JP2003223321A - Software component preparing method and program and software component preparing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily integrate software into components by treating the connecting part of objects as a component. <P>SOLUTION: Not only objects which are conventionally recognized as components but also the connecting part of the objects are integrated into components to be treated as a link component, and the list of data components equivalent to the conventional objects is displayed in a data component list area 41, and the list of the link components is displayed in a list component list area 42 of a GUI (graphical user interface) screen. A component editor arranges the components selected from the component list area 41 or 42 as element components at user designated positions in a component definition area 43 as element components according to the operation of the user. Also, the component editor connects the terminals of the group of the terminals of the element components arranged in the component definition area 43 the group of the terminals of software components to be prepared by an arrow indicating the transmitting direction of data according to the operation of the user for connecting the desired terminals. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a software component creating method, a software component creating program, and a software component creating apparatus, which are suitable for creating a software component that represents a software component connecting means as a link component.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Componentizing software (software program) is an important technique for improving productivity and quality of software. Object-oriented programming
It has been expected from the past that it has the effect of promoting the componentization of this software. The reason is that in object-oriented programming, the mechanism of inheritance leads to the reuse of software, and the high degree of independence of modules and the similarity to "things" in the real world help them understand their specifications. is there.

[0003]

However, in spite of the above expectations, the software componentization method is not yet fully established at present. Conventionally,
The following is a list of reasons why software could not be fully implemented by object-oriented programming alone.

(A1) In programming based on inheritance, it is necessary to complete from the most generalized and highly abstract parts. However, it becomes very difficult to determine the required general form as the software functions increase. This is particularly noticeable when the software developer does not have the specialized knowledge of the target business. Also, user requirements for software change from moment to moment. Therefore, even if a component with sufficient generality can be created at a certain point in time, its availability becomes smaller as time passes.

(A2) Although the processing subject and the object are expressed as "things", how the processing subject acts on the (generally a plurality of) processing objects to realize the intended function is as follows. As usual, procedural expressions are the basis. As a result, it is not possible to intuitively grasp and predict the behavior of the entire system in which components are combined, as with a physical device. Therefore, at present, the purpose is to support human thinking in software design and maintenance.
It is necessary to create various charts.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its object is to treat not only objects that have been regarded as software parts until now, but also connected parts between objects as parts, and correspond to conventional objects. A software component can be easily made into a component simply by allowing the software developer to select a desired component on the screen from the list of the data component group and the link component group that realizes the connection between the components. An object of the present invention is to provide a software component creation method, a software component creation program, and a software component creation device that can be performed.

[0007]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of creating a software component in which the software component connecting means is expressed as a link component. This method of creating a software component is a component list area in which a list of a data component having a field in which data is set as a terminal and a link component having an argument as a terminal is displayed, and a component used to create a software component. The step of displaying the software component creation screen that includes the definition area, and the component selected from the component list above according to the user's operation, as an element component that becomes the element of the software component to be created, according to the user's operation. A step of moving / arranging in the part definition area, a step of setting and displaying the terminals of the software part to be created at a specified position on the part definition area according to a user operation,
According to the user's operation, a step of connecting the specified terminals of the group of terminals of the software component to be created and the group of terminals of the element component arranged in the component definition area, and A step of registering software component definition information that defines a group of element components arranged in the component definition area at that time and a connection state between the terminals according to a human operation.

In such a structure, not only the objects which have been regarded as parts until now, but also the connecting parts between the objects are made into parts and treated as link parts.
GU is a list of data parts that have fields to which data is set as terminals and link parts that have arguments as terminals.
It is displayed on the software component creation screen as the I screen so that the user can select any component. Since each part in the selectable parts list is classified into a data part and a link part, the property of each part becomes clear as compared with the conventional part (object). Therefore, the user can appropriately select the component parts forming the target software part. Moreover, when creating a software part, the user performs an operation for arranging each selected element part on the screen, and a group of terminals of each element part and the part defined in the software part to be created. It is only necessary to perform an operation for connecting desired terminals of the group of terminals, and the software can be easily realized as a component. In other words, in the present invention, rather than aiming to make a large object into a component, it is possible to easily realize a software component by making a material that combines objects so that a series of object groups realize a desired function. There is.

This software component creating method is particularly useful in software that processes data having a strong passive character such as various forms and records as input and output, as in many practical processes.

Here, each element part arranged in the above-mentioned part definition area is displayed as an icon image, and
If the configuration is such that the element part type name indicating the type of the element part is displayed near the element part, the type and usage of the element parts that make up the software part to be created are for the user (software developer). It becomes easy to understand.
If this display is also performed in the parts list area, the user
It is possible to appropriately and efficiently select the component parts that form the software part to be created.

Further, in the connecting step, if the connection between the designated terminals is displayed by an arrow representing a direction in which data can be transmitted between the terminals, the software component to be created is configured. The relationship between the elements to be performed becomes easier for users to understand. Further, in the connecting step, if the direction in which data can be transmitted between the two terminals to be connected is determined from at least the two terminals and the direction of the arrow is determined, the user can set the data Since it is not necessary to specify the transmission direction, accurate parts can be created by a simple creation work.

Note that the present invention relating to the above-described software component creating method is also an invention relating to a software component creating apparatus for executing the method to create a software component. The invention is also realized as an invention relating to a program (software component creation program) to be executed.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. A feature of the embodiment of the present invention is that software can be easily realized as a component by a programming technique (link-oriented programming technique) that also makes a connecting portion (link) between objects as a component. Therefore, in order to facilitate understanding of the present embodiment, a system of a program notation that is applied in the present embodiment and that expresses a connected portion as a part will be described.

(B1) As an object corresponding to the conventional object-oriented programming,
There is a "data part". The data component has one or more fields (instance fields). All fields are open to the public (not hidden), and the values can be referenced and set.

(B2) There is a "link component" as a component for realizing the connection of data components. There are two types of link parts: "function-type link parts" (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "functions") and "predicate-type link parts" (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "predicates").

The function (B3) is generally a multi-valued function with n inputs and m outputs, and transfers the value from the input side to the output side as it is or after conversion. As an example of a special function, there is a function that can be regarded as a function having no input, such as a random number generation function.

(B4) The predicate has only one or more input arguments. However, a message can be sent to another data component or a link component depending on the result of the authenticity determination based on the input argument.

(B5) Each field of the data part and each argument of the function and the predicate are collectively called a "terminal". A terminal has a direction in which it can transmit a value.
The terminals of the data component are capable of bidirectional transmission. Regarding the function terminal, the input terminal can transmit only in the input direction, and the output terminal can transmit only in the output direction. However, when the inverse function described later is defined, it can be transmitted in both directions. All predicate terminals can be transmitted only in the input direction.

(B6) The field of the data part can be accessed by the following format data part name.field name using the data part name and the field name.

(B7) The expression of the connection between parts by the function is
The following format using the function name (class name) that indicates the type of link component, the link name (instance name) that is the name of the link component, the input name that indicates the input terminal, and the output name that indicates the output terminal by.

(B8) The expression of the connection between parts by the predicate is
Predicate name that indicates the type of link part (class name), link name (instance name), input name that indicates the input terminal, and the processing contents based on the result of the predicate judgment. {Input name 1 = Pin 1, Input name 2 = Pin 2, ... {; ifTrue (Process when predicate is true)}} {; ifFalse (Process when predicate is false)}}}.

(B8) Each object of data parts, functions and predicates has the following functions as basic methods.

The data component has a method (fill method) expressed as "fill ()". fill () is the fill ()
Is a method that fills the fields of the data component by sending the flow () described below to all the link components that have their output terminals connected to the data component.

The function has a method (flow method) expressed as "flow ()". The flow () is a sod that transmits a value to the output terminal of the function if values are given to all the input terminals of the function having the flow (). Also, fl
If there is an input terminal to which a value is not given, ow () will fill () the data part if the part connected to the input terminal is a data part, and the link part if the part is a link part. It is also a method that sends all the input values by sending the flow () and getting the value through the input terminal and transmitting the value to the output terminal.

The function also has a method (flowBackward method) expressed as "flowBackward ()" only when an inverse function of the function is defined. flowBackward
() Is a method that performs the same process as flow () with the input terminal of the function having the flowBackward () as the output terminal and the output terminal as the input terminal.

The predicate has a method (test method) expressed as "test ()". test () is a method that, if values are given to all the input terminals of the predicate having the test (), determines true / false based on those values and performs the defined processing. Also, if there is an input terminal to which no value is given, test () will fill () the data part if the part connected to the input terminal is a data part.
If it is a link component, it is a method that sends flow () to the link component and obtains the value through its input terminal to satisfy all the input values and determine the truth.

(B9) A new part, that is, a function (composite function) can be created by combining at least two link parts. Each part that constitutes one part is called an element part. When the element part is a link part, the element part is called an element link part. When connecting the terminals of the element link component, it is not possible to connect the terminals only in the input direction or the terminals only in the output direction. The terminals not connected between the element parts become the terminals of the newly created part. Further, it goes without saying that not only the link component but also the data component can be used to create a new component (link component).

(B10) The program is executed by sending a message to the data component and the link component that compose the program. Also, considering the procedural calculation order, each link component is given an order, and for each link component, flow (), flowBackward (), or
You may send test (). Although the program execution efficiency is low, fill () can be sent to the target data component.

This embodiment to which such a system of program notation for expressing connected parts as parts is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a data processing device capable of creating software components according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The data processing apparatus shown in FIG.
The external storage device 1, the main storage device 2, the display device 3, the input device 4, the CPU 5, and the system bus 6 is a computer such as a personal computer.

The external storage device 1 is a mass storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD). The external storage device 1 stores software component definition information (software component definition information) 11 and image data (icon data) 12 of icons (component icons) as pictorial images representing software components.

The software component definition information 11 is information defining a software component prepared in advance and a newly created software component. The software component definition information 11 includes data component definition information (data component definition information) 111 and link component definition information (link definition information) 112. The link definition information 112 is the definition information (function definition information) 1 of the function (function type link component).
12a and definition information (predicate definition information) 112b of a predicate (predicate type link component).

The data component definition information 111 includes field information of each data component prepared in advance. The function definition information 112a is, for each function prepared in advance and each newly created function, the name and input / output direction of each input / output terminal, the inherited part name, the icon data name, and the presence / absence of an inverse function definition. Contains information. The predicate definition information 112b is
For each predicate prepared in advance and each newly created predicate, the name of each terminal is included.

In the main storage device 2, a component editor 21 as a program (tool) for creating a software component is stored in an external storage in response to an operation of a user (software developer) using the input device 4, for example. Loaded from device 1. The component editor 21 causes the CPU 5 to perform connection between the component selection unit 211 that assists the user in selecting the component, the component display unit 212 that displays the component on the display device 3, and the terminal designated by the user. Then, it includes a program element for functioning as each functional unit of the connection input unit 213 for inputting the connection information. The component editor 21 also causes the CPU 5 to display the connection state between the terminals designated by the user on the display device 3 as a connection display unit 21.
4, the terminal definition unit 215 that generates information (terminal information) that defines the terminals of the component that is being created according to the user's designation, and the created software component definition information as part of the software component definition information 11. It also includes program elements for functioning as the respective functional means of the component registration unit 216 stored in the external storage device 1.

The main memory 2 also includes a parts editor 21.
The definition information (software component definition information) 22 of the software component currently created using is stored. The software component definition information 22 is the element component information 221.
And element connection information 222 and terminal information 223.
The element component information 221 is information of each element component that constitutes the software component being created. Element connection information 222
Is information that defines the connection between the terminals of each of the element parts, and for each connection, a pair of the element name and the terminal name of the connection source
And a pair of element name and terminal name of the connection destination. The terminal information 223 is information that defines the terminals of the component being created,
Including the terminal name.

The display device 3 is a CRT display, a liquid crystal display or the like, and a GUI (Graphical Us) for creating a software component using the component editor 21.
er Interface) Used for displaying screens. Input device 4
Is a keyboard, mouse, etc.
It is used for operation of the component editor 21 including operation of the I screen.

The CPU 5 supports the creation of software parts requested by the user by executing the parts editor 21 according to the user's operation.

Next, the software component creation (definition) processing in the configuration of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

First, it is assumed that a user (software developer) operates the input device 4 to activate the component editor 21. Then, the CPU 5 displays the software component creation GUI screen as shown in FIG. 4 on the display device 3 according to the component editor 21. In the following description, in order to avoid complication, the component editor 21 itself handles the processing.

In the software component creation GUI screen shown in FIG. 4, a data component list area 41 displaying a list of predefined data components 410 and a link component list area 42 displaying a list of predefined link components 420. And a parts definition area 43 that provides an area for creating and defining new software parts.

The display of the data component list in the data component list area 41 is performed based on the data component definition information 111 in the software component definition information 11 stored in the external storage device 1. The display of the link component list in the link component list area 42 is performed by the software component definition information 11 described above.
It is performed based on the link definition information 112 therein.

Here, the components 410 and 420 on the list areas 41 and 42 are based on the icon data 12 stored in the external storage device 1, and the components 410 and 420 are concerned.
Are displayed as icons 411 and 421. Each part 4
Near the icons 411 and 421 of 10,420, names indicating the type of the component (element component type name, class name)
412 and 422 are displayed. Also, regarding the component 420, that is, the link component 420, an arrow 423 indicating the transmission direction of the value between the terminals is provided in the vicinity thereof in the link definition information 112.
Is displayed based on. The parts 410 and 420 on the list areas 41 and 42 are displayed in a reduced size, and are enlarged and displayed at a fixed magnification when moved to the part definition area 43 as described later. In the list areas 41 and 42, generally, the entire parts list cannot be displayed, so that the parts can be scrolled within the area.

The list areas 41 and 42 provide a display area for a list of predefined software components. Here, the predefined software component is generally a software component prepared in advance in the system, but the link component also includes a software component newly defined by the user using the component editor 21.

In this embodiment, the user uses the parts editor 2
When 1 is started, one of the defined parts can be designated as the main part. If the user specifies one of the predefined parts as the main part, the parts definition area 4
The part newly created (defined) on 3 inherits the icon image of the specified part as an implicit icon, and at the same time, includes the part as one of the element parts in the initial state of editing. If the user does not specify the main part, all the element parts that make up the part newly created on the part definition area 43 will be edited in the data parts list area 4
1 or from the parts list on the linked parts list area 42. The component definition information is created by the user performing the following component selection operation, connection input operation, and terminal definition operation on the software component creation GUI screen of FIG.

First, the user uses the mouse of the input device 4, for example, to select an element component necessary for creating a target software component from the component list on the data component list area 41 or the linked component list area 42. I do. Next, the user performs a drag & drop operation using the mouse to move the selected element component, that is, the data component or the link component to a desired position on the component definition area 43.

The component selection section 211 in the component editor 21
Is the data parts list area 41
Alternatively, when it is detected that an operation for selecting an element component from the component list in the linked component list area 42 is performed (step S1), the selected element component is selected according to the drag operation subsequent to the user's selection operation ( In step S2), while displaying the software component creation GUI screen by the component display unit 212, the component is moved to the component definition area 43 as indicated by the arrow A1 or A2 (step S3).

Here, the selected element part is represented by an icon and a type name of the part, and an arrow indicating the transmission direction of the value between the terminals. The icon to be displayed is determined by the following procedure. (A1) If an icon is set for the selected part, that icon is used. (A2) If there is no icon setting and there is a setting for the inherited component, the icon setting of the upper component is recursively searched,
Use this. (A3) If the icon information cannot be obtained by the inheritance information, a predetermined implicit icon is used.

On the other hand, the direction of the arrow to be displayed is determined by the following procedure. (B1) The terminals of the data component are bidirectional. (B2) The terminal of the function to which the inverse function is set is bidirectional. (B3) In other functions, the input terminal is in the input direction and the output terminal is in the output direction. (B4) The terminal of the predicate is in the input direction.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show display examples of element parts on the part definition area 43. FIG. 5 shows a display example of the data component, and FIG. 6 shows a display example of the function (function type link component).

Now, when the component selection unit 211 detects the user's drop operation while moving the element component selected from the component list onto the component definition area 43 according to the user's drag operation ( In step S4), the component display unit 212 displays a screen for stopping the movement process of the element component and requesting the user to input the name (component name) of the element component.
Is displayed (step S5). Here, when the user performs an operation of inputting a component name using the input device 4, the component selection unit 211 receives the component name (element component name, instance name) from the input device 4, and the corresponding component component Is added to the element component information 221 in the software component definition information 22 stored in the main storage device 2 as a pair with a name (component type name, class name) (step S6). Wait for element component selection operation of.

When the user wants to define the terminal of the software component (definition component) to be created, the user operates the mouse of the input device 4 to move the mouse pointer to the boundary line of the component definition area 43. In this embodiment,
To define the terminal of the definition part, new terminal, terminal deletion,
There are three types of terminal changes.

The new terminal is realized by aligning the mouse pointer with an arbitrary position on the boundary line of the component definition area 43, clicking the mouse with, for example, the left button, and inputting the terminal name and the direction.

The terminal can be deleted by moving the mouse pointer to the existing terminal displayed on the boundary line of the part definition area 43, clicking the left button of the mouse, for example, opening the edit menu and selecting delete. To be done.

To change the terminal, move the mouse pointer to the existing terminal displayed on the boundary line of the part definition area 43, right-click the mouse, and input at least one of the terminal name and direction. It is realized by doing.

Terminal definition section 215 in the component editor 21
Detects that the user has performed an operation for newly establishing a terminal of the defined part (step S7), and displays a mark indicating the terminal at the designated position, like the terminals A31 to A36 in FIG. , A screen requesting the user to input the terminal name and direction is displayed on the software component creation GUI screen (step S8). Here, when the user performs an operation of inputting the terminal name and the direction using the input device 4, the terminal definition unit 215 receives the information of the terminal name and the direction from the input device 4 and receives the information on the software component definition information 22. It is added to the terminal information 223 (step S9), and the user waits for the next terminal definition operation.

When the terminal definition unit 215 detects that the user has performed an operation for deleting the terminal of the definition component (step S10), the software component definition information 22
The definition information of the specified terminal is deleted from the inside terminal information 223 (step S11).

When the terminal definition unit 215 detects that the user has performed an operation for changing the terminal of the defined part (step S12), the user inputs the changed terminal name or direction of the terminal. A screen requested to the user is displayed on the software component creation GUI screen (step S1)
3). Here, when the user performs an operation of inputting at least one of the changed terminal name and direction using the input device 4, the terminal definition unit 215 uses the input change information to input the terminal information in the software component definition information 22. The definition information of the designated terminal included in H.223 is changed (step S14).

When the user wants to connect between any two terminals of the element parts arranged in the part definition area 43 and the terminals defined on the boundary line of the part definition area 43, the input device 4 of the input device 4 is connected. Operate the mouse to move the mouse pointer to one of the terminals and drag it to the other terminal.

Link input section 213 in the parts editor 21
When detecting that the user has performed a drag operation for connecting the terminals (step S15), the connection display unit 214 displays a line segment from the terminal at the drag start position to the current drag position. And the connection input unit 21
3 indicates that when the drag position reaches another terminal, the connection display section 214 connects both terminals with arrows A41 to A43 in FIG.
And the like, and the connection information is the element connection information 22 in the software component definition information 22.
2 (step S16). Step S16
Then, the connection input unit 213 determines a value transmission direction in which the two specified terminals can be connected, and determines that the terminals are connected and the value transmission direction according to the determination result. Is displayed by the above-mentioned arrow on the connection display unit 214. However, when the two terminals designated by the user are of the same component, the connection input unit 213 notifies the user of an error and rejects the connection.

In this case, (c1) when two terminals to be connected are both terminals of an element part: If the two terminals are both bidirectional terminals, the connection can be bidirectionally transmitted. Become. -If at least one of the two terminals is unidirectional and the other is also unidirectional, the connection is only unidirectional in that direction. -In other cases, the connection input unit 213 notifies the user of an error and rejects the connection.

Next, (c2) when one of the two terminals to be connected is the terminal of the component under construction, the transmission direction of that terminal is the transmission direction of the terminal of the component element which is the other terminal. Will be the same. Although it is possible to connect one terminal of the component being created to the terminals of a plurality of element parts, the transmission direction of the terminal of the added element part is opposite to the already connected connection. Don't In that case, an error is notified and the connection is rejected. (C3) When both of the terminals to be connected are terminals of the component being created-An error is notified and the connection is rejected.

As described above, in this embodiment, the transmission direction of the value between the two terminals designated by the user's operation is automatically determined by the connection input section 213 in the component editor 21,
Since the direction of the arrow connecting (connecting) the terminals is determined, the user does not have to specify the value transmission direction,
Therefore, accurate parts can be created by simple creation work. However, for example, by clicking the right button of the mouse,
It is also possible to display a screen that allows the user himself to specify (limit) the direction of connection.

When the user has finished creating the target software component (definition component) in the component definition area 43 or wants to end the operation in the process of creation, the file prepared on the software component creation GUI screen is displayed. Menu A
5 is opened, for example, by selecting with a mouse. Then, on the opened file menu A5, the user performs an operation for newly registering a definition component that has been created or is being created. In addition, when the user calls up the already registered component on the component definition area 43 and edits the component, in order to update the original component definition information,
A so-called overwrite save operation is performed.

The component registration section 216 in the component editor 21
When it is detected that the user has performed a file operation related to the registration of the definition component (step S17), if the file operation specifies overwrite save (step S18), the main storage device 2 is stored at that time. The stored software component definition information 22 is overwritten to update the corresponding information in the software component definition information 11 stored in the external storage device 1 (step S19).

If the file operation is to specify new registration (step S20), the parts registration section 216
A screen for requesting the user to input a name (component type name, class name) indicating the type of the target definition component is displayed on the software component creation GUI screen. Then, the component registration unit 216 associates the software component definition information 22 currently stored in the main storage device 2 with the component type name specified by the user and stores it in the software component definition information 11 in the external storage device 1. New registration (step S2)
1).

At the time of newly registering this defined component, the component registration unit 2
Reference numeral 16 is configured to allow the user to set the following options, that is, designation as an inverse function of an existing function and designation of an icon.

If the inverse function definition is specified, the specified original function must have an output terminal corresponding to an input terminal and an input terminal corresponding to an output terminal with the same number and name. I have to. Therefore, the parts registration unit 216
Will reject the registration by notifying the user of an error if the specification is incorrect from this condition. On the other hand, if the designation is correct, the component registration unit 216 forms settings in which mutual partners are inverse functions in step S21.

When the user designates the icon of the definition component to be registered, the component registration unit 216 determines the icon data in step S21.
It is additionally registered in the icon data 12 in the external storage device 1 in association with the component type name designated by the user.

Now, in FIG. 4, a "purchase information" data part 431 having a field for setting a purchase year, a purchase price and a borrowing balance and a function type link part 43 of the function "F".
2, the functional link component 433 of the function “G” and the two functional link components 434 and 435 of the function “min” are used to calculate the deduction amount applied to the tax deduction process associated with the purchase of the house ( A screen display example in a state in which the link component) has been created (defined) is shown. The deduction amount calculation component of this example is the purchase year set (filled) in the data component 431,
Of the purchase price and the borrowing balance, the calculated value by the operation using the function “F” in the functional link component 432 based on the purchase year and the purchase price, and the functional link component 433 based on the purchase year and the borrowing balance. Among the calculated values using the function “G” in step 1, the smaller amount selected by the function-type link component 434 using the function “min” is used as the temporary deduction amount. In the deduction amount calculation component of this example, when there is an upper limit value of the deduction amount, the functional link component 435 of the provisional deduction amount and the upper limit value is used.
Also, it realizes a calculation mechanism in which the smaller amount selected by using the function "min" is used as the true deduction amount.

Further, in the present embodiment, the editing operation can be performed by calling the already created part or the part in the process of being created, which is registered in the external storage device 1. That is, when the user opens the file menu A5 on the software part creation GUI screen and specifies the file open and the part type name of the target part (step S22), the part type name is specified. The component definition information is read from the external storage device 1 onto the main storage device 2 as the software component definition information 22, and the definition information 2
Based on 2, the element parts and the connections between the terminals that form the corresponding parts are displayed in the part definition area 43 (step S23).

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified at the stage of implementation without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment, the problem described in the section of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effect described in the section of the effect of the invention can be solved. If you get
A configuration in which this component is deleted can be extracted as an invention.

[0072]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, not only the objects which have been regarded as software parts until now, but also the connecting parts between the objects are treated as parts (link parts), and the conventional objects are handled. A group of data parts corresponding to the above and a group of linked parts that realize the connection between the parts are prepared, the parts group is displayed in a list on the software part creation screen, and the software developer can arbitrarily select from the list. The parts can be selected. In this way, by configuring each component in the selectable component list into a data component and a link component, the property of each component becomes clear compared to the conventional component (object), and for the user, It becomes possible to appropriately select the component parts that constitute the target software part. Moreover, when creating a software part, the user performs an operation to place each selected element part in the part definition area on the screen, and defines it in the group of terminals of each element part and the software part to be created. It is only necessary to perform an operation for connecting desired terminals of the group of terminals of the relevant component, and therefore, the software can be easily implemented as a component.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a data processing device capable of creating software components according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary view showing a part of a flowchart for explaining a software component creation (definition) process in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the rest of the flowchart for explaining the software component creation (definition) processing in the same embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a software component creation GUI screen applied in the embodiment and an example of a software component created using the screen.

5 is a diagram showing a display example of a data component on a component definition area 43 in FIG.

6 is a diagram showing a display example of a functional link component on a component definition area 43 in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... External storage device 2 ... Main storage device 3 ... Display device 4 ... Input device 5 ... CPU 11, 22 ... Software component definition information 12 ... Icon data 21 ... Component editor (software component creation program) 41 ... Data component list area 42 ... Linked parts list area 43 ... Parts definition area 211 ... Parts selection part 212 ... Parts display part 213 ... Linkage input part 214 ... Linkage display part 215 ... Terminal definition part 216 ... Parts registration part

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A method of creating a software component for expressing a linking means of software components as a link component, wherein a list of a data component having a field in which data is set as a terminal and a link component having an argument as a terminal is displayed. The software parts creation screen that includes the parts list area that is created and the parts definition area that is used to create the software parts, and creates the parts selected from the parts list according to the user's operation. The step of moving and arranging as an element part that is an element of the software part to be performed in the part definition area according to the user's operation, and the creation at the specified position on the part definition area according to the user's operation. The step of setting and displaying the terminals of the software component to be created and the software to be created according to the user's operation. The step of connecting the specified terminals of the group of terminals of the component and the group of terminals of the element component arranged in the component definition area, and the component at that point in time according to the user's operation And a step of registering software component definition information defining a group of element components arranged in a definition area and a connection state between the terminals. 2. Each element component arranged in the component definition area is displayed as an icon image, and an element component type name indicating the type of the element component is displayed in the vicinity of the element component. The software component creating method according to claim 1, wherein 3. The software component creating method according to claim 1, wherein in the connecting step, the connection between the designated terminals is displayed by an arrow representing a direction in which data can be transmitted between the terminals. . 4. The direction of the arrow is determined in the connecting step by determining a direction in which data can be transmitted between two connected terminals from at least the two terminals. The software component creation method described in 3. 5. In the connecting step, when the two terminals to be connected are both terminals of an element part, the direction in which data can be transferred between the terminals is determined from the directions in which both terminals can be transferred. 5. The software component creating method according to claim 4, wherein: 6. In the connecting step, when one of the two terminals to be connected is a terminal of a software component being created and the other is a terminal of an element component, data can be transmitted between the both terminals. 5. The software component creation method according to claim 4, wherein the different direction is set as a transmission direction of the terminals of the element component. 7. The software component according to claim 4, wherein in the connecting step, when both of the two connected terminals are terminals of a software component being created, the connection is rejected as an error. How to make. 8. A software component creation program for creating a software component that expresses a software component connection means as a link component, wherein a computer has a data component having a field in which data is set as a terminal and an argument. The component list area that displays a list of linked components and the step of displaying the software component creation screen that includes the component definition area used to create software components, and the component list according to the user's operation. The step of moving and arranging the part selected from among the component parts as the element of the software part to be created in the part definition area according to the user's operation, and the part definition according to the user's operation. Setting and displaying the terminals of the software component to be created at a specified position on the area, In accordance with a user's operation, a step of connecting specified terminals of the group of terminals of the software component to be created and the group of terminals of the element component arranged in the component definition area, A step of registering software component definition information, which defines a group of element components arranged in the component definition area and a connection state between the terminals at that time, in response to a user operation. Software component creation program for. 9. A software component creating apparatus for creating a software component that represents a linking means of software components as a link component, wherein a data component having a field to which data is set as a terminal and a link having an argument as a terminal. Means for displaying a software parts creation screen including a parts list area for displaying a list of parts and a parts definition area used for creating a software part; means for selecting an arbitrary part from the parts list A means for moving and arranging the part selected from the part list in the part definition area as an element part which is an element of a software part to be created, and at an arbitrary position on the part definition area, Means for setting and displaying the terminals of the software component to be created, and Means for specifying a connection between an arbitrary terminal of the group of children and a terminal group of the element part arranged in the part definition area; a means for connecting the specified terminals; and the part definition A software component creating apparatus, comprising: means for registering software component definition information defining a group of element components arranged in an area and a connection state between the terminals.