The External Data Representation (XDR) standard specifies the description and encoding of data. Standardizing data formats allows different applications to share the same data. The High Level Architecture (HLA) standard specifies simulation data structures via the Object Model Template (OMT) but does not address data representation on the network. It is therefore possible for a platform to be HLA-compliant but not XDR-compliant and vice-versa. In Telestra versions 2.4 and higher, Telestra HLA can be configured to operate in an XDR-compliant mode. This Application Note provides instructions on how to do this.
The Telestra web interface allows a user to configure up to eight independent federates on Telestra. For each federate, the user can specify parameters such as Federate Name, Federation Name, and RID file name. Another configurable federate parameter is the convert file. The convert file controls the object class attributes and interaction classes to which a Telestra federate subscribes, and it directs how the federate generates and interprets data. Telestra is shipped with several convert files pre-installed. One of these files is a designated XDR convert file named: convert3_2-xdr.conf. This file directs the federate to process incoming and outgoing data according to the XDR standard.
To configure a given federate to operate in an XDR-compliant mode, simply select the XDR convert file for that federate via the Telestra web interface.
Note: If one Telestra federate is configured for XDR, all of the other Telestra federates on that federation must also be configured for XDR.