JPH04348427A - Screen input/output back-up system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily change the screen style and the data transfer specifications of an application program which generates a screen of a fixed style on tube surface and performs the input/output operations through the screen. CONSTITUTION:A screen input/output back-up system consists of an input/output statement generating tool which contains the basic procedure information 12 for generation of a screen, the screen setting information 22, the data transfer specification information 32, and the change history information 14, 23 and 33 and reads and analyzes these information to generate a statement. In such a constitution, even a person who has no language knowledge nor the coding technique can easily change the style of an input/output screen of an application program and also can easily change the data transfer specifications.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of programming an application program that creates a formatted screen on a display device and performs input/output.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, as a method for creating screens and performing input/output, the screen format was determined for each application program.
You can create a screen by coding this using data definition statements in a general-purpose language, or you can use a screen format definition tool to store the screen format as data independent of the program, and read this data to create the screen. However, screen display control and input from the screen were coded for each application program.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] Although there are differences in the methods of defining screen formats in the above-mentioned prior art, coding must be performed in all of them, and coding is performed by specialists who have language knowledge and coding skills. It is difficult to do this unless you are at home. However, input/output in particular is the point of contact between the application program and the person using it.
It is easily influenced by the external environment, and the format and input/output data transfer method are frequently changed. To enable even application program users who have not acquired coding skills to easily make changes in such cases.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides basic procedure information for screen creation, formatted screen definition information, and information (hereinafter referred to as
data exchange specification definition information) are held separately, and input/output statements are generated from the basic procedure information for screen creation, formatted screen definition information, and data exchange specification definition information. Furthermore, screen change history information is maintained, and this information allows input/output and application of screen changes for each change in basic procedure information for screen creation, formatted screen definition information, and data exchange specification definition information. Determine whether or not it is necessary to generate an interface with the program (hereinafter referred to as input/output statement).

[0005]

[Operation] In this configuration, by separately holding basic procedure information for screen creation, formatted screen definition information, and data exchange specification definition information, it is possible to change the screen format and input/output data exchange method. This can be easily done by simply changing some of the individual information. moreover,
By retaining screen change history information, consistency between individually retained information and application programs can be maintained.

[0006]

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an application program having a formatted input/output screen and an apparatus for executing an input/output statement automatic generation method for developing the application program according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the apparatus for executing the statement generation method according to this embodiment includes a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 1, a formatted input/output screen, and a display for displaying input guidance when automatically generating input/output statements. A device 2, a keyboard 3 as a character input device, a mouse 4 as a position indication and display selection device, an input control device 5 for controlling the keyboard and mouse, and an auxiliary memory in which automatically generated statements, application programs, and other information are stored. The device 6 comprises a main memory 7 which is an area for the CPU 1 to retrieve information from an auxiliary memory and process it, and these are interconnected by a data bus 8.

In the method of this embodiment, the CPU 1 retrieves and processes necessary information stored in the auxiliary storage device 6 through a predetermined operation of the keyboard 4 or the mouse 5, and stores the results in the auxiliary storage device. It is stored in the device 6.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the entire screen input/output support system according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is stored in the apparatus shown in FIG. The screen input/output support system is composed of four elements: a basic procedure support tool 11 for screen creation, a formatted screen definition tool 21, a data exchange specification definition tool 31, and an input/output statement generation tool 41.

[0011] In FIG. 2, a basic procedure support tool 11 for screen creation includes basic functions (subroutine group) 13 for screen creation and creation of basic procedure information 12 that describes how to use the functions. and create change history information 14. Next, the formatted screen definition tool 21 creates screen definition information 22 and change history information 23 for displaying a formatted screen on the screen. Data exchange specification definition tool 31
creates data exchange specification information 32 and change history information 33 when the application program exchanges data with the screen. The input/output statement generation tool 41 generates input/output statements 42 based on the information created by the tool.
The application program 43 is generated from that statement.
Create.

FIG. 3 shows the contents of the basic procedure information. The basic procedure information includes a procedure number 310 and a procedure name 32.
0 and usage format 330 are stored.

FIG. 4 shows the contents of the formatted screen definition information in FIG. 2. The formatted screen definition information includes a screen name 410 for each formatted screen, and basic data 420 for displaying the entire screen. , information 430 for fixed display unit (mask) display, and information 440 of items that are units of data exchange with application programs are stored. Item information includes item number 441, data type 442,
and the type 443 of the field that constitutes the item, and the display attribute 444 of the field.

FIG. 5 shows the contents of the data exchange specification information in FIG. 2, which includes the screen name 510, language used 520, and basic procedure number 530 necessary for the application program to exchange data on each screen. The data item information in which information 540 of data items to be exchanged with is stored is stored by the data exchange specification definition tool 31 in FIG. The data type and input/output classification are taken out and variable names are added to this, so that screen definition information can always be synchronized on a screen-by-screen basis.

[0015] Next, we will discuss the processing details when changing the format of the input/output screen used in an application program that is already in use. The screen format is changed using the formatted screen definition tool 21 shown in FIG. At this time, the name, change date and time, and change level of the changed screen are output as change history information of the screen definition information. The change level is used to distinguish between changes in screen layout or display attributes that do not affect data exchange with the application program and those that do not. Next, the data exchange specification definition tool changes the data exchange specification information, but the data exchange specification definition tool reads the change history information of the screen definition information and determines whether the change is necessary based on the change level before processing. . Then, the input/output statement generation tool generates
Generates input/output statements and plays application programs.

FIG. 6 shows the processing flow of the input/output statement generation tool of the application program, and the method of generating input/output statements will be explained with reference to this diagram. First, automatic generation of input/output interface starts 6
11, the target application program name is first imported 612, application program related information is imported using this name 613, the application program related information includes information as to whether the application program already exists, and Next, the change history information of the basic procedure information, which includes the date and time of creation, the change history information of the screen definition information of the target application program, and the change history information of the data exchange specification information are read 614, each change history The information stores the change date and time, change level, and change details necessary to perform the next generation necessity determination process, and based on this information, the application program input/output statement automatic generation necessity determination process 615 is performed. If the necessity determination 616 is negative, the process ends 622.

When generation is required, read basic procedure information for screen creation 617, read formatted screen definition information 6
18. The data exchange specification information is read 619, and the input/output statement generation processing unit 620 analyzes the three pieces of information and generates an input/output statement. Finally, the application program reproduction unit 621 reproduces the application program by replacing the generated input/output statements with the input/output statements of the already existing application program. , the screen name and step number are combined to create a unique name. Therefore, when creating an application program for the first time, the developer must incorporate screen input/output statements into the application program processing flow. Even people without coding skills can easily change the input/output screen.

[0018]

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention separately stores basic procedure information for screen creation, formatted screen definition information, and data exchange specification definition information, making it possible to change screen formats and input/output data. Even users of application programs who do not have language knowledge or coding skills can easily change the sending and receiving method by simply changing a portion of individual information. Furthermore, by retaining screen change history information, consistency between individually retained information and application programs can be maintained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a screen input/output support system.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of basic procedure information for screen creation.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of screen definition information.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of data exchange specification information.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of input/output statement generation processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

12...Basic procedure information, 14...Change history information of basic procedure information, 22...Screen definition information, 23...Change history information of screen definition information, 32...Data exchange specification information, 33...Change history of data exchange specification information Information, 41...I/O statement generation tool.

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: For an application program that has a formatted screen on a display device and uses that screen to input data and output data as a result of processing, the basic function of creating a formatted screen and the input from the screen are provided. In a screen input/output support system that provides functions for sending and receiving data input to and output from the screen, the system provides basic procedure information for screen creation, formatted screen definition information, data input from the screen, and data output to the screen. A screen input/output support system is characterized in that information defining contents related to the exchange of data to be output is individually maintained, and an interface between input/output on the screen and an application program is automatically generated. [Claim 2] According to Claim 1, change history information of basic procedure information for screen creation, formatted screen definition information, and content definition information regarding the exchange of data to be output to the screen is held, and this It is characterized by determining whether input/output statements need to be generated for each change in the basic procedure information for screen creation, formatted screen definition information, and content-defined information regarding the exchange of data to be output to the screen based on the information. Screen input/output support system.