Ptolemy II 4.0-alpha is available for download from http://ptolemy.eecs.berkeley.edu/ptolemyII/ptII4.0/
VisualSense-4.0-alpha is also available as part of the download. VisualSense is a visual editor and simulator for wireless sensor network systems. Modeling of wireless sensor networks requires sophisticated modeling of communication channels, sensor channels, ad-hoc networking protocols, localization strategies, media access control protocols, energy consumption in sensor nodes, etc. VisualSense is designed to support a component-based construction of such models. VisualSense is intended to enable the research community to share models of disjoint aspects of the sensor nets problem and to build models that include sophisticated elements from several aspects. The VisualSense documentation can be found at http://ptolemy.eecs.berkeley.edu/papers/04/VisualSenseERLMemo0408/VisualSenseERLMemo0408.pdf Eventually, we will have a separate VisualSense only Windows installer. In this release, under Windows, to install VisualSense, install the full version of Ptolemy II and select Vergil - VisualSense from the Start menu. If you rebuild from source, then to start up VisualSense, run vergil -visualsense New Features ------------ Major Features that are new in Ptolemy II 4.0 * Modeling wireless sensor networks (VisualSense) The wireless domain extends the DE domain with wireless channel modeling and library of components and methodologies for modeling wireless systems. This domain is packaged in a Ptolemy II configuration called VisualSense, which includes an extensive suite of demos. * Hierarchical classes, subclasses, and inner classes. Version 4.0 introduces actor-oriented classes, subclasses, and inner classes with inheritance. This is a major improvement in the modularity mechanisms available in actor-oriented design. A side effect of the class mechanism is that MoML files are now much smaller since they do not duplicate information defined in a base class. * Lifecycle management Version 4.0 introduces the first of a family of lifecycle management actors, which are actors that control the execution of associated models. This example uses one model to control repeated runs of another. Other Features that are new in Ptolemy II 4.0 * Statically Checked Unit System The new statically checked units system associates units with ports and checks compatibility in connections. * Higher-Order Components. Version 4.0 adds higher-order components, which are components (like actors) that operate on other components rather than directly on data. * Interactive decorations in Vergil diagrams. Actors can have custom icons, diagrams can be decorated with decorative elements, and parameters of the icons and decorative elements can be tied to values compute by the model. * Reconfiguration analysis A new capability helps to ensure the safe use of reconfiguration. Currently it is primarily used by the code generator to ensure that synchronous dataflow rate parameters are constant over the lifetime of the model. This analysis also enables parameterized static scheduling of some models where rate parameters change only between iterations of a sub-model. * Causality analysis A new (and still evolving) capability unifies causality analysis that is required by several domains. It provides a systematic framework for determining whether events at a particular input affect a particular output. * Copernicus The copernicus code generator has matured significantly: + Better handling of data types, reconfiguration, and attributes other than simple parameters. + Code Generation for the Giotto domain. + A primitive code generator for generating atomic actors from models. + Static analysis of reachable code for generating self-contained jar files. Plans ----- This release includes only the documentation for VisualSense, the Ptolemy User's Manual has not yet been updated. Our plan is to release Ptolemy II 4.0-beta sometime in the second week of May. Once the documents are updated, we will release another version, probably sometime in May or June. Ptolemy II 4.0-alpha is primarily for testing by seasoned developers and people who have used Ptolemy II before. Bugs ---- The Ptolemy II 4.0-alpha limitations are listed in: http://ptolemy.eecs.berkeley.edu/ptolemyII/ptII4.0/ptII4.0-alpha/doc/ptII4.0.release.htm The Vergil welcome window has a link to a similar list. If you find bugs, check the limitations page inside Vergil, then check http://ptolemy.eecs.berkeley.edu/ptolemyII/ptII4.0/limitations.htm and then send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In your email, please be sure to include: * What operating system you are operating under (Windows XP sp1? Solaris 8?) * What version of Java you are running. (Run java -version, or use our Java Version Applet at http://ptolemy.eecs.berkeley.edu/ptolemyII/ptII4.0/JavaVersionApplet.htm * Whether the problem occurs in * Vergil * The local version of the web pages * The PtolemyII 4.0-alpha website version of the web pages * The Web Start version -Christopher Christopher Hylands Brooks [EMAIL PROTECTED] University of California Programmer/Analyst Chess/Ptolemy/GSRC US Mail: 558 Cory Hall #1770 ph: 510.643.9841 fax:510.642.2739 Berkeley, CA 94720-1770 home: (F-Tu) 707.665.0131 (W-F) 510.655.5480 (office: 400A Cory) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted to the ptolemy-hackers mailing list. Please send administrative mail for this list to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
