Design part reusing method in configuration tool

• US 5,884,079 A
• Filed: 06/12/1997
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamatake-Honeywell Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yamatake-Honeywell Company Limited
• Inventors: Furusawa, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAM, TUAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US08/873,573
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 395/701-703, 345/348, 345/349, 345/326, 345/339, 345/115, 345/433, 345/964-968, 345/961, 364/188, 364/189, 364/146, 364/147, 364/130, 364/468.03, 364/468.09, 364/468.1, 364/474.22, 364/474.23, 364/474.32, 364/191, 364/192
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/965 for process control and configuration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/967 Visual or iconic programming

Abstract

In a design part reusing method in a configuration tool, a reference link defining an alias relationship between one functional object and another functional object is set. The reference link is explicitly displayed on a display between icons respectively representing one functional object and another functional object. One functional object and another functional object are set as aliases on the basis of the reference link. The reference link is explicitly disconnected to cancel the alias relationship on the display.

Claims

1. A design part reusing method in a configuration tool for

displaying as icons a plurality of functional objects acting as design parts having specific functions on display means of a computer,

defining a data flow between the plurality of functional objects displayed by a plurality of icons by graphically expressing a connection relationship of the plurality of icons displayed on the display means, and

creating application software from the plurality of functional objects whose data flow is defined, comprising the steps of:

setting a reference link defining an alias relationship between one functional object and another functional object;

explicitly displaying the reference link on the display means between icons respectively representing said one functional object and said another functional object;

setting said one functional object and the another functional object as aliases on the basis of the reference link; and

explicitly disconnecting the reference link to cancel the alias relationship on the display means.

2. A design part reusing method in a design control configuration tool for

performing control design by defining an input/output terminal connection between control parts corresponding to an input/output point and a control point on display means of a computer, and using an alias, comprising the steps of:

setting an arbitrary control part as a reference part serving as an alias for another control part;

forming a reference link defining an alias relationship between the arbitrary control part defined as the reference part and said another control part;

explicitly displaying the reference link between the arbitrary control part and said another control part on the display means;

setting the arbitrary control part as an alias for said another control part on the basis of the reference link; and

explicitly disconnecting the reference link to cancel the alias relationship on the display means.

3. A design part reusing method in a design control configuration tool for

performing control design by defining an input/output terminal connection between control parts corresponding to an input/output point and a control point on display means of a computer, and using an alias, comprising the steps of:

holding an application software subsystem constituted by a plurality of control parts in a container;

displaying the plurality of control parts held in the container on an editing window displayed on the display means;

setting an arbitrary part of the plurality of control parts held in the container as a reference part serving as an alias for another control part;

correlating the arbitrary control part in the container, which is defined as the reference part, with a reference port formed at the container;

defining an alias relationship between the arbitrary control part in the container and said another control part by forming a reference link between the reference port and said another control part located outside the container;

explicitly displaying the reference link between the reference port and said another control part on the display means;

setting the arbitrary control part as an alias for said another control part on the basis of the reference link and correlation between the arbitrary control part and the reference port; and

explicitly disconnecting the reference link to cancel the alias relationship on the display means.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of explicitly displaying the correlation between the arbitrary control part and the reference port on the editing window, and

wherein the step of explicitly disconnecting the reference link to cancel the alias relationship on the display means comprises explicitly disconnecting the correlation and the reference link on the editing window and the display means.