Realtime Database Support for Environmental Visualization

. Much research has been done on interfacing databases to visualization applications, and there are many varied approaches. We describe the lessons learned during the design and development of the REINAS software (Real-time Environmental Information Network and Analysis System). We have developed visualization applications that have been in public use for several years and that visualize data from relational database engines. Our most popular tools are World Wide Web access tools. Our most sophisticated tools have novel user interfaces-- Spray and CSpray. In this paper we present the interface and API (application programming interface) issues, as well as the development of the required middleware. The REINAS system is a complete data management system whose requirements and construction were driven primarily by the visualization needs, and therefore presents a unique view of how to utilize commercial relational database technologies for environmental visualization. 1 Overview The REI..