct name whose lexical structure is based on the Java “package” naming scheme (a sequence of sub-names separated by periods).

You can publish the following types of objects to the Isight library:

• Model. A hierarchical collection of information (simulation process flow, data, and configuration settings) assembled together to represent and perform a specific computation.

• Metamodel. An implementation of a specific type of Isight tool from which users can create as many instances as necessary; also referred to as system extensions. You can hide internal metalmodels that Isight uses (under com.engineous.*) by right-clicking and clearing Show System Extensions. The Isight library’s tools consist entirely of metamodels divided into five main categories:

  Components	These implement specific computation types. They are further subdivided into application components, which can be based on native Isight tools or invoke a third-party application (e.g., Calculator and Excel), and process components (e.g., Task and DOE), which may contain and drive other components. The node in the SIMULIA Component tree provides direct access to the components.
  Plug-ins	Some specific computation types can be viewed as members of a category, with both fixed and variable parts. In Isight, components implement the fixed parts and plug-ins implement the variable parts. A typical example is Optimization, where each technique implementation is a separate plug-in. The node in the SIMULIA Plug-Ins tree provides direct access to the plug-ins. You can expand the plug-in to see subcategories of plug-ins.
  Data types	These hold distinct classes of Isight parameter values and maintain the internal consistency of those values according to class. The standard data types supplied with Isight are real, integer, string, and Boolean.
  Units	These describe physical attributes (e.g., length, mass, etc.) that may be associated with numeric values of model variables. Units document what the variables are supposed to represent in the real world, enforce consistency of interpretation between related variables in different components, and supply automatic conversions (e.g., inches to centimeters, Fahrenheit to Celsius, etc.).
  Visual tools	These implement the layout procedures of the various schemes provided by Isight to present run-time data to the user in graphical or tabular formats.

• JAR File. A Java library (i.e., a package containing one or more compiled Java class definitions). Metamodel implementations may use the capabilities provided by such libraries. If the metamodel uses a Java library, the JAR file will be automatically fetched from the library and loaded when the metamodel is loaded.

• Shared Library. A linkable package containing one or more procedures. Unlike JAR files, shared libraries are implemented in the native computer language of a specific operating environment. By convention, the publication path and name is followed by the name of the operating environment. For example, the Windows instance of shared library somelib would be published under the path somelib.win32. Metamodel implementations may use the capabilities provided by such shared libraries. If the metamodel uses a shared library, the shared library of the required operating environment (if one is published) will be automatically fetched from the library and loaded when the metamodel is loaded.

• Program. A standalone executable. Programs are implemented in the native computer language of a specific operating environment. By convention, the publication path and name is followed by the name of the operating environment. For example, the Windows instance of program sometool.exe would be published under the path sometool.win32.

• Data File. A file of any type (e.g., text file, Excel worksheet, CAD model).