Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic catalog data creating and/or displaying apparatus and method. The electronic catalog data creating apparatus comprises a user interface through which a user enters parts data and a data converter which converts data, entered through the user interface, to a predetermined data format. The user interface, in turn, comprises a property data input unit for receiving part property characteristics and its contents and a value range input unit for receiving the range of input or presentation values or presentation conditions of each property entered through the property data input unit.

Abstract: A knowledge base system for building a knowledge base. The knowledge base system includes an interface device that receives said knowledge base by a user, and a generating device that generates a program based upon the knowledge base. The interface device includes a field that stores an output knowledge variable, input and local fields that store knowledge variables for operating the output knowledge variables, and a field that stores a computing equation of declarative representation that utilizes knowledge variables using operands as other knowledge variables.