## The DAVETooL Class

The DAVETool class inherits and extends an IDLitTool class. The IDLitTool class provides the system foundation that is required by every application that is based on the iTools framework. DAVETool implements the non-interacting core infrastructure of the DAVE application such as: a project manager, a data manager, a visualization manager, etc. Writing applications based on the iTools framework involves writing object classes that extend well-defined pre-build classes that perform specific functions. There are dozens of such pre-built classes that can be used for creating visualizations, operations, manipulators etc. DAVETool must define which registered functionality or component is to be made a part of the final application.

DAVETool specifies, but does not define, a suitable user interface to be used for user interaction with the application. The chosen user interface is one that presents a data-centric view for the main application - the user is reducing, analyzing and visualizing one or more datasets so an interface that enables these tasks to be easily performed is most logical. It consist of

- standard menus.
- toolbar(s) - contains icon links to commonly used tasks.
- a data browser - containing tree view of loaded data.
- a visualization browser - containing tree view of visualizations.
- a detail area for displaying details of currently selected items.
- parameter table area - for specifying/modifying visualization parameters.
- a quick launch section for quickly, creating or modifying existing visualizations.
- a status bar for displaying brief feedback information.