Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 1990

Publication Title

Engineering With Computers

Abstract

Although more and more expert system shells have begun to provide communication interfaces to conventional procedural languages, the interfaces are basically shell- and language-dependent. This paper presents a simple, shell- and language-independent data communication technique between a shell and a procedural language via a concept analogous to the handshake data transmission used in microprocessors. A control file is used for the action of handshake. The communication interface is between two data files in two different language environments. A program written in a LISP-based expert system shell, OPS 5, and one written in a procedural language, FORTRAN, were tested to verify the presented technique.

An expert system for cam motion specification, which needs the following three tasks—symbolic representation, numerical computation, and their communication—is described as one of the possible applications of the technique. These three tasks are essential to automated engineering design and analysis.

DOI

10.1007/BF01200243

Version

Postprint

Volume

6

Issue

2

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