Subject: Re: SAIF Frequently Asked Questions List Version 3.3

From: "Henry Kucera, Head Administration" <[email-masked]>
Date: 12 Oct 95 17:01:29 PDT

With Regard to the SAIF FAQ reference to the SQL/MM Standard the 
following notice from Mark Ashworth (Editor SQL/MM Spatial) will update 
the inaccuracies in the FAQ.  The directory given in the FAQ has actually 
been out of data for some time and further reference to the NIST archive 
should be checked before subsequent publications.  

********************************************************************

Gentlepeople,

I have finished editing the following documents:

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC21 N 9789, LHR-003, SQL/MM--Part 1: Framework
ISO/IEC JTC1/SC21 N 9790, LHR-OO4, SQL/MM--Part 2, Full-Text 
ISO/IEC JTC1/SC21 N 9791, LHR-005, SQL/MM--Part 3: Spatial
ISO/IEC JTC1/SC21 N 9792, LHR-006, SQL/MM--Part 4: General Purpose 
Facilities 

I managed to produce change bars in all the documents except
for the new main clauses that were added to SQL/MM LHR-006
(Angle ADT, Array ADT, Type Reference Model).

I did not have any problems editing SQL/MM LHR-003 or SQL/MM
LHR-005.  I did have some problems with LHR-006:

     In editor directions w.r.t. SQL/MM YOW-032:

          The four change proposals: SQL/MM YOW-20,
          SQL/MM YOW-21, SQL/MM YOW-22 and SQL/MM YOW-29
          add or modify the "SQL Syntax Extensions"
          Clauses.  In these cases, I did not delete the
          "SQL Syntax Extensions" clauses.

     In the draft version SQL/MM LHR-013:

          Clause 1.8 Handling NULLs in component
          references was not applied.  In discussion with
          the principle author of the affected sections,
          the editor has determined this change cannot be
          done as an editorial change.  A possible
          problem will be added.

          Clause 2.3, Privileges for Routines was not
          applied.  The part of the standard has existing
          GRANT command, uses the SPECIFIC clause and has
          TYPE TEMPLATEs (see possible problem 3-070 more
          details).  The editor has determined this
          change cannot be done as an editorial change.

These papers are available electronically on the NIST archive in
the following formats: PDF (.pdf), Postscript (.ps), clear text
(.txt), and Word for Windows 6.0 (.ww6). To access them using
anonymous FTP protocols, connect to the following Internet URL:

     ftp://speckle.ncsl.nist.gov/isowg3/sqlmm/LHRdocs

Use the following file names to get the paper:

  SQL/MM--Part 1: Framework:
    Editorial Notes:
     lhr003a.pdf, lhr003a.ps, lhr003a.txt, lhr003a.ww6
    Working Draft:
     lhr003b.pdf, lhr003b.ps, lhr003b.txt, lhr003b.ww6

  SQL/MM--Part 3: Spatial:
    Editorial Notes:
     lhr005a.pdf, lhr005a.ps, lhr005a.txt, lhr005a.ww6
    Working Draft:
     lhr005b.pdf, lhr005b.ps, lhr005b.txt, lhr005b.ww6

  SQL/MM--Part 4: General Purpose Facilities:
    Editorial Notes:
     lhr006a.pdf, lhr006a.ps, lhr006a.txt, lhr006a.ww6
    Working Draft:
     lhr006b.pdf, lhr006b.ps, lhr006b.txt, lhr006b.ww6

The documents will be printed next week and will be sent to the SC21 
Secretariat for the Working Draft release of SQL/MM

To ANSI Participants:

     X3H2 numbers have not been assigned to theses documents
     yet.  As the chair of X3L1 WG2, I have assigned the
     following X3L1.2 Numbers:

          SQL/MM LHR-003 -> X3L1.2/95-045
          SQL/MM LHR-005 -> X3L1.2/95-046
          SQL/MM LHR-006 -> X3L1.2/95-046

---

From: "Dale A. Lutz" <[email-masked]>
Date: 10 Oct 1995 21:35:49 GMT

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      SAIF Frequently Asked Questions List
                                  Version 3.3
                               October 10, 1995
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the fourth release of the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for
the Spatial Archive and Interchange Format (SAIF).

This FAQ will be crossposted periodically to the following newsgroups: 

        news.answers
        comp.answers
        sci.answers
        comp.infosystems.gis
        sci.data.formats

If you have any suggestions for corrections, changes, expansion or
further clarification of this FAQ, please send them to Safe Software Inc.  
at [email-masked].

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

****************************************************************************
The following information has been added since the last release of this FAQ:
*****************************************************************************

o  Only minor editorial modifications have been made to this release,
   including corrections to email addresses, enhanced contact information,
   spelling corrections, etc.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following topics are covered in this FAQ:
                                        
Q1: What is SAIF?
Q2: Is SAIF a standard?
Q3: Who created and maintains SAIF?
Q4: What is the SAIF toolkit?  
Q5: Where can I get more information on SAIF?
Q6: What SAIF documentation is on the Web?
Q7: What SAIF documentation and code is available via FTP?
Q8: What's the easiest way to get familar with SAIF?
Q9: Who is actually using SAIF?
Q10: What SAIF Translators are available and how do I get them?
Q11: What is stkcl ("stickle")?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q1: What is SAIF?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spatial Archive and Interchange Format (SAIF, pronounced "safe") is a
Canadian geomatics standard for the exchange of geographic data. The
underlying model itself is devoid of geographic meaning; rather it deals
with fundamental concepts from mathematics and computer science.  SAIF
uses an object oriented data model, and consists of definitions of the
underlying building blocks, including abstract objects (tuples), sets,
lists, enumerations, and primitives.  It also includes the rules for
defining higher level constructs, and the SAIF standard defines a base
set of approximately 300 classes.  These include such things as Points,
Spatial Reference Systems, Map Projections, Arcs, and Polygons.

By design, SAIF is intended to be extended by users through the
development of their own schemas.  SAIF has an object oriented data
definition language, Class Syntax Notation (CSN), which is used to
define new types.  In addition to being useful as the means of extending
SAIF, CSN is also the language employed to describe all of the types
included in the SAIF base schema.

Instances of objects in SAIF are expressed using Object Syntax Notation
(OSN), a simple character based notation.

There is also a binary exchange file format defined for SAIF data based
on the 'zip' compression format called SAIF/ZIP.  A toolkit is being
produced which will make it easy to read and write SAIF data in this
format (see Q4).

A company has formed to provide tools and training for the SAIF data
standard.  Safe Software Inc. may be contacted by email at
[email-masked] or by phone at either (604) 241-4424 or (604)
583-2016.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q2: Is SAIF a standard?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

In 1991 SAIF was accepted as a draft standard for the exchange of
geographic data by the Canadian General Standards Board, Committee on
Geomatics.  Since that time several upgrades have been made, culminating
in the current specification. SAIF has been approved (1993) through the
CGSB process as a national standard in Canada.  The province of
British Columbia has been using SAIF for more than two years, and the
province of Saskatchewan is presently implementing data exchange based
on SAIF.

The present document, Release 3.2, contains a number of significant
changes made in response to two related efforts.  The first involves the
development of the ISO SQL Multimedia Spatial standard. A new release of
SQL,  SQL3, is being developed. SQL/MM will be a companion standard. The
SQL/MM Spatial is a component of SQL/MM intended to address the
management of spatial and spatiotemporal data in the context of database
management systems.  Documents for SQL/MM Part 3 - Spatial are available
>from ftp://speckle.ncsl.nist.gov/sqlmm/BASEdocs/ in both postscript and
text form.

The second effort concerns the development of the Open Geodata
Interoperability Specification (OGIS) under the auspices of the Open GIS
Foundation (OGF). The OGF has been designated (1994) by the U.S. Federal
Geographic Data Committee as the lead organization responsible for
defining an interoperability specification suitable for geoprocessing
activities.  Because OGIS and SAIF are designed to address different
issues, with different assumptions about underlying technologies, they
are necessarily different. However, an interface between the two is
anticipated once the OGIS specification is stable.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q3: Who created and maintains SAIF?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAIF is a product of the Strategic Developments Unit, Surveys and
Resource Mapping Branch (SRMB) of the British Columbia Ministry of
Environment, Lands and Parks. SRMB is involved in geographic data
management, geographic analysis, and image applications. The following
individuals have been involved with the SAIF initiative:

Joe Carr ------ SAIF Toolkit and SAIF Utilities
                                                    Tel: (604) 387-1353
   Internet: [email-masked]
   
Peter Friesen - modelling and applications
                                                    Tel: (604) 387-9347
   Internet: [email-masked]

Henry Kucera -- databases and Canadian ISO SQL/MM Spatial contributions
                                                    Tel: (604) 356-2388
   Internet: [email-masked]

Mark Sondheim - SAIF formal definition; director of the SAIF initiative
                                                    Tel: (604) 387-9352
   Internet: [email-masked]

SRMB's fax number is (604) 356-7831. 

SRMB would like to extend special thanks to those in the ISO SQL, OGIS,
and Sequoia communities who have contributed both directly and
indirectly to SAIF.

SRMB staff have provided material for this FAQ.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q4: What is the SAIF Toolkit?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The SAIF Toolkit (STK) was released in November 1994, and both source
and binary code is freely available through ftp. The STK was developed
for the Surveys and Resource Mapping Branch of the BC Ministry of
Environment, Lands and Parks by Safe Software Inc. of Richmond, BC.  The
STK contains a C library for reading and writing data in SAIF format,
which will simplify the creation of SAIF translators. As well, the STK
contains tools to allow inspection and testing of SAIF Schemas.

The STK is specifically designed to work with SAIF datasets. Four points
are noteworthy:

1   Each SAIF dataset may contain a mix of data in SAIF format and other
    formats such as imagery. (This capability may be of interest for
    example in multimedia applications.)
2   The Toolkit is being designed to accommodate datasets which may
    range in size from very large to very small.
3   Objects in a SAIF dataset may reference other objects in the dataset
    through object identifiers; they may also reference objects outside
    the dataset.
4   Geographic data in SAIF format, resident in a SAIF dataset, occupies
    significantly less space than typical proprietary formats associated
    with commercial GIS systems.

As portability is the goal, the STK initially targets the Solaris and
Windows NT/95 platforms.   It has also been ported to two 32bit DOS
extenders, Linux, and 16 bit DOS/Windows 3.x.  STK is written in
portable C++ and is usable by both C and C++ developers working in both
the Unix and Microsoft Windows environments.  Since source code to the
STK is freely available, porting the Toolkit is easy, requiring only a
C++ compiler which supports templates and the Rogue Wave Tools.h++
library.

SRMB is commissioning a suite of end user SAIF Utilities which manipulate
SAIF datasets and schemas.  These will be freely distributed when they
become available by the end of March, 1996.

If you are interested in more information about the SAIF Toolkit or the
SAIF Utilities, please contact Joe Carr.

To arrange for consulting services in support of SAIF generally, or the
STK in particular, contact Safe Software.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q5: Where can I get more information on SAIF?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1)  SRMB maintains a home page with links to all the HTML SAIF documents
    at:

        http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/srmb/

2)  You can join the SAIF Mailing List which will keep you up-to-date
    with announcements and developments pertaining to SAIF.  Send an
    email to [email-masked] with the subject "SAIF Request" to be
    added to the list.

3)  You can FTP the SAIF 3.2 specification, print it out, and read it.
    Or download it in HTML form and browse it locally on your PC.
    See Q7.

4)  You can use physical mail and contact:

        SAIF Info,
        Surveys and Resource Mapping Branch, 
        B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks,
        Fourth Floor, 1802 Douglas Street, 
        Victoria, BC  CANADA V8V 1X4
        Tel: (604) 387-1353
        Fax: (604) 356-7831

5)  You can order a hard copy of the SAIF 3.2 specification (price approx 
    CDN$20/copy) by contacting:

          MAPSBC
          Surveys and Resource Mapping Branch
          B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks
          Third Floor, 1802 Douglas Street
          Victoria, BC  CANADA  V8V 1X4
          Tel: (604) 387-1441
          Fax: (604) 387-3022
          http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/srmb/mapsbc.html

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q6: What SAIF documentation is on the Web?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A fully hypertexted version of the SAIF 3.2 specification is available
at:

    http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/srmb/saif32/toc.html

This version is slightly more up-to-date than the hard copy version. The
differences concern examples and commentary which are now corrected.

The SAIF Toolkit documentation is at:
 
    http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/srmb/stk/toc.html

The SAIF Dataset File Format documentation is at:

    http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/srmb/saiffile/toc.html

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q7: What SAIF documentation and code is available via FTP?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The primary ftp repository for SAIF related source code and documentation
is: ftp.crl.gov.bc.ca

This is a VMS hosted FTP site, so you must use VMS directory conventions
to navigate multiple directory levels at a time.  Alternately, just
go up and down one level at a time using standard notation (i.e.:

    cd pub
    cd toolkit

instead of

    cd pub/toolkit

Several SAIF documents are now available via FTP:  

*****************************************************************************

Document Name:   SAIF Specification - Release 3.2
Description:     The complete formal specification of SAIF and its set of
                 base classes.
Number of Pages: 268
Formats:         Postscript and Rich Text Format, HTML

Site:            ftp.crl.gov.bc.ca
Directory:       pub/saif3

Files:           saif32ps.zip   (zipped postscript)
                 saif32rt.zip   (zipped rich text format)
                 saifhtml.zip   (zipped stand-alone HTML'd version of
                                 the full SAIF 3.2 specification,
                                 together with both the BC TRIM
                                 (1:20000) schema and the Forestry
                                 schema.  Can be unzipped and browsed on
                                 an PC not connected to Internet using
                                 Netscape or Mosaic)

*****************************************************************************

Document Name:   SAIF/ZIP Dataset File Format - Release 2.0
Description:     Describes the layout of a SAIF/ZIP dataset.
Number of Pages: 21
Formats:         Word For Windows 6, Rich Text Format, Postscript, 
                 2up Postscipt, ASCII Text, HTML

Site:            ftp.crl.gov.bc.ca
Directory:       pub/toolkit/docs

Files:           saiffile.zip -- contains:
                         saiffile.ps   (postscript)
                         saiffile.ps2  (2 sheets per page postscript)
                         saiffile.doc  (Word For Windows 6)
                         saiffile.rtf  (Rich Text Format)
                         saiffile.txt  (ASCII Text)
                 Note: an HTML version of this document is in the 
                       stkhtml.zip file described below

*****************************************************************************

Document Name:   SAIF Toolkit API Programmer's Reference Manual - Release 1.1
Description:     Describes the C API of the SAIF Toolkit.  Detailed call
                 by call reference.
Number of Pages: 201
Formats:         Word For Windows 6, Rich Text Format, Postscript, 
                 2up Postscipt, ASCII Text, HTML

Site:            ftp.crl.gov.bc.ca
Directory:       pub/toolkit/docs

Files:           stkps.zip   (zipped postscript)
                 stkps2.zip  (zipped 2 sheets per page postscript)
                 stkww6.zip  (zipped Word For Windows 6)
                 stkrtf.zip  (zipped Rich Text Format)
                 stkdoc.zip  (zipped all of the above)
                 stkhtml.zip (zipped hotlinked HTML -- also contains 
                              the SAIF File format in HTML)

*****************************************************************************

Document Name:   SAIF:  An Object Oriented Archival and Interchange Format
                 for the Future
Description:     A high level overview of SAIF and the flexibility
                 scalability of its design.  Paper submitted on poster
                 session application to OOPSLA '94.
Number of Pages: 5
Formats:         Word For Windows 6, Rich Text Format, Postscript, 
                 2up Postscipt, ASCII Text

Site:            ftp.crl.gov.bc.ca
Directory:       pub/saifdocs

Files:           oopssaif.zip  -- contains:
                         oopssaif.ps   (postscript)
                         oopssaif.ps2  (2 sheets per page postscript)
                         oopssaif.doc  (Word For Windows 6)
                         oopssaif.rtf  (Rich Text Format)
                         oopssaif.txt  (ASCII Text)

*****************************************************************************

All other SAIF documentation and code is found under the pub/toolkit
directory on the ftp.crl.gov.bc.ca site.

Below is the readme from that directory, which enumerates all the
source code, documents, and executables that are available:

Directory/File  Contents
--------------  ---------------------------------------------------------

unzip.sun       The Info-ZIP unzip executable for Sun Solaris 2.x
                platforms.

pkunzip.exe     PK-Ware unzip executable for IBM-PC MS-DOS platforms.

install.txt     SAIF Toolkit installation notes.

docs/stkhtml.zip SAIF Toolkit documentation in HTML format.

docs/stkdoc.zip SAIF Toolkit documentation in Postscript, RTF, and Word
                for Windows formats.

docs/stkps.zip  SAIF Toolkit documentation in Postcript format, suitable
                for printing on a Postscript-capable printer.

docs/stkps2.zip SAIF Toolkit documentation in 2 column/page Postcript
                format, suitable for printing on a Postscript-capable
                printer.  Half as many pages as stkps.zip file.

docs/stkrtf.zip SAIF Toolkit documentation in RTF format.

docs/stkww2.zip SAIF Toolkit documentation in Word for Windows v2.0
                format.

docs/stkww6.zip SAIF Toolkit documentation in Word for Windows v6.0
                format.

stk/stk127.zip  Source code for version 1.2.7 of the SAIF Toolkit.

stk/stkntver.zip Windows/NT 32 bit version of the SAIF Toolkit,
                 including library and NT versions of ZIP.

stk/sol_stk.zip SUN Solaris 2.x SAIF Toolkit libraries and executables
                (the OSN Pretty Printer, the SAIF Validator, and the CSN
                Validator) for the SAIF Toolkit.

stk/dos_stk.zip DOS 32 bit extended executables for the CSN Validator
                and the OSN Pretty Printer.

stk/saiffile.zip  SAIF/ZIP file format documentation.

stk/agarsrc.zip Source code for the SAIF Aggregator.

stk/sol_moep.zip  Solaris executables and configuration files for the
                SAIF  MOEP translators.

stk/stkw16lb.zip  Windows 3.1 SAIF Toolkit Dynamic Link Library.

stk/stkclbin.zip Solaris executable for the TCL SAIF Toolkit shell
                interpreter. Includes user documentation.

stk/stkclsrc.zip Source code and documentation for the TCL SAIF Toolkit
                shell interpretter (pronounced 'stickle').

stk/zip201.zip  Source code for the INFO-ZIP zip program used by the
                SAIF Toolkit.

m2s/            This directory contains the DOS 32 bit MOEP to SAIF
                translator and configuration files, as well as a Windows
                NT 32 bit version of the translator.

s2m/            This directory contains the DOS 32 bit SAIF to MOEP
                translator and configuration files, as well as a Windows
                NT 32 bit version of the translator.

trans/stfsol.zip  Include files and libraries for the translator
                framework.  It is needed to build either the IGDS or
                MOEP translators.

trans/moepsrc.zip  Source code for the SAIF  MOEP translators. Note
                that it requires libraries and include files from the
                stfsol.zip file to compile.

trans/igdssrc.zip  Source code and configuration files for the SAIF 
                IGDS translators.

trans/sol_igds.zip  Solaris executables and configuration files for the
                SAIF  IDGS translators.

sdbe/saifsdbe.zip  Documentation and Windows NT executable for the SAIF
                to SDBE translator.

sdbe/sdbecsn.zip  Documentation and Windows NT executable for the SDBE
                to SAIF CSN translator.

sdbe/sdbesaif.zip  Documentation and Windows NT executable for the SDBE
                to SAIF translator.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q8: What's the easiest way to become familar with SAIF?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

For a very high level overview, you should get the 5 page document
"SAIF:  An Object Oriented Archival and Interchange Format for the
Future" and read it.  See Q7 for the ftp sites that carry it.

For a better understanding of SAIF, you should get the SAIF 3.2
specification document (either hardcopy, softcopy, or by browsing the
Web).

If you are looking for a very high level understanding of SAIF, read
the Foreword and Section 1.1 only. This amounts to two pages.

If you want a greater degree of familiarity - something that can be
digested in an hour or so, the following sections are suggested:
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, and 4.7. These constitute about 29
pages.

The WWW version of the document has a "quick tour" at:

    http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/srmb/tour/tour.html

that will guide you to these parts.

To come up to speed with the SAIF base set of classes, we recommend you
browse them with a hypertext tool rather than by reading the document.
If you have WWW access or a HTML browser on a PC, you can do that (see Q6).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q9: Who is actually using SAIF?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Surveys and Resource Mapping Branch, BC Ministry of Environment,
Lands and Parks (SRMB).  SRMB is fully committed to using SAIF in the
day-to-day business of the Branch.  SAIF is the underlying data model
used for the LandData BC initiative. The SAIF/ZIP binary file format
(SAIF Release 3.2) is presently being used as the file format for
delivery of data to LandData BC clients under the Phase II (prototype)
implementation.  Clients of LandData BC participating in the Phase II
prototype have a User Access Terminal (UAT) installed on their site,
which consists of easy-to-use Windows software to support online access
to the wide variety of government spatial data available through
LandData BC. LandData BC Phase III will use SAIF as its spatial data
exchange format, and will also use more standard www browsing tools in
place of the custom UAT software required for Phase II.

Contact:  Evert Kenk, LandData BC                 Tel: (604) 387-9309
          Internet: [email-masked]

2. SRMB presently supplies digital map data (1:20 000 TRIM, 1:250 000,
and 1:2 000 000) in a government-specific MOEP format on 9 track tape or
MS-DOS 1.44Mb diskettes.  This data is also available online through
LandData BC, where the data is delivered in SAIF/ZIP format.  SRMB
installs SAIF to MOEP translator software on each UAT delivered to
clients.  Again, Phase III will see LandData BC move from custom UAT
software to standard www browsing tools.

Contact:  Ole Joergensen, LandData BC             Tel: (604) 387-9353
          Internet: [email-masked]

3. The Province of Saskatchewan, Central Survey and Mapping Agency,
(CSMA) has modelled cadastral mapping data using SAIF, and has adopted
SAIF as their data archive and interchange standard.  CSMA has
implemented a SAIF translator which supports their own ASCII internal
map format, and they have also implemented a SAIF to AutoCAD DXF
translator.

Contact:  GIS Centre, CSMA                        Tel: (306) 787-4880
          Internet: [email-masked]

4. The Sequoia 2000 Project is being run out of the University of
California, San Diego Supercomputer Center.  Sequoia 2000 is using SAIF
to model satellite imagery, and is storing this data in an object-
oriented/relational hybrid database product called Illustra.

Contact:  Jean T. Anderson, Sequoia 2000          Tel: (619) 534-5126
          Internet: [email-masked]

5. The BC Ministry of Forests, in conjunction with the private forest
industry of B.C. (represented by Weldwood of Canada) is presently
developing translators SAIF/ZIP to/from IGDS and SAIF/ZIP to/from
ARC/INFO formats.  This work is to ease the problems presented by
moving large volumes of data between the disparate computer systems
of government and private agencies, and could eventually be used as the
basis of data exchange between the forest companies and the government
agencies

Contact:  Mark Sondheim, SRMB                     Tel: (604) 387-9352
          Internet: [email-masked]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q10: What SAIF Translators are available and how do I get them?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Below is a list of the SAIF translators we are aware of.  Note that many
of the commercial offerings are still in their early days, and details
as to their pricing and availability are still being determined.  If
anyone has any more information about SAIF Translators, please let the
us know.

    1) SAIF to/from Arc/Info coverages  
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Chris Hermansen, Timberline Forest Inventory Consultants
                 ph. (604) 733-0731
                 internet: [email-masked]

       Status:   Beta test.  

       Platforms: Solaris 2.x / SunOS 4.1.x

       Cost:     To be determined.

    2) SAIF to/from ArcView Shape Files 
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Safe Software 
                 ph. (604) 583-2016
                 [email-masked]

       Status:   Under development

       Platforms: Solaris 2.x / Windows NT/95 / DOS 32 bit / Linux

       Cost:     To be determined.

    3) SAIF to/from CARIS GIS
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Universal Systems Ltd.
                 ph. (604) 684-1606
                 [email-masked]

       Status:   Under development

       Platforms: Solaris 2.x / Windows NT/95

       Cost:     To be determined.

    4) SAIF to/from CSMA Structured ASCII
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Central Survey And Mapping Agency
                 ph. (306) 787-4880
                 [email-masked]

       Status:   Production version available

       Platforms: Solaris 2.x  

       Cost:     Free/Unknown

    5) SAIF to/from CSV (comma separated value -- attributes only)
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Safe Software 
                 (604) 583-2016
                 [email-masked]

       Status:   SAIF to CSV in beta test 
                 SAIF from CSV under development

       Platforms: Solaris 2.x / Windows NT/95 / DOS 32 bit / Linux

       Cost:     To be determined.

    6) SAIF to/from DBF (dbase file format -- attributes only)
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Safe Software 
                 (604) 583-2016
                 [email-masked]

       Status:   Under development

       Platforms: Solaris 2.x / Windows NT/95 / DOS 32 bit / Linux

       Cost:     To be determined.

    7) SAIF to DXF (unidirectional)
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Mike Schlosser, Kanotech
                 (306) 721-2362

       Status:   Production version available

       Platforms: Solaris 2.x / DOS 32 bit (not confirmed)

       Cost:     Unknown

    8) SAIF to/from DXF (bidirectional)
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Safe Software 
                 (604) 583-2016
                 [email-masked]

       Status:   Under development

       Platforms: Solaris 2.x / Windows NT/95 / DOS 32 bit / Linux

       Cost:     To be determined.

    9) SAIF to/from ESRI Spatial Engine
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Safe Software 
                 (604) 583-2016
                 [email-masked]

       Status:   Beta Test -- also features auto schema generation and
                 correlation table generation

       Platforms: Solaris 2.x / Windows NT

       Cost:     To be determined.

    10) SAIF to/from IGDS
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Peter Friesen (SRMB)
                 ph. (604) 387-9347
                 [email-masked]

       Status:   Prototype available
                 Production version under development

       Platforms: Solaris 2.x / Windows NT/95 / Linux

       Cost:     Executables freely available (see list in Q7)

    11) SAIF to/from MapInfo MIF/MID
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Dale Lutz, Safe Software 
                 (604) 583-2016
                 [email-masked]

       Status:   SAIF to MapInfo in beta test 
                 SAIF from MapInfo under development

       Platforms: Solaris 2.x / Windows NT/95 / DOS 32 bit / Linux

       Cost:     To be determined.

    12) SAIF to/from MOEP
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Joe Carr (SRMB)
                 ph. (604) 387-1353
                 [email-masked]

       Status:   Production version available

       Platforms: Solaris 2.x / Windows NT/95 / DOS 32 bit / Linux

       Cost:     Executables freely available (see list in Q7)

    13) SAIF to/from Oracle MD
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Henry Kucera
                 [email-masked]
                 ph. (604) 356-2388

       Status:   Prototype version.

       Platforms: SunOS 4.1.x

       Cost:     Unknown.

    14) SAIF to Terraview
    =====================================================================

       Contact:  Michael Ross (LandData BC)
                 ph. (604) 387-3995
                 [email-masked]

       Status:   Production version available

       Platforms: Windows 3.1

       Cost:     Terraview license required.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q11: What is stkcl ("stickle")?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (From the stkcl user documentation:)

    STKcl is actually two things.  In its proper capitalized form, it
    refers to an extension to Tcl, the "Tool Command Language" written
    by John K. Ousterhout.  Tcl was designed as an extensible language,
    and this package takes advantage of this to incorporate commands to
    access the internals of the SAIF toolkit API.  This package's name
    is derived from the two items it connects: "STK" is the abbreviated
    name of the SAIF toolkit; the "T" is borrowed from this to complete
    the "Tcl" connection in the name.  (In conversation, one would refer
    to the package as "stickle"; a STKcl programmer would be called a
    "stickler.")

    In the non-capitalized form ("stkcl"), it is the name of an
    executable program which interprets STKcl scripts.  This interpreter
    is constructed to understand the basic Tcl commands, as well as the
    commands from the "TclX" package, in addition to the STKcl-specific
    commands.  It does not contain any other extensions, such as the Tk
    GUI commands.  However, the documentation explains how to compile
    the STKcl functionality into any program which includes a Tcl
    interpreter.

    See question 7 for the FTP site from which the stkcl source code and
    binary for Solaris 2.x can be downloaded.

------------------------------END OF SAIF FAQ 3.2----------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dale Lutz                    Safe Software, Inc                   [email-masked]
                            Richmond, BC, CANADA                (604) 241-4424
                        http://www.wimsey.com:80/~dal
------------------------------------------------------------------------------