User interactive control of computer programs and corresponding versions of input/output data flow
First Claim
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1. A method of for tracking program execution and versions on a digital computer during a computeraided engineering design operation, said computer including means for interacting with a human user and memory means for storing programs and data, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) identifying on the digital computer each program to be controlled;
b) identifying for each said program input and output data set requirements;
c) defining a relationship amongst said programs and their respective input and output data set requirements;
d) identifying an input data folder and an output data folder for respectively representing said input and output data set requirements for each said program;
e) identifying through user interaction each said user selected input data set;
f) verifying the presence of each said user selected input data set in each said input data folder of each said user selected program;
g) issuing computer commands effective to execute each said user selected program on each said user selected input data set, each said user selected program generating an output data set upon completing execution;
h) placing each said output data set generated by each said user selected program into said output data folder thereof; and
i) automatically identifying for each said output data set a respective input data set which was utilized to generate said output data set, thereby tracking design versions resulting from said computeraided engineering design operation.
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Abstract
A flowgraph system controls and tracks computer programs and data sets for a computer-aided design (CAD) task. The programs in the CAD task and their respective data set requirement are visually displayed as a flowgraph with which the user interacts to select input data sets and initiate program executions. The flowgraph provides the user with an indication of data flow and the progress of the CAD task.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of for tracking program execution and versions on a digital computer during a computeraided engineering design operation, said computer including means for interacting with a human user and memory means for storing programs and data, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) identifying on the digital computer each program to be controlled; b) identifying for each said program input and output data set requirements; c) defining a relationship amongst said programs and their respective input and output data set requirements; d) identifying an input data folder and an output data folder for respectively representing said input and output data set requirements for each said program; e) identifying through user interaction each said user selected input data set; f) verifying the presence of each said user selected input data set in each said input data folder of each said user selected program; g) issuing computer commands effective to execute each said user selected program on each said user selected input data set, each said user selected program generating an output data set upon completing execution; h) placing each said output data set generated by each said user selected program into said output data folder thereof; and i) automatically identifying for each said output data set a respective input data set which was utilized to generate said output data set, thereby tracking design versions resulting from said computeraided engineering design operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Apparatus for tracking program execution and versions on a digital computer during a computeraided engineering design operation, said computer including means for interacting with a human user and memory means for storing programs and data, said apparatus comprising:
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means for identifying on the digital computer each program to be controlled; means for identifying on the digital computer for each said program input and output data set requirements; means for defining on the digital computer a relationship amongst said programs and their respective input and output data set requirements; means for identifying on the digital computer an input data folder and an output data folder for respectively representing said input and output data set requirements for each said program; means for identifying on the digital computer through user interaction each said user selected input data set; means for verifying on the digital computer the presence of each said user selected input data set in each said input data folder of each said user selected program; means for issuing on the digital computer computer commands effective to execute each said user selected program on each said user selected input data set, each said user selected program generating an output data set upon completing execution; means for placing on the digital computer each said output data set generated by each said user selected program into the output data folder thereof; and means for automatically identifying on the digital computer for each said output data set a respective input data set which was utilized to generate said output data set, thereby tracking design versions resulting from said computeraided engineering design operation. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer system for tracking program execution and versions on a digital computer during a computeraided engineering design operating, said system comprising:
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means for a user to interact with said computer;
memory means for storing programs and data;
said digital computer programmed to;a) identify on a digital computer each program to be controlled; b) identify input and output data set requirements for each said program to be controlled; c) define a relationship amongst said programs and their respective input and output data set requirements; d) identify an input data folder and an output data folder for respectively representing said input and output data set requirements for each said program; e) identify through user interaction each said selected input data set; f) verify the presence of each said user selected input data set in each said input data folder of each said user selected program; g) issue computer commands effective to execute each said user selected program on said user selected input data set, each said user selected program generating an output data set upon completing execution; h) place said output data set generated by each said user selected program into said output data folder thereof; and i) automatically identify for each said output data set a respective input data set which was utilized to generate said output data set, thereby tracking design versions resulting from said computeraided engineering design operation. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification