JP4715104B2 - General-purpose GUI device and general-purpose GUI program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for passing arguments to a program in a computer, and more particularly to an apparatus and computer program for passing arguments to a program interactively using a so-called GUI (graphical user interface).

  When starting a program on a computer, it is frequently performed to change the operating conditions of the program. For example, consider a case where the contents of a certain input file are converted by a predetermined method and output to another file. At this time, if the input file and the output file are fixed, it is difficult to use. Therefore, when the program is started, the input file name and the output file name are often passed as arguments to the program.

  Conventionally, when an option value or parameter value (hereinafter simply referred to as “option value”) or the like is passed to a program in this way, the program is designed in advance so as to receive an argument with a predetermined keyword, and so-called at startup. On the command input screen, type a character string specifying this program, followed by a keyword and the value of the corresponding argument. This argument is set in a variable corresponding to the keyword specified in the program by a program called a shell operating on the computer operating system (OS), and the program is started based on the value. .

  However, the mainstream of recent computer operations is using GUI. When setting an option value of a program using a GUI, it is necessary to design and implement the GUI in the program. In addition, it is necessary to design a separate parameter setting screen for each program.

  In general, programming using a GUI places a heavy burden on the programmer. As a result, there is a problem that the number of operations required for developing a large system (for example, a speech recognition system) including a large number of programs that are supposed to be executed under various conditions is increased. In addition, since the GUI is designed for each program, there is a problem that the interface for parameter setting cannot be unified as the entire system, and the system becomes difficult to use.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a program development environment that can reduce the burden on a programmer when setting parameters using a GUI.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a program development environment that can reduce the burden on a programmer when setting parameters using a GUI and can realize an interface unified by a plurality of programs. .

  A general-purpose GUI device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a general-purpose GUI device for setting option values of an arbitrary program using a GUI, and sets the location of the program and the option value for each program. A program information storage device for storing program information in which information is recorded, receiving means for receiving program information specific information corresponding to a program for which an option value is set from a terminal, and a storage device, Reading means for reading program information specified by the specific information received by the receiving means, and input form information for inputting option values on the terminal according to the program information read by the reading means, Input form information generation means for sending and input using the input form information from the terminal The option value, and a transfer means for transferring the program corresponding to the specific information.

  Program information is prepared in advance and stored in a program information storage device. When information specifying this program information is transmitted to the receiving means, the reading means reads the corresponding program information, generates input form information for inputting option values according to the program information therein, and transmits it to the terminal To do. The option value input using this input form at the terminal is transferred to the program by the transfer means. There is no need to implement a process for setting an option value with a GUI in the program itself. In addition, since this general-purpose GUI device can be used in common by a plurality of programs, as a result, all the screens for setting option values are created with specifications unified by this general-purpose GUI device.

  Preferably, the input form information generation means performs mark in a predetermined markup language so that a browser program operating on the terminal generates an input form screen for inputting option values according to the program information read by the reading means. Markup document generation means for generating an uploaded markup document is included.

  More preferably, the markup language is HTML (HyperText Markup Language), and the markup document generation means is an HTML marked up in the HTML language so that a browser program operating on the terminal generates an input form screen. HTML document generation means for generating a document is included.

  The program information includes one or a plurality of option information, and each option information specifies an option name text for explaining an option corresponding to the option information and a GUI part for inputting the option on the input form. The markup document generating means includes an option input form for displaying the option name text and the GUI component specified by the GUI component specifying information side by side for each of the option information. Means may be included for generating the markup document by generating.

  Preferably, each of the option information includes a program option name when the option corresponding to the option information is passed to the program corresponding to the program specifying information, and the means for generating the markup document includes: Means for generating a markup document for an option input form with a program option name corresponding to the GUI component as a name is included.

  More preferably, the general-purpose GUI device is communicable with a computer shell program, and the transfer means is a command for starting the program corresponding to the specific information from the option value input from the terminal using the input form information. Includes a means for attaching it to the shell program as an argument in a predetermined format.

  When the general-purpose GUI program according to the second aspect of the present invention is executed by a computer, it causes the computer to operate as one of the general-purpose GUI devices described above.

  The present invention provides a general-purpose GUI device for parameter setting that can be used in common for a plurality of programs.

  FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an application system 20 employing a general-purpose GUI device 32 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The application system 20 shown in FIG. 1 may be realized by a single computer hardware, or may be realized by a plurality of computer hardware connected to each other via a network.

  Referring to FIG. 1, an application system 20 includes a general-purpose GUI device 32, a web server 30 serving as an interface between the general-purpose GUI device 32 and a client system on a network, and a plurality of core functions that form the core functions of the application system 20. In response to a command including a program name and an argument from the general-purpose GUI apparatus 32 or console, the designated program 38 is activated with the designated argument. Shell program 36.

  The general-purpose GUI device 32 has a function of setting parameters by communicating with the client computer via the web server 30 via the GUI, and passing the program name and parameters to the shell program 36. The parameter setting will be described later.

  The shell program 36 may be a shell program that is already widely used and operates on a general computer. The web server 30 can also use a commonly used program. The plurality of programs 38 are individual programs for realizing the functions of the application system 20. At least a part of the plurality of programs 38 can set one or a plurality of parameters at the time of activation. The plurality of programs 38 themselves do not need a GUI function, and may be designed to use standard input / output in the OS of the computer on which the application system 20 operates for input / output.

  The application system 20 further includes a program information storage device 34 that stores a plurality of pieces of program information 40A to 40N that the general-purpose GUI device 32 refers to when setting program parameters. In the present embodiment, the program information storage device 34 is realized by a hard disk device. The program information 40A to 40N is prepared in advance for different programs, and is stored as separate files in the hard disk device.

  The program information 40A to 40N describes information for setting option values of the corresponding program using a GUI according to a unified format. When the general-purpose GUI device 32 receives a request for starting a certain program via the web server 30, the general-purpose GUI device 32 reads program information corresponding to the program from the program information storage device 34, and sets an option value set by the program information through the GUI. A function for creating an HTML text to be sent to the client via the web server 30, and a function for receiving the value set by the client via the web server 30 and starting the program with the option value as an argument. .

  FIG. 2 shows a file format of the program information 40 representing the program information 40A to 40N. Referring to FIG. 2, program information 40 includes a physical program name field 50 for designating a physical name and storage location on the file system of a program corresponding to program information 40 by a full path name, and a program name. A display program name field 52 for storing text of a display program name used for GUI display, an explanation text field 54 for storing program explanation text for displaying the function of the program on the GUI screen, And a creator name field 56 for storing the creator name of the program. The creator name is used for display on the GUI and security management of access to the program.

  The program information 40 further includes a version information field 58 for storing program version information, a security constraint information field 60 for storing security constraint information such as a security management level, and an option value of a program corresponding to the program information 40. And an option / parameter area 62 to which the general-purpose GUI device 32 refers for setting. The option / parameter area 62 includes a plurality of option / parameter information 70 each including information necessary for generating a form for setting one option value.

  FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the option / parameter information 70. Referring to FIG. 3, option / parameter information 70 includes a section name field 80 for storing a section name when managing the same type of options or parameters (hereinafter simply referred to as “options”) as a section, A display section name field 82 for storing a section name text used for GUI display, an option name field 84 for storing text of an option name set by this option / parameter information 70, and a GUI. And a display option name field 86 for storing option name text for display used when the option name is displayed on the screen. For example, when the option name is “Lexicon”, the display on the GUI may be “dictionary”.

  The option / parameter information 70 further includes a help field 88 for storing text information for help for inputting an option, a default value field 90 for storing an option default value, and an option value that can be internally taken by the system. Valid value field 92 for storing a list of values (valid values) (for example, “Toshi1 | Toshi2 | Toshi3”, etc.), and an option valid value stored in the valid value field 92 are used to display a GUI. A field 94 for display option values (for example, “Osaka | Kyoto | Tokyo”) and an effective range field 96 for storing information for setting the effective range of the option value when the option value is a numerical value. Including.

  The information for setting the effective range includes the minimum value and the maximum value of the option value, and information indicating whether or not the minimum value or the maximum value is included in the effective range. For the minimum and maximum values, other option values can be referred to.

  The option / parameter information 70 further includes a type field 98 indicating the type of the option value, and the range of the number of times when the option value can be repeatedly specified by delimiting it with a delimiter such as “,” when starting the program. When a multiple specification count field 100 indicating that the option value is required to be set and a valid specification field 102 for storing information indicating whether setting of the option value is required, and an effective value field 92 are specified, the values in the GUI screen are displayed. And a display type field 104 for designating what type of GUI component is used for display. Here, the GUI component refers to an element on the screen that is displayed in a predetermined display format when the browser interprets and displays the HTML document. For example, buttons, text fields, radio buttons, check buttons, drop-down lists, etc. Some GUI parts have specific functions (select one item from many items, select a plurality of items simultaneously, generate a predetermined event, etc.). Various types of GUI parts are available.

  Examples of option value types include character strings, integers, real numbers, YES / NO, and file designation. In the multiple designation number field 100, for example, when repetition is allowed in the range of 2 times or more and 5 times or less, it is designated in the format of “2-5”. Types that can be specified in the display type field 104 are check boxes, radio buttons, drop-down lists, and the like.

  The general-purpose GUI device 32 according to the present embodiment is realized by a program that operates on a computer. The control structure is shown in flowchart form in FIG. When a client user tries to start a certain program, program information corresponding to the program to be started is specified as an argument in a predetermined URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating the location of the program shown in FIG. An http (HyperText Transfer Protocol) request is sent to the web server 30. For example, the file name for starting this program is “UniversalGUI.html”, the name of the computer on which this program exists is “host”, and the argument name of the file name of the program information is “programInformation”. Assuming that the path to the corresponding program information file is “/usr/local/progInfo/001.info”, the user enters “http: //host/UniversalGUI.html? ProgramInformation = / Enter usr / local / progInfo / 001.info.

  Referring to FIG. 4, general-purpose GUI device 32 receives a message from web server 30 and determines whether the message is a message requesting program start, that is, a parameter setting request for the program. Step 120. If the determination result in step 120 is YES, the process proceeds to step 122; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 130.

  In step 122, it is determined whether or not the designation of the program information file name is attached to the received message as an argument. If an argument is attached, the process proceeds to step 123; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 128.

  In step 123, the program information file specified by the argument is read. In step 124, HTML text for displaying a screen for parameter setting on the browser of the client is synthesized in accordance with the read program information, and output to the web server 30 in step 126. With this process, the HTML text synthesized in step 124 is returned to the client via the web server 30. The browser program running on the client analyzes this HTML text and displays a parameter setting screen. An example of the parameter setting screen is shown in FIG. Details of the parameter setting screen will be described later.

  In the HTML text composition at step 124, the program information read at step 123 is used. Referring to FIG. 3, the text stored in display option name field 86, the description for specifying the GUI part for parameter input, and the text stored in help field 88 are described side by side. There is an input form for options. By creating a table in which one parameter input form is described in one line, an input form for all parameters can be created. Parameters having the same contents in the section name field 80 may be described as one line in the table, and an optional input form belonging to the section may be created in that line.

  The name of the GUI component for parameter input may be the same as the contents of the option name field 84. As the GUI component, a text input field is normally used, and when a value is specified in the effective value field 92, a GUI component of a type specified by the display type field 104 is used.

  In this HTML composition, if the contents of the default value field 90 in FIG. 3 are set to the values of the input fields, the default values are displayed on the screen, which is convenient for the user.

  The parameter setting screen 150 will be described with reference to FIG. The parameter setting screen 150 includes a program information display unit 152 that displays information related to the designated program, a setting button 154, a cancel (cancel) button 156, and a parameter setting area 158.

  The parameter setting area 158 is divided into parameter groups belonging to each section. For example, the “test set” section 160 and the “input audio” section 162 each include a plurality of parameter setting areas. Each parameter setting area includes parameter names 170 and 172, GUI parts 180 and 182 for setting parameters, and a help field 190. Of these, text information such as section names and parameter names can be extracted from the option / parameter information 70 shown in FIGS.

  Referring to FIG. 4 again, when it is determined in step 122 that the program information file name is not specified, in step 128, HTML text for file selection is prepared in the client, and the process proceeds to step 126 to the client. Send HTML text.

  If it is determined in step 120 that the message is not a request for a parameter setting screen, the process proceeds to step 130. The case where the request is not a parameter setting screen is a case where an input from the client using the parameter setting screen displayed by the HTML text prepared in step 124 is received. The parameter setting screen includes a setting button and a cancel button. In step 130, it is determined whether or not the input from the client is an instruction to cancel (cancel). If it is an instruction to cancel, the process proceeds to step 128 to transmit a file selection screen to the client. If it is not an instruction to cancel, that is, an instruction to set the parameter to the input value, it is determined in step 132 whether or not the input parameter value is valid. For this determination, the information of the program information file read in step 123 is used.

  That is, referring to FIG. 3, if the option value is not set even though it is designated as essential by the mandatory designation field 102, an error is assumed. If the valid value field 92 is set, it is determined whether the input option value is one of them. If the contents of the type field 98 indicate a numerical value, the numerical range is checked using the effective range field 96. Furthermore, if there are designations in the multiple designation count field 100, it is determined whether or not the number of repetitions of the option value is within the range designated by the multiple designation count field 100.

  Referring to FIG. 4, in step 134, it is determined whether or not there is at least one error as a result of the processing performed in step 132. If there is at least one, the process proceeds to step 136 and the error display HTML is synthesized and the process proceeds to step 126. The error display HTML is the same as that created in step 124, and an error display is added, and the value input by the user is displayed as the value of each field. Further, in order to make it easy for the user to understand the error location, the display of the parameter in which the error has occurred may be displayed in a special color, for example, red.

  If it is determined as a result of the process in step 134 that all option values are valid, the process proceeds to step 138. In step 138, arguments are passed to the shell program 36 (see FIG. 1), and a program to be activated is also designated. Specifically, a command of the following format is given to the shell program 36.

Physical program name-<option name> = <option value>[-<optionname> = <option value>]
Here, “[-<option name> = <option value>]” indicates that this option is optional.

  The shell program 36 that has received this command passes the specified argument to the program specified by the “physical program name”, as in the case where the command is received from the command input screen or some program in the conventional system. To start the program.

  After starting the program, the log window is displayed on the client in step 139, and thereafter, the contents of the log window of the client are updated every time a message is output from the program in step 140. At this time, the log is written to a log file designated in advance (or optionally designated). An example of the log display screen is shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the log display screen 200 has a log display area 210. The log display area 210 displays program messages. When the contents exceed the log display area 210, the contents of the log display area 210 can be scroll-displayed.

It is determined whether or not the activated program is terminated (step 142). When the program is terminated, HTML text for selecting a file is created in step 128 and transmitted to the client. Such a process is repeated until an end signal is received from the system.
[Realization by computer]
As described above, the system of this embodiment is realized by computer hardware, a program executed by the computer hardware, and data stored in the computer hardware. FIG. 7 shows the external appearance of the computer system 330, and FIG. 8 shows the internal configuration of the computer system 330.

  Referring to FIG. 7, the computer system 330 includes a computer 340 having an FD (flexible disk) drive 352 and a CD-ROM (compact disk read only memory) drive 350, a keyboard 346, a mouse 348, and a monitor 342. including.

  Referring to FIG. 8, in addition to the FD drive 352 and the CD-ROM drive 350, the computer 340 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 356 and a bus 366 connected to the CPU 356, the FD drive 352, and the CD-ROM drive 350. And a read only memory (ROM) 358 for storing a boot-up program and the like, and a random access memory (RAM) 360 connected to the bus 366 for storing a program command, a system program, work data, and the like. Computer system 330 further includes a printer 344. The computer 340 further includes a network adapter board 368 that provides a connection to a local area network (LAN).

  A computer program for causing the computer system 330 to operate as the general-purpose GUI device 32 is stored in the CD-ROM 362 or FD 364 inserted in the CD-ROM drive 350 or FD drive 352 and further transferred to the hard disk 354. Alternatively, the program may be transmitted to the computer 340 through a network and stored in the hard disk 354. The program is loaded into the RAM 360 when executed. The program may be loaded directly into the RAM 360 from the CD-ROM 362, from the FD 364, or via a network.

  The general-purpose GUI program whose control structure is shown in FIG. 4 includes a plurality of instructions that cause the computer 340 to operate as the general-purpose GUI device 32 of this embodiment. Some of the basic functions necessary to execute these instructions are provided by an OS or a third party program running on the computer 340 or various toolkit modules installed on the computer 340. Therefore, this program does not necessarily include all functions necessary to realize the system and method of this embodiment. This program includes only instructions that can realize the above-described general-purpose GUI device 32 by calling an appropriate function or “tool” in a controlled manner so as to obtain a desired result. It only has to be. The operation of computer system 330 itself is well known and will not be repeated here.

  As described above, the general-purpose GUI device according to the present embodiment can set the values by using the GUI by describing the program options and the like in the program information file in a unified notation. By preparing a common general-purpose GUI device or program for program information files of a plurality of programs, the GUI environment can be unified. Even when a program is added or updated, it is not necessary to change the configuration of the general-purpose GUI device. Therefore, it is not necessary for the programmer to mount a GUI for setting option values, and the burden on the programmer is reduced. In addition, the system interface can be unified.

  In the above embodiment, the general-purpose GUI device 32 and the web server 30 (see FIG. 1) are configured as separate modules. However, the general-purpose GUI device 32 has the function of a web server and arrives at a specific port number. Only the received message may be input.

  In the above embodiment, the general-purpose GUI device 32 is operated on a host on the network and is combined with a web server so that it can be accessed from a client on the network. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and may be an apparatus or a program that operates in a stand-alone form.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the HTML text is created in order to display the option value setting screen on the client. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, a program that operates independently without interpretation by a browser may be generated and sent to the client to set option values.

  The embodiment disclosed herein is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The scope of the present invention is indicated by each claim in the claims after taking into account the description of the detailed description of the invention, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the wording described therein are intended. Including.

It is a block diagram of the application system 20 which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of a program information file typically. It is a figure which shows the structure of option / parameter information typically. 4 is a flowchart showing a control structure of a program that realizes a general-purpose GUI device 32. It is a figure which shows an example of the parameter setting screen produced | generated by the general purpose GUI apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of a log display screen. It is an external view of the computer hardware which implement | achieves the application system 20 shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the computer system shown in FIG. 7.

Explanation of symbols

  20 application system, 30 web server, 32 general-purpose GUI program, 34 program information storage device, 36 shell program, 38 plural programs, 40, 40A to 40N program information, 50 physical program name field, 52 display program name field, 54 Description text field, 62 Option / parameter area, 70 Option / parameter information, 84 Option name field, 92 Valid value field, 96 Valid range field, 98 type field, 100 Multiple designated times field, 102 Mandatory designated field, 104 Display type Field, 150 Parameter setting screen, 200 Log display screen, 210 Log display area

Claims (3)

A general-purpose GUI device for setting an option value of an arbitrary program using a graphical user interface (hereinafter referred to as “GUI”), for setting the location of the program and the option value for each program Is used together with a program information storage device that stores program information in which information is recorded, and when the option value is passed to the program, it changes the operating conditions at the time of execution of the program,
Processing for receiving program information specific information corresponding to a program for which an option value is set from the terminal as an activation request for the program ;
And reading processing program information specified by the specifying information before Symbol storage device or we were received,
Accordance read out program information, and generating the input form information for generating the input form information for entering optional value on the terminal, and transmits to the terminal,
When receiving the option value input by using the input form information from the terminal, and processing that starts the program with the option value, corresponding to the specific information,
Processing to generate a markup document marked up in a predetermined markup language so that a browser program operating on the terminal generates an input form screen for inputting an option value according to the read program information. Do,
Before Symbol program information may include one or more of the options information,
Each of the option information includes
Option name text to describe the option corresponding to the option information,
GUI component specifying information for specifying a GUI component for inputting an option on the input form;
The option corresponding to the option information, see contains a program option names when passing the program corresponding to the program identification information,
In the process of generating Ma Kuappu documents, for each of the previous SL option information, and the option name text, to generate an optional entry form screen that displays side by side and GUI component specified by the GUI component identifying information in, and the the GUI component, as denoted by the program option name corresponding to the GUI component as the name, that generates the markup document marked up with the predetermined markup language, generic GUI device. The predetermined markup language is HTML (HyperText Markup Language),
In the process of generating the mark-up document, as the browser program operating on the terminal to generate the input form screen, that generates a marked-up HTML documents in HTML language, according to 請 Motomeko 1 General-purpose GUI device. A general-purpose GUI program that causes a computer to operate as a general-purpose GUI device for setting an option value of an arbitrary execution target program using a graphical user interface (hereinafter referred to as “GUI”). Each program to be executed can be connected to a program information storage device that stores program information that records the location of the program to be executed and information for setting option values.
The general-purpose GUI program is stored in a computer.
Receiving from the terminal specific information of program information corresponding to a program for which an option value is set;
Reading program information specified by the specific information received in the receiving step from the storage device;
Generating input form information for inputting an option value on the terminal according to the program information read in the step of reading the program information, and transmitting the information to the terminal;
Using the option value, and executing a step of starting a program to be executed corresponding to the specific information,
The step of transmitting the input form information to the terminal generates an input form screen for inputting an option value by a browser program operating on the terminal according to the program information read in the step of reading the program information. Including a markup document creation step for generating a markup document marked up in a predetermined markup language;
The program information includes one or more option information,
Each of the option information includes
Option name text to describe the option corresponding to the option information,
GUI component specifying information for specifying a GUI component for inputting an option on the input form;
Including an option corresponding to the option information and a program option name when passing to the program corresponding to the program specifying information,
The markup document generation step generates an option input form screen for displaying the option name text and the GUI component specified by the GUI component specifying information side by side for each of the option information, and A general-purpose GUI program, comprising: generating the markup document marked up in the predetermined markup language so that a program option name corresponding to the GUI part is assigned to the GUI part as a name.

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