Variable abstraction

• US 20060064673A1
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Rogers, Steven W., Houston, Ross E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/113
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

System and method for creating, configuring, representing, and using variables in programs. A graphical user interface (GUI) may be displayed in response to user input requesting creation and/or configuration of a variable for use in or comprised in one or more programs, e.g., on various devices. User input is received to the GUI configuring attributes of the variable, including: name, data type, and/or scope (e.g., local, global, or network). The configured attributes are stored and optionally displayed, e.g., in a resource tree, and the variable in each of the programs updated in accordance with the configured attributes. When at least one of the programs is incompatible with the configured variable, an error condition may be indicated, e.g., by providing information relating to portions of the program that are incompatible with the configured variable. The program may be modified in response to user input for compatibility with the configured variable.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for configuring a variable for use in one or more programs, the method comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) in response to user input requesting configuration of a variable, wherein the variable is comprised in one or more programs;

receiving user input to the GUI configuring attributes of the variable, wherein the attributes comprise one or more of;

name;

data type; and

scope;

storing the configured attributes; and

updating the variable in each of the one or more programs in accordance with the configured attributes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scope comprises one of:

local;

global; and

network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more programs is incompatible with the configured variable, the method further comprising:

indicating an error condition for said at least one of the one or more programs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating an error condition for said at least one of the one or more programs comprises:

providing information relating to one or more portions of the program that are incompatible with the configured variable.

5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

modifying the at least one of the one or more programs in response to user input, wherein the modified at least one program is compatible with the configured variable.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating the variable, wherein said creating comprises;

displaying the graphical user interface (GUI) in response to user input requesting creation of the variable; and

instantiating the variable; and

including the variable in the one or more programs in response to user input.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said creating further comprises:

receiving user input to the GUI specifying the attributes of the variable, wherein the attributes comprise said one or more of;

name;

data type; and

scope;

storing the specified attributes; and

displaying a representation of the variable, wherein the variable is selectable via the representation for inclusion in the one or more programs.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the representation of the variable comprises one or more of:

the name; and

an icon.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said including the variable in the one or more programs comprises creating one or more variable references in the one or more programs.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said instantiating the variable further comprises:

deploying the variable to a memory location, wherein the one or more variable references in the one or more programs operate to access the memory location.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said including the variable in the one or more programs further comprises:

modifying the one or more programs to access the variable based on respective target platforms of the one or more programs

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said displaying a representation of the variable comprises displaying the representation of the variable in a window, wherein the representation is selectable via user input to the window.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said displaying the representation of the variable in the window comprises:

displaying one or more locations where the variable is deployed.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said displaying one or more locations where the variable is deployed comprises:

displaying the variable in one or more resource trees.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein said creating the variable comprises creating the variable with a default configuration of the attributes of the variable.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs are comprised on a plurality of devices coupled via a network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of devices comprises a programmable hardware element.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs comprise a graphical program.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram portion and a user interface portion.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

executing the graphical program.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein, during execution of the graphical program, the graphical user interface is displayed on a display of a first computer system and the block diagram executes on a second computer system.

23. The method of claim 18,

wherein the graphical program comprises a graphical data flow program.

24. The method of claim 18,

wherein the graphical program is operable to perform one or more of:

an industrial automation function;

a process control function;

a test and measurement function.

25. A memory medium that stores program instructions for configuring a variable for use in one or more programs, wherein the program instructions are executable by a computer to perform:

displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) in response to user input requesting configuration of a variable, wherein the variable is comprised in one or more programs;

receiving user input to the GUI configuring attributes of the variable, wherein the attributes comprise one or more of;

name;

data type; and

scope;

storing the configured attributes; and

updating the variable in each of the one or more programs in accordance with the configured attributes.

26. A system for configuring a variable for use in one or more programs, comprising:

a processor;

a memory medium coupled to the processor; and

a display device coupled to the processor and the memory medium;

wherein the memory medium stores program instructions which are executable by the processor to;

display a graphical user interface (GUI) on the display device in response to user input requesting configuration of a variable, wherein the variable is comprised in one or more programs;

receive user input to the GUI configuring attributes of the variable, wherein the attributes comprise one or more of;

name;

data type; and

scope;

store the configured attributes; and

update the variable in each of the one or more programs in accordance with the configured attributes.

27. A system for configuring a variable for use in one or more programs, the system comprising:

means for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) in response to user input requesting configuration of a variable, wherein the variable is comprised in one or more programs;

means for receiving user input to the GUI configuring attributes of the variable, wherein the attributes comprise one or more of;

name;

data type; and

scope;

means for storing the configured attributes; and

means for updating the variable in each of the one or more programs in accordance with the configured attributes.

28. A computer-implemented method for creating a variable for use in a program, the method comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) in response to user input requesting creation of a variable;

receiving user input to the GUI specifying attributes of the variable, wherein the attributes comprise one or more of;

name;

data type; and

scope;

storing the specified attributes; and

instantiating the variable in accordance with the specified attributes; and

displaying a representation of the variable, wherein the variable is selectable via the representation for inclusion in a program.