JPH052477A - Graphical user interface creation method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Regarding a method of creating a graphical user interface GUI by an interpreter language, to provide a tool having a simplicity that does not require special work by interactively creating a GUI. [Structure] A screen definition file 11 for storing a definition including attribute information and action information of GUI conversation parts, and G
Screen definition file 12 for UI creation tool and tool menu window 13 that displays the mode to be selected
1, a parts list / window 132 for displaying conversation parts to be selected, a display part 13 for displaying a workspace / window 133 for arranging the selected conversation parts, and a GUI is created according to the contents of the display part. A creation tool 14, a GUI control process 15 for controlling the creation tool based on information from the screen definition file 11 and the GUI creation tool screen definition file 12, and an interpreter language under the control of the control process. Processing process that executes processing
16 and.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a graphical user
The present invention relates to a method of creating an interface, and particularly to a method of creating a graphical user interface by linking with an interpreter language. 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a user interface that is easy for users to use has been provided with the spread of workstations, and as the use thereof has expanded, the importance of such user interfaces that are easy for users to use has increased. Further, this user interface is provided with a graphical screen so that the user can easily imagine the process he or she wants to perform. The graphical user interface represented by such a graphical screen is composed of "parts" (hereinafter referred to as "conversation parts") for some conversations necessary for the user to operate the application. There are various conversation parts such as those provided by the standard and those created by the user, but the user can arrange each part freely on the screen to create a graphical menu screen suitable for the user. There is an environment where you can create. For example, UNI
In the standard graphical user interface in X, "OPENLOOK", these conversation parts are called "widgets".

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, these graphical users have
The interface creation environment is intended for compiler languages such as C language and FORTRAN. To create an application with a graphical user interface, compile and link a source program that defines the user's graphical user interface and a source program that describes the user's processing together. It is necessary to create an object program such as

To create a graphical user interface with an application, an environment is provided for operating the conversational components that make up the graphical user interface. For example, the above "OPEN LOOK" provides an environment called "toolkit" for program writers. This program creation environment is intended for program creation using a compiler language such as C language.

However, a high level of skill is required to create a program for a graphical user interface using C language and a toolkit. Therefore, the burden of creating the user interface is large in creating the application. Therefore, tools for interactively creating a graphical user interface are being provided. This tool can create a target screen by interactively arranging graphical user interface parts on the screen using a mouse. The tool finally automatically generates the program source code for realizing the graphical user interface. Therefore, the program developer can combine the automatically generated program source code with the processing program to create an application.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the construction of a main part for constructing a graphical user interface on an interpreter language, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are explanatory views of the processing procedure of this configuration. As described in detail below, the definition of each conversation component and each conversation component that make up the graphical user interface are displayed on the screen, operated by the user, and operated by the user, such as deleting from the screen. It

In FIG. 4, the definition structure is graphical
Each conversation component that constitutes the user interface is defined by a dedicated definition body 1. The definition body is composed of attribute information (shape and color on the screen, functions peculiar to conversation parts, etc.) of each conversation part and action information. Action information is described in an interpreter language in which a graphical user interface is built.

A series of actions written in an interpreter language is usually called a script. There are the following three types of scripts depending on the timing of execution. That is, (1) the ENTER script is executed at the same time when the conversation part is displayed on the screen. It is mainly used for initializing the environment for conversation operations on the menu screen and executing processing for preprocessing. (2) The KEY script is executed when the user operates the conversation parts displayed on the screen. Define the process to be executed during conversation operation on the menu screen. (3) The EXIT script is executed immediately before the conversation part displayed on the screen is erased from the screen. It is used to execute the processing for the purpose of post-processing after the end of conversation operation on the menu screen. The above definition is a text file that can be easily edited with a text editor of the system in which the interpreter operates.

5 and 6, a procedure in which an action (script written in an interpreter language) defined in each conversation component of the graphical user interface (GUI) is executed by the interpreter processing unit will be described. (1) In the display of the menu screen, the control process 3 of the graphical user interface is activated by the display instruction of the menu screen prepared in the interpreter language (step 1). In this control process, the attribute information of the definition file 1 of each conversational part constituting the specified graphical user interface is read (step 2). In the control process, each conversation part is displayed on the screen based on the read attribute information (step 3), and then the control process executes the action defined in the ENTER script of each conversation part (step 4). The actions are sequentially executed in the order described in the definition structure 1. Execution of actions is performed in the following procedure.

That is, the processing section corresponding to each conversational part in the control process reads the action defined in the ENTER script from the definition file 1 of the target conversational part (step 5). The read action is sent line by line to the processing unit of the interpreter (step 6). The transmitted action (one command character string of the interpreter language) is interpreted and processed by the interpreter processor.
It is executed (step 7). When the processing in the interpreter (step 8) is completed, the completion notification and necessary processing information on the menu screen are sent to the control process (step 9). The control process determines the received completion information and performs the necessary processing in the graphical user interface controller (step 10). If the ENTER script is described in a plurality of lines, the next line is transmitted to the interpreter processing process (step 11). The above procedure is performed for the ENTER script defined in each conversation part. All conversation parts in the menu screen to be displayed are displayed, the ENTER script is executed, and the conversation operation of the user on the menu screen is enabled (step 12).

(2) In the conversation operation on the menu screen, when the user operates the conversation component on the menu screen, the KEY script defined in the operated conversation component is executed (step 12). The execution of the action described in the KEY script is the same as the procedure of executing the ENTER script. When one conversation part is operated and all the actions defined in the KEY script of the conversation part are executed, the next conversation operation becomes possible.

(3) When the menu screen is deleted, the processing on the menu screen displayed on the screen is completed, and when the user deletes the menu screen, it is defined in each conversation part in the target menu screen. The EXIT script is executed (step 13). The execution of the action described in the EXIT script is the same as the execution procedure of the ENTER script and the KEY script.

[0012]

By the way, an interpreter language is used in creating an application for trial-and-error conversation processing in processing such as experimental data analysis work in the field of research and development. This is because, unlike the compiler language, the interpreter language does not require the work such as the compilation and linkage of the source program, and the partial program modification is easy. That is, the interpreter language is a language such as BASIC that can execute object code at once from a source program. Therefore, it is effective in an environment where it is often necessary to frequently change programs by trial and error work or applications. In applications using such an interpreter language, the contents of processing are changed while accumulating trial and error work.

Therefore, a graphical user interface is constructed in an interpreter language. However, a tool for a compiler language is not suitable for a trial and error program environment in the interpreter language. Therefore, there is a need for a mechanism that interactively creates a graphical user interface in an interpreted language to reduce the burden on the program developer.

An object of the present invention is to connect a program (described in an interpreter language) that interactively creates and processes a graphical user interface in an interpreter language, such as a program development work such as a compiler or linkage. It is to provide a tool with simplicity that does not require special work.

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a method of creating a graphical user interface in an interpreter language, and a screen definition for saving a definition body consisting of attribute information and action information of a graphical user interface part. Body file 11, screen definition body file 12 for a graphical user interface creation tool, a tool menu window 131 for displaying a mode to be selected, and a parts list / window 132 for displaying conversational parts to be selected. , A display window 13 for displaying a workspace window 133 in which the selected conversation parts are arranged, a creation tool 14 for creating a graphical user interface according to the contents of the display window, the screen definition file 11 and the Graphical user interface Esu creation tool screen definition based on the information from the file 12 graphical user interface control process 15 for controlling the creation tool
And a processing process 16 for executing processing in an interpreter language under the control of the control process, so that a graphical user interface in the interpreter language can be created interactively while referring to the display section. It is characterized by

The graphical user interface creation tool 14 of the present invention comprises means for interactively creating a graphical user interface, test run means for testing the created graphical user interface, and created graphical user. -Providing a debugging means for debugging the interface.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the essential portions of the present invention. 1 in the figure
1 is the screen definition file, 12 is the screen definition file of the graphical user interface creation tool, 1
3 is a display screen, 14 is a graphical user interface creation tool, 15 is a graphical user interface control process, and 16 is an interpreter processing process. By the way, the following three points are required for the function of the graphical user interface creation tool 14. That is, (1) a function of interactively creating a graphical user interface, (2) a test run function of the created graphical user interface, and (3) a debugging function. The above graphical user interface is built on top of a graphical user interface built on an interpreted language. The present invention interactively creates a graphical user interface in an interpreted language,
And processing program (written in interpreted language)
In connection with, it is possible to provide a tool having a simplicity that does not require special work such as program development work such as compiler and linkage.

That is, the work is selected by the window 131 of the graphical user interface creation tool menu displayed on the display screen 13. As shown in the figure, there are three types of work modes: a creation mode, a test run mode, and a debug mode. Next, the processing mode is determined, and if the selected mode is the creation mode, the parts list / window 132 is displayed.

In the creation mode, a conversation operation is performed on the screen of the creation tool of the graphical user interface, and the graphical user interface parts displayed in the parts list are used by the workspace 133 with the mouse.
To create a graphical user interface screen. Then, it is determined whether or not the conversation operation is finished, and the processing mode is determined again. Further, the processing of each component is defined in an interpreter language, and in this way, a definition constructing the graphical user interface screen is automatically generated and filed in the screen definition file 11.

In the test run mode, the application based on the created graphical user interface can be executed as it is. Execution is possible only by changing the creation mode to the execution mode. In the debug mode, the application based on the graphical user interface created similarly to the test run mode can be executed as it is. The difference from the test run mode is that the application (command sequence written in an interpreter language) is executed line by line. The program developer confirms the command sequence written in the interpreter language line by line and gives an instruction for execution.

2 and 3 are explanatory views of the processing procedure of the present invention. The processing procedure will be described in detail with reference to this figure. [Creation Mode] In the process of the graphical user interface (GUI) creation tool 14, first, the graphical user interface creation tool menu 131 displayed in the window on the display screen 13 is displayed.
The work is selected by (step 1). As shown in the figure, there are three types of work modes: a creation mode, a test run mode, and a debug mode. Next, the processing mode is determined (step 2), and if the selected mode is the creation mode, the parts list 132 on which the list of graphical user interface parts is displayed is displayed in a window (step 3). It also displays a workspace window 133 for creating a graphical user interface screen. The program developer has a parts list 13
Select the required component from 2 using the mouse and place it on the workspace 133. For the placed parts, define attributes such as size, color, and attached function. Furthermore, in the actual application execution, the processing when the component is operated by the mouse is defined in the interpreter language. The above operation is performed for each part while a conversational operation is performed on the graphical user interface creation tool screen (step 4) to create a graphical user interface screen. Then, it is judged whether or not the conversation operation is completed (step 5), the processing mode is judged again (step 6), and when the creation is completed on the workspace 133 and the saving is instructed, the processing by the user is included. The graphical user interface screen information is automatically generated as a definition structure and stored in the screen definition structure file 11 (step 7).

Workspace 1 in this creation mode
The following arrangements have been made for the arrangement of the parts on 33. That is, generally, when a graphical user interface component is operated by a mouse on the screen, the unique function of the component operates. Therefore, when the target component in the attribute definition or the process definition is selected by moving, copying, or deleting the component placed in the workspace and the target selecting operation is performed with the mouse, the process specific to the component operates.

Therefore, in the present invention, in the graphical user interface control process 15, before the event is transmitted to each part when the operation by the mouse is performed, the graphical user interface creation tool 14 pre-empts the processing mode. Is checking. In the creation mode, in the conversation operation (step 14) on the graphical user interface, the event is notified to the dummy conversation part in which the operation of the function peculiar to each part is suppressed (step 14-1). This dummy conversation part has only graphical information on the screen. Then, when the graphical user interface screen information is generated and saved in the screen definition file 11 as a screen definition, it is replaced with the regular component information.

The other processes in the control process 15 of the graphical user interface first initialize the control process (step 11), and the attributes from the definition file 12 of the screen of the graphical user interface creation tool are displayed. Information is read (step 12), the tool menu 131 is displayed on the screen (step 13), and a conversation operation is performed on the graphical user interface (step 1).
4) Then, it is judged whether or not the process is completed (step 15), and the tool menu 131 is deleted from the screen (step 1).
6). As described above, the processing mode is determined in step 14, the event is notified to the dummy conversational part in the creation mode (step 14-1), and the normal conversational part is transmitted in the test run and the debug mode. The event is notified (step 14-2).

[Test Run Mode] When the test run mode is selected, the created graphical user interface screen is displayed and application processing can be performed. At this time, the event of the conversation component operated by the mouse on the screen is notified to the regular component (step 14-
2) The operation peculiar to the component is performed. That is, in the interpreter processing process 16, the processing defined by the user for each component, that is, the command string in the interpreter language, is read from the definition body and transmitted to the interpreter (step 2).
5) Then, the process in the interpreted language is executed (step 26).

[Debug Mode] When the debug mode is selected, a graphical user interface screen created in the same manner as the test run mode is displayed and application processing can be performed. Application at this time,
That is, the command string in the interpreter language is executed line by line. Furthermore, the execution of the line is instructed by the program developer. In the processing of each component, the mode is checked, and in the debug mode, control is performed so that the processing is performed line by line (step 23). That is, the process defined by the user for each component (command string in interpreter language) is read line by line from the definition body (step 24) and transmitted to the interpreter (step 25). Then, the execution by the interpreter is performed (step 26). After that, it waits for the next command execution instruction from the program developer. When the next command execution is instructed by the program developer, the next command is read out one line from the definition body and sent to the interpreter. In addition, the processing process 16 of each component
In step S21, the processing mode is determined, and in the test run mode, the processing is read (step 2).
2). Further, when the process in the interpreted language is received (step 27), the message is interpreted (step 28), the menu screen is operated and displayed again (step 29), and it is determined whether the process is completed (step 3).
0).

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to create a graphical user interface with the simplicity of a program as an interpreter language. This creation can be done interactively and the process description part can be created. No special work is required to combine with. Therefore,
In a trial-and-error operating environment used in the field of research and development, it is possible to prevent a program developer from imposing a great burden on realizing a graphical user interface.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a processing procedure of the present invention (No. 1).

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a processing procedure of the present invention (No. 2).

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a main part for constructing a GUI on an interpreter language.

5 is an explanatory diagram of a processing procedure of the configuration of FIG. 4 (No. 1).

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a processing procedure of the configuration of FIG. 4 (No. 2).

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Screen definition file 12 ... Graphical user interface creation tool Screen definition file 13 ... Display screen 14 ... Graphical user interface creation tool 15 ... Graphical user interface control process 16 ... Interpreter processing process 131 ... Tool menu・ Window 132… Parts list ・ Window 133… Workspace ・ Window

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yasuo Minami             1-5-1, Hakata Station, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture             Issue Fujitsu Kyushu System Engineering Co., Ltd.             In alling

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A graphical language in an interpreter language
A method for creating a user interface, which is a screen definition file (11) for storing a definition structure consisting of attribute information and action information of a graphical user interface part, and a screen definition for a graphical user interface creation tool. Body file (12), tool menu window (131) displaying the mode to be selected, parts list / window (132) displaying the conversation parts to be selected, and workspace in which the selected conversation parts are placed A display unit (13) for displaying a window (133), a creation tool (14) for creating a graphical user interface according to the contents of the display unit, the screen definition file (11) and the graphical user・ From the interface creation tool screen definition file (12) Graphical user interface control process for controlling the creation tool on the basis of the information (15), the processing process of performing a processing by the interpreter language under the control of the control process (16)
And a graphical user interface in an interpreter language for interactively creating a graphical user interface with reference to the display unit.
User interface creation method. 2. The graphical user interface creation tool (14) comprises means for interactively creating a graphical user interface, test run means for testing the created graphical user interface, and created graphical. A method according to claim 1, comprising: debug means for debugging the user interface.