Transcript Demo
Web SAMP in VAO Data
Discovery Tool
Dean Hinshaw, NASA/HEASARC
The VAO is operated by the VAO, LLC.
2
VAO Data Discover Tool
Web based application for searching VO services.
Javascript client application gets results from server.
ExtJS Javascript environment used.
Discovery results typically tabular in nature.
Client facilities for manipulating tables of results and displaying
details of individual records.
Some records refer to images
Want to send tables and images to other applications
via SAMP
Dean Hinshaw
IVOA Interop, Oct 2011
3
Data Discovery Tool
Dean Hinshaw
IVOA Interop, Oct 2011
4
WebSAMP Implementation
Currently proof-of-concept, transmitting table urls only
Use samp.js library from Mark’s WebSAMP site
Notification pattern used to broadcast
table.load.votable message
Wrote ExtJS SampManager class - less than 100
lines.
Registers client if not already done so, and maintains for use is
subsequent calls.
Sends table URL
Demo
Dean Hinshaw
IVOA Interop, Oct 2011
5
Future Development
More “helpful” user interface
Active list of clients to send table to, a la Topcat.
What to do if there is no hup/application/web profile running.
Support for image URLs
Ability to send filtered table
Construct url for filtered table on server
From the client? (see below)
Dean Hinshaw
IVOA Interop, Oct 2011
6
WebSAMP Issues
samp.js is “undocumented and scrappy”
Standard and examples enough to figure it out.
Sending tables constructed on the client
Not obvious (to me) how to make a URL for a dynamically
generated table available to another client.
How can the client help the user if a hub and/or
subscribed client are not available?
Use webstart to start a hub or client.
What if a hub is not running a web profile?
What happens if we start another hub? (badness)
Can web client distinguish between no hub and no web profile? (I
don’t think so)
Dean Hinshaw
IVOA Interop, Oct 2011