The Visual Thesaurus SDK (v. 2.6) includes a set of out-of-the-box configurations for solving common visualization problems, as well as new visualization techniques for customizing data displays. Visual Thesaurus visualizations can now be built rapidly using an XML-based configuration language. This language will seem familiar to most developers, with syntax similar to that used for Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and other scripting languages. Pre-configured building blocks include: Spider, Hierarchy, Clustering, and Chronology.

Additionally, a password-protected Visual Thesaurus Developer Web Site is made available to our customers.

SDK Components

The SDK includes conceptual documentation and Javadocs for the Visual Thesaurus Core; datasource adapters for relational databases, XML, and flat files; a library of traditional user interface elements that can be used as components in a Visual Thesaurus application; and a complete set of examples to help developers get up-and-running quickly. Licensors of the Enterprise Edition get full source code.

Visual Thesaurus Features

· XML-based Configuration Language enables rapid development
· Flexible Code-Compile-Test Cycle allows for best-practice development and deployment
· Integrated GUI Elements using CSS improves ability to integrate visualization components with other design requirements
· Small Applet Size improves efficiency for intranet and Internet deployment
· Tutorials, Documentation and Examples opens the power and flexibility of Visual Thesaurus to your team.

Visual Thesaurus's modular architecture allows developers to configure applications to address a wide range of retrieval and discovery issues. Each element of a Visual Thesaurus display – from the length and thickness of a line to the color, size, shape, and movement of a node – is configurable using the SDK, so that interfaces can be designed to perform specific tasks. The elements can also be mapped to numeric values in the data, so that combinations of qualitative and quantitative information can be expressed through a single interface.

With a flexible XML-based interface, the Visual Thesaurus SDK guides you through all stages of development: visual look and layout (GUI), behavior of the visualization, and data access and control. Several pre-configured visualizations are available to choose from, so you can try different views of the same data easily.

Tutorials, a complete set of examples, and a library of interface elements are available to assist developers and Web masters. Full Documentation provides technical and design assistance for implementing custom visualizations.

Visual Thesaurus SDK is sold in three editions: Standard, Professional, and Enterprise. Prices start at $5,000, with educational discounts available.

If you want to use Visual Thesaurus in your project, please contact our Software Express sales department at nicepeople@swexpress.com, or call 800-527-7638.

The Visual Thesaurus creates an animated display of words and meanings — a visual representation of the English language. The Visual Thesaurus visualization places your word in the center of the display, connected to related words and meanings. You can then click on these words or meanings to explore further.

The Visual Thesaurus moves beyond strictly synonyms to display and animate connections among word definitions, multiple word meanings, and even antonyms. A user can broaden and narrow search interactively by selecting parts of speech or type of relationship among the words displayed. Color, shape, and rollover displays enhance both the usefulness and beauty of its visual representation of the English language. The Visual Thesaurus provides guidance and inspiration for anyone interested in words and conversation — writers, professionals, and students. Through its emphasis on exploration and vocabulary building, the Visual Thesaurus improves reading, writing and communication skills.

Available to both institutions and individuals, the Visual Thesaurus product can be downloaded, ordered as a CD-ROM, and purchased as a Web-based subscription. More information about the Visual Thesaurus is available at www.swexpress.com.