Automatic generation of executable computer code which commands another program to perform a task and operator modification of the generated executable computer code

• US 5,121,497 A
• Filed: 06/05/1989
• Issued: 06/09/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mesnard, Robert M., Kerr, Randal H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Daniel H.
• Application Number:
  US07/363,323
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 355/78
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/107 Terminal emulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system

Abstract

A reconfigurable automatic tasking system. A host system is capable of executing interactively initiated operations or tasks. A device is provided for executing a program having an interfacing program loaded therein. The interfacing program is adapted to define and to execute a task repeatedly. An interface is connected to the host system and to the device for executing a program that issues commands to and receives data from the host. An independent program is connected to the task that is defined by the interfacing program. This independent program adds generality to the interfacing program after the task has been defined.

Claims

1. A method of creating an executable list of computer codes which can be used to cause a program executing in a computer to perform a group of related or similar tasks, said method comprising:

entering via a computer keyboard a series of commands for causing the program executing in the computer to perform a specific task;

automatically generating computer executable codes, based on the entered series of commands, which can command said program to perform said specific task;

storing the automatically generated executable computer codes for said series of commands as an executable list of computer codes;

converting the computer codes in the executable list into a list containing a human-readable representation of said commands;

generalizing the human-readable command list to perform a group of tasks which are related to similar to said specific task by adding one or more additional human-readable command language commands;

and converting the generalized human-readable command list into an executable list of computer codes which can command the program executing in the computer to perform the tasks within said group.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least some of the commands entered via the computer keyboard are keystrokes for producing computer control codes as opposed to alpha-numeric character codes.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the step of generalizing the human-readable command list includes the step of displaying the series of human-readable commands on a computer terminal and making the changes by entering human-readable commands via a computer keyboard associated with the computer terminal.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the human-readable command list before the generalizing step includes program steps which are limited to the specific task, and the step of generalizing the human-readable command list changes at least some of the limited program steps into more general program steps capable of executing the related or similar tasks as well as the specific task.

5. A method of creating an executable list of computer codes which can be used to cause a program executing in a computer to perform a group of related or similar tasks, said method comprising:

entering via a computer keyboard a series of commands for causing the program executing in the computer to perform a specific task;

automatically generating computer executable codes, based on the entered series of commands, which can command said program to perform said specific task;

storing the automatically generated executable computer codes for said series of commands as an executable list of computer codes;

converting the computer codes in the executable list into a list containing a human-readable representation of said commands;

generalizing the human-readable command list to perform a group of tasks which are related or similar to said specific task by modifying one or more of the existing human-readable command language commands;

and converting the generalized human-readable command list into an executable list of computer codes which can command the program executing in the computer to perform the tasks within said group.

6. A method of creating an executable list of computer codes which can be used to cause a program executing in a computer to perform a group of related or similar tasks, said method comprising:

entering via a computer keyboard a series of commands for causing the program executing in the computer to perform a specific task;

automatically generating computer executable codes, based on the entered series of commands, which can command said program to perform said specific task;

storing the automatically generated executable computer codes for said series of commands as an executable list of computer codes;

converting the computer codes in the executable list into a list containing a human-readable representation of said commands;

generalizing the human-readable command list to perform a group of tasks which are related or similar to said specific task by deleting one or more of the existing human-readable command language commands;

and converting the generalized human-readable command list into an executable list of computer codes which can command the program executing in the computer to perform the tasks within said group.