Databases and Systems

Horn Fly--Haematobia
Screwworm--Cochliomyia hominivorax
Stable Fly --Stomoxys calcitrans
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AGIS uses the World-Wide Web (WWW) technology to distribute
information. Any person with a forms-capable browser can access the databases.
The forms interface was kept as simple as possible, using only standard HTML
commands, so as to maintain compatibility with as many WWW browsers as
possible. All current versions of Netscape browsers (Navigator and Communicator)
work, as does Internet Explorer and even old versions of Mosaic.
Implementation
ACEDB, the genome database developed for use with the C. elegans genome project
[1], is used as the back-end. While other commercial database systems were initially
considered, ACEDB is the de facto standard for genome projects. Thus, by using
ACEDB, data compatibility with the AGIS collaborators was maintained.
Genome data delivery from AGIS has evolved, keeping pace with new
computer technologies. Originally, information was distributed on the Internet by a
Gopher server [2], and by CD-ROM for researchers who had no Internet access.
Both methods were discontinued as AGIS was migrated to the World-Wide Web by
the use of a highly modified ACEDB program [3], which generated static HTML
pages for text displays and GIF images for graphical maps. The current, more
interactive WWW interface is provided by a package called webace [4], which
utilizes forms-based HTML pages to provide more access to ACEDB functions, such
as the Query by Example and Table-maker facilities, as well as interactive GIF
images.
The architecture of AGIS is shown in Figure 1. The databases are
incorporated into the aceserver layer, which runs as an inetd daemon using RPC calls.
The aceserver is a modified form of ACEDB, and includes the giface program, which
turns ACEDB graphics into GIF images suitable for use by webace.