Developers guide

• The XML data files also utilise XML style sheets to automatically format the data into

comma delimited text. These style sheets could be improved to allow the data to be

displayed in a presentable form on the web. Easing collaborative analysis.

• Each visualisation window is always placed on the top left corner of the users desktop,

often covering other plots, causing confusion. A tiling or cascading window placement

strategy could be implemented to overcome this.

9.7.2 Data files

• Currently the user interface can appear to hang when very large files are loaded. This is

because the file loading process is executed by the Swing event thread. This can be

trivially overcome by creating a new Thread object.

• A DTD (Document Type Definition) should be developed as a specification for the data

files. This would enable data files to be validated as well as other software developers to

write analysis software.

9.7.3 Web Start

Initial versions of the software were simply deployed as zip files. Web Start deployment was not

implemented for several reasons. Firstly, the donated laptops were not equipped with a network

interface or modems. This, and the fact that they were to be sent to very remote areas of

Australia, means that they are unlikely to ever have Internet access. Thus negating most of the

benefits Web Start provides. Also, the CommAPI relies on native libraries which must be manually

installed into the users Java installation. At the time, overcoming these complications to enable

Web Start deployment was considered a low priority.

However, given the success of the Spectrum Scanner software, and the interest in its use at other

potential SKA sites, the user base may rapidly increase. Managing deployment and software

upgrades to such a large and divers set of users can be made trivial through the use of JNLP and

Web Start.

9.7.4 Receiver portability

Although there is no direct need for the software to interface with radio receivers other than the

AR3000A, the requirement of adding this feature in the future must be anticipated. This current

architecture is moderately flexible and capable of achieving this. However, a more defined

process should be integrated to enable other developers to add support for different receivers.

9.8 Conclusion

The Spectrum Scanner software has been used successfully by several schools throughout

Australia with very few bugs surfacing. Most of the problems encountered have been overcome

by simple workarounds. Development will continue as the SEARFE project expands. The project

has attracted international interest from European organisations and the SETI

Institute in the

United States.

Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence