[cgmopen-members] CGM interoperability - Whats is the next step ?

[DULUC Franck <Franck.DULUC@airbus.aeromatra.com>]

Dave, Lofton and al,

	I wish I had been able to attend the XML 2001 conference. This is
the second time that I miss interoperability demonstration from our CGM
vendors.

	We at Airbus, are strongly interested by the real interoperability
of CGM between tools, because:

		- We do have different tools and different sources of
graphics that have to exchange information,
		- Our customer have the strong need to be able to fully use
the files that we are delivering to them.
		- CGM is the only vector format really available for our
needs

	In the last few months, I have posted many messages stating my
troubles with some different issues that I encountered especially when
trying to inter-operate tools. Here is a non-exhaustive list of what were
these problems:
		- Raster Patterns support,
		- Dash Line scaled or not (Line Width Specification),
		- Raster images (CGM Hybrid files).

	With these issues in mind, I can not agree with the statement "CGM
is interoperable".

	Another important point for us is the profile compliance. All the
tests we did with different tools showed us that the profile compliance is
neither 100%.

	All these statements make it very hard to promote CGM use within a
company like Airbus. Managers are very reluctant to go CGM as they may
encounter the problems listed above and for which there is no solution at
this date. Besides, the non-respect of profiles makes it very difficult and
dangerous to contract for CGM with a profile, because the compliance
requirement can not be ensured.

	For summarizing my statements, I would like to have the vendors
aware that promoting commercially CGM is not the only way for making CGM
more used. Some efforts are needed to meet requirements from people who have
already made the choice or are on the way to.

	As it is not sufficient to complain for making progress, let me make
the following proposition: I think it will be very helpful to have a time
slot during CGMOpen meetings dedicated to issues encountered by the CGM
users. This time slot should allow sharing information, case studies and
explanations and defining an action plan for improving CGM support. I
propose also to prepare a presentation for the next CGMOpen Technical
meeting where I will present a case study and provide test files.


Let me know about any of your comments or suggestions,

Best Regards,

Franck DULUC
AIRBUS FRANCE
SDN7 - D0611
316, route de Bayonne - 31060 TOULOUSE Cedex
FRANCE
&(33) 5.61.18.19.16   * (33) 5.61.93.59.44
*franck.duluc@airbus.aeromatra.com