THE COMPUTER TRANSITION SYSTEMS REPORT
NOVEMBER 1998
CONTENTS
FORTRAN 90 WORKSHOPS - for Sydney and Melbourne
FORTRAN UPGRADE OFFERS
TECPLOT Version 7.5
CFD Analyzer - a new tool for Tecplot
New Fortran Compiler Releases Lahey, Absoft, DEC,
Salford, EPC
INTERACTER 4.2
WINTERACTER 2.0
PRO FORTRAN FOR POWERMAC
CPU STATUS REPORT
FORTRAN 90 WORKSHOPS - for Sydney and Melbourne.
Tom Lahey has conducted Fortran 90 Workshops in America, Europe, and Australia. In 1999 he can lead
two workshops, one in Sydney (March 1-3) and the other in Melbourne (February 22-24). Other venues are
possible if there is interest from a minimum of 10 participants. These three day, six session programmes are
for a maximum of 20 people. Participants will successfully port one of their own Fortran 77 programs to a
Fortran 90 language system and will learn how to incorporate new Fortran 90 features into their code.
Workshop participants must be experienced Fortran programmers. They must bring their own computer with
a Fortran 90 language system (preferably LF90) and a Fortran 77 program of no more than 10,000 lines.
Three weeks before the workshop begins paid participants will receive workshop notes, a copy of the book
Migrating to Fortran 90, and a disk containing copies of the Fortran 90 code discussed in the workshop. The
fee for the Workshop is $1200 ($1080 for Corporate Express members) and must be paid three weeks in
advance to Computer Transition Systems. Payment may be by cheque, VISA or MasterCard. Fees are non
refundable. A 10% discount is given to those who register before 1 December 1998. The Workshop fee
covers lunches.
FORTRAN UPGRADE OFFERS
The following competitive Fortran compiler upgrade offers are
currently available.
ABSOFT - from any Digital, Lahey, Microsoft, or
Salford Fortran compiler running under DOS or Windows. Upgrade to Pro
Fortran version 6 for Windows for $599 (to Pro FortranMP for $775).
Lahey - upgrade to LF95 Pro from any 32
bit DOS or Windows Fortran compiler for $1070, upgrade to LF95 for
$725. Upgrades to LF95 Pro from LF90 are substantially less. Valid to 31/1/99.
Salford
- upgrade to FTN95 from any Fortran compiler for DOS or Windows $1095
($875 from FTN77).
TECPLOT Version 7.5
Tecplot is the state of the art data visualization package produced by Amtec
Engineering. Data input is simple. The data can manipulated and animated to
display subtle information. Unlike most competing products Tecplot has a high
degree of flexibility. This means the user can display information in exactly
the manner desired. Extensive examples are available from
http://www.amtec.com.
Now with version 7.5 Windows as well as Unix versions can be downloaded for
trial examination before purchase (via a time limited password). With version
7.5 a year of maintenance and upgrades (EUSS) has been bundled in with the
purchase of a new copy of Tecplot. As a result prices have increased. The
Windows Tecplot is $2080 (academic $1480). The Unix Tecplot licence for a single
workstation is $4080 (academic $2880). Upgrades from version 7 are 30% of the
new price; from earlier versions they are 60%. An optional CFD Analyser is also
available (see following article).
Amtec's background in computational fluid
dynamics (CFD) has significantly influenced the evolution of Tecplot. The
complex data structures typical of CFD are just a standard option in Tecplot.
Integrating particle paths, vector fields, and extensive contouring
capabilities, and a host of other features were added to Tecplot to make it the
standard for CFD post-processing. As a result of these CFD features, Tecplot is
now widely used in a variety of disciplines including aerospace, geophysics,
groundwater hydrology, heat transfer, oceanography, chemistry, and
electromagnetics.
Tecplot Version 7.5 can be extended to almost any kind of functionality you want using the included
Add-on Developer's Kit (ADK). The ADK is an application programming interface and a set of software tools
that allows developers to write Add-ons. Add-ons are programs that have access to Tecplot's data and
functionality. Add-on programs are linked directly to Tecplot when Tecplot is started. Add-ons may have
their own set of dialogs and interact with the drawing areas in Tecplot. Add-on complexity can range from
the very simple, like a custom data base query routine, to the very complex, like a partial differential equation
solver. Add-ons can be created for Tecplot on Microsoft Windows using Visual C++, and Visual Basic. On
UNIX workstations using standard native C and Fortran compilers can be used.
Other improvements in Tecplot Version 7.5 include
Input/Output Enhancements
- Reading of popular grid, CAD, and CFD formats from within Tecplot's File menu. Version 7.5 has added
support for DEM, DXF, Excel, Gridgen, HDF and PLOT3D file formats.
- Interactive choice of data files when reading layouts.
- Improved support for adding new data files to an existing data set, or loading new data sets from data files
containing different variable sets. Tecplot does educated guessing on variable matching, and allows users
to modify variable matching later.
- Support of default export file extensions (.ps, .tif, etc.)
- Specification of default input filename extensions.
- Integration of data spreadsheets into Tecplot
- Export capability of Windows Metafile format from UNIX.
General Usage Features
- Link between macros and text, allowing users to associate a macro function with a text (or geometry),
and then execute the macro by performing a special keystroke combination or sequence.
- Enhancement of macro commands to query users for input.
- Enhancement of $!IF macro command to compare strings as well as numeric values.
- Ability to enter character codes in a text string using \nnn.
- Support for foreign character sets allow users to specify foreign keyboard assignments and use the resulting
character definitions in their Tecplot layouts.
- Improvement of error messages for Preplot.
- Separation of tick and label toggles for Axis Box.
- Addition of axis label skipping.
- Addition of a precise dotted grid.
- Ability to name frames and control them by name. Frame Order dialog provides handy way to pop hidden
frames.
- User definition of frame header information.
- Year 2000 compliance.
CFD Analyzer - a new tool for Tecplot
The CFD Analyzer (CFDA) provides Tecplot users with two utilities that enhance their capabilities for analyzing
CFD data for both structured and unstructured grids. The first utility allows the user to create new Tecplot
variables by selecting from a list of predefined functions of grid properties and flow field variables. These
functions, based on the PLOT3D program, have been enhanced to apply to both compressible and
incompressible flows. The second utility provides a numerical integration capability that allows the user to
integrate scalars and vectors along lines, over surfaces, and in volumes. Users can now easily calculate
volumes, surface areas, mass flow rates, forces on bodies, and total energy. The CFDA allows the user to
specify the fluid properties and thermodynamic variables, the reference conditions, the velocity vector
components in the data set, and the integration domain. The CFDA includes a set of custom macro
commands, which allows automation of its capabilities via the Tecplot macro language. CFDA is $325 for
Windows 95/98/NT or Linux. It is $660 for UNIX.
New Fortran Compiler Releases
The last six months has seen a major change in the Fortran compilers available for computers using Intel cpus.
There are now five companies who produce compilers which are under active development. Only one of
these compilers, FTN95 from Salford, was available when our last newsletter was written. The others are
either new products (LF95 from Lahey and EPC F90) or are major upgrades from previous versions (Absoft
Pro Fortran for Windows version 6 and DEC Visual Fortran version 6). A brief outline of the highlights of each
of these compilers follows. More details are available from the developer's web sites.
LF95 version 5 http://www.lahey.com
This Fortran 95 compiler is the successor to the Lahey LF90 compiler (which will
be maintained but not developed past version 4.5). It is the PC implementation of the Fujitsu Fortran
90/95 compiler which vies with EPC for the top position in comparative Fortran compiler reviews. Comprehensive
details on LF95 are provided in the accompanying Fall 1998 Lahey newsletter. Considerable effort has gone
into making it highly compatible with LF90. Advantages of LF95 are excellent no cost technical
support, lucid and comprehensive written documentation, quadruple precision mathematics routines, VAX structures,
easy to use compiler interface, an adequate debugger, good execution speed of compiled programs,
an excellent Fortran sensitive editor, and in the Pro version, accessory software developed by Fujitsu (an extensive
math library, a high quality static analyser, and a C compiler). LF95 is $999 (academic $730).
LF95 Pro $1370 ($990). Competitive upgrades to LF95 $725; to LF95 Pro $1070. Upgrades from LF90
version 4.5 to LF95 Pro $370. Upgrades from earlier LF90 to LF95 Pro $525. Upgrade prices are valid
until 31 January.
Absoft Pro Fortran version 6.0 http://www.absoft.com
Pro Fortran v6.0 for Windows comes in three versions: Pro FortranMP [multi-processor], Pro Fortran
[standard], and Pro Fortran - Academic. Pro FortranMP comes with the Applied Parallel Research spf auto-
parallelizer for dual CPUs. Typical speed improvement on dual processor systems is up to 35% depending on
code. F77 SDK for Windows has been discontinued.
All versions of Pro Fortran v6.0 include a substantially revised F90 compiler which now supports all
popular legacy and Unix workstation as well as many PC extensions, a F77 compiler, and a C/C++ compiler
(for mixed language development). All compilers provide full support of Win32 API, can automatically build
DLLs, and are link and debug compatible with Visual C++ 5.0/6.0. A new integrated development
environment (IDE) which smoothly integrates all tools (including auto parallelizer and profiler in the MP
version) is in v6.0. The debugger and programmer's editor are significantly updated. Project builds and
clean-ups are much faster. Each compiler now includes a make file syntax checker which can detect when
external files have been modified and has much better error message reporting. One drawback of Pro Fortran
is that the compilation speed is quite slow.
On the Pro Fortran distribution CD are: BAAS, LAPPIC, HDF libraries, OpenGL header files, a new F90
Concise Reference Manual, F77 Reference Manual, F77->F90 porting guide, IMSL Math and Stat libraries
(locked unless paid for) which now include F90MP routines, and complete documentation in pdf format. Pro
Fortran is $1250 (academic $560 - documentation only on CD), Pro FortranMP $1585 ($1210). Competitive
upgrades Pro Fortran $590; Pro FortranMP $750. Upgrades from V5 Pro Fortran to v6 Pro Fortran $580,
v5 Pro Fortran to V6 Pro Fortran MP $580. Upgrade prices valid to 31 March 1999. IMSL is an optional extra
on all packages - $340 when purchased with a compiler.
VISUAL FORTRAN 6 http://www.digital.com/fortran
The two major drawbacks of Visual Fortran are the absence of printed documentation (there is only a Fortran
reference manual) and the Microsoft Developers Studio (which for many users is a massive hurdle). The most
important new facility in version 6 is the DIGITAL Array Visualizer which allows the creation of data
visualization programs. It comes only with the Professional Edition. An Array Viewer utility allows generated
arrays to be displayed and manipulated independently. New facilities in both the Standard and Professional
Edition of Visual Fortran include Fortran 95 compliance, improved optimization, full traceback on errors,
OpenGL interface, and compatibility with Visual C/C++ version 6 (VF version 5 is not compatible with it).
Standard Edition is $950 ($630 academic). Professional Edition is $1280 ($840). Upgrades from v5 to v6
Standard Edition $530 ($350); from v5 (either Std or Pro Edition) to v6 Professional Edition $710 ($470).
FTN95 http://www.salford.co.uk
This Fortran 95 compiler has been available for just over a year. It has many attractions - very fast
compilation speed, a very good debugger which can debug intermixed Fortran, C and assembly code, a
comprehensive set of graphics routines, and a somewhat idiosyncratic but quite effective means of providing
Windows interface routines. The major drawbacks of FTN95 are comparatively poor documentation, and
there are a significant number of bugs. In early 1999 Salford will provide all owners a free upgrade to version
1.5 of FTN95. This release will be on CD and will include their C/C++ compiler. Salford have also
established user groups for FTN95 and ClearWin+(the Salford system for generating Windows interfaces).
To subscribe send an email to listserv@salford-software.com with SUBSCRIBE FTN95UG as the text
message (not in the subject line) for the FTN95 usergroup. For the ClearWin+ user group use SUBSCRIBE
CWPUG. FTN95 is $1395 ($940 academic). Competitive upgrades are $1095. Technical support is optional
- $300 per year.
EPC F90 for NT http://www.epc.co.uk
The Fortran 90 for Windows NT produced by Edinburgh Portable Compilers is the Windows NT
implementation of their very high quality Fortran 90 complier for Workstations. For those who use EPC F90
for UNIX it has the advantage of being an identical compiler for use on PCs running Windows NT. The EPC
F90 is the most mature implementation of Fortran 90 and always rates very highly in comparison with other
compilers for Fortran 90 compliance and execution speed of compiled executables. The Kuck Associates
optimisation technology has been incorporated into the EPC compiler. The major disadvantages of the
compiler are comparatively high price (A$2695), it is not compatible with Windows95/98, and there are no
third party libraries available for it (ie math libraries, graphics libraries, Windows interface libraries).
INTERACTER 4.2
INTERACTER 4.2 was released at the end of October. Improvements In the new release are presentation
graphics have been upgraded (tables, greater flexibility in scatter and surface plots, extra key layout options,
increased limits on number of data sets/values), new text file printing option, complete CalCommp HCBS and
Lahey Video Graphics Library emulations (partial Graphoria emulation), LF95 and LF90 support in the same
package, and Epson Stylus 720dpi graphics. INTERACTER prices - F77LEM/32 $875, other PC compilers
$1240, UNIX compilers $2540 and UNIX compilers without support for terminals $1990. 25% educational
discount on PC versions; 33% on UNIX.
Winteracter 2.0
The next 6 monthly release date for Winteracter is 27 November. For upgrade prices please contact
Computer Transition Systems at the end of November. Facilities new to version 2.0 include the ones
mentioned above for INTERACTER 4.2 plus
o full production version of WiDE (Winteracter Development Environment) which includes:-
- an Application Wizard that facilitates construction of new Winteracter applications
- new built in editor
- more reliable sub-process invocation
o a text editor routine which converts any Winteracter window into a text editor/viewer.
o enhancements to the spreadsheet routines - support provided for menu cells, redefinition at run time of the
type and number of grid columns and read only cells.
o Add/remove menu items at run-time
o Up to 128 simultaneous colours in 256 colour modes (previous limit was only 16 colours)
Winteracter is $1299. Upgrades from version 1.15 are $270; from version 1.10 are $380; from version 1.0
are $460. 25% discount for academic licences
New Pro Fortran v6.0 for Power Macintosh
Absoft plans to release Pro Fortran v6.0 for Power Macintosh in November. Included in it is a substantially
upgraded F90 compiler which supports most workstation extensions. It has faster compile times and includes
a new malloc free which removes Apple's 8MB memory limitation. Also included on the Pro Fortran v6.0 CD
are new include files, Absoft's new Concise F90 Reference manual, new User Guide, latest version of MPW
with colour programmer's editor, HDF libraries with Fortran entry points, BLAS & LAPACK90 libraries and
upgraded IMSL Math and Stat libraries [optional]. Pro Fortran is $1585 (academic $1210). IMSL is an
additional $500. Competitive upgrades (from a Macintosh Fortran compiler) are $1080. Upgrades from earlier
Pro Fortran are $580. Upgrades from Absoft F77 compilers for Macintosh is $925. Upgrade prices are valid
until 31/3/99
CPU Status Report.
http://www.microprocessor.sscc.ru provides current information on the relative merits of the various CPU
chips. The following table summarizes the situation as of mid October.
| CPU | clock (MHZ) | cache (MB) | SPECint95 | SPECfp95 |
| Alpha 2164 | 575 | 4 | 30.3 | 47.7 |
| HP PA 8200 | 240 | 2 | 17.4 | 28.5 |
| IBM P2 Super | 160 | ? | 8.6 | 26.6 |
| MIPS R10000 | 250 | 4 | 14.7 | 24.5 |
| MicroSPARC II | 360 | 4 | 16.1 | 23.5 |
| MicroSPARCIIi | 333 | 2 | 14.1 | 18.1 |
| G3 (PowerPC) | 400 | 1 | 17.6 | 12.2 |
| PII Xeon | 450 | 0.5 | 17.4 | 13 |
| Alpha 21164PC | 533 | 1 | 12.4 | 16.1 |
| PII | 333 | 0.5 | 9.3 |
Return to Computer Transition System's home page.
Updated 31 October 1998