Object-oriented finite elements .2. A symbolic environment for automatic programming

The object-oriented approach is getting more and more attention in the Finite Element community. The object-oriented approach leads to faster prototyping of new codes and better reusability. In this context, the authors' research group has systematically developed a methodology of coding finite elements [1-4]. In a companion paper [5], the key features of an interactive quasi-automatic environment for the development of a new numerical Finite Element model for the solution of an initial-boundary-value problem have been presented. In this article, the detailed description of the proposed environment which is integrated in a Smalltalk environment is described.