SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT FOR CLOSE-RANGE APPLICATIONS 
UNDER CONSIDERATION OF PRESENT STANDARDS 
Günter Pomaska 
Consultant of Rollei Fototechnic, Braunschweig, Germany 
Writing software today is not only the implementation of algorithms in a high level programming language like C 
or user Fortran. The final product has to be a userfriendly system running in different environments. The 
existing standards for interfaces, graphic concepts or data formats are as important as the algorithms behind. The 
digital photogrammetric workstation for close-range applications from Rollei Fototechnic is explained under 
consideration of software design and usage of development tools. 
Key Words : Software development, software tools, hardware, application software 
1. COMPUTER HARDWARE TODAY 
1.1 PC TECHNOLOGY i286/i386/i486 
Intel introduced the first 16-bit processor in 1978 
with it's 8086 processor. In 1979, the Intel 8088 
processor contained the same architecture as the 
8086 but with an external 8-bit bus. The 20 bit 
adressing gives access to 1 MByte memory with 64 
KByte segment size. 
In 1982, the 1286 offered to adress 16MB of physical 
memory and 1 Gigabyte of virtual memory with 
64KB segments in the 16-bit Protected Mode. This 
machine could perform 2 Mips, 7 times more than the 
former 8086. For compatibility with the 8086/88, the 
80286 could run in a Real Mode with IMB memory 
limitation. 
A significant drawback of the 80286 was the 16-bit 
barrier, instead of using the 32-bit architecture for far 
greater performances. Therefore, the introduction of 
the 80386 microprozessor in 1985 with its capability 
of linear adressing of 4 Gigabyte physical memory 
and 64 Terrabytes virtual memory (swapping of 
blocks between RAM and Disk) was a breakthrough 
for using PC in a technical environment. 
The operation modes of the 80386 start with the Real 
Mode for compatibility with the 8086/88 (memory 
access to 1 MB), up to ten times faster due to the 
faster clock rate. In Protected Mode, the 80386 can 
execute a subset of 80286 Protected Mode 
instructions (16 MB memory access) or it can run its 
own full 32-bit adressing mode with individual 
memory segments up to four Gigabyte. 
In Virtual 8086 Mode, the 80386 can run multiple 
8086/88 programs unchanged and simultaneously. 
Due to the higher clock speed, the software runs 
eight times faster. Software that implements a set of 
virtual machines is called 80386 control program and 
is not an operating system. Samples for 80386 
control programs are MS Windows/386, Desqview or 
VM/386. The Virtual 8086 Mode allows 
virtualization of Real Mode applications only. 
The advantage of the i486 , available since 1990, 
against the 1386 is its higher speed (1386 5 Mips, i486 
20 Mips). Including the floating point processor on 
board, this microprocessor, fully compatible to the 
80386 chip, is the recent hardware standard on a PC 
basis. 
Competitive sellers of 32-bit microprocessors are for 
example Motorola or National Semi Conductor and 
other companies. 
For photogrammetric applications, only the 32-bit 
protected mode is of interest as this operation mode 
is the key to perform workstation applications on a 
personal computer. 
The above given information may answer some of the 
common questions why a software package 
sometimes is not running under any environment. 
A typi 
bit CF 
system 
perforr 
faciliti 
have : 
mainfr: 
Since 
perforr 
UNIX 
betwee 
Differe 
Mbyte: 
adaptic 
import: 
applica 
operati 
System 
MFLO 
Becaus 
the ke 
use of : 
for e: 
packag 
differer 
power 
a DOS 
the DO 
is not v 
High p 
such a 
output. 
Hewlet 
plotting 
indeper 
In the ] 
IBM's: 
400 pi 
standar 
progran 
standar 
specific 
graphic 
support