A New face on old code

TL;DR

This paper discusses wrapping established FORTRAN code with modern languages to create simpler user interfaces, preserving the code's reliability while improving usability.

Contribution

It introduces a method for wrapping legacy FORTRAN code with new languages to enhance user interaction without rewriting existing tested algorithms.

Findings

Wrapped FORTRAN code with multiple languages successfully

Improved user interface for legacy scientific code

Maintained reliability of original algorithms

Abstract

In science we often use established code that was developed many years ago. Frequently the documentation is lost and many of us know the feeling of putting a number in the wrong column and trying to understand why the program is not working. However, these old codes are usually very useful, well tested and established. Rather than writing new code from scratch, which must first be tested against the established standard, it is desirable to put a new front end on the standard, commonly referred to as 'wrapping'. This paper will discuss wrapping of FORTRAN code using a selection of other languages to provide simpler user interface.