tehoretical SEDs in VO applications

[Mark Taylor]

On Thu, 4 May 2006, Miguel Cerviño wrote:

> Dear all,
> 
> I just send this comments that may be discussed in the next meeting.
> It is just a comparison about how different VO applications manage
> a SED building following the SED data model requirements.
> The applications compared are VOSpec, specview, topcat, and VOplot.
> (Note that topcat and VOplot are general propose tools and VOSpec and
> specview are specific for SEDs).

Miguel,

thanks for this posting.  This kind of detailed feedback on what
does and doesn't work, and what you want to see, is useful for 
application developers (well, I speak for myself in any case).

As you say, TOPCAT doesn't pay much attention to GROUP elements at
present.  I believe what it does is to behave as if GROUP elements
(though not their contents) are not there, so the grouping will be 
lost, but columns and parameters within the group will not.  
It also ignores table structure (for instance RESOURCEs within 
RESOURCEs) in a similar way.  Trying to do improve this kind of 
table metadata retention for VOTables is on the to-do list, 
but not currently very near the top (there are some technical 
difficulties which I will forbear to explain).  However, if it's 
something which the theory community (and others?) see as important 
I can see about prioritising it.  Ranking on the to-do list is 
influenced by user requests; I have had a few requests for this 
in the past but not that many.

Mark

-- 
Mark Taylor   Astronomical Programmer   Physics, Bristol University, UK
m.b.taylor at bris.ac.uk +44-117-928-8776 http://www.star.bris.ac.uk/~mbt/