Character Sets and International Codes

Information Processing

Graphics and Illustrations

Product Data

Images

CD-ROM Storage/Transfer Media

VIDEO and Motion Picture Media

Digital Audio

Hypermedia and Multimedia

Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals

Character Sets and International Codes.

The NATO base standard for information processing is the internationally agreed reference for Latin-based languages (ISO 646) which defines the ASCII compatible binary representation of English alpha-numeric characters, a range of punctuation symbols, and four special control characters (space, tab, and the line/record start and end codes.

It can be easily modified for use with other Latin-based languages. Representation of languages, country names, currencies, dates/times, and the units of measurement should also be specified using the appropriate ISO standards.

Information Processing

In order to share and reuse the information in documents across software applications and across computing platforms the preferred system is based on a Standard Generalised Markup Language (SGML). SGML document elements can contain text and data in ISO 646 format, graphics in CGM format, Computer Aided Design (CAD) Data in IGES format, images in ISO 8613 raster graphics format, spreadsheets and video/voice.

ISO 8879 does not contain a document presentation standard and Document Style Semantics and Specification Language (DSSSL)( DIS 10179) is intended to remedy this in the near future. MIL-M-28001 Appendix B contains a Format Outputting Specification Instance (FOSI) which can be used temporarily as an interim standard. Any application that generates a page image format can use SPDL including SGML/DSSSL and ODA.

Note: The Office Documentation Architecture Information Processing System (ISO 8613) was developed in advance of the SGML philosophy. Although it has widespread administrative use it is not recommended for NATO technical documentation applications.

SGML Conformance Testing

SGML Products are, at present certified only by the US to ANSI X3.190-1993 Standard but this standard is being adopted as an ISO/IEC Standard. Conformance Testing of SGML products for NATO should be specified in accordance with the ISO standard as soon as compliant software and/or test centres become available.

Graphics and Illustrations.

Graphics and Illustrations requiring two dimensional vector presentation in technical manuals - such as graphs, charts, simple figures and line drawings - should be specified in Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM) format.

CGM provides for the interchange of processable, digital, 2-D graphics data through a Metafile format which can be created independently of device requirements and translated into the formats required by output devices, graphics, and computer systems.

CGM Conformance Testing

CGM Products are, at present certified only by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology to MIL-D-28003. The Policy and applicable standards for Conformance Testing of CALS products for NATO has not yet been confirmed or validated in the NATO CALS context. NIST should be consulted before any product is accepted for use.

Product Data

The exchange of technical 2-D and 3-D drawings, documentation, and other data required for product design and manufacturing, including geometric and non-geometric data such as form features, tolerances, material properties, and surfaces and the information typically associated with Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) should be described in international standards terms. Currently the Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) should be used. IGES will eventually be replaced by STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data) which will be capable of representing product data throughout its life-cycle and of specifying file exchange. STEP is the informal name for ISO 10303 which is likely to be adopted for NATO usage.

Images

Non-processable, optically scanned drawings and documents should be specified using raster graphics interchange standards . These were developed initially for digital facsimile over Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDNs). Two forms of raster data may be specified: Type I (untiled) and Type II (tiled).

Type II (tiled) is the preferred format. A tiled raster image resembles a two-dimensional grid with each "tile" or set of pixels representing a portion of the image. Text and graphics in raster data formats allow a rapid and consistent access to stored images and are suitable for electronic transmission. Raster files can also be converted to digital documents for work processing or desk-top publishing and edited through manipulation of individual pixels.

A number of standards exist which are not CALS-specific.

CD-ROM Storage/Transfer Media

Multi-media applications may specify the use of CD-ROM for file transfer or technical documentation applications.

Note: The Policy and applicable standards for NATO CD-ROM usage have not yet been confirmed for CALS applications. In particular a number of NATO STANAGS contain CD-ROM specifications and work is in hand to identify such references.

VIDEO and Motion Picture Media

Multi-media applications may specify the inclusion of Video and Motion Picture files or still images derived from moving pictures. Such specifications, together with legacy data migration strategies, will also need to include appropriate reference to the acceptable data compression standards.

Note: The Policy and applicable standards for NATO Video and Motion Picture Video usage have not yet been confirmed for CALS applications.

Digital Audio

Multi-media applications may specify the inclusion of Audio files but to date there is no internationally accepted standard for digital audio specification.

Note: The Policy and applicable standards for NATO Audio usage have not yet been determined.

Hypermedia and Multimedia

The HyTime standard, which is built on SGML, is used to create relational links between objects (text, graphics, audio, video, etc). The objects are then linked in a document or between documents so as become accessible within a computer system.

Note: The Policy and applicable standards for NATO Hypermedia and Multimedia use has not yet been confirmed or validated in the NATO CALS context.

Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals

An Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM) is a technical manual (eg maintenance, user, training, operations, etc) prepared (authored) in digital form on a suitable medium, by means of an automated authoring system, designed for electronic screen display to an end-user, and possessing the following characteristics:

• The format and style of the presented information are optimised for screen presentation to ensure maximum comprehension; that is, the presentation format is "frame-oriented" and not "page-oriented".
• The elements of technical information constituting the technical manual are so interrelated that a user's access to the required information is facilitated to the greatest possible extent and is achievable by a variety of paths.
• Display devices, including personal computers and portable "laptop" devices can function interactively (as a result of user requests and information input) in providing procedural guidance, navigation directions, and supplemental information.
• Screen presentations can include material derived from data stored in textual, graphical, audio, or video form in a relational data base which is composed of logically connected, bud randomly accessible IETM data elements.

Notes: See Note to Sect 10.3.2

• AECMA SPEC 1000D embodies both hard-copy and IETM requirements and emphasis the use of Internationally agreed standards:
  • Text to SGML (ISO 8879)
  • Graphics to CCITT Group 4 (MIL-R-28002)
  • Vector Graphics to IGES V4 (MIL-D-28000)
  • Images to CGM (MIL-D-28003)
  • Magnetic Tape Transfer to MIL-STD-1840A