1, Introduction
Helava's invention of the Analytical Plotter has given to the
photogrammetrie community a superior tool, which is growing in
importance /1/ /2/. The contribution of Ottico Mecchanica Italiana
and of Bendix Research Laboratories to implement the concept are
documented in literature /3/, /4/.
Having had at the disposal two analytical plotter types since 1967
my viewpoints will more or less reflect those of a user of analytical
plotters.
Having acquired a very sophisticated piece of equipment the user is
confronted with its proper use. He may either make do with the
existing minimal softx^are, which most users have done, or he may
start developing his own software, which is a considerable task, but
unavoidable if the analytical plotter is to be exploited to its
full capabilities. This is the topic of my paper.
2. Existing Analytical Plotters
Software is of course primarily dependent on the hardware available.
Among th§ analytical plotters produced sofar we recognize (see table 1)
Table 1
Existing Analytical Plotters
a) the early developments
(such as the AP version developed at NRC , the AP/C with
the Bendix computer and the original AS-ll-A)
which were dependent on delay line memory computers
