Design and implementation of a Java-based industrial control system configuration tool

Reports about experiences while designing and implementing a Java based industrial software which enables the (semi)-automatically translation of control programs from one platform to another one. Java had been chosen as the implementation language for this project with respect to the advantages of the object oriented concepts within Java, the reduced implementation effort, the well supported distributed development and the desired software stability. The resulting software framework, designed and implemented by scientists and developer groups in different countries, has already been employed successfully; the project can be regarded as a distinctive success. The paper focuses on the software design, on the implementation experiences, and especially on the crucial choice of the implementation language and environment, which accounts for a significant part of the project's success.