FAQ: General Information

1.1 What is AVS/Express?

AVS Express enables object-oriented development of rich and highly interactive scientific and technical data visualizations for a wide range of computing platforms.

1.3 What is the difference between AVS/Express Visualization Edition and AVS/Express Developers Edition?

The Developer Edition and Visualization Edition of AVS/Express share a common architecture. Both products use the Object Manager and have the same component technology for graphics, imaging, visualization, and user interface. Both versions allow development of new modules in C, C++ and FORTRAN. User modules written in these languages have full access to the OM and FLD APIs in both versions.

The AVS/Express Developer Edition is designed for developers who are creating technical applications for distribution within their organization or for resale. The Developer Edition has the ability to create runtimes and has a Database Kit. Because the AVS/Express Developer Edition is targeted to meet the needs of application developers, more of the underlying system architecture is exposed in the product. The Developer Edition has full access to the entire library of low-level modules in the DV, GD, IP, and AG Kits.

While AVS/Express Visualization Edition is intended for end users, rather than application developers, some development can still be done in the Visualization Edition. The DV, GD, IP, and AG Kits are all present, but user are restricted to using the pre-assembled high-level modules. For example, a Visualization Edition user could construct a application using the high-level "orthoslice" module, but would not be able to access the low-level modules in the DV kit needed to construct a new version of the "orthoslice" module with a custom user interface. The Visualization Edition cannot be used to produce "runtimes" and it does not contain a Database Kit.

1.5 Where should I start learning to use AVS/Express?

The best place to start is the tutorial located in the Getting started portion of the documentation.

1.6 Is training available for AVS/Express?

Yes, Advanced Visual Systems conducts both introductory and advanced training for AVS/Express. See http://www.avs.com/solutions/index.html for more information.

1.7 Is there a mailing list for AVS/Express?

Advanced Visual Systems maintains a Developer Community Discussion Forum for many of its products including AVS/Express. To register and join in the discussion, please visit http://forum.avs.com.

1.8 Are there web sites for AVS/Express users?

In addition to the Developer Community Discussion Forum described above, you may wish to visit the International AVS Centre at http://www.iavsc.org.

The main objective of the International AVS Centre (IAC) is to foster discipline-specific module development and to develop new uses for AVS software. The core activity of the IAC is to distribute "added value" technology for AVS beyond what is available in the core products, in an open source web site. The IAC maintains the AVS/Express Module Repository.

The IAC is located at the Manchester Visualization Centre part of the University of Manchester, in the United Kingdom.