Creating a graphical user interface for selected parameters of a graphical program

• US 20050066285A1
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Morrow, Gregory O., Santori, Michael L., Limroth, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,533,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

System and method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for selected parameters of a graphical program, e.g., a model. The program is analyzed to determine a plurality of parameters, which are displayed, e.g., in a list, tree diagram, palette, etc. User input is received selecting one or more of the plurality of parameters. A GUI for the one or more parameters is generated, comprising one or more GUI elements, e.g., controls and/or indicators, corresponding respectively to the one or more parameters, e.g., the one or more parameters are analyzed with respect to data type, and the one or more GUI elements determined based on the analysis, e.g., by user selection from a plurality of GUI elements presented in response to the analysis, added to the GUI and associated with the one or more parameters. During execution of the graphical program, the one or more GUI elements access corresponding parameters.

Claims

1. A medium configured for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for selected parameters of a graphical program, wherein the medium is configured to perform:

displaying a plurality of parameters of a graphical program, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, wherein the plurality of parameters are parameters of one or more nodes in the graphical program;

receiving user input selecting one or more parameters of the plurality of parameters; and

associating one or more GUI elements with the one or more parameters;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, each of the one or more GUI elements is operable to access a corresponding parameter of the one or more parameters.

2. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium is further configured to perform:

analyzing the graphical program to determine the plurality of parameters.

3. The medium of claim 1, wherein the graphical program comprises a model.

4. The medium of claim 1, wherein said displaying the plurality of parameters comprises displaying the plurality of parameters in a list.

5. The medium of claim 1, wherein said displaying the plurality of parameters comprises displaying the plurality of parameters in a tree diagram.

6. The medium of claim 5, wherein said displaying the plurality of parameters in a tree diagram comprises:

displaying the plurality of parameters in a hierarchy, wherein the hierarchy represents a structure and/or operation of the graphical program.

7. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium is further configured to perform:

programmatically creating a GUI for the one or more parameters, wherein the GUI comprises one or more GUI elements corresponding respectively to the one or more parameters.

8. The medium of claim 7, wherein said programmatically creating the GUI for the one or more parameters comprises:

analyzing the one or more parameters, including analyzing the data types of the one or more parameters; and

determining the one or more GUI elements based on said analyzing.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein at least one of the respective one or more GUI elements comprises:

a control, wherein during execution of the graphical program the control is operable to receive input specifying a modification to the corresponding parameter, and modify the corresponding parameter in accordance with the input.

10. The medium of claim 8, wherein at least one of the respective one or more GUI elements comprises:

an indicator, wherein during execution of the graphical program the indicator is operable to read the corresponding parameter, and display the corresponding parameter on a display device.

11. The medium of claim 8,

wherein said programmatically creating the GUI for the one or more parameters further comprises:

receiving user input indicating whether each of the one or more parameters is to be read, written, or both; and

wherein said determining the one or more GUI elements based on said analyzing further comprises determining the one or more GUI elements based on the received user input indicating whether each of the one or more parameters is to be read, written, or both.

12. The medium of claim 7,

wherein said programmatically creating the GUI for the one or more parameters comprises:

analyzing each parameter of the one or more parameters, including analyzing the data type of each parameter;

determining a respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter based on said analyzing, wherein each of the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter are operable to access parameters of the data type of the parameter;

presenting the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter to the user;

receiving user input selecting a first GUI element for each parameter from the respective one or more GUI elements for the parameter, thereby selecting one or more first GUI elements corresponding to the one or more parameters, wherein the one or more first GUI elements comprise the one or more GUI elements; and

including the one or more first GUI elements in the GUI; and

wherein said associating the one or more GUI elements with the one or more parameters comprises;

associating each of the one or more first GUI elements with a respective one of the one or more parameters.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein said presenting the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter to the user further comprises:

indicating the parameter to the user.

14. The medium of claim 12, wherein said presenting the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter to the user comprises:

displaying the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter in a palette.

15. The medium of claim 12, wherein said presenting the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter to the user comprises:

displaying respective names or text descriptions of the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter.

16. The medium of claim 1, wherein said associating is performed in an iterative manner, comprising:

for each parameter of the one or more parameters,

analyzing the parameter, including analyzing the data type of the parameter;

determining a respective one or more GUI elements for the parameter based on said analyzing, wherein the respective one or more GUI elements are operable to access parameters of the data type of the parameter;

presenting the respective one or more GUI elements to the user;

receiving user input selecting a first GUI element of the respective one or more GUI elements;

including the first GUI element in the GUI; and

associating the first GUI element with the parameter.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein said presenting the respective one or more GUI elements to the user further comprises:

presenting the parameter to the user.

18. The medium of claim 16, wherein said presenting the respective one or more GUI elements to the user comprises:

displaying the respective one or more GUI elements in a palette.

19. The medium of claim 16, wherein said presenting the respective one or more GUI elements to the user comprises:

displaying respective names or text descriptions of the respective one or more GUI elements.

20. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium is further configured to perform:

receiving further user input specifying a modification to the GUI; and

modifying the GUI in response to the further user input.

21. The medium of claim 20,

wherein said receiving further user input specifying a modification to the GUI comprises:

receiving user input selecting an additional parameter of the plurality of parameters;

wherein said modifying the GUI comprises;

determining an additional GUI element corresponding to the additional parameter;

including the additional GUI element in the GUI; and

associating the additional GUI element with the additional parameter; and

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, the additional GUI element is operable to access the additional parameter.

22. The medium of claim 20,

wherein said receiving further user input specifying a modification to the GUI comprises:

receiving user input selecting a first parameter of the one or more parameters for disassociation from the GUI, wherein the first parameter corresponds to a first GUI element of the one or more GUI elements;

wherein said modifying the GUI comprises;

disassociating the first GUI element from the additional parameter; and

removing the first GUI element from the GUI.

23. The medium of claim 20,

wherein said receiving further user input specifying a modification to the GUI comprises:

receiving user input indicating a replacement GUI element for a first parameter of the one or more parameters, wherein the first parameter is associated with a first GUI element;

wherein said modifying the GUI comprises;

removing the first GUI element from the GUI;

disassociating the first GUI element from the first parameter;

including the replacement GUI element in the GUI; and

associating the replacement GUI element with the first parameter;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, the replacement GUI element is operable to access the first parameter.

24. The medium of claim 20,

wherein said receiving further user input specifying a modification to the GUI comprises:

receiving user input specifying a modification for a first GUI element of the one or more GUI element, wherein the first GUI element corresponds to a first parameter of the one or more parameters;

wherein said modifying the GUI comprises;

modifying the first GUI element in response to the user input specifying the modification, thereby generating a modified first GUI element; and

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, the modified first GUI element is operable to access the first parameter.

25. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium is further configured to perform:

determining a plurality of GUIs;

wherein each of the plurality of GUIs comprises a respective subset of the one or more GUI elements;

wherein each of the plurality of GUIs corresponds to a respective portion of the graphical program; and

wherein during execution of the graphical program, each GUI operates to access parameters associated with the respective subset of the one or more GUI elements.

26. The medium of claim 25, wherein, during execution of the graphical program, each of the plurality of GUIs is active during execution of the respective portion of the graphical program.

27. The medium of claim 26, wherein, during execution of the graphical program, each of the plurality of GUIs is only displayed during execution of the respective portion of the graphical program.

28. The medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more GUI elements comprises:

a control, wherein during execution of the graphical program the control is operable to receive input specifying a modification to the corresponding parameter, and modify the corresponding parameter in accordance with the input.

29. The medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more GUI elements comprises:

an indicator, wherein during execution of the graphical program the indicator is operable read the corresponding parameter, and display the corresponding parameter on a display device.

30. The medium of claim 1,

wherein the medium is further configured to perform:

receiving user input indicating whether each of the one or more parameters is to be read, written, or both; and

determining a plurality of GUI elements based on the user input indicating whether each of the one or more parameters is to be read, written, or both;

receiving user input selecting the one or more GUI elements from the plurality of GUI elements.

31. The medium of claim 1,

wherein the medium is further configured to perform:

analyzing each parameter of the one or more parameters, including analyzing the data type of each parameter;

determining a respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter based on said analyzing, wherein each of the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter are operable to access parameters of the data type of the parameter;

presenting the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter to the user;

receiving user input selecting a first GUI element for each parameter from the respective one or more GUI elements for the parameter, thereby selecting one or more first GUI elements corresponding to the one or more parameters, wherein the one or more first GUI elements comprise the one or more GUI elements; and

including the one or more first GUI elements in the GUI; and

wherein said associating the one or more GUI elements with the one or more parameters comprises;

associating each of the one or more first GUI elements with a respective one of the one or more parameters.

32. The medium of claim 31, wherein said presenting the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter to the user further comprises:

indicating the parameter to the user.

33. The medium of claim 31, wherein said presenting the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter to the user comprises:

displaying the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter in a palette.

34. The medium of claim 31, wherein said presenting the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter to the user comprises:

displaying respective names or text descriptions of the respective one or more GUI elements for each parameter.

35. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium is further configured to perform:

executing the graphical program, wherein said executing comprises;

the one or more GUI elements accessing the one or more parameters.

36. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium comprises a carrier medium.

37. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium comprises a programmable hardware element.

38. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medium is further configured to implement a configuration tool for said displaying the plurality of parameters, said receiving the user input, and for presenting the one or more GUI elements to the user.

39. The medium of claim 38,

wherein the configuration tool is further operable to perform:

displaying a plurality of GUI elements;

receiving user input selecting a parameter from the plurality of parameters; and

displaying the one or more GUI elements in response to the user input selecting the parameter, wherein the one or more GUI elements are each suitable for accessing the selected parameter during execution of the graphical program.

40. The medium of claim 39, wherein the configuration tool is further operable to perform:

receiving user input selecting a GUI element from the one or more GUI elements; and

associating the selected GUI element with the selected parameter;

wherein the selected GUI element is operable to access the parameter during execution of the graphical program.

41. A method for programmatically creating a graphical user interface (GUI) for selected parameters of a graphical program, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of parameters of a graphical program;

receiving user input selecting one or more parameters of the plurality of parameters; and

associating one or more GUI elements with the one or more parameters;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, each of the one or more GUI elements is operable to access a corresponding parameter of the one or more parameters.

42. A system for configuring a user interface for a graphical program, the system comprising:

means for displaying a plurality of parameters of a graphical program;

means for receiving user input selecting one or more parameters of the plurality of parameters; and

means for associating one or more GUI elements with the one or more parameters;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, each of the one or more GUI elements is operable to access a corresponding parameter of the one or more parameters.

43. A medium configured for programmatically creating a graphical user interface (GUI) for selected parameters of a graphical program, wherein the medium is configured to perform:

programmatically analyzing the graphical program to determine a plurality of parameters;

displaying the plurality of parameters of the graphical program;

receiving user input selecting a first parameter of the plurality of parameters;

receiving user input selecting a first GUI element for the first parameter, wherein the user input associates the first GUI element with the first parameter;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, the first GUI element is operable to access the first parameter of the one or more parameters.

44. A method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for selected parameters of a graphical program, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of parameters of a graphical program;

receiving user input selecting one or more parameters of the plurality of parameters; and

associating one or more GUI elements with the one or more parameters;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, each of the one or more GUI elements is operable to access a corresponding parameter of the one or more parameters.