A Universal Text Integration Language (UTIL): Making Data Intensive Computer Models Easier to Use

To aid in the entry of inputs for large computer models, a computer program called UTIL (Universal Text Integration Language) was developed at the Blackland Research Center, Temple, Texas. The model’s input file can be displayed on the screen and UTIL provides the user with definitions, default values, and ranges of possible input values for any input variable in the file. The program addresses each variable by name, thus allowing changes to be made without knowledge of the actual locations of each variable in the data file. Each input variable has help text associated with it that defines the variable and provides suggested value ranges for that variable. The system can access large databases, execute analysis programs, and analyze input parameters. The program UTIL is currently being used with at least six different computer simulation models at the Blackland Research Center.