Method of automatically generating custom controls for selected modules in a library

• US 5,995,100 A
• Filed: 01/07/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teradata US, Inc. (Teradata Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Auslander, James Tobias
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US08/779,637
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 345/333, 345/335, 345/326, 345/339, 345/701, 345/702, 345/703, 395/701, 395/703
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

A Custom Control Generator automatically generates custom controls for selected modules (i.e., externally-accessible functions or procedures) in a dynamic link library (DLL). The Custom Control Generator accepts as input the library itself, header files for the library, and a specified calling sequence of selected modules within the library. The Custom Control Generator then generates as output a shell program, wherein the shell program comprises source code for a user-interface for invoking the selected module in an interactive manner.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of generating a custom control for a procedure within an object library stored on a computer, comprising the steps of:

(a) scanning, in the computer, the object library and one or more associated header files for the object library;

(b) identifying, in the computer, one or more procedures in the scanned object library;

(c) identifying, in the computer, one or more parameters passed to the identified procedure in the scanned object library; and

(d) generating, in the computer, source code for a shell program that displays the identified parameter on a monitor attached to a computer, accepts input from a user for the identified parameter, and invokes the identified procedure using the accepted input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(e) compiling, in the computer, the source code for the shell program to create an object program; and

(f) executing, in the computer, the object program.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(e) displaying, on the computer, a plurality of scanned procedures from the library and the associated header files for the library; and

(f) accepting, into the computer, input from the user selecting one of the scanned procedures from a list for the subsequent identifying and generating steps.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of accepting input from the user identifying a call sequence for the scanned procedures.

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

(e) displaying, on the computer, the identified parameters on a monitor attached to a computer; and

(f) accepting, into the computer, input from the user specifying characteristics of the identified parameters.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the generating step further comprises the step of generating the source code in accordance with the input from the user specifying characteristics of the identified parameters.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the accepting step further comprises the step of accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter will be displayed by the shell program.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the accepting step further comprises the step of accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter will require a "GET" method in the shell program.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the accepting step further comprises the step of accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter will require a "SET" method in the shell program.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the accepting step further comprises the step of accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter is a persistent parameter.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the accepting step further comprises the step of accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter has an initial value.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is comprised of a plurality of fields.

13. A computer-implemented apparatus for generating a custom control for a function within an object library, comprising:

(a) a computer having a data storage device coupled thereto, wherein the data storage device stores the object library;

(b) means, performed by the computer, for scanning the object library;

(c) means, performed by the computer, for identifying one or more functions in the scanned object library;

(d) means, performed by the computer, for identifying one or more parameters passed to the identified function in the scanned object library; and

(e) means, performed by the computer, for generating source code for a shell program that displays the identified parameter on a monitor attached to a computer, accepts input from a user for the identified parameter, and invokes the identified function using the accepted input.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

(e) means for compiling, in the computer, the source code for the shell program to create an object program; and

(f) means for executing, in the computer, the object program.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

(e) means for displaying, on the computer, a plurality of scanned procedures from the library and the associated header files for the library; and

(f) means for accepting, into the computer, input from the user selecting one of the scanned procedures from a list for the subsequent identifying and generating steps.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for accepting input from the user identifying a call sequence for the scanned procedures.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

(e) means for displaying, on the computer, the identified parameters on a monitor attached to a computer; and

(f) means for accepting, into the computer, input from the user specifying characteristics of the identified parameters.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for generating further comprises means for generating the source code in accordance with the input from the user specifying characteristics of the identified parameters.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for accepting further comprises means for accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter will be displayed by the shell program.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for accepting further comprises means for accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter will require a "GET" method in the shell program.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for accepting further comprises means for accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter will require a "SET" method in the shell program.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for accepting further comprises means for accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter is a persistent parameter.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for accepting further comprises means for accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter has an initial value.

24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the parameter is comprised of a plurality of fields.

25. An article of manufacture comprising a computer program carrier readable by a computer, the carrier storing one or more instructions that, when executed by the computer, perform the computer-implemented method of generating a custom control for a function within an object library stored on the computer, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) scanning, in the computer, the object library;

(b) identifying, in the computer, one or more functions in the scanned object library;

(c) identifying, in the computer, one or more parameters passed to the identified function in the scanned object library; and

(d) generating, in the computer, source code for a shell program that displays the identified parameter on a monitor attached to a computer, accepts input from a user for the identified parameter, and invokes the identified function using the accepted input.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(e) compiling, in the computer, the source code for the shell program to create an object program; and

(f) executing, in the computer, the object program.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(e) displaying, on the computer, a plurality of scanned procedures from the library and the associated header files for the library; and

(f) accepting, into the computer, input from the user selecting one of the scanned procedures from a list for the subsequent identifying and generating steps.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises the step of accepting input from the user identifying a call sequence for the scanned procedures.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(e) displaying, on the computer, the identified parameters on a monitor attached to a computer; and

(f) accepting, into the computer, input from the user specifying characteristics of the identified parameters.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the generating step further comprises the step of generating the source code in accordance with the input from the user specifying characteristics of the identified parameters.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the accepting step further comprises the step of accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter will be displayed by the shell program.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the accepting step further comprises the step of accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter will require a "GET" method in the shell program.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the accepting step further comprises the step of accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter will require a "SET" method in the shell program.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the accepting step further comprises the step of accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter is a persistent parameter.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the accepting step further comprises the step of accepting input from the user indicating whether the identified parameter has an initial value.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the parameter is comprised of a plurality of fields.