An interactive data analysis system developed under APL

ABSTRACT

Unocal Science & Technology Division has used STSC APL*PLUS to build a software package --- PC-LogIC --- for analyzing data from oil-wells. Such data is routinely gathered from a variety of electrical, mechanical, and nuclear sensors lowered into the well-bore and, for our purposes, can be regarded as coincident depth-series vectors. PC-LogIC was designed to allow the data analyst to perform two key tasks: rapid "visualizing" of the data; and selecting algorithms and parameters for interpreting the data.APL has been used to fulfill two different needs. At a fundamental level, there is one set of algorithms that actually performs the data analysis. At a higher level, not necessarily tied to the type of data being analyzed, is a second set of functions that provides an interactive interface between the user, the data and the interpretation algorithms. This interface is provided through menus that operate in both text and graphics mode, through text-entry panels, and through an extensive series of graphical routines. In text mode operation, considerable use has been made of □WIN and related functions under keyboard control, whereas in graphics mode □G-style graphics have been used, with mouse control provided through □INT 51. A demonstration of PC-LogIC, concentrating on the higher-level interface, will be given on a 386/AT-compatible machine.

References

1. 1.D.V. Ellis, Well Logging for Earth Scientists, Elsevier, New York (1978).

Index Terms

• Applied computing

  • Physical sciences and engineering

    • Earth and atmospheric sciences

• Human-centered computing

  • Human computer interaction (HCI)

    • Interaction paradigms

• Software and its engineering

  • Software notations and tools

    • General programming languages

      • Language types