Strategy-B Interface

The Strategy-B system sports an intuitive, graphical user interface, shown below, that provides the end-user access to a system integrating several key technologies in computing and material evaluation. The expert system itself is object-oriented, modular and embeds an interface to an Access database. The Strategy interface comes equipped with a variety of menus, dialogs and tool bar icons to assist the user in utilizing the system effectively.

The focus of the Strategy-B interface is to allow the user to easily run single or simultaneous multiple consultations, provide means for storing and accessing data in the database and generate printed reports of such consultations as well as store consultations for future access. The three main modules calculate the following parameters:

	Environment Severity Index
	Materials Resistance Factor for HIC, SOHIC, and SSC
	Crack Growth Factor

The different types of data the user has to input prior to obtaining a recommendation from the system are:

	Environment Data
	Material Data
	Crack Growth Data

Depending on the user's choice, the system will facilitate characterization of environment, material or crack growth data. Access to system functionality is easily provided through a tool bar shown in Figure below. The Toolbar icons allow the user to access different functionality of the menus through the Icons. Just clicking on the Icons will start a specific process otherwise available through the menus.

The Toolbar Icons

The New File command starts a new consultation. The user can simultaneously conduct as many consultations as the PC's memory allows.

The Open File command opens previously stored consultations of Strategy-B. The default extension for stored Strategy-B files is .STB.

The Save File command saves the current consultation to a file name provided by the user. It also saves the current material and environment configurations as well as the rankings.

The Database command provides access to the database through the database manager module.

The Print File command prints a consultation report to the default printer. The aforementioned functions can also be activated by accessing the corresponding commands under the File Menu.