Collaborative modeling with
features
Bidarra R, van den Berg E and Bronsvoort WF (2001) Collaborative modeling with features. In: CD-ROM Proceedings of the 2001 ASME Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, 9-12 September, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ASME, NY
Abstract
Collaborative systems are distributed multiple-user systems that
are both concurrent and synchronized. An interesting research
challenge is to develop a collaborative modeling system that offers
all facilities of advanced modeling systems to its users, while at
the same time providing them with the necessary coordination
mechanisms that guarantee an effective collaboration. To achieve
this, a web-based collaborative feature modeling system, webSPIFF,
has been developed. It has a client-server architecture, with an
advanced feature modeling system as a basis for the server,
providing feature validation, multiple views and sophisticated
visualization facilities. A good distribution of the functionality
between the server and the clients has resulted in a well-balanced
system. On the one hand, the server offers all the functionality of
the original feature modeling system. On the other hand, all
desirable interactive modeling functionality is offered by the
clients, ranging from display of sophisticated feature model images
to interactive model specification facilities. The architecture of
webSPIFF, the distribution of model data, the functionality of the
server and the clients, and the communication mechanisms are
described. It is shown that a good compromise between interactivity
and network load has been achieved, and that indeed advanced
modeling with a collaborative system is feasible.