JPH02238523A - Production processing system for sequence table - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the designing cost and to decrease the errors by producing automatically a sequence table for key input operations of a terminal equipment like a POS, etc., from the data corresponding to a flow chart of key input operations. CONSTITUTION:A sequence table production processing part 1 inputs the data 3 containing an element block 2 having the information on the type of the prescribed element, the prescribed contents, and the mutual connection relation so that the prescribed elements showing a flow of key operations, the branch points, the connection points, and the key operations of a terminal equipment are connected to each other and shown for execution of the necessary processes. Then the data 3 is analyzed for production of a sequence table 4 that shows one or more stages, the key operations permitted for each stage, and the stages of the moving destinations for the movements carried out with key operations in each prescribed form. As a result, the cost and the errors can be reduced for production of the table 4.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding the generation of a sequence table related to key input operations, which is a control specification for terminal devices such as POS, the required table is automatically generated from data corresponding to the flowchart of key input operations. The purpose of this method is to create a sequence table generation processing method that can generate a sequence table by interconnecting predetermined elements representing branching points, connection points, and key operations to represent the flow of key input operations on a terminal device to perform the required processing. As shown, the type of the element and
Input data in which element blocks having information indicating predetermined contents and mutual connection relationships are provided for each required element, analyze the data, and perform 1. A sequence table is configured to generate, in a predetermined format, the above-mentioned stages, the key operations permitted for each stage, and the stage to which the transition should be made when the key operations are performed.

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a generation processing method for a sequence table related to key input operations, which is a control specification for a terminal device such as a POS.

[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention] In so-called Point of Sales (POS) terminal devices, etc., they are configured to proceed with routine processing in response to key operations by an operator. The flow of key operations, such as what control state will result from the operation and which key operation is required next in that state, is
This is the basic control specification for the terminal device.

To this end, the designer first creates a flowchart of appropriate key operations, and once that is completed, creates a sequence table as exemplified in FIG. 5 based on the flowchart.

The sequence table shown in Figure 5 is a table regarding one unit of processing, and the leftmost column of each item in the table is the stage number of the control stage, and the name of the key that is allowed to be input in the stage with that number is in the center. column, and the stage number to which the key operation is performed at that stage is shown in the rightmost column. In addition, stage number 000 indicates the first key input waiting state in the process, and E
is the end state of this process.

Based on such a sequence table, the stage number is initially set to 000 and enters the input waiting state. For example, when [Return J key is pressed, after executing the separately specified "return" process, the stage number is is set to 001 and enters the input waiting state. In this state, "%-1", "--1",
It only accepts key inputs from "Tax, , .---------..r department-2" and, for example, when "%-1" is pressed, the corresponding process is executed, and then the stage A series of control functions such as setting the number to 003 are provided in the terminal device.

In this way, the sequence table is an important document that defines the functions in the design of a terminal device, but since the above-mentioned key operation flowchart is manually converted into a sequence table,
Designers are restricted to their own work, which increases design costs, and
There is a problem in that conversion errors are likely to occur.

The object of the present invention is to provide a sequence table generation processing method that can automatically generate a sequence table from data corresponding to a flowchart of key operations.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention.

The figure shows the configuration of the sequence table generation processing method, and the sequence table generation processing unit l generates the flow of key operations on the terminal device to perform the required processing using predetermined lines representing branch points, connection points, and key operations, respectively. To represent elements connected to each other,
Input data 3 in which an element block 2 having information indicating the type of the element, predetermined content, and mutual connection relationship is provided for each required element, analyze the data 3, and perform the key input operation. Sequence table 4 showing in a predetermined format one or more stages, the key operations allowed for each stage, and the stage to which the key should be transferred when the key operation is performed, in accordance with the flow of generate.

[For production]

By using the above processing method, if you create data that directly corresponds to the flowchart of key operations, you can automatically generate a sequence table using that data as input, reducing the cost of creating a sequence table and eliminating errors. Occurrence also decreases.

〔Example〕

In order to carry out the present invention, a key operation flowchart is written in a format as shown in FIG. 2, for example. In other words, the flowchart starts with △ and ends with △, with a rectangular frame as a key operation element that indicates the operation of the key with the name written inside, and ◇ as a point where the operator can select from multiple key operation elements at his/her discretion. The branch point element and the arrow shown in FIG. Note that in the following, the key operation element is referred to as box, the branch point element as opt, and the connection point element as con.

Once the flow diagram is complete, each element is given an atres and used to create an element bronc corresponding to each element, as in the illustrated example. Note that the starting point address is O.

Each element block includes the type of element (by box, opt, conO), the address of the element (the value assigned to the flowchart as described above), the link source address, and the link destination address, as shown in each section of Figure 3. In the case of a box, the name of the key operation shown in the flowchart is shown in the content column,
Opt indicates the number of branches, con indicates the number of connections to that point, opt has as many link destination addresses as the number of branches, and con has as many link source addresses as the number of connections.

In addition, in the case of termination, the link destination is set to "-1".

For example, the element block of the box in item 2 of FIG.
This is a case where the block comes from the element with address "1" and goes to the element with address "4", and the element block of opt in the fourth term has the address "4J", the number of branches is "3", and comes from the element with address "2". This indicates that the program branches to addresses "6, 7, 10". In addition,
The element blocks illustrated in FIG. 3 correspond to the elements in the flowchart of FIG. 2.

The sequence table generation processing section 1 reads the data 3 made up of the element blocks 2 having the above-mentioned configuration, and generates the sequence table 4 by processing the data 3 as described below.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the processing flow of the sequence table generation processing unit 1. First, in processing step 10, data 3 is scanned, and b
Create a name table that extracts the names of key operations in the contents column of ox. This name table has a name column and a number column, and when the migration destination stage number is determined during the process,
In step 11, scan data 3 from the beginning and write the number in the corresponding field.
Extract one element block of x. In the following, this b
ox is called the current processing box. If the original address identified in processing step 12 and passed through only one or more elements other than the link source address or box is 0, add one key operation of stage O in processing step 13. to set the key operation name for the box being processed.

Next, in processing step 14, the element block of the address indicated by the link destination address is read from the data 3, and in processing step 15, it is identified whether it is a box, and other than box, that is, o.
If it is pt or con, the link destination address of the read element block is identified by -1 in processing step 16, and if it is not -1, all link destination addresses are stored in processing step 17. The next processing step 18 retrieves one of the stored link destination addresses and returns to processing step 14 to read the element bronc of that address.

Normally, the above steps are repeated to search for the element block of box, and if box is found, from processing step 15 to processing step 1.
Proceeding to step 9, the key operation name in the content column of the element block is added to the input waiting key group provided in the work area.

In processing step 20, it is determined whether or not there is an unprocessed link address stored in processing step 17. If there is, the process branches to processing step 18 and the above processing is continued; however, if there is no unprocessed item, the process advances to processing step 21.

As described above, an input waiting key group that covers all the names of the key operations following the key operation of the current processing box has been created, so in processing step 21, the input waiting key group and each input waiting key group already created in the previous process are created. Compare with key group.

As a result, if there is already a key group waiting for input consisting of exactly the same name, the newly created key group waiting for input in process step 22 is discarded, and the stage number attached to the existing key group waiting for input with the same name is discarded. is read and set in the key operation name column of the current processing box in the name table as the transition destination stage number in processing step 24. If there is no identical key group waiting for input, a new station number is taken in step 23, set as the key group waiting for input, added to the sequence table, and the number is added to the name table in step 24. Also set it in the corresponding section.

This completes the processing of the l box, which is identified by the processing step knob 25, and the processing from step 11 is repeated until all the box element blocks of data 3 have been processed. When all processing is completed, the name table is referred to in processing step 26, and a destination stage number is set in each item of the sequence table. Note that if the link destination is -1 in processing step 16, the process is finished, and therefore, in processing step 17, the transition destination stage number is set to E. Note that the data is created so that the process always ends from box to con.

With the above processing, in the case of the key operation flowchart shown in Figure 2,
Data of sequence table 4 as shown in FIG. 5 is automatically generated.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of key operations, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of element blocks, FIG. 4 is a flowchart of processing of the present invention, and FIG. The figure shows an example of a sequence table. In the figure, I is a sequence table generation processing unit, 2 is an element block, 3 is data, 4 is a sequence table, and 10 to 27 are processing steps. Ba, P.O.
Sequence tables related to key input operations for terminal devices such as S are automatically generated from data corresponding to the flowchart of key input operations, which has a significant industrial effect of reducing design costs and reducing the occurrence of errors. There is.

Claims (1)

[Claims] The flow of key input operations on the terminal device for performing the required processing is expressed by interconnecting predetermined elements representing branch points, connection points, and key operations, and the types of the elements;
Data (2) in which element blocks (2) having information indicating predetermined contents and mutual connection relationships are provided for each required element
3) is input, the data (3) is analyzed, and one or more stages, key operations allowed for each stage, and key operations are performed, corresponding to the flow of the key input operations. 1. A sequence table generation processing method, characterized in that (1) a sequence table (4) is generated that indicates in a predetermined format the stage to which the transition should be made in the case of a certain case.