A new CGM Open WebCGM Technical Committee has been formed at OASIS to accelerate the further adoption, application, and implementation of the Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM).

CGM is an "international standard for open interchange of structured graphical objects and their associated attributes. The WebCGM Profile of CGM was developed by CGM Open and is a current recommendation of the W3C. WebCGM is focused on presenting dynamic technical graphics in the web environment."

New work for the OASIS TC, according to the scope statement, includes possible releases of new versions of WebCGM, WebCGM DOM development, Web-based CGM interoperability reporting and tracking system, alignment of WebCGM functionality with ATA and other graphics profile requirements, definition of semantics of XML companion data associated with WebCGM, and production of an XML encoding of WebCGM. The group may identify additional interoperability topics in response to the evolution of world markets, target application sectors, and CGM/WebCGM implementations. It will develop an education program for users and implementers of CGM and WebCGM technology as needed.

The CGM Open WebCGM TC Convenor and Proposed Chair are Dave Cruikshank (Boeing). The first meeting of the TC will be held May 24-27, 2004 as a F2F meeting in Cologne, Germany, hosted by ITEDO.

CGM and WebCGM

"Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM ) is an ISO standard [ISO/IEC 8632:1999] originally created in 1987 for vector and composite vector/raster graphics. CGM is used extensively for technical illustrations in the automotive engineering industry, the aerospace industry, and the defense industry. WebCGM is a conforming profile under the CGM:1999 standard, and utilizes the profile proforma described in the CGM:1999 Annex.

The WebCGM profile is used to specify the subset of the CGM standard that will be used to exchange data on the web. The detailed profile specifications of WebCGM are based on those of the (Air Transport Association) (ATA )CGM profile, 'GREXCHANGE 2.4'. This profile is widely implemented in industry, and it has the valuable attribute that there is already an associated product certification testing service.

WebCGM is an 'intelligent graphics' profile, which means that in addition to graphical content based on CGM Versions 1-3, the profile includes non-graphical content based on CGM Version 4, Application Structures. The non-graphical content allows the definition of hierarchies of application objects, as well as the association of metadata, such as link specifications and layer definitions, with the objects. The WebCGM Profile specification was issued as a W3C Recommendation on 21st January, 1999..." [excerpted from the XML Europe 2002 paper by Stuart Galt]

From the Announcement

The OASIS CGM Open WebCGM TC is chartered to carry out the technical work of the OASIS CGM Open Member Section. That technical work originated with the technical agenda of the former CGM Open Consortium Inc, which since January 2004 has been reorganized and integrated into OASIS as the OASIS CGM Open Member Section.

The purpose of the CGM Open WebCGM TC is to accelerate the further adoption, application, and implementation of the Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM), the international standard for open interchange of structured graphical objects and their associated attributes. The WebCGM Profile of CGM was developed by CGM Open and is a current recommendation of the W3C. WebCGM is focused on presenting dynamic technical graphics in the web environment.

The focus of the TC is to coordinate WebCGM with other CGM application areas, further develop the WebCGM profile based on requirements for needed features, educate users in the appropriate use of CGM and WebCGM, and promote interoperability of CGM and especially WebCGM applications.

At the highest level the problem being addressed by the TC is the improved penetration of CGM and WebCGM into their target application sectors and the successful implementation of multiple interoperable applications in those sectors.

TC Scope: The following is a master list of potential work items that have been enumerated for the CGM technical program. This forms the scope for the CGM Open WebCGM TC:

• WebCGM future development including possible releases of new versions of WebCGM
• WebCGM DOM development
• Web-based CGM interoperability reporting and tracking system
• Any additional interoperability topics that are identified by the TC in response to the evolution of the markets, target application sectors, and CGM/WebCGM implementations
• Alignment of WebCGM functionality with ATA (and other) graphics profile requirements
• Maintenance of product ICS (Implementation Conformance Statement) database
• Definition of semantics of XML companion data associated with WebCGM
• XML encoding of WebCGM
• An education program for users and implementers of CGM and WebCGM technology

In addition, the CGM Open WebCGM TC will maintain relationships with other international standards groups involved in CGM and web graphics technology.

Anything other than the above listed items is considered out of scope for the CGM Open WebCGM TC. There will be significant milestones with the completion of specifications dealing with WebCGM, as well as with the delivery of tools and services for interoperability.

List of TC Deliverables: In the CGM community there is general agreement about the prioritization of three badly needed, partially finished work items to address the short-term requirements. The following is a list of the three highest-priority, most critical items, from the larger set identified in the above Scope section:

• WebCGM DOM specification: final design at first F2F meeting with formal DOM acceptance six months later
• Interoperability reporting/tracking system: public availability one month after first F2F meeting
• Refresh of product ICS database: one month after first F2F meeting

Additional deliverables are anticipated to satisfy the other identified scope items described above. Those deliverables will be defined and added to the TC's charter upon completion of the currently defined deliverables.

Similar Work: The W3C SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) working group has developed a W3C recommendation for an XML encoded 2D graphics language for web applications. The intended audience for SVG, according to the W3C, is quite different than that of WebCGM. The CGM Open TC will maintain a liaison relationship with SVG through common membership and has considered a mapping of WebCGM functionality to an SVG subset.

TC Proposers

• Dave Cruikshank, david.w.cruikshank@boeing.com, The Boeing Company
• Dieter Weidenbruck, dieter@itedo.com, ITEDO Software GmbH
• Lofton Henderson, lofton@rockynet.com, Individual member
• Franck Duluc, franck.duluc@airbus.com, Airbus France
• Ulrich Laesche, ulrich@ematek.de, Ematek GmbH
• Bruce Garner, brucegar@pacbell.net, Individual member
• Don Larson, dlarson@cgmlarson.com, Larson Sofware Technology, Inc
• Forrest Carpenter, forrest@sdicgm.com, System Development, Inc
• Andrew Moorhouse, td2d3@techinfo.mod.uk, MOD UK
• Kevin O'Kane, kevoka@AUTO-TROL.com, Auto-trol Technology
• Gabriella Rist, Gabriella.Rist@lli.liebherr.com, Individual member
• Benoit Bezaire, benoit@itedo.com, ITEDO Software GmbH