Skills Required to Use the iTools Component Framework

The iTools component framework consists of a set of IDL object classes, supplemented by utility routines. If you are already familiar with the concepts of object-oriented programming, or have written programs that use IDL object graphics, you will find the iTools framework easy to understand and use. The framework approach means that most of the details of creating a full-featured and usable application are already taken care of, leaving you free to concentrate on how best to manipulate and visualize your data.

If you are familiar with procedural programming in IDL but new to object-oriented programming, you will find developing iTools to be a gentle introduction to the topic. The iTools framework has been designed to allow IDL users with little or no experience writing object-oriented programs to easily customize and extend the basic iTool applications. While some familiarity with the concepts of object-oriented programming is necessary to successfully develop iTools, you should be able to create simple modifications of existing tools almost immediately, and more complex customizations soon thereafter.