A 4GL (Fourth-Generation Language) is an interpretive language designed to execute instructions as they are entered. 4GLs have several intrinsic benefits to users and developers:

• Higher-level instructions meaning a dramatic reduction in the amount of coding
• Real-time execution eliminates compiling and linking
• Reduced maintenance and support

The code example below illustrates the effectiveness of the PV-WAVE 4GL in loading and displaying a complex dataset:

Z = FLTARR (20,20)
status = DC_READ_FREE ("mydata.dat", Z)
SHADE_SURF, Z

This code loads data from a file "mydata.dat" and produces this image:

Because the language is so concise, PV-WAVE is an ideal tool for both small- and large-scale application developers.