Graphical association of program icons

• US 7,134,090 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2002
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Kodosky, Jeffrey L., Rogers, Steven W., Shah, Darshan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bonshock, Dennis G.
• Application Number:
  US10/123,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20030034998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,666 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769, 715/779, 715/810, 715/826, 715/835, 715/840, 715/748, 715/749, 715/762, 715/763, 715/764, 715/765, 715/771
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25067 Graphic configuration control system
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• 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 creating and using configuration diagrams for configuring distributed systems. The methods described herein may be used for various types of operations in configuring distributed systems, including creating programs, managing programs in the distributed system, deploying programs to various distributed devices, configuring remote execution or inter-operation of distributed programs, and executing distributed applications. Embodiments of the invention utilize graphical iconic-based techniques for performing the above operations. The configuration diagram may include device icons which represent devices and program icons which represent programs. Device icons and program icons may be associated with each other to accomplish various program creation and deployment operations. Device icons and program icons may also interact with graphical program nodes or icons. Context sensitive device connections and/or program connections are displayed. An asynchronous data flow node may be used to facilitate asynchronous data flow between two graphical programs. The distributed system may also support distributed graphical debugging.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a graphical program, wherein the method executes on a first computer system, the method comprising:

displaying a first program icon on a display of the first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is not a graphical program;

displaying a graphical program on the display of the first computer system;

associating the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input;

configuring the graphical program to invoke execution of the first program on a first device, wherein the first program is stored on the first device, and wherein the graphical program is stored on a second device;

displaying the first program icon in the graphical program in response to said associating;

wherein the graphical program is operable to access functionality of the first program during execution of the graphical program;

wherein, when the graphical program executes on the second device, the graphical program is operable to invoke execution of the first program on the first device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the first program icon as a first program node in the graphical program.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein said configuring the first program icon as a first program node in the graphical program comprises creating program instructions and/or data structures which are operable to access functionality of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

4. The method of claim 2,

wherein said configuring the first program icon as a first program node in the graphical program comprises creating program instructions and/or data structures corresponding to the first program icon, wherein the program instructions and/or data structures are operable to access functionality of the first program during execution of the first program node in the graphical program.

5. The method of claim 2,

wherein said configuring the first program icon as a first program node in the graphical program comprises creating one or more input terminals and one or more output terminals on the first program icon based on at least one of:

parameters of the first program and parameters of the graphical program.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

connecting at least one of the input terminals and output terminals of the first program icon to an existing node in the graphical program.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said associating comprises dragging and dropping the first program icon into the graphical program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram, wherein the block diagram comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

wherein said displaying the graphical program comprises displaying the block diagram;

wherein said associating comprises dragging and dropping the first program icon into the block diagram of the graphical program.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

positioning the first program icon at a first location in the graphical program in response to user input.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

the method further comprising positioning the first program icon at a first location in the graphical program in response to user input.

11. The method of claim 10,

wherein said positioning comprises positioning the first program icon as a node in the graphical program.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of nodes interconnected by wires;

wherein said positioning comprises positioning the first program icon at a first location on a wire in the graphical program proximate to an existing node in the graphical program;

the method further comprising displaying the first program icon in the graphical program connected to the existing node in the graphical program.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

performing type checking between the existing node and the first program icon; and

indicating an error if a type of the existing node and the first program icon are not compatible.

14. The method of claim 10,

wherein said positioning the first program icon is performed using a pointing device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a second program icon on the display, wherein the second program icon corresponds to the graphical program; and

associating the first program icon with the second program icon in response to user input;

wherein said displaying the graphical program on the display of the first computer system is automatically performed in response to said associating the first program icon with the second program icon.

16. The method of claim 15,

wherein said associating the first program icon into the graphical program comprises positioning the first program icon at a desired location in the graphical program in response to user input.

17. The method of claim 15,

wherein said associating the first program icon with the second program icon comprises dragging and dropping the first program icon proximate to or onto the second program icon.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein said dragging and dropping the first program icon proximate to or onto the second program icon comprises receiving further user input indicating that the first program is to be configured as a node in the graphical program.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a second program icon on the display, wherein the second program icon corresponds to the graphical program;

wherein said associating the first program icon into the graphical program comprises;

associating the first program icon with the second program icon in response to user input;

wherein said displaying the graphical program on the display of the first computer system is performed in response to said associating the first program icon with the second program icon; and

positioning the first program icon at a desired location in the graphical program in response to user input.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the graphical program to include program instructions and/or data structures that are executable to access functionality of the first program during execution of the graphical program, wherein said modifying is performed after said associating;

wherein the first program icon represents the program instructions and/or data structures that are executable to access functionality of the first program.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing the graphical program after said associating and said displaying the first program icon, wherein said executing the graphical program includes accessing functionality of the first program.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the graphical program to include program instructions and/or data structures that are executable to invoke execution of the first program during execution of the graphical program, wherein said modifying is performed after said associating;

wherein the first program icon represents the program instructions and/or data structures that are executable to access functionality of the first program;

executing the graphical program after said associating and said displaying the first program icon, wherein said executing the graphical program includes executing the program instructions and/or data structures to access functionality of the first program.

23. The method of claim 1,

wherein the method further comprises deploying the first program on the second device in response to said associating.

24. The method of claim 1,

modifying the first program icon to include an appearance which visually indicates the first device.

25. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first program is written in a text-based programming language.

26. The method of claim 1,

wherein the graphical program is created in a first graphical program development environment;

wherein the first program is not present in the first graphical program development environment.

27. The method of claim 26,

wherein the first program is created in a second program development environment, wherein the second program development environment is different than the first graphical program development environment.

28. The method of claim 26,

wherein the first program is operable to execute independently of the graphical program.

29. The method of claim 26,

wherein the first program exists prior to said creating the graphical program.

30. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first program is a program of a first program type, wherein the first program type is incompatible with the graphical program;

the method further comprising automatically converting the program from the first program type to a different program type that is compatible with the graphical program.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

configuring the first program icon as a first program node in the graphical program that is operable to access functionality of programs of the first program type.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of nodes interconnected by wires;

the method further comprising positioning the first program icon at a first location in the graphical program in response to user input;

wherein said positioning comprises positioning the first program icon at a first location proximate to a wire in the graphical program before a first node in the graphical program;

the method further comprising displaying the first program icon as a node in the graphical program connected to provide an output to the first node in the graphical program.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of nodes interconnected by wires;

the method further comprising positioning the first program icon at a first location in the graphical program in response to user input;

wherein said positioning comprises positioning the first program icon at a first location proximate to a wire in the graphical program after a first node in the graphical program;

the method further comprising displaying the first program icon as a node in the graphical program connected to receive an input from the first node in the graphical program.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of nodes interconnected by wires;

the method further comprising positioning the first program icon at a first location in the graphical program in response to user input;

wherein said positioning comprises positioning the first program icon at a first location proximate to a wire in the graphical program between a first node and a second node in the graphical program;

the method further comprising displaying the first program icon as a node in the graphical program connected between the first node and the second node in the graphical program.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a configuration diagram on a display of the computer system, wherein the configuration diagram represents a system comprising a plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes a plurality of device icons corresponding to the plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes the first program icon that corresponds to the first program.

36. The method of claim 35,

wherein the configuration diagram includes a first device icon corresponding to the first device;

wherein the first program icon is displayed proximate to the first device icon to visually indicate that the first program is stored on the first device.

37. The method of claim 36,

wherein the configuration diagram includes a second device icon corresponding to the second device;

wherein the graphical program is displayed proximate to the second device icon to visually indicate that the graphical program is stored on the second device.

38. A method for configuring a graphical program, wherein the method executes on a first computer system, the method comprising:

displaying a graphical program on the display of the first computer system, wherein the graphical program was created in a graphical program development environment;

displaying a first program icon on a display of the first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program was created in a first program development environment different than the graphical program development environment;

associating the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input;

displaying the first program icon in the graphical program in response to said associating;

programmatically creating program instructions and/or data structures in the graphical program that are operable to access capabilities of the first program;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, the program instructions and/or data structures are executable to access capabilities of the first program.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

configuring the first program icon as a first program node in the graphical program, wherein the first program icon as a first program node in the graphical program comprises creating one or more input terminals and one or more output terminals on the first program icon based on at least one of;

parameters of the first program and parameters of the second program.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

connecting at least one of the input terminals and output terminals of the first program icon to an existing node in the graphical program.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram, wherein the block diagram comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

wherein said displaying the graphical program comprises displaying the block diagram;

wherein said associating comprises dragging and dropping the first program icon into the block diagram of the graphical program.

42. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

displaying a second program icon on the display, wherein the second program icon corresponds to the graphical program; and

associating the first program icon with the second program icon in response to user input;

wherein said displaying the graphical program on the display of the first computer system is automatically performed in response to said associating the first program icon with the second program icon.

43. The method of claim 38,

wherein the first program is stored on a first device;

wherein the graphical program is stored on a second device;

wherein the method further comprises configuring the graphical program to invoke execution of the first program on the first device; and

wherein, when the graphical program executes on the second device, the graphical program is operable to invoke execution of the first program on the first device.

44. The method of claim 38,

wherein the first program is a program of a first program type, wherein the first program type is incompatible with the graphical program;

the method further comprising automatically converting the program from the first program type to a different program type that is compatible with the graphical program.

45. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

displaying a configuration diagram on a display of the computer system, wherein the configuration diagram represents a system comprising a plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes a plurality of device icons corresponding to the plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes the first program icon that corresponds to the first program.

46. A method for configuring a graphical program, wherein the method executes on a first computer system, the method comprising:

displaying a graphical program on the display of the first computer system;

displaying a first program icon on a display of the first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is not a graphical program;

associating the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input; and

automatically creating a first program node in the graphical program in response to said associating, wherein the first program node is operable to access capabilities of the first program during execution of the graphical program;

wherein said automatically creating comprises configuring the graphical program to invoke execution of the first program, wherein a first program is stored on the first device, and wherein the graphical program is stored on a second device;

wherein, when the graphical program executes on the second device, the graphical program is operable to invoke execution of the first program on the first device.

47. The method of claim 46,

wherein the first program node has the appearance of the first program icon.

48. The method of claim 47,

wherein the first program has a first type;

wherein the first program node is operable to invoke programs of the first type.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein said automatically creating the first program node in the graphical program comprises:

displaying a first program node icon of the first program node on the display in the graphical program; and

storing program instructions and/or data structures in the memory of the first computer system which correspond to the first program node, wherein the program instructions and/or data structures are executable to access capabilities of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

50. The method of claim 49,

wherein the first program node icon has the appearance of the first program icon.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein the first program node includes at least one of an input terminal or an output terminal;

the method further comprising connecting at least one of the input terminals and output terminals of the first program icon to an existing node in the graphical program.

52. The method of claim 46,

wherein said automatically creating the first program node in the graphical program comprises automatically creating one or more input terminals and one or more output terminals on the first program node based on at least one of:

parameters of the first program and parameters of the graphical program.

53. The method of claim 46, wherein said automatically creating the first program node in the graphical program comprises:

configuring the first program node based on the first program; and

displaying the first program node in the graphical program.

54. The method of claim 46, wherein said associating comprises dragging and dropping the first program icon into the graphical program.

55. The method of claim 46, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram, wherein the block diagram comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

wherein said displaying the graphical program comprises displaying the block diagram.

56. The method of claim 46,

wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

positioning the first program node at a first location in the graphical program in response to user input.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of nodes interconnected by wires;

wherein said positioning comprises positioning the first program node at a first location on a wire in the graphical program proximate to an existing node in the graphical program;

the method further comprising displaying the first program node in the graphical program connected through the wire to the existing node in the graphical program.

59. The method of claim 57,

wherein said positioning the first program node is performed using a pointing device.

60. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

displaying a second program icon on the display, wherein the second program icon corresponds to the graphical program; and

associating the first program icon with the second program icon in response to user input;

wherein said displaying the graphical program on the display of the first computer system is automatically performed in response to said associating the first program icon with the second program icon.

61. The method of claim 60,

wherein said associating the first program icon into the graphical program comprises positioning the first program icon at a desired location in the graphical program in response to user input.

62. The method of claim 60,

wherein said associating the first program icon with the second program icon comprises dragging and dropping the first program icon proximate to or onto the second program icon.

63. The method of claim 62,

wherein said dragging and dropping the first program icon proximate to or onto the second program icon comprises receiving further user input indicating that the first program is to be configured as a node in the graphical program.

64. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

displaying a second program icon on the display, wherein the second program icon corresponds to the graphical program;

wherein said associating the first program icon into the graphical program comprises;

associating the first program icon with the second program icon in response to user input;

wherein said displaying the graphical program on the display of the first computer system is performed in response to said associating the first program icon with the second program icon; and

positioning the first program icon at a desired location in the graphical program in response to user input.

65. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

modifying the graphical program to include program instructions and/or data structures that are executable to invoke execution of the first program during execution of the graphical program, wherein said modifying is performed after said associating;

wherein the first program node represents the program instructions and/or data structures that are executable to invoke execution of the first program.

66. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

executing the graphical program after said associating and said displaying the first program node, wherein said executing the graphical program includes invoking execution of the first program.

67. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

modifying the graphical program to include program instructions and/or data structures that are executable to invoke execution of the first program during execution of the graphical program, wherein said modifying is performed after said associating;

wherein the first program node represents the program instructions and/or data structures that are executable to invoke execution of the first program;

executing the graphical program after said associating and said displaying the first program node, wherein said executing the graphical program includes executing the program instructions and/or data structures to invoke execution of the first program.

68. The method of claim 46,

wherein the method further comprises deploying the first program on the second device in response to said associating.

69. The method of claim 46,

modifying the first program node to include an appearance which visually indicates the first device.

70. The method of claim 46,

wherein the first program is written in a text-based programming language.

71. The method of claim 46,

wherein the graphical program is created in a first graphical program development environment;

wherein the first program is not present in the first graphical program development environment.

72. The method of claim 71,

wherein the first program is created in a second program development environment, wherein the second program development environment is different than the first graphical program development environment.

73. The method of claim 71,

wherein the first program is operable to execute independently of the graphical program.

74. The method of claim 71,

wherein the first program exists prior to said creating the graphical program.

75. The method of claim 46,

wherein the first program is a program of a first program type, wherein the first program type is incompatible with the graphical program;

the method further comprising automatically converting the program from the first program type to a different program type that is compatible with the graphical program.

76. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

displaying a configuration diagram on a display of the computer system, wherein the configuration diagram represents a system comprising a plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes a plurality of device icons corresponding to the plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes the first program icon that corresponds to the first program.

77. The method of claim 76,

wherein the configuration diagram includes a first device icon corresponding to the first device;

wherein the first program icon is displayed proximate to the first device icon to visually indicate that the first program is stored on the first device.

78. The method of claim 77,

wherein the configuration diagram includes a second device icon corresponding to the second device;

wherein the graphical program is displayed proximate to the second device icon to visually indicate that the graphical program is stored on the second device.

79. The method of claim 46,

the method further comprising:

automatically modifying the graphical program on the second device to invoke the first program on the first device after said displaying the first program node in the graphical program;

executing the graphical program on the second device;

the graphical program invoking execution of the first program on the first device during said executing.

80. The method of claim 46, wherein the graphical program comprises a data flow diagram.

81. The method of claim 46, the method further comprising:

positioning the first program node at a first location in the graphical program in response to user input;

automatically modifying the graphical program to invoke the first program after said positioning;

wherein during execution the graphical program is operable to invoke the first program.

82. A method for configuring a graphical program, wherein the method executes on a first computer system, the method comprising:

displaying a graphical program on the display of the first computer system, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, wherein the graphical program is created in a first graphical program development environment;

displaying a first program icon on a display of the first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is created in a second different program development environment;

dragging and dropping the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input;

displaying the first program icon in the graphical program in response to said dragging and dropping;

configuring the first program icon as a node in the graphical program;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, the first program icon in the graphical program is operable to invoke execution of the first program.

83. The method of claim 82,

wherein said dragging and dropping comprises positioning the first program icon at a first location in the graphical program and connected the first program icon to one or more other nodes in the graphical program in response to user input.

84. The method of claim 82,

wherein the first program is stored on a first device;

wherein the graphical program is stored on a second device;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program on the second device, the first program icon in the graphical program is operable to invoke execution of the first program on the first device.

85. The method of claim 82, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of nodes interconnected by wires;

wherein said dragging and dropping comprises dropping the first program icon on a first wire in the graphical program;

the method further comprising displaying the first program icon in the graphical program connected to the first wire in the graphical program.

86. A method for configuring a graphical program, wherein the method executes on a first computer system, the method comprising:

displaying a graphical program on the display of the first computer system, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program, wherein the graphical program is created in a first graphical program development environment;

displaying a first program icon on a display of the first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is created in a second different program development environment;

associating the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input;

displaying the first program icon in the graphical program in response to said associating;

configuring the first program icon as a node in the graphical program;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, the first program icon in the graphical program is operable to invoke execution of the first program.

87. A method for configuring a graphical program, wherein the method executes on a first computer system, the method comprising:

displaying a first program icon on a display of the first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program;

displaying a second program icon on the display of the first computer system, wherein the second program icon corresponds to a graphical program, wherein the graphical program is created in a first graphical program development environment, and wherein the first program is created in a second different program development environment;

associating the first program icon with the second program icon in response to user input;

displaying the graphical program in response to said associating the first program icon with the second program icon; and

displaying the first program icon in the graphical program;

wherein the first program is operable to execute during execution of the graphical program in response to the first program icon being displayed in the graphical program.

88. The method of claim 87,

wherein said associating the first program icon with the second program icon comprises dragging and dropping the first program icon proximate to or onto the second program icon.

89. The method of claim 88,

wherein said dragging and dropping the first program icon proximate to or onto the second program icon comprises receiving further user input indicating that the first program is to be configured as a node in the graphical program.

90. The method of claim 87, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram, wherein the block diagram comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

wherein said displaying the graphical program comprises displaying the block diagram.

91. The method of claim 87,

wherein said displaying the first program icon comprises automatically displaying the first program icon in the graphical program after said associating;

wherein the first program icon in the graphical program may be positioned in the graphical program by a user.

92. The method of claim 87, further comprising:

positioning the first program icon at a first location in the graphical program in response to graphical user input.

93. The method of claim 87, further comprising:

configuring the first program icon as a first program node in the graphical program;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program, the first program node is operable to invoke execution of the first program.

94. The method of claim 87, wherein said configuring the first program icon as a node in the graphical program comprises:

storing program instructions associated with the node in memory of the first computer system, wherein the program instructions are executable to invoke execution of the first program.

95. The method of claim 87, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram, wherein the block diagram comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

wherein said displaying the graphical program comprises displaying the block diagram;

the method further comprising positioning the first program icon at a first location in the block diagram.

96. The method of claim 95,

wherein said positioning comprises positioning the first program icon as a first program node in the block diagram;

wherein the first program node is operable to invoke execution of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

97. The method of claim 95, further comprising:

connecting the first program node to an existing node in the graphical program.

98. The method of claim 95, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of nodes interconnected by wires;

wherein said positioning comprises positioning the first program icon at a first location on a wire in the graphical program proximate to an existing node in the graphical program;

the method further comprising displaying the first program icon in the graphical program connected to the existing node in the graphical program.

99. The method of claim 87,

wherein the first program is not a graphical program.

100. The method of claim 87,

wherein the first program is written in a text-based programming language.

101. The method of claim 87,

wherein the first program is operable to execute independently of the graphical program.

102. A method for configuring a graphical program, wherein the method executes on a first computer system, the method comprising:

displaying a first program icon on a display of the first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program;

displaying a second program icon on the display of the first computer system, wherein the second program icon corresponds to a graphical program, wherein the graphical program is created in a first graphical program development environment, and wherein the first program is created in a second different program development environment;

associating the first program icon with the second program icon in response to user input;

displaying the graphical program in response to said associating the first program icon with the second program icon; and

displaying a new node in the graphical program after said displaying, wherein the new node is operable to invoke execution of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

103. The method of claim 102,

wherein the new node has the appearance of the first program icon.

104. The method of claim 102, further comprising:

creating one or more input terminals and one or more output terminals on the new node based on at least one of;

parameters of the first program and parameters of the second program.

105. The method of claim 104,

connecting at least one of the input terminals and output terminals of the new node to an existing node in the graphical program.

106. The method of claim 102,

wherein said associating the first program icon with the second program icon comprises dragging and dropping the first program icon proximate to or onto the second program icon.

107. The method of claim 106,

wherein said dragging and dropping the first program icon proximate to or onto the second program icon comprises receiving further user input indicating that the first program is to be configured as a node in the graphical program.

108. The method of claim 102, further comprising:

positioning the new node at a first location in the graphical program in response to user input.

109. The method of claim 108, wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of nodes interconnected by wires;

wherein said positioning comprises positioning the new node at a first location on a wire in the graphical program proximate to an existing node in the graphical program;

the method further comprising displaying the new node in the graphical program connected to the existing node in the graphical program.

110. A method for configuring a graphical program, wherein the method executes on a computer system, the method comprising:

displaying a configuration diagram on a display of the computer system, wherein the configuration diagram represents a system comprising a plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes a plurality of device icons corresponding to the plurality of devices;

wherein the configuration diagram includes a first program icon that corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program was created in a first program development environment;

displaying a graphical program on the display of the computer system, wherein the graphical program was created in a graphical program development environment, wherein the graphical program development environment is different than the first program development environment;

associating the first program icon with the graphical program in response to user input;

displaying a first program node in the graphical program in response to said associating, wherein the first program node is operable to access functionality of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

111. A method for configuring a graphical program, wherein the method executes on a computer system, the method comprising:

displaying a configuration diagram on a display of the computer system, wherein the configuration diagram represents a system comprising a plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes a plurality of device icons corresponding to the plurality of devices;

wherein the configuration diagram includes a first program icon that corresponds to a first program, wherein the configuration diagram includes a second program icon that corresponds to a second program, wherein the second program is a graphical program;

associating the first program icon with the second program icon in response to user input;

displaying the graphical program on the display of the computer system in response to said associating;

displaying a first program node in the graphical program after said associating, wherein the first program node is operable to access functionality of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

112. The method of claim 111,

wherein the first program was created in a first program development environment;

wherein the graphical program was created in a graphical program development environment, wherein the graphical program development environment is different than the first program development environment.

113. A memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

displaying a first program icon on a display of a first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is not a graphical program;

displaying a graphical program on the display of the first computer system, wherein the graphical program is created in a first graphical program development environment, and wherein the first program is created in a second different program development environment;

associating the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input;

displaying the first program icon in the graphical program in response to said associating;

wherein the graphical program is operable to access functionality of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

114. The memory medium of claim 113,

wherein the first program is operable to execute independently of the graphical program.

115. The memory medium of claim 113,

wherein the first program exists prior to said creating the graphical program.

116. The memory medium of claim 113, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram, wherein the block diagram comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

wherein said displaying the graphical program comprises displaying the block diagram;

wherein said associating comprises dragging and dropping the first program icon into the block diagram of the graphical program.

117. The memory medium of claim 113, further comprising:

displaying a second program icon on the display, wherein the second program icon corresponds to the graphical program; and

associating the first program icon with the second program icon in response to user input;

wherein said displaying the graphical program on the display of the first computer system is automatically performed in response to said associating the first program icon with the second program icon.

118. The memory medium of claim 113,

wherein the first program is stored on a first device;

wherein the graphical program is stored on a second device;

wherein the method further comprises configuring the graphical program to invoke execution of the first program on the first device; and

wherein, when the graphical program executes on the second device, the graphical program is operable to invoke execution of the first program on the first device.

119. The memory medium of claim 113,

wherein the first program is a program of a first program type, wherein the first program type is incompatible with the graphical program;

the method further comprising automatically converting the program from the first program type to a different program type that is compatible with the graphical program.

120. The memory medium of claim 113, further comprising:

displaying a configuration diagram on a display of the computer system, wherein the configuration diagram represents a system comprising a plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes a plurality of device icons corresponding to the plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes the first program icon that corresponds to the first program.

121. The memory medium of claim 113, further comprising:

configuring the first program icon as a first program node in the graphical program, wherein the first program icon as a first program node in the graphical program comprises creating one or more input terminals and one or more output terminals on the first program icon based on at least one of;

parameters of the first program and parameters of the second program.

122. The memory medium of claim 113, wherein the graphical program comprises a block diagram, wherein the block diagram comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes which visually indicate functionality of the graphical program;

wherein said displaying the graphical program comprises displaying the block diagram;

wherein said associating comprises dragging and dropping the first program icon into the block diagram of the graphical program.

123. A system comprising:

a computer system comprising a CPU, memory medium, and a display;

a first device coupled to the computer system;

a second device coupled to the computer system;

wherein the memory medium of the computer system stores a software program, wherein the software program is executable to;

display a first program icon on a display of the computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is stored on the first device;

display a graphical program on the display of the computer system, wherein the graphical program is stored on one of the computer system or the second device;

associate the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input;

automatically display a first program node in the graphical program in response to said associating;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program on one of the computer system or the second device, the first program node is operable to access capabilities of the first program, wherein the first program executes on the second device.

124. The system of claim 123, wherein the first program is not a graphical program.

125. A system comprising:

a computer system comprising a CPU, memory medium, and a display;

a first device coupled to the computer system;

a second device coupled to the computer system;

wherein the memory medium of the computer system stores a software program, wherein the software program is executable to;

display a graphical program on the display of the computer system, wherein the graphical program is stored on the first device;

display a first program icon on a display of the computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is stored on one of the computer system or the second device;

associate the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input;

automatically display a first program node in the graphical program in response to said associating;

wherein, during execution of the graphical program on the first device, the first program node is operable to access capabilities of the first program, wherein the first program executes on one of the computer system or the second device.

126. The system of claim 125, wherein the first program is not a graphical program.

127. A memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

displaying a first program icon on a display of a first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is not a graphical program;

displaying the graphical program on the display of the first computer system, wherein the graphical program is created in a first graphical program development environment, and wherein the first program is not present in the first graphical program development environment;

associating the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input; and

displaying the first program icon in the graphical program in response to said associating;

wherein the graphical program is operable to access functionality of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

128. The memory medium of claim 127,

wherein the first program is created in a second program development environment, wherein the second program development environment is different than the first graphical program development environment.

129. A memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

displaying a first program icon on a display of a first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is not a graphical program, and wherein the first program is a program of a first program type, wherein the first program type is incompatible with the graphical program;

displaying the graphical program on the display of the first computer system;

associating the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input;

displaying the first program icon in the graphical program in response to said associating; and

automatically converting the program from the first program type to a different program type that is compatible with the graphical program;

wherein the graphical program is operable to access functionality of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

displaying the first program icon in the graphical program in response to said associating;

configuring the first program icon as a first program node in the graphical program that is operable to access functionality of programs of the first program type;

wherein the graphical program is operable to access functionality of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

130. A memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

displaying a first program icon on a display of a first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is not a graphical program;

displaying a graphical program on the display of the first computer system;

associating the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input;

displaying the first program icon in the graphical program in response to said associating; and

displaying a configuration diagram on the display of the first computer system, wherein the configuration diagram represents a system comprising a plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes a plurality of device icons corresponding to the plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes the first program icon that corresponds to the first program;

wherein the graphical program is operable to access functionality of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

131. The memory medium of claim 130,

wherein the configuration diagram includes a first device icon corresponding to a first device;

wherein the first program is stored on the first device;

wherein the first program icon is displayed proximate to the first device icon to visually indicate that the first program is stored on the first device.

132. The memory medium of claim 131,

wherein the configuration diagram includes a second device icon corresponding to a second device;

wherein the graphical program is stored on the second device;

wherein the graphical program is displayed proximate to the second device icon to visually indicate that the graphical program is stored on the second device.

133. A memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

displaying a graphical program on the display of a first computer system, wherein the graphical program is created in a first graphical program development environment;

displaying a first program icon on a display of the first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is not a graphical program, and wherein the first program is not present in the first graphical program development environment;

associating the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input; and

automatically creating a first program node in the graphical program in response to said associating, wherein the first program node is operable to access capabilities of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

134. The memory medium of claim 133,

wherein the first program is created in a second program development environment, wherein the second program development environment is different than the first graphical program development environment.

135. The memory medium of claim 133,

wherein the first program is operable to execute independently of the graphical program.

136. The memory medium of claim 133,

wherein the first program exists prior to said creating the graphical program.

137. A memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

displaying a graphical program on the display of a first computer system;

displaying a first program icon on a display of the first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is not a graphical program, and wherein the first program is a program of a first program type, wherein the first program type is incompatible with the graphical program;

associating the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input;

automatically creating a first program node in the graphical program in response to said associating, wherein the first program node is operable to access capabilities of the first program during execution of the graphical program; and

automatically converting the first program from the first program type to a different program type that is compatible with the graphical program.

138. A memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

displaying a graphical program on the display of a first computer system;

displaying a first program icon on a display of the first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, and wherein the first program is not a graphical program;

displaying a configuration diagram on the display of the first computer system, wherein the configuration diagram represents a system comprising a plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes a plurality of device icons corresponding to the plurality of devices, wherein the configuration diagram includes the first program icon that corresponds to the first program;

associating the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input; and

automatically creating a first program node in the graphical program in response to said associating, wherein the first program node is operable to access capabilities of the first program during execution of the graphical program.

139. The memory medium of claim 138,

wherein the configuration diagram includes a first device icon corresponding to a first device;

wherein the first program is stored on the first device; and

wherein the first program icon is displayed proximate to the first device icon to visually indicate that the first program is stored on the first device.

140. The memory medium of claim 139,

wherein the configuration diagram includes a second device icon corresponding to a second device;

wherein the graphical program is stored on the second device; and

wherein the graphical program is displayed proximate to the second device icon to visually indicate that the graphical program is stored on the second device.

141. A memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

displaying a graphical program on the display of a first computer system;

displaying a first program icon on a display of the first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program, wherein the first program is not a graphical program, and wherein the first program resides on a first device;

associating the first program icon into the graphical program in response to user input, wherein the graphical program resides on a second device;

automatically creating a first program node in the graphical program in response to said associating, wherein the first program node is operable to access capabilities of the first program during execution of the graphical program;

automatically modifying the graphical program on the second device to invoke the first program on the first device after said displaying the first program node in the graphical program;

executing the graphical program on the second device; and

the graphical program invoking execution of the first program on the first device during said executing.

142. A memory medium comprising program instructions for configuring a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement:

displaying a first program icon on a display of a first computer system, wherein the first program icon corresponds to a first program;

displaying a second program icon on the display of the first computer system, wherein the second program icon corresponds to a graphical program, wherein the first program is operable to execute independently of the graphical program;

associating the first program icon with the second program icon in response to user input;

displaying the graphical program in response to said associating the first program icon with the second program icon; and

displaying the first program icon in the graphical program;

wherein the first program is operable to execute during execution of the graphical program in response to the first program icon being displayed in the graphical program.