ETAP is the most comprehensive solution for the design, simulation, and analysis of generation, transmission, distribution, and industrial power systems. ETAP organizes your work on a project basis. Each project that you create provides all the necessary tools and support for modeling and analyzing an electrical power system. A project consists of an electrical system that requires a unique set of electrical components and interconnections. In ETAP, each project provides a set of users, user access controls, and a separate database in which its elements and connectivity data are stored. Your access to an existing project file is through a special project file with an .OTI extension. The ETAP database is stored in an ODBC compliant database file such as Microsoft Access (*.MDB). These files work together to provide access control and storage for each project and use the project name. ETAP places all output reports from your project into the same sub-directory where this database resides. ETAP has been designed and developed by engineers for engineers to handle the diverse discipline of power systems in one integrated package with multiple interface views such as AC and DC networks, cable raceways, ground grid, GIS, panels, protective device coordination/selectivity, and AC and DC control system diagrams Encompassing all these systems and views in one package allows engineers to model and analyze all aspects of an electrical system from control system diagrams to panel systems, as well as large transmission and distribution systems. All interface views are completely graphical and the engineering properties of each circuit element can be edited directly from these views. Calculation results are displayed on the interface views for your convenience. All ETAP systems take advantage of a common database. For example, a cable not only contains data representing its electrical properties but also contains the physical routing information to indicate the raceways through which it is routed. A relay not only contains information pertinent to analysis like load flow and short circuit but also contains time current characteristic information that allows the engineer to perform protection or coordination studies.