METAVIEWS: A Process-Oriented Approach to CAD and Graphics

Abstract

A system-theoretic approach to the computer aided design (CAD) process is presented. Dependency network among objects, consisting of design operations - transactions - is formed automatically during design. The derivation process of an object, its history, can be extracted as a metalevel macro object and further edited with metadesign operations. Both top-down and bottom-up strategies are supported with this "design-by-example" method. The process-oriented methodology applies to the configuration of graphics systems also, as demonstrated with the METAVIEWS user interface.