Authors Email Bruce C. Jones bruce.c.jones@saic Michael Salva michael.salva@saic

1. Automating Translation Mapping of Objective Force OneSAF Objective System (OFOOS) Compositions to Heterogeneous DIS-HLA Entity Enumerations AuthorsEmail Bruce C. Jones bruce.c.jones@saic.com Michael Salva michael.salva@saic.com Diana Vagiakos diana.mercedes.vagiakos@saic.com Science Applications International Corporation

2. The Road to Model Mappings • Background • First Steps • Finding Information • Improving The Process • Using COTS tools • Worksheet and Functions • Problems • Next Step • Software Design • Future Enhancements

3. Background • Battle Lab Collaborative Simulation Environment (BLCSE) and Cross Command Collaborative Environment (3CE) have provided a need to transition simulation platforms from a DIS environment to a common HLA environment to include the introduction of OneSAF Objective System (OOS) as the primary entity driver federate. • The development of a middleware software layer between DIS applications and HLA provided the capability to leverage existing DIS based simulations in the HLA environment with the middleware providing the communication adaptations for DIS federates to participate in HLA environments. • Translation tables are required for the interoperability configuration of OneSAF, Middleware, and the legacy federates. The translation table formats are typically unique among heterogeneous federates. Formats include comma separated values (CSV), lisp and extensible markup language (XML). • It has become apparent that data translation has become a burden on the BLCSE users. • OOS translates internal designations for its platform composition models to external values via XML configuration files allowing it to communicate with external architectures. • Likewise the MW software requires a CSV mapping from DIS entities to HLA enumerations. Manual correlation of these files represents a cumbersome, error prone, and laborious task. • The manipulation of these files requires intimate knowledge of the configuration of all federates. • Plan development of a software application to automate this task and reduce the risk associated with human error and manual manipulation of individual configuration files. The aim of the application will be to transition the task of OOS enumeration translation from an engineering task to a BLCSE User task.

4. Firsts Steps • The development of mapping files required the person tasked to cross check all entries by hand. • Requires extensive knowledge about systems used for both blue and red forces. • Some system models may not exist between simulations or architectures causing duplicate or no mapping at all. • Problems • The human cross check is prone to errors. • Documentation for enumeration descriptions is difficult to obtain.

5. Where to Find Information? http://fas.org http://www.janes.com Intelligence Guides Classified Data SME Foreign Web Sites ? http://www.dtic.mil/

6. Improving the Process • Using editors, printouts, and Internet. • Editors designed to produce the format of each file. • Sorted printouts provide lookup of information. • Internet and reference books provide the capability of identifying the enumerations.

7. Using COTS tools • Using Excel to import and export files. • Using data functions to find and check for common and missing enumerations and models

9. Excel Worksheet Functions • Columns A, E, I, M, Q, TExtracted Data from Files • Column A (Q and T are produced from Data) =VLOOKUP(PlatformTypeMappings.csv!A1,'HLA Platforms.omd'!C:D,2,FALSE) • Column B (F, G, J, K, N, O) =IF(ISNA(VLOOKUP(A2,E:E,1,FALSE)),"X","√") • Column R (U) =IF(MID(Q2,1,1)="u","unit",IF(ISNA(VLOOKUP(Q2,mtxEntityMap.xml!D:D,1,FALSE)),"X","√"))

10. Worksheet Problems • Worksheet provides the cross check capability and in some cases can produce the actual lines needed for the mapping files. • Can get complicated very quickly. • Application to DIS to HLA to OneSAF Composition • Prone to cut and paste errors.

11. Next Step • Development of software to automate process • Goals • Reduce/eliminate the human errors. • Reduce Time required to build or modify • Reduce the level of experience and knowledge required

12. Software Design and Methodology • Use Iterative development framework to get a working tool as quickly as possible • First iteration will start with the spreadsheet functionality as a baseline. Subsequent iterations will include will provide added functionality and enhancements. • User Interface to have multiple views of all of the available mappings including: • DIS to OneSAF Compositions • HLA FOM Enumerated Data Types to OneSAF Entity Types. • Crosscheck view will let the user determine which files are missing enumerations. • Force structure view derived from scenario files

13. Enumerations Maintenance Application GUI Mockup This example shows a force structure derived from a OneSAF scenario summary file cross checked with a middleware DIS platform mapping file and the OneSAF Composition to HLA mapping file.

14. Enhancements • Allow the user to import enumeration files for new federates • Allow the user to export results to new enumeration files • Automated validation of enumeration files • Functionality to find duplicate mappings • Efficient way for the user to find incorrect mapping direction • Persistent database to include search and display capabilities for descriptions, pictures, notes, and alternative mapping in addition to history.

15. Questions?

16. ABOUT THE AUTHORS • Bruce C. Jones is a senior simulation engineer supporting TRADOC’s Battle Lab Collaborative Simulation Environment. He holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Masters in Business and Management from Webster University. He has participated in the design, development and implementation of simulation protocols, live, virtual, and constructive simulations, and military simulation analysis within the military and defense industries for the past seventeen years. • Michael Salva is a simulation engineer supporting TRADOC’s Battle Lab Collaborative Simulation Environment. He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Central Florida. Michael has eight years experience in the design, architecture, and implementation of software in the modeling and simulation industry. • Diana Mercedes Vagiakos is a software engineer supporting TRADOC’s Battle Lab Collaborative Simulation Environment. She holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Engineering Physics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. She has been involved in systems engineering of military satellites and missiles system and as a software engineer for modeling and simulation for the past six years.