JPH09269893A - Design support device for human interface screen - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the input operability of defined data, to reduce input errors and to reduce time required for debugging by displaying setting items and the defined contents as plural lists having a hierarchy relation. SOLUTION: The display contents as a human interface screen being a design object are displayed on a screen and the lists 1-4 where the defined contents are mentioned are simultaneously displayed on the screen. The defined contents on the display of the screen are related to the list 1 through DB by a screen-list key (#0001). When the screen and the list 1 are simultaneously opened and one is corrected, the other is corrected on a real time basis by reflection work through DB. The list 1 is related to the list 2 by a key (A). When one place on a list 2-side is manufactured and corrected, plural pieces of pertinent data in the list 1 are simultaneously manufactured and corrected with the same content, and an operation procedure for advancing design becomes rational and precise.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a human interface screen design support device used in designing human interface screens for various control plants.

[0002]

Conventionally, when designing human interface screens for various control plants, setting items for each display element displayed on the screen are individually defined, so that the control function of the plant is improved. Along with this, the amount of screen information increases, and the work of data definition when newly designing and modifying a screen becomes enormous. In particular, for commonly used definition items, it is troublesome to repeatedly enter and set the same definition for each location where it is used, and when correcting the item, the correction input work is also repeated. There was an annoyance that had to be made.

Therefore, an input error may occur frequently, and if the input is mistaken even at one place, the definition contents will be inconsistent, and as a result, the amount of debugging work will increase. In addition, when the control plant is handed over, the functional specifications regarding the human interface screen that are handed over to the user are extracted separately from the required items by extracting the necessary items from the detailed screen information design document when actually designing it Since it was created, it was a double labor and extra work.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 displays setting items for each display element of the human interface screen and its definition contents on the screen as a top-level list. The setting items and their definition contents listed in the highest-level list, which are designated to be displayed as a separate table, and the definition contents thereof are displayed on the screen as one or more lower-level lists. In addition, setting items and their definition contents that are common to each other in the top-level list and the sub-level list are linked to each other. Fill in or change or delete points at the same time. As a result, the setting items and their definition contents are displayed as a plurality of tables having a hierarchical relationship, so that the input contents can be easily confirmed. Further, when entry, modification, or deletion is performed in any of the tables, the corresponding portion of the other table is also entered, modified, or deleted at the same time, which improves work efficiency.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the human interface screen design support apparatus according to the first aspect, the setting items and their definition contents described in the lower list are displayed as a separate table. Display the specified setting items and their definition contents as a lower-level list on the screen. As a result, it is possible to display two or more subordinate lists in a hierarchical relationship with each other.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the human interface screen design support apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the setting items and their definition contents described in the top or bottom list are functional specifications. By displaying the setting items specified as items to be described in the specification and their definition contents on the screen as a lower-level list, the lower-level list corresponding to the functional specifications when the instruction to output the functional specifications is input. The table setting items and their definitions are output. As a result, the functional specifications are completed at the same time as the screen design is completed, and the time and effort for creating the functional specifications can be saved.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment in which the present invention is applied when designing a human interface screen for plant control. As shown in the drawing, the display contents as a human interface screen to be designed are displayed on the screen, and Tables 1 to 4 in which the definition contents are described can be simultaneously displayed on the screen. In the illustrated example, the definition content related to the display of the screen is displayed on the DB (database) by the screen-table key (# 0001).
It is linked with Table 1 through. Since the screen and Table 1 are centrally managed by the DB, there is no input order for both.

When the screen and Table 1 are opened at the same time and one of them is corrected, the other is also corrected in real time by the reflection work via the DB. Furthermore, it is also possible to newly add independently existing data to the screen and Table 1 and link them by linking. Further, in FIG. 1, Table 1 and Table 2 are linked by a key (A), and the same key can exist in Table 1 and Table 2. In other words, on the side of Table 2,
When the correction is performed, the corresponding plural data in Table 1 are simultaneously produced and corrected with the same contents, so that the operation procedure for advancing the design becomes rational and accurate.

Further, regarding Tables 1 and 3, the key (B) is also used.
Has been linked in the same way, and as a result, Table 1
Are positioned as an aggregate of Tables 2 and 3. That is, based on these cooperation relationships, the table 1 is hierarchized and the tables 2 and 3 are hierarchized. In addition, Table 2 and Table 4 are linked by the key (C), and Table 2 and Table 4
Although the same key can exist between them, it can be said that Tables 2 and 4 are equal and have the same hierarchy from the hierarchical relationship.

Next, a specific embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, the screen and Table 1 are key (POSP
O) associates the number of digits, the number of decimal places, the character type, and the magnification, which are setting items for each display element on the screen. In Table 1, when the data of these definition contents are changed, the reflection work is performed and the data is also changed on the screen side. Further, Table 1 and Table 2 in the lower layer are linked by the color-changing common specification name. Here, since the items described in Table 2 are not described in Table 1, they are not visible on the surface but exist in association with each other. Therefore, it is possible to define the same key on the table 1 side, and by correcting one location on the table 2 side, it is possible to collectively correct a large number of definitions on the table 1 side.

Similarly, in Table 2 and Table 3, mutual comments are linked by a key (NO), and it is possible to define the same key on the Table 2 side, and to correct one location on the Table 2 side. By doing so, a large number of definitions on the side of Table 1 can be collectively corrected. Further, although this comment is displayed on the side of Table 2 as well, since it is the same data on the DB,
When it is corrected on the side of Table 3, the contents are also reflected on the side of Table 2 and corrected. Further, Table 4 describes only the items necessary for the functional specifications and is managed as the functional specifications.

Also, each item of this table 4 is the same data as the other tables on the DB and is linked to each other. In the actual design stage, if the functional specification is designed first and described in Table 4, the content is reflected in Table 1. If Table 1 is designed first, its contents are shown in Table 4.
Is reflected in In any case, when the design is completed, the contents of Table 4 are output as they are, so that the functional specification of the human interface screen in the plant control for passing to the user can be obtained.

From these things, in the above-mentioned embodiment,
The following effects can be obtained. (1) By linking the screen information data with the table data, it becomes possible to collectively define each screen data by the table. (2) Hierarchy of tables is possible by linking tables,
Data componentization, minimal design / modification by componentization,
And the data can be reused. (3) By linking the tables with each other, it becomes possible to make the functional specification and the screen information the same, and the rational and accurate design / correction is performed to reduce the load on the designer.

The present invention can also be applied to the case of designing a human interface screen other than the control plant.

[0015]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the setting items for each display element of the screen and the definition contents thereof are displayed while being displayed on the screen as a plurality of tables having a hierarchical relationship. Since you can enter data, you can use the most easy-to-read table for each task.
Since the contents entered in one table are rewritten in the corresponding parts of other tables at the same time, there is no need to consider other tables, which improves workability and reduces input errors, which is useful for debugging. The time required is reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, by displaying the list further below the lower list, it is possible to further facilitate the design when the screen information is complicated and large in volume.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, by displaying the setting items to be described in the functional specifications and the definition contents thereof in advance as a lower list, it is possible to output the functional specifications together with the completion of the screen design. Therefore, it is not necessary to create a separate functional specification, which saves labor. Also,
For the specifications that were initially determined through discussions with the user, enter them as a lower-level list corresponding to the functional specifications, and the contents will be automatically reflected in the top-level and other lists to design. Efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A means for displaying on a screen a set item and its definition content for each display element of a human interface screen as a top-level list, and a set item and its definition content listed in the top-level list. A means for displaying the setting items designated to be displayed as a separate table and the definition contents thereof on the screen as one or more subordinate lists, and the setting items common to the topmost list and the subordinate list and the definition contents thereof. Human interface screen characterized by being linked to each other, and means for simultaneously writing, changing or deleting corresponding portions of other tables when one of the tables is filled or changed or deleted. Design support equipment. 2. The human interface screen design support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting items described in the subordinate list and the definition contents thereof are designated as a separate table and the setting items A human interface screen design support device comprising: means for displaying the definition contents on a screen as a lower list. 3. The human interface screen design support apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the setting items and their definition contents described in the top or bottom list must be described in the functional specification. Means for displaying the setting items designated as a kimono and their definition contents on the screen as a lower list, and when the instruction to output the functional specification is input, the setting items of the lower list corresponding to the functional specification and its A human interface screen design support device comprising: means for outputting definition contents.