Introduction to the Desktop Version of CIMSpy/CIMdesk (V 2.3) 5 Frequently Asked Questions 10-Minute Screenshot Demo Power Info LLC, February, 2017

Why building a desktop version? Microsoft is on its way to abandon Internet Explorer (IE) and Silverlight, which CIMSpy/CIMdesk relies on. There are some usability issues when deploying a single Web- based application supporting both desktop and shared users. There are also some security concerns when installing a Web server at corporate machines. Decision Made: Building a rich client UI that can be deployed as either a single-user desktop or a Web service based client-server enterprise application.

What is the difference between the Web-based version and the desktop version? All of the functionalities have been migrated to the desktop version. The only missing part is model management UI, which will be redesigned. Additionally, the desktop version provides: Improved usability and new features Rich user experience and intuitive look-and-feel Enhanced performance (for very large models) Open architecture with great extensibility

Is the desktop version ready for my production work? Starting from version 2.3, you should begin the transition to the desktop version. The Web-based version is currently in the maintenance mode (i.e. mainly bug-fixing). No new features will be added to this version. Version 2.3 is intended to be the last major release for the Web-based version. The desktop version has gone through 6-month QA and enhancements since its Beta release. It has reached the production quality measured from different perspectives.

How to install the desktop version? The desktop version is designed for single user. It doesn’t require Web server, Web browser, etc., extremely easy to install. 2-minute procedure of unblockunziprun if you are allowed to do so in a corporate machine. Your Windows or the installed antivirus may block the downloaded zip file. If so, you must unblock the zip file before you unzip it. Otherwise, you will have to unblock each individual dll file in the package.

Installation Steps: UnblockUnzipRun

Is it difficult to learn the desktop version? If you are the existing CIMSpy/CIMdesk user, the learning curve, if any, is very gentle. The major change: the text-based hyper links are replaced with icon-based buttons. Icons take less space and are more intuitive. Move the mouse over the icon. The popup tip shall provide you with some help.

More questions? Check the full Q&A document under folder Doc.

10-Minute Screenshot Demo For best quality of the demo, please enter the slide show mode (by pressing shift/F5).

A rich Windows application strictly following Microsoft Prism Patterns & Practices

Supporting unlimited views, enabling you to analyze and visualize grids from different perspectives

Introducing master/slave views to facilitate model browsing

Enhanced performance for vary large models

Supporting up to 8 color themes

Supporting 11 map views from ArcGIS, OpenStreet, and Bing

View transition is supported for better look-and-feel View transition is supported for better look-and-feel. Fade-in-out for view changing, right-to-left/slide-and-zoom for backward navigation, and left-to-right/slide-and-zoom for forward navigation

You can change theme and map, enable/disable transition at run time.

Any diagrams can be exported as SVG files, ready to be consumed by other SVG supporting applications like Microsoft Edge/IE, Google Chrome, Firefox, etc.

Any tabular displays can be exported as CSV/HTML/Excel files.

Enhanced data entry support

Graphical model editing and data entry are integrated in the same context.

Rich data visualization is now supported for search/find in any graphical diagrams.

Diagram adjustment is enhanced to support grouping and rotation.

Geographical and schematic are seamlessly integrated.

With one-click, you can generate Substation diagrams system-wide or region-wide, and export them to SVG files.

As part of model validation, fast network topology analysis enables you to detect and visualize physical, topological, and electrical islands at both station and node levels.

User’s Guide. Not updated yet for the desktop version User’s Guide? Not updated yet for the desktop version. But most of the contents remain valid.

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