A Simply Extended and Modified Batch Environment Graphical System (SEMBEGS) SEMBEGS is a complete batch environment graphical system containing components for handling graphical data files, for displaying the contents of these files on a variety of graphical hardware, and for performing graphical batch input operations. SEMBEGS is easy to extend and modify to meet the growing needs of a large batch environment, and is even extendable to a fully interactive system. The paper presents the conceptual view of graphics leading to the design of SEMBEGS and outlines the major components of the system. The design of SEMBEGS is founded upon the basic assumption that the true aim of computer graphics is to describe graphical entities, rather than, as commonly held, to provide graphical input and output functional capabilities. SEMBEGS is built around a Basic Graphical Data Management System (BAGDAMS) which provides a common means of communicating the descriptions of graphical entities between the various components of SEMBEGS. BAGDAMS provides facilities for storing, retrieving, and manipulating the descriptions of graphical entities provided by, and received by application programs, graphics packages, and graphical devices. CACM November, 1978 Wendorf, J. Computer graphics, data structures, graphic display, graphic input, graphical database, device independent graphics 4.33 4.34 8.2 CA781102 DH January 26, 1979 1:30 PM 3030 4 3049 3031 4 3049 3049 4 3049 3049 4 3049 3049 4 3049 3049 4 3049 2956 5 3049 2957 5 3049 2958 5 3049 2960 5 3049 3049 5 3049 3049 5 3049 3049 5 3049