Method and apparatus for providing attribute nodes in a graphical data flow environment

• US 5,481,741 A
• Filed: 09/22/1993
• Issued: 01/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Kodosky, Jeffrey L., McKaskle, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): GECKIL, MEHMET B
• Application Number:
  US08/126,163
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200, 395/800, 395/155-162, 395/140, 395/62, 395/109, 395/600, 395/650, 395/775, 395/200, 364/146, 364/188
• US Class Current: 345/522
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31912 Tester/user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3632 of specific synchronisation aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4494 data driven
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/967 Visual or iconic programming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/97 Instrumentation and component modelling, e.g. interactive control panel

Abstract

A system and method for providing attribute nodes in a data flow diagram which allow a user to programmatically access various parameters of a control or indicator. In this manner, a user can programmatically make changes that affect the output or appearance of controls and indicators. A user can also access these parameters interactively during execution of a block diagram. A user can creates an attribute node containing one or more attributes corresponding to controls that affect a parameter of the control, such as the color used for the respective display, the visibility of the control, the scales or cursor position for respective graphs or charts, etc. The purpose of an attribute node is to affect the visual output of a control provided on the front panel depending on events which occur during execution of a VI or on user input during execution of a VI. An attribute node thus allows the execution subsystem to monitor user interaction by reading attribute data that previously was not available to the program. An attribute node allows two types of operations, these being reading an attribute node or writing to an attribute node. These operations of reading and writing an attribute node can be performed either by a block diagram during execution, wherein the user has programmed the block diagram to perform this function, or interactively by the user during execution. The process of writing to an attribute node refers to the execution subsystem updating an attribute of a control in the front panel display to reflect an attribute that has been set programmatically in a block diagram. The user can also "write" to an attribute node by providing input to a control in the front panel during execution of a block diagram. Reading an attribute node refers to the execution subsystem reading the value of an attribute for a certain control during block diagram execution that may have been changed by the user, or may have been changed during execution of a VI by the execution subsystem. Reading an attribute also refers to the user viewing changes to the attribute during execution.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for programmatically affecting an attribute of a control in a data flow program in a computer system including a video screen, means for creating a graphical data flow diagram, and means for creating a panel associated with said data flow diagram for displaying data input to and output from said data flow diagram, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

displaying on the screen a first panel;

displaying on the screen a first control which displays data, wherein said first control is comprised in said first panel;

displaying on the screen a first function icon that references a function icon control means for controlling a first function;

displaying on the screen an attribute node icon associated with said first control, wherein the attribute node icon references an attribute control means for programmatically affecting an attribute of said first control;

assembling on the screen a data flow diagram including the first function icon and the attribute node icon, wherein the first function icon is connected to the attribute node icon and wherein the function icon control means provides data to the attribute control means during execution of the data flow diagram, wherein said first panel is associated with said data flow diagram and wherein said first control in said first panel displays input or output data from said data flow diagram;

executing the data flow diagram;

the function icon control means writing a value to the attribute control means to affect said attribute of said first control during said step of executing; and

changing said attribute of said first control after said step of the function icon control means writing said value to the attribute control means to affect said attribute of said first control.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on the screen a first terminal icon that references said first control prior to said step of assembling;

wherein said step of assembling comprises assembling on the screen the data flow diagram including the first terminal icon, the first function icon and the attribute node icon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first control includes a plurality of attributes and wherein said attribute control means programmatically affects said plurality of attributes of said first control;

wherein said step of the function icon control means writing a value comprises the function icon control means writing values to said attribute control means to affect said plurality of attributes of said first control during said step of executing.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said attribute node icon lists said plurality of attributes of said first control, wherein said plurality of attributes are listed sequentially;

wherein said step of the function icon control means writing values comprises the function icon control means writing values to said attribute control means sequentially according to said sequential listing of attributes in said attribute node icon to affect said plurality of attributes of said first control during said step of executing.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on the screen a first terminal icon that references said first control prior to said step of assembling;

displaying on the screen a second control in said first panel;

displaying on the screen a second terminal icon that references said second control prior to said step of assembling;

wherein said first control displays data input to the data flow diagram and said second control displays data output from the data flow diagram;

wherein said step of assembling comprises assembling on the screen the data flow diagram including the first terminal icon and the second terminal icon and the first function icon and the attribute node icon, wherein the data flow diagram displays a first procedure for producing a value for the second terminal icon from a value provided by the first terminal icon.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on the screen a first terminal icon that references said first control prior to said step of assembling;

displaying on the screen a second control in said first panel;

displaying on the screen a second terminal icon that references said second control prior to said step of assembling;

wherein said second control displays data input to the data flow diagram and said first control displays data output from the data flow diagram;

wherein said step of assembling comprises assembling on the screen the data flow diagram including the first terminal icon and the second terminal icon and the first function icon and the attribute node icon, wherein the data flow diagram displays a first procedure for producing a value for the first terminal icon from a value provided by the second terminal icon.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said attribute comprises an element of the appearance of said first control.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said attribute comprises one or more of the group consisting of:

size, color, range, scale, visibility, disabled, and key focus.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said first control comprises one of the group consisting of:

digital numeric control, color numeric control, rotary control, slide control, fill control, ring control, color ramp, table, waveform chart, waveform graph, XY graph, intensity chart, and intensity graph.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said control comprises a waveform graph, wherein said attribute comprises one or more of the group consisting of:

active cursor, cursor name, cursor color, cursor grid style, cursor point style, cursor locked, cursor plot, cursor index, cursor location, cursor X location, cursor Y location, cursor list, and smooth update.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said control comprises a waveform graph having a cursor, wherein said attribute comprises an attribute of said cursor.

12. A computer implemented method for programmatically accessing an attribute of a control in a data flow program in a computer system including a video screen, means for creating a graphical data flow diagram, and means for creating a panel associated with said data flow diagram for displaying data input to and output from said data flow diagram, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

displaying on the screen a first panel;

displaying on the screen a first control which displays data, wherein said first control is comprised in said first panel;

displaying on the screen a first function icon that references a function icon control means for controlling a first function;

displaying on the screen an attribute node icon associated with said first control, wherein the attribute node icon references an attribute control means for programmatically accessing an attribute of said first control;

assembling on the screen a data flow diagram including the first function icon and the attribute node icon, wherein the attribute node icon is connected to the first function icon and wherein the attribute control means provides data to the function icon control means during execution of the data flow diagram, wherein said first panel is associated with said data flow diagram and wherein said first control in said first panel displays input or output data from said data flow diagram;

executing the data flow diagram;

receiving input from a user during said step of executing to change said attribute of said first control;

the attribute control means reading said attribute of said first control and generating a value indicative thereof during said step of executing;

the attribute control means providing said value to said function icon control means during said step of executing; and

the function icon control means computing a value using said value received from the attribute control means during said step of executing.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying on the screen a first terminal icon that references said first control prior to said step of assembling;

wherein said step of assembling comprises assembling on the screen the data flow diagram including the first terminal icon, the first function icon, and the attribute node icon.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said first control includes a plurality of attributes and wherein said attribute control means programmatically accesses said plurality of attributes of said first control;

wherein said step of the attribute control means providing said value comprises the attribute control means providing a plurality of values to said function icon control means during said step of executing.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said attribute node icon lists said plurality of attributes of said first control, wherein said plurality of attributes are listed sequentially;

wherein said step of the attribute control means providing said plurality of values comprises the attribute control means providing said plurality of values sequentially according to said sequential listing of attributes in said attribute node icon during said step of executing.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying on the screen a first terminal icon that references said first control prior to said step of assembling;

displaying on the screen a second control in said first panel;

displaying on the screen a second terminal icon that references said second control prior to said step of assembling;

wherein said first control displays data input to the data flow diagram and said second control displays data output from the data flow diagram;

wherein said step of assembling comprises assembling on the screen the data flow diagram including the first terminal icon and the second terminal icon and the first function icon and the attribute node icon, wherein the data flow diagram displays a first procedure for producing a value for the second terminal icon from a value provided by the first terminal icon.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying on the screen a first terminal icon that references said first control prior to said step of assembling;

displaying on the screen a second control in said first panel;

displaying on the screen a second terminal icon that references said second control prior to said step of assembling;

wherein said second control displays data input to the data flow diagram and said first control displays data output from the data flow diagram;

wherein said step of assembling comprises assembling on the screen the data flow diagram including the first terminal icon and the second terminal icon and the first function icon and the attribute node icon, wherein the data flow diagram displays a first procedure for producing a value for the first terminal icon from a value provided by the second terminal icon.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of the attribute control means providing said value comprises the attribute control means providing said value to said function icon control means to enable said function icon control means to determine said attribute of said first control during said step of executing.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said attribute comprises an element of the appearance of said first control.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein said attribute comprises one or more of the group consisting of:

size, color, range, scale, visibility, disabled, and key focus.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein said first control comprises one of the group consisting of:

digital numeric control, color numeric control, rotary control, slide control, fill control, ring control, color ramp, table, waveform chart, waveform graph, XY graph, intensity chart, and intensity graph.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein said control comprises a waveform graph, wherein said attribute comprises one or more of the group consisting of:

active cursor, cursor name, cursor color, cursor grid style, cursor point style, cursor locked, cursor plot, cursor index, cursor location, cursor X location, cursor Y location, cursor list, and smooth update.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein said control comprises a waveform graph having a cursor, wherein said attribute comprises an attribute of said cursor.

24. A computer implemented method for programmatically accessing an attribute of a control in a data flow program in a computer system including a video screen, means for creating a graphical data flow diagram, and means for creating a panel associated with said data flow diagram for displaying data input to and output from said data flow diagram, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

displaying on the screen a first panel;

displaying on the screen a first control which displays data, wherein said first control is comprised in said first panel;

displaying on the screen a first function icon that references a first function icon control means for controlling a first function;

displaying on the screen a second function icon that references a second function icon control means for controlling a second function;

displaying on the screen an attribute node icon associated with said first control, wherein the attribute node icon references an attribute control means for programmatically accessing an attribute of said first control;

assembling on the screen a data flow diagram including the first function icon, the second function icon, and the attribute node icon, wherein the first function icon is connected to the attribute node icon and wherein the attribute node icon is connected to the second function icon, wherein said first panel is associated with said data flow diagram and wherein said first control in said first panel displays input or output data from said data flow diagram;

executing the data flow diagram;

the first function icon control means writing a value to the attribute control means to affect said attribute of said first control during said step of executing; and

the second function icon control means reading a value from the attribute control means to access said attribute of said first control during said step of executing.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

displaying on the screen a first terminal icon that references said first control prior to said step of assembling;

wherein said step of assembling comprises assembling on the screen the data flow diagram including the first terminal icon, the first function icon and the attribute node icon.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

displaying on the screen a first terminal icon that references said first control prior to said step of assembling;

displaying on the screen a second control in said first panel;

displaying on the screen a second terminal icon that references said second control prior to said step of assembling;

wherein said first control displays data input to the data flow diagram and said second control displays data output from the data flow diagram;

wherein said step of assembling comprises assembling on the screen the data flow diagram including the first terminal icon and the second terminal icon, the first function icon, the second function icon and the attribute node icon, wherein the data flow diagram displays a first procedure for producing a value for the second terminal icon from a value provided by the first terminal icon.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

displaying on the screen a first terminal icon that references said first control prior to said step of assembling;

displaying on the screen a second control in said first panel;

displaying on the screen a second terminal icon that references said second control prior to said step of assembling;

wherein said second control displays data input to the data flow diagram and said first control displays data output from the data flow diagram;

wherein said step of assembling comprises assembling on the screen the data flow diagram including the first terminal icon and the second terminal icon and the first function icon and the second function icon and the attribute node icon, wherein the data flow diagram displays a first procedure for producing a value for the first terminal icon from a value provided by the second terminal icon.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said attribute comprises an element of the appearance of said first control.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein said attribute comprises one or more of the group consisting of:

size, color, range, scale, visibility, disabled, and key focus.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein said first control comprises one of the group consisting of:

digital numeric control, color numeric control, rotary control, slide control, fill control, ring control, color ramp, table, waveform chart, waveform graph, XY graph, intensity chart, and intensity graph.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein said control comprises a waveform graph, wherein said attribute comprises one or more of the group consisting of:

active cursor, cursor name, cursor color, cursor grid style, cursor point style, cursor locked, cursor plot, cursor index, cursor location, cursor X location, cursor Y location, cursor list, and smooth update.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein said control comprises a waveform graph having a cursor, wherein said attribute comprises an attribute of said cursor.

33. A computer implemented method for programming a computer system including a video screen, means for creating a graphical data flow diagram, and means for creating a panel associated with said data flow diagram for displaying data input to and output from said data flow diagram, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

displaying on the screen a first panel;

displaying on the screen a first control in said first panel, wherein said first control displays data;

displaying on the screen a second control in said first panel, wherein said second control displays data;

displaying on the screen a first terminal icon that references said first control;

displaying on the screen a second terminal icon that references said second control;

displaying on the screen a first function icon that references a function icon control means for controlling a first function;

displaying on the screen an attribute node icon associated with said first control that references an attribute control means for programmatically affecting an attribute of said first control;

displaying on the screen a connector pane icon having a plurality of terminals for linking said first and second terminal icons, wherein said connector pane icon has associated connector control means for linking controls;

assigning said first control to a first terminal of said connector pane icon;

assigning said second control to a second terminal of said connector pane icon;

assembling on the screen a data flow diagram including the first terminal icon and the second terminal icon and the first function icon and the attribute node icon, wherein said first and second controls display data in said data flow diagram;

executing the data flow diagram;

propagating control data from said first control to said second control in a first data structure during said step of executing; and

propagating attribute data between said attribute control means and said second control using a second data structure.