A.9 Input Deck Editor

The Input Deck database is equipped with an Input Deck editor with a graphical user interface (see Fig. A.1) to assist the user to build input files. The editor can be used to visualize complex hierarchies.

Figure A.1: GUI of the Input Deck editor.

The section hierarchy is shown at the left side of the window. When a section is opened its subsections get visible in the hierarchy. The contents of the current section are shown at the right side of the window. Items can be created, modified, renamed, moved to other sections, or deleted. Locally modified items are highlighted to distinguish them from inherited ones.

The editor does not access the IDDL files. All modifications are performed directly in the Input Deck database. The editor can be seen as client of the Input Deck database which uses the functionality of the application interface. The editor is written in LISP. Since the database does not allow all operations, like creating sections, deleting items, or overwriting of read only expressions for standard applications special privileges for the editor exist. This gives the editor full control over the Input Deck database.