Corel has announced the availability of the Corel Smart Graphics Studio development platform, "designed to speed and simplify the creation of SVG-based smart graphics. Smart graphics are a new form of enterprise-class, graphically-rich application built using open standard SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) to transform XML and legacy data into powerful and compelling intranet and extranet applications. Using open standards such as XML, XSLT and SVG, and JavaScript, Corel Smart Graphics Studio is an enterprise-class tool giving application developers control over the design, development, and deployment of their applications. Corel Smart Graphics Studio is composed of four integrated applications: (1) Corel Developer SG provides a design window, template builder, and data mapper for designing client interfaces, creating dynamic objects for data mappings, and specifying connections between the inputs of an SVG template and the data. (2) Corel Process Builder lets application developers build processes for binding multiple data sources including XML, ODBC, Web Services, and legacy data; the data is then combined with graphics and application logic to create a run-time process. Corel Server SG is a high performance platform for the management and transformation of application data and images. (4) Corel SVG Viewer is a Web browser plug-in that lets application developers view and interact with the SVG graphics as they develop the application interface." A free trial version is available from the Corel website.

Corel Smart Graphics

"Smart graphics are much more than static images. They are graphics that can interact with and be driven by other sources of information. They can interact with users and convey information in real time. In addition, smart graphics can recognize and adapt to such things as platforms, applications, and user characteristics. This functionality makes smart graphics the foundation for the efficient development of compelling visual interfaces.

"Smart graphics can: send and receive data; be animated with Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) and JavaScript; present high-quality images; be enlarged or reduced without loss of quality; respond to user input; be dynamically generated from data-driven server-side processes which makes them; be made easy to maintain; be distributed and viewed on multiple devices and platforms." [adapted from the Technical White Paper]

Smart Graphics Studio Overview

Corel Smart Graphics Studio provides a platform for building enterprise-class graphical applications that are interactive, scalable, based on open standards, and capable of consuming Web services, databases, and legacy systems. Termed smart graphics, this technology improves enterprise decision making and communication of data and content.

Leveraging W3C open standards, such as XML, XSLT and SVG, and JavaScript, Corel Smart Graphics Studio is an enterprise-class tool for developing graphical applications. It gives enterprise application developers control over design, development, and deployment of their applications. Corel Smart Graphics Studio frees developers to concentrate on building more sophisticated applications, saving time and money for the enterprise.

Current tools make it difficult and expensive to create and maintain graphical interfaces. Corel Smart Graphics Studio lets designers create enterprise graphical applications and interfaces without having to learn programming languages. Because XML code is being generated in the background by Corel Smart Graphics Studio it can always be customized by a developer. Corel Smart Graphics Studio improves workflow by separating data, application logic, and presentation. There is no need to re-engineer an application if you make a change to the data. Corel Smart Graphics Studio uses smart graphics which can be dynamically updated by data-driven, server-side processes. [from the White Paper]

Standards Based Development Platform

The Developer SG Template Builder supports easy integration of multiple data sources into a single Smart Graphics interface. The Template Builder lets you create an intermediary data structure for mapping projects to any source data. Once you create the templates, you can visually connect to databases with: (1) ODBC Input, Query and Post modules; (2) XML modules for binding and querying XML data; (3) Web Service Modules for access to live data.

Corel Smart Graphics Studio provides a visual environment for creating enterprise-class applications with SVG, XML, XSLT and ECMAScript, all open standards supported by major software vendors and industry consortiums. It allows enterprise application designers to control the entire design-to-deployment process with an integrated set of tools.

The comprehensive Smart Graphics tool set for building scalable, extensible applications allows developers to (1) produce W3C-compliant SVG applications; (2) export well-formed XML, XSLT and SVG for development into other platforms; (3) consume WSDL and invoke XML Web services using simple drag-and-drop dialog boxes; (4) insert ECMAScript UI behaviors..." [from the product overview]