integrated software development tool

AgentBuilder is an integrated software development tool that allows software developers with no background in intelligent systems or intelligent agent technologies to quickly and easily build intelligent agent-based applications. AgentBuilder reduces development time and development cost and simplifies the development of high-performance, robust agent-based systems. AgentBuilder Lite is the entry-level product for agent software developers. This product is ideal for students and professional software developers learning about agent technology. AgentBuilder Lite is well-suited for constructing single-agent stand-alone applications and small agencies. Developers building large, multi-agent systems should consider AgentBuilder Pro and its advanced set of tools for agency debug and test. AgentBuilder Lite Development Tools AgentBuilder Lite provides graphical tools for supporting all phases of the agent construction process. Programming software agents (sometimes called Agent-Oriented Programming) is accomplished by specifying intuitive concepts such as the beliefs, commitments, rules and actions of the agent. AgentBuilder Lite provides tools for: Organization and control of the development project using the Project Manager. Problem domain analysis using the Ontology Manager. The Ontology Manager provides tools for creating ontologies, concept maps and object models. Sample ontologies are provided. Automatic code generation using graphical object modeling tools. Special purpose Project Accessory Classes (PACs) are available for easily adding new agent capabilities (e-mail, FTP, NNTP, etc.). Incorporating legacy or third-party code using Java Native Interface. Specifying agent behavior including a Rule Editor for creating the agent's behavioral rules. Creating the flat text file (the agent definition file) that defines the agent's behavior and is executed by the run-time agent engine. Running the high-performance run-time agent engine (Note: Each commercially deployed agent engine requires a run-time license. Additional run-time licenses are available for purchase). Controlling and viewing agent execution. AgentBuilder Lite makes it easy to add a graphical user interface to an agent or an agent-enabled application. Developers can import existing classes using AgentBuilder and allow agents to utilize legacy code. Special purpose PACs for building agents that handle E-mail, read and post to network news groups, analyze documents and FTP files are also available. Run-Time System The run-time system consists of the agent program created using the AgentBuilder Lite graphical tools and the run-time agent engine. The agent program includes the agent definition file and PAC libraries. The agent program is executed by the run-time agent engine; the combination of the agent program and the agent engine create an executable agent

concept maps and object models. Sample ontologies are provided.