System and method for creation of software components

• US 7,353,502 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Micco, John T., Stewart, James T., McGoldrick, Eugene F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Wei
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, RONGFA PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US10/190,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20040006762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,099 Days
• Field of Search: 717/136
• US Class Current: 717/136
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse

Abstract

A tool for automatically generating Component Object Model (COM) components for use in COM-compliant application from functions developed in a MATLAB programming environment. The tool receives as an input a component name and a selection of source code files which define functions. The tool processes the source code files to produce as an output a component having the selected component name. The component provides a binary interface through which application programs perform run-time function calls on the functions.

Claims

1. An automated method of generating a software component for use by an application program comprising:

receiving source code for one or more functions created in a first programming environment, wherein the one or more functions are capable of being executed in a MATLAB programming environment;

processing the source code to automatically convert the source code from a first programming language to a second progamming language to create a component including object code for the one or more functions, wherein the first programming language is suitable to use in the first programming environment;

generating automatically COM source code files for the component in the second programming language; and

wherein the component is usable by the application program in a second programming environment to access the one or more functions of the component.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an interface compatible with a second programming environment for use by the application program in accessing the one or more functions in the component in the second programming environment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the interface comprises a wrapper file that enables run time function calls of the application program in the second programming environment to be routed to the functions in the component.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the wrapper file maps syntax of the run time function calls in the first programming environment to function calls in the second programming environment.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second programming environment is Visual Basic and the interface is usable as a scripting language by a software program.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the component comprises a Component Object Model (COM) object.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the component is implemented as a dynamic linked library (DLL) file.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the component is implemented as an executable file.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first programming environment is a MATLAB programming environment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second programming environment is a VISUAL BASIC programming environment.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first programming language is MATLAB.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second programming language is C++.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the COM source code files include an Interface Description Language (IDL) source code file, class definition and implementation files, a DLL exports files and a source file providing an implementation of each exported function of the component.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein processing invokes an IDL compiler to process the IDL source code file to produce an interface header file and an interface GUID file.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein processing further comprises compiling the converted source code files, generated COM source code files and processed IDL files to produce object files.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein compiling compiles a file that includes template implementations of all required COM base classes and registration code.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein processing further comprises linking one or more libraries required to support the one or more functions to the object files to produce a version of the component that does not include type information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the generated COM source code files further include a resource script file, and wherein the IDL compiler further produces a component type library file and wherein processing further comprises invoking a resource compiler on the version of the component that does not include type infonnation, the resource script file and the component type library file to produce the component.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a user interface to receive as an input a user selection selecting the one or more functions.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the user interface receives as additional input a name of a class to be used in run-time function calls to the functions in the component.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the user interface includes a user interface device that, when activated, causes the processing to occur.

22. A computer program product residing on a computer-readable medium that automatically generates a software component for use by an application program, the computer program product comprising instructions causing a computer to:

receive source code for one or more functions created in a first programming environment, wherein the one or more functions are capable of being executed in a MATLAB programming environment;

process the source code to automatically convert the source code from a first programming language to a second programming language to create a component including object code for the one or more functions, wherein the first programming language is suitable to use in the first programming environment;

generate automatically COM source code files for the component in the second progammning language; and

generate an interface in a second programming environment for use by the application program in accessing the one or more functions in the component.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a build process stored in a memory;

a user interface stored in a memory, the user interface being configured to receive from a user a selection of one or more functions created in a first programming environment and a COM component name specified by the user, wherein the one or more functions are capable of being executed in a MATLAB programming environment; and

the user interface comprising a user interface device that, when selected by the user, causes execution of the build process, which operates on the selection of one or more functions to automatically convert source code for the one or more functions from a first programming language to a second programming language to build a COM component of the specified COM component name that provides a binary interface through which a COM-compatible application program can perfonn run-time functions on the selection of one or more functions.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the one or more functions of the selection comprise MATLAB functions.