FRIENDSHIP-Framework: Coupling platform

Convenient and result-oriented engineering will, one way or the other, include the functionality of external tools. Therefore, the FRIENDSHIP-Framework facilitates the tight coupling of external programs, codes or tools. Several coupling modes are provided, e.g. XML, generic interface and COM interface. Through these, a variety of operations can be conducted, be it an integral part of the design process, i.e., optimization, or be it for documentation and archival purposes. Our development team may assist you in the coupling of your specific tool and, if needful, the definition of a custom-made integration. The FRIENDSHIP-Framework is designed to serve as an integration platform to include and involve approved tools serving the overall idea of an efficient and convenient engineering process, which produces high performance results.

In a nutshell, coupling tools to the FRIENDSHIP-Framework is supported through any of the following modes:

• Custom Integration: data exchange by means of standardized XML-interface (XFFL specification)
• Generic Integration: parsing, reading and replacement functionality for arbitrary ASCII input and output files, editor available in graphical user interface
• Feature Definition – I/O commands for parsing (string operations), reading, writing and generation of arbitrary ASCII files
• COM-interface for connecting to e.g. Microsoft Office applications like Excel

An example for the successful integration of Excel into the FRIENDSHIP-Framework for the dimensioning of ship hull forms is given here.

• User-defined generic tables
• Postprocessing of result data, visualization of simulation data (proprietary/Tecplot add-on)

 More on the platform's inherent qualities

Coupling tools to the FRIENDSHIP-Framework, e.g. stability calculation module Hydromax by Formation Systems, is easy