JP2011191961A - Software development support program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a development support technique for efficiently developing software to be executed inside equipment operated by a remote controller. <P>SOLUTION: The embedded software development support program for the equipment controlled by the remote controller displays a list of buttons on the remote controller on a screen, makes a developer select one of the buttons, and displays a list of API (Application Programming Interface) to be required in order to achieve a function corresponding to the selected button on the screen. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technology for supporting development of software executed in a device operated by a remote controller (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller).

  In general, in software development using an SDK (Software Development Kit), a user needs to proceed with development work for an API (Application Programming Interface) provided by the SDK while referring to an API specification. At this time, it is necessary to search for an API to be used from a huge list of APIs described in the API specification.

  In addition, in order to realize a function that a developer wants to create, a plurality of APIs may have to be used. Since these APIs are not always described in the same place in advance in the API specification, the developer needs to consider combinations of APIs necessary for the function to be realized.

  Patent Document 1 listed below describes a technique for improving development efficiency by designing, creating, and inspecting a visual program using a screen flow.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 describes a technology that enables even a general user with little knowledge about programming and image processing to easily perform settings for executing a plurality of processes.

JP-A-10-307716 JP 2009-11450 A

  In the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is necessary to search for an API or a software component necessary for realizing a certain function on the screen after all. Further, a program that can be automatically created on the screen is not necessarily intended by the developer, and it may be necessary to recreate the program.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a development support technology capable of efficiently developing software executed in a device operated by a remote controller. And

  The software development support program according to the present invention displays a list of buttons on a remote control for operating a device, allows a developer to select one of the buttons, and realizes a function corresponding to the selected button A list of APIs required to do this is displayed on the screen.

  According to the software development support program of the present invention, a list of APIs necessary for the function that the developer wants to create is displayed on the screen, so that the developer does not need to search for the API one by one. Thereby, software development efficiency can be improved.

1 is a configuration diagram of a computer 100 that executes a software development support program 110 according to Embodiment 1 and its surrounding environment. FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen of the function selection screen 121 which a display 120 displays. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen of the selection function list screen 122 which the display 120 displays. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen of the use API list screen 123 which a display 120 displays. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen of the API description screen 124 which the display 120 displays. It is a figure which shows the structure and data example of a function combination table. It is a figure which shows the structure and data example of a use API table 118. It is a flow explaining screen transition after the function selection screen 121.

<Embodiment 1>
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a computer 100 that executes a software development support program 110 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention and its surrounding environment. The computer 100 is a computer used by a developer to develop software for the digital television 200 using the software development support program 110. The digital television 200 is a digital television for development work, and a software environment necessary for the development work is installed in advance. The computer 100 and the digital television 200 are connected by a serial cable.

  The computer 100 includes a software development support program 110, a display 120, a keyboard 130, and a mouse 140. In addition, a configuration such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes the software development support program 110 and a memory is appropriately provided.

  In the following description, for convenience of description, the software development support program 110 may be described as an operating entity, but it is added that the CPU actually executes the software development support program 110.

  The display 120 displays a screen presented by the software development support program 110. A keyboard 130 and a mouse 140 are input devices that a developer gives an operation instruction to the computer 100.

  The software development support program 110 includes a screen display processing unit 111, a development support program unit 112, a program execution control unit 113, a data transmission / reception unit 114, a transmission / reception data processing unit 115, an input processing unit 116, a function combination table 117, and a use API table 118. Is provided. Each of the above functional units can be implemented in the form of a software module that constitutes the software development support program 110. Each table can be implemented in the form of a data file describing the contents of the table.

  The screen display processing unit 111 is a functional unit that performs screen display by controlling the operation of the display 120. The development support program unit 112 provides a development support function described in FIG. The program execution control unit 113 executes an API function provided by the SDK. The data transmission / reception unit 114 transmits / receives data to / from the digital television 200 via a serial cable. The transmission / reception data processing unit 115 mediates between data transmitted / received to / from the digital television 200 and the program execution control unit 113. The input processing unit 116 interprets the operation instruction input received from the keyboard 130 and the mouse 140. The function combination table 117 and the use API table 118 will be described with reference to FIGS.

The digital television 200 includes a control program 210 and a display 220.
The display 220 is a device that displays an image.

  The control program 210 includes a screen display processing unit 211, a data transmission / reception unit 212, a transmission / reception data processing unit 213, an SDK program storage unit 214, and an SDK program execution control unit 215.

  The screen display processing unit 211 is a functional unit that controls the operation of the display 220 and performs screen display. The data transmission / reception unit 212 transmits / receives data to / from the computer 100 via a serial cable. The transmission / reception data processing unit 213 mediates between data exchanged with the computer 100 and the SDK program execution control unit 215. The SDK program storage unit 214 stores software modules corresponding to each API provided by the SDK of the digital television 200. The SDK program execution control unit 215 executes an API function provided by the SDK.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a screen example of the function selection screen 121 displayed on the display 120. The function selection screen 121 is a screen for the developer to select a function to be developed from now on. Since many of the functions of the digital TV 200 are executed using a remote control operation as a trigger, a list screen of buttons mounted on the remote control is displayed.

  The development support program unit 112 acquires a list of functions executed by the digital television 200 (here, a list of functions corresponding to each button mounted on the remote controller) from, for example, a table stored in the computer 100 in advance. Then, the function selection screen 121 is displayed on the display 120 via the screen display processing unit 111.

  On the function selection screen 121, a function name 1211 and a check box 1212 corresponding to the buttons provided in the remote control are displayed as a pair. The developer selects a function name 1211 to be developed, and turns on the check box 1212. The developer can also turn on two or more check boxes 1212 to realize a function by combining a plurality of functions.

  The developer selects a function to be developed from the check box 1212 and then presses a decision button 1213. When the determination button 1213 is pressed, the development support program unit 112 causes the display 120 to display a selection function list screen 122 described below with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a screen example of the selection function list screen 122 displayed on the display 120. The selected function list screen 122 is a screen that displays the functions selected by the developer on the function selection screen 121 of FIG. 2 as buttons. The development support program unit 112 receives the contents selected by the developer, and causes the display 120 to display the selected function list screen 122 via the screen display processing unit 111.

  When the developer selects a plurality of functions on the function selection screen 121, the screen display processing unit 111 displays a plurality of corresponding buttons. Here, an example in which the input switching button 1221 and the channel + button 1222 corresponding to the function for which the check box 1212 is ON in FIG. 2 is displayed on the screen is shown.

  The screen display processing unit 111 further displays on the selected function list screen 122 buttons corresponding to functions realized by combining the functions selected by the developer on the function selection screen 121. Here, an example is shown in which a channel + button 1223 with input switching realized by a combination of “input switching” and “channel +” is displayed on the screen. The correspondence between each function and the function realized by the combination is described in a function combination table 117 described later with reference to FIG.

  The developer presses one of the function buttons displayed on the selected function list screen 122, and proceeds to the next API list screen 123 shown in FIG. When the function is selected again on the function selection screen 121, the return button 1224 is pressed.

  The selection function list screen 122 may be omitted when only one function is selected by the developer on the function selection screen 121.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a screen example of the used API list screen 123 displayed on the display 120. The used API list screen 123 is a screen that displays an API list for realizing the function corresponding to the button pressed by the developer on the selected function list screen 122 of FIG. The development support program unit 112 receives the result of the developer pressing the function button on the selected function list screen 122 and causes the display 120 to display the use API list screen 123 via the screen display processing unit 111. Note that the correspondence between each function and the API required for its implementation is described in a use API table 118 described later with reference to FIG.

  The selected function name display field 1231 displays a function name corresponding to the button pressed by the developer on the selected function list screen 122. The API name display field 1232 displays a list of APIs necessary for realizing the function. The API explanation display button 1233 is a button for displaying a detailed explanation of each API displayed in the API name display field 1232. The API execution button 1234 is a button for causing the digital television 200 to execute each API displayed in the API name display field 1232. Hereinafter, a procedure of processing executed on the screen of FIG. 4 will be described.

(Figure 4: Step 1)
When the developer presses the API execution button 1234, the development support program unit 112 instructs the program execution control unit 113 to cause the digital television to execute the corresponding API. The program execution control unit 113 requests the digital television 200 to execute the API function using the functions of the transmission / reception data processing unit 115 and the data transmission / reception unit 114.
(Figure 4: Step 1: Supplement)
When passing a parameter (argument) to the API instructed to execute in this step, the developer inputs the parameter in the parameter input field 1235 before pressing the API execution button 1234.

(Figure 4: Step 2)
The transmission / reception data processing unit 213 and the data transmission / reception unit 212 of the digital television 200 receive the request and notify the SDK program execution control unit 215. The SDK program execution control unit 215 reads the corresponding API from the SDK program storage unit 214 and executes it, and returns the execution result to the computer 100 using the functions of the transmission / reception data processing unit 213 and the data transmission / reception unit 212.
(Figure 4: Step 3)
The transmission / reception data processing unit 115 and the data transmission / reception unit 114 of the computer 100 receive a reply from the digital television 200 and notify the program execution control unit 113 of it. The program execution control unit 113 notifies the development support program unit 112 of a reply from the digital television 200.

(Figure 4: Step 4)
The development support program unit 112 displays the reply received from the digital television 200 on the API execution result display field 1236 via the screen display processing unit 111.
(Figure 4: Step 5)
When the developer selects another function button, the developer presses the return button 1237 to return to the selected function list screen 122.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a screen example of the API explanation screen 124 displayed on the display 120. The API explanation screen 124 is a screen for displaying a detailed explanation of each API. When the developer presses the API explanation display button 1233 in FIG. 4, the development support program unit 112 displays the API explanation screen 124 on the display 120 via the screen display processing unit 111. The contents of the API explanation screen 124 can be acquired from the API detail column 1183 of the use API table 118 described later with reference to FIG.

  The API explanation display field 1241 displays a detailed explanation of the API corresponding to the API explanation display button 1233 pressed by the developer. The display contents are (a) API name, (b) argument, (c) return value, (d) function description, and the like. When the developer presses the close button 1242, the screen returns to the use API list screen 123 of FIG.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the function combination table 117 and data examples. The function combination table 117 is a table describing a correspondence relationship between a function executed by the digital television 200 and a new function realized by combining a plurality of functions.

  The function combination table 117 includes a first function column 1171 describing the first function name, a second function column 1172 describing the second function name, and a new function realized by combining the first function and the second function. A combination function column 1173 describing the function is included.

  The data example on the first line describes a function combination corresponding to the selection example of FIG. According to the data example in the first row, it is understood that the “channel + with input switching” function is realized by combining the “input switching” function and the “channel +” function.

  Although FIG. 6 shows an example in which two functions are combined to realize a new function, a case where three or more functions are combined can be defined similarly.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the use API table 118 and an example of data. The use API table 118 is a table describing a list of APIs necessary for realizing each function executed by the digital television 200. Similarly, the use API table 118 describes a list of necessary APIs for functions realized by combining a plurality of functions.

  The use API table 118 has a function name column 1181, a use API list column 1182, and an API detail column 1183. The function name column 1181 describes the names of functions executed by the digital television 200. The used API list column 1182 describes a list of APIs necessary for realizing the function described by the function name column 1181. The API detail column 1183 describes a detailed description of each API. The contents of the API detail column 1183 are the same as the contents displayed on the API explanation screen 124.

FIG. 8 is a flow for explaining screen transitions after the function selection screen 121. Hereinafter, each step of FIG. 8 will be described.
(FIG. 8: Step S801)
When the developer presses the enter button 1213 on the function selection screen 121, the development support program unit 112 checks ON / OFF of the check box 1212.

(FIG. 8: Step S802)
If there is one check box 1212 that is ON, the process proceeds to step S803, and if there are two or more check boxes 1212, the process proceeds to step S804.
(FIG. 8: Step S803)
The development support program unit 112 displays the used API list screen 123 on the display 120 via the screen display processing unit 111.

(FIG. 8: Step S804)
The development support program unit 112 acquires a combination of check boxes 1212 that are turned on.
(FIG. 8: Step S805)
The development support program unit 112 searches the function combination table 117 using the combination of the check boxes 1212 that are ON as a key. If the corresponding combination exists in the function combination table 117, the process proceeds to step S806, and if not, the process proceeds to step S807.

(FIG. 8: Step S806)
The development support program unit 112 generates a function button corresponding to the function corresponding to the function corresponding to the check box 1212 which is turned ON and the combination thereof as a function button to be displayed on the selected function list screen 122. .
(FIG. 8: Step S807)
The development support program unit 112 generates a function button corresponding to a function corresponding to the check box 1212 which is turned on as a function button to be displayed on the selected function list screen 122.

(FIG. 8: Step S808)
The development support program unit 112 displays the selected function list screen 122 on the display 120 via the screen display processing unit 111.

  As described above, the digital television software development support program 110 according to the first embodiment displays a list of APIs necessary for realizing the function that the developer is trying to develop. This eliminates the need for the developer to search for each API necessary to realize a desired function, thereby improving development efficiency.

  Further, according to the first embodiment, the result of causing the digital television 200 to execute the API can be confirmed on the API execution result display field 1236, so that the developer imagines the state when the function is executed. easy. As a result, the developer can easily grasp the image after the software is completed, and the design burden on the developer can be reduced.

  Further, the software development support program 110 according to the first embodiment uses the function combination table 117 that defines a new function realized by the combination of functions to grasp the combination function and displays the function on the selected function list screen 122. Display as a button. This eliminates the need for the developer to consider a combination of APIs that realize the function desired to be developed, thereby reducing the development burden.

  In addition, the software development support program 110 according to the first embodiment displays a list of functions executed by the digital television 200 on the function selection screen 121 in association with buttons mounted on the remote controller. As a result, when developing a user interface, the developer can proceed with development while imagining the user's feeling of use, so that the user interface can be efficiently developed.

<Embodiment 2>
In the first embodiment, it has been described that the effort for the developer to search for the API is reduced by displaying a list of APIs necessary for realizing the function that the developer is trying to develop. As other functions, for example, a function for reducing the burden on the developer, such as automatically generating a source code using an API, can be provided as appropriate.

  100: Computer, 110: Software development support program, 111: Screen display processing unit, 112: Development support program unit, 113: Program execution control unit, 114: Data transmission / reception unit, 115: Transmission / reception data processing unit, 116: Input processing unit 117: Function combination table, 1171: First function column, 1172: Second function column, 1173: Combination function column, 118: Use API table, 1181: Function name column, 1182: Use API list column, 1183: API details Column, 120: display, 121: function selection screen, 1211: function name, 1212: check box, 1213: decision button, 122: selection function list screen, 1221: input switching button, 1222: channel + button, 1223: input switching Channel + button with 1224: Back , 123: Used API list screen, 1231: Selected function name display column, 1232: API name display column, 1233: API explanation display button, 1234: API execution button, 1235: Parameter input column, 1236: API execution result display column 1237: Back button, 124: API explanation screen, 1241: API explanation display column, 1242: Close button, 130: Keyboard, 140: Mouse, 200: Digital television, 210: Control program, 211: Screen display processing unit, 212 : Data transmission / reception unit, 213: transmission / reception data processing unit, 214: SDK program storage unit, 215: SDK program execution control unit, 220: display.

Claims (2)

In a program that causes a computer to execute a process that supports the development of software executed in a device operated by a remote controller.
In the computer,
A function list display step for displaying a list of functions on the remote controller on the screen of the computer;
A function selection step of receiving a selection input for selecting any function from the list of functions;
Displaying on the computer screen a new function configured by combining the functions selected in the function selection step;
Reading a table describing a correspondence relationship between the function and an API required to realize the function;
A list of APIs required to realize a new function configured by combining the function selected in the function selection step and the function selected in the function selection step is acquired from the table, Displaying on the computer screen;
Displaying a detailed function description of the API on the computer screen;
Requesting the device to execute the API;
Receiving the result of executing the API by the device and displaying it on the screen of the computer;
A software development support program characterized by causing In the function list display step, on the computer,
The software development support program according to claim 1, wherein the list of functions is displayed on a screen of the computer in a format corresponding to a button provided on a remote controller of a device operated by a remote controller.

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