JP3624447B2 - Component generation source program generation device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to automatic generation of a GUI component generation portion of a source code of a GUI program.
In order to make the computer easier to use, a so-called GUI is widely adopted in which the display on the screen is centered on the image instead of the center of the character, and the operation is performed with a pointing device such as a mouse.
[0002]
The adoption of the GUI has greatly improved the usability of the computer for the end user, but the addition to the programmer has increased, such as the creation of a GUI screen and the recognition of input from the mouse.
For this reason, preparing the parts that make up the GUI screen in advance and selectively placing them on the screen facilitates screen creation, and from the created screen to the generation processing of the parts that make up the screen, etc. A technology has appeared that automatically generates the corresponding source program.
[0003]
The present invention relates to automatic generation of a source program for generation processing of components constituting a GUI screen.
[0004]
[Prior art]
By the way, the parts constituting the screen are defined by a plurality of attributes. Some values are set for component attributes before the component is generated, and some are set after the component is generated.
In the conventional source code generation device, the control of the output order of the source code regarding the setting of values for the component attributes is fixed individually for each component and for each attribute by determining the condition and branching of the program that controls the source code generation device. Had been processed.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a fixed process, when the number of parts that can be used increases, in order to enable automatic generation of the source code related to the generation of the parts, the program itself that controls the source code generation device is changed. There was a problem of having to.
[0006]
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily automatically generate a source code relating to generation of a part even when a part constituting a screen is added.
[0007]
[Means for solving problems]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a source code generation unit that analyzes input screen definition information to generate a source code related to component generation and a source code related to setting of component attributes, and based on attribute setting order information, Order information is added to the generated source code.
[0008]
Reference numeral 2 denotes a source code output unit, and includes a pre-component generation attribute setting source code output unit 3, a component generation source code output unit 4, and a post-component generation attribute setting source code output unit 5.
The source code output unit 3 for attribute setting before component generation outputs a source code related to the setting of the attribute indicating the output before component generation as the order information among the source codes generated by the source code generation unit 1. The component generation source code output unit 4 outputs a source code related to component generation among the source codes generated by the source code generation unit 1. The post-part generation attribute setting source code output unit 5 outputs the source code related to the setting of the attribute indicating the post-part generation output as the order information among the source codes generated by the source code generation unit 1.
[0009]
[Action]
In the present invention, the source code generation unit 1 analyzes the screen definition information and generates a source code related to attribute setting and component generation for each component. At this time, order information is added to the source code related to the attribute setting to be generated based on the set value management source code output order information.
[0010]
When the source code generation unit 1 completes the generation of the source code, the source code output unit 2 next outputs the generated source code. For output, referring to the order information, first, the setting source code output unit 3 before component generation outputs the source code for the setting processing to the attribute to be processed before the component generation processing. Next, the component generation source code output unit 4 outputs a source code related to component generation, and finally the source code for the value setting processing for the attribute for which the post-component generation setting source code output unit 5 sets a value after the component generation processing. Is output.
[0011]
【Example】
This embodiment is intended to describe an OSF / Motif application program in C language. First, OSF / Motif will be described.
OSF / Motif is one of the GUI specifications of X Window System. X Window System is a graphical window system on UNIX developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). OSF / Motif is a GUI standard for X Window System developed by Open Software Foundation (OSF).
[0012]
OSF / Motif consists of a toolkit that supports application development on the X Window System, a window manager, UIL (User Interface Language), and a style guide that defines guidelines for application development.
The OSF / Motif toolkit is composed of user interface components called widgets and functions for using them. The window manager provides a user interface for various GUI operations for opening a window on the screen, changing the size of the opened window, moving, and closing the window. UIL is a dedicated language for creating application screens, and has a simpler language specification than programming languages such as C language. A style guide is a manual that describes design principles and precautions when designing application programs, window managers, and the like.
[0013]
Widgets are parts that group user interfaces by function. In addition to basic widgets such as a character string display area, various buttons, a text input area, and a scroll bar, there are container widgets having a container role for combining a plurality of these widgets. When creating a screen having a plurality of buttons and text input areas in the window, the screen is configured by combining a container widget and buttons and text input area widgets.
[0014]
Each widget is defined as an abstract data type called a class, and cannot be used in a program as an actual part as it is. For this reason, when using a widget, it is necessary to generate an instance (substance) before using the widget.
OSF / Motif provides a function for creating an instance of a widget class. For example, to create an instance of a push button widget class, the XmCreatePushButton function is used.
[0015]
Each widget has attributes that define the functions and properties of the widget. In OSF / Motif, this attribute is called a resource. You can change the appearance and behavior of the widget by setting values for the resources provided by the widget class. In that sense, resources can also be referred to as data for customizing widgets.
[0016]
When designing a screen, a known screen setting tool called a builder is used. The builder arranges widgets while looking at the screen. The builder outputs the screen definition described in UIL based on the arranged widgets.
The screen definition described in UIL includes a name given to a widget instance, a value setting for the widget, and the like.
[0017]
An example of the screen definition described in UIL is shown in FIG.
In the figure, at line number 01, “object” means the start of the definition of the widget. The character string following “object” represents the instance name of the widget. In this case, the name of the widget instance is “Button1”. The string that follows is the name of the widget class to use. In this case, the name of the widget class is “XmPushButton”.
[0018]
As already explained, a widget class is an abstract data type, and an entity that embodies it is called an instance.
In line number 02, between “{” following “arguments” to the corresponding line number 11 ”}”, the setting of the value for the resource of this widget is described using an equation. A resource name is described on the left side of the expression, and a constant is described on the right side. In the figure, for example, a constant “XmATTACH_FORM” is set for a resource “XmNbottomAttachment”. It can be said that the role of the GUI source code generation apparatus of the present invention is to automatically generate source code related to generation of a widget from the UIL.
[0019]
There are two ways to set resources from within the application program: passing them as parameters to the instance creation function when creating the widget, and setting the resources using the resource setting function for the created widget. There is a need to do.
Although the OSF / Motif and the X Window System have been briefly described above, since many books and magazines have been published for these, please refer to those books and magazines in more detail.
[0020]
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a builder that generates screen definition information interactively. A UIL file 12 stores screen definition information in the UIL format defined by the builder 11.
Reference numeral 13 denotes a GUI source code generation device that reads a UIL file and generates a C language source program. Reference numeral 14 denotes a source code generation unit that analyzes the UIL file and generates a source code, and includes a syntax analysis unit 15 and an output data generation unit 16.
[0021]
The syntax analysis unit 15 performs syntax analysis while reading the UIL file, and stores information on the widget and its resources in the widget information storage area 23 in the format shown in FIG. The output data generation unit 16 generates and stores a source code for each widget and each resource stored in the widget information storage area 23. The source code related to component generation is stored in the widget generation source 32-a in FIG. The source code related to the resource is stored in 34-c in the figure.
[0022]
Note that source code generation is performed by preparing a source code generation process for each widget class and each resource and for each widget class.
Further, the output data generation unit 16 searches the set value management table 17 for an access condition corresponding to the resource that is the source of the source code for the generated source code, as an access condition 34-d in FIG. Remember.
[0023]
A source code output unit 18 includes a widget generation pre-processing source output unit 19, a widget generation processing source output unit 20, and a widget generation post-processing source generation unit 21. The source code output from the source code output unit is stored in the source file 22.
Here, the setting value management table 17 and the widget information storage area 23 will be described. First, the set value management table 17 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0024]
The set value management table 17 is a table showing access conditions and data types for each resource.
The access condition is represented by a combination of a C flag, an S flag, and a G flag. The C flag indicates that it is necessary to set a value for the resource before generating the widget. The S flag indicates that the resource value can be changed after the widget is generated. The G flag indicates that the resource value can be referred to. The G flag is not directly related to the present invention.
[0025]
Next, a data storage format in the widget information storage area 23 will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 3, 31 is a widget management table, 32 is widget information, 33 is a resource management table, and 34 is resource information.
The widget management table 31 is a table of pointers to a plurality of widget information.
[0026]
The widget information includes a widget name 32-a, a pointer 32-b to a resource management table, and a widget source 32-c. The widget name obtained as a result of the syntax analysis in the syntax analysis unit 15 is stored in the widget name 32-a. Source code related to generation of the widget generated by the output data generation unit 16 is stored in the widget source 32-a.
[0027]
The resource management table 33 is a table of pointers to a plurality of resource information 34.
The resource information 34 holds a resource name 34-a, output data 34-b, a resource setting source 34-c, and an access condition 34-d. The resource name obtained as a result of the syntax analysis in the syntax analysis unit 15 is stored in the resource name 34-a. The source code related to the resource setting generated by the output data generating unit 16 is stored in the resource setting source 34-c. A value set for the resource is stored in the output data 34-b. The access condition retrieved from the set value management table 17 is stored in the access condition 34-d.
[0028]
Next, it demonstrates along the flow of a process of a present Example.
First, the application creator interactively designs a screen using the builder 11. The conversational screen design using the builder 11 means that the widgets are arranged on the screen by trial and error by operating the mouse.
When the screen design is completed, that is, when the placement of the widget is completed, the builder 11 outputs screen definition information in UIL format corresponding to the placed widget to the UIL file 12.
[0029]
Next, the source code generation unit 14 performs processing. The processing of the source code generation unit 14 will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG.
In step S51, the syntax analysis unit 15 performs syntax analysis while reading the UIL file 12, and stores the result in the widget information storage area 23 in the format shown in FIG.
[0030]
For example, when the UIL file shown in FIG. 10 is analyzed, “Button 1” is stored in the widget name 32-a of a certain widget information 32, and seven resource information 34 is pointed under that. The resource name 34-a of each resource information 34 includes "XmNlabelPixmap", "XmNlabelType", "XmNforeground", "XmNbottomAttachment", "XmNleftAttachment", "mNttmt"
[0031]
Subsequently, the output data generation unit 16 performs steps S52 to S56. That is, in step S53, source code relating to widget generation is generated and stored in the widget generation source 32-a. Subsequently, in step S55, a source code relating to resource setting is generated and stored in the resource setting source 43-c. Thereafter, the setting value management table 17 is searched with the resource name 34-a, the corresponding access condition is obtained, and stored in the access condition 34-d.
[0032]
Processing for “Button 1” shown in FIG. 10 is as follows. That is, for the resource “XmNlabelPixmap”, “/ home / shikawa / bitmaps / logo” as output data, the source code of line numbers 17, 18, and 19 in FIG. 11 as the resource setting source, and the S flag as the access condition And the G flag are stored. For the resource “XmNlabelType”, “XmPIXMAP” is stored as output data, the source codes of line numbers 02 and 03 in FIG. 11 are stored as resource setting sources, and the S flag, C flag, and G flag are stored as access conditions.
[0033]
For the resource “XmNforeground”, “# ffff00000000” is stored as output data, the source code of line numbers 04, 05, and 06 in FIG. 11 is stored as the resource setting source, and the S flag, C flag, and G flag are stored as access conditions. Is done.
For the resource “XmNbottomAttachment”, “XmATTACH_FORM” is output as output data, the source codes of line numbers 07 and 08 in FIG. 11 are stored as resource setting sources, and the S flag, C flag, and G flag are stored as access conditions.
[0034]
For the resource “XmNleftAttachment”, “XmATTACH_FORM” is stored as output data, the source code of line numbers 09 and 10 in FIG. 11 is stored as the resource setting source, and the S flag, C flag, and G flag are stored as access conditions.
For the resource “XmNrightAttachment”, “XmATTACH_FORM” is stored as output data, the source codes of line numbers 11 and 12 in FIG. 11 are stored as resource setting sources, and the S flag, C flag, and G flag are stored as access conditions.
[0035]
For the resource “XmNtopAttachment”, “XmATTACH_FORM” is stored as output data, the source codes of line numbers 13 and 14 in FIG. 11 are stored as resource setting sources, and the S flag, C flag, and G flag are stored as access conditions.
When the process of the source code generation unit 14 is completed, the process of the source code output unit 18 is subsequently performed. The processing of the source code output unit 18 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0036]
The source code output unit 18 process repeats three processes for all widgets. That is, in step S62, the widget generation preprocessing source code is output, in step S63, the widget generation processing source code is output. Finally, in step S64, the widget generation postprocessing source code is output.
[0037]
The processing in step S62, step S63, and step S64 is performed by the widget generation preprocessing source output unit 19, the widget generation processing source output unit 20, and the widget generation postprocessing source output unit 21, respectively.
Details of the processing of step S62 performed by the widget generation preprocessing source output unit 19 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0038]
First, in step S71, source code for preprocessing of processing for setting a value in a resource is output (corresponding to line number 01 in FIG. 11).
Subsequently, in steps S72 to S74, source code output relating to the setting of resources to be set before widget generation is performed. That is, in step 73, the source code stored in the resource setting source 34-c in FIG. 3 is output, and when the output is completed, it is deleted from the resource setting source 34-c in step S74. This erasure means completion of output. This process is repeated until an end determination is made in step S72.
[0039]
Details of the processing in step S63 performed by the widget generation processing source output unit 20 will be described with reference to FIG.
First, in step S81, source code relating to generation of a widget is output. The output source code is stored in the widget generation source 32-a in FIG. When the output of the source code related to the generation of the widget is completed, the widget generation source 32-c is deleted in step S82.
[0040]
Details of the processing in step S64 performed by the post-processing generation post-processing source output unit 21 will be described with reference to FIG.
First, in step S71, source code for preprocessing of processing for setting a value in a resource is output (corresponding to line number 01 in FIG. 11).
Subsequently, in steps S92 to S94, source code output relating to setting of resources to be set after generation of the widget is performed. That is, as the determination condition of step S92, the S flag is set as the access condition and output is performed for the unoutput source code. The output of the source code itself is the same as the output before the generation of the widget. In step 93, the source code stored in the resource setting source 34-c in FIG. 3 is output, and when the output is completed, the output is completed in step S94. Delete from 34-c. This erasure means completion of output.
[0041]
Since the processing of steps S92 to S94 outputs only the source code related to setting of values in the parameter list, in step S95, the source code for making a function call for actually changing the attribute of the widget is output (FIG. 11 corresponds to line number 20).
Finally, in step S96, a source code for calling the function “XtManageChild” is output as a process for performing a notification necessary for successfully managing the generated widget (line number 21 in FIG. 11).
[0042]
Through the above processing, the source code relating to the generation of the widget is stored in the source file 22. The creator of the application program adds a part other than widget generation to the source code to make the entire application program.
In the present embodiment, the output data generation unit 16 calls a process for generating a source code for each widget and each resource to generate a source code, and the source code itself is added to the widget generation source 32-c and the resource moderation source 34-c. In this area, a pointer to the source code generation process prepared for each widget and each resource is stored, and when the source code is output by the source code output unit 18, output data 34- You may make it output a source code by calling the process shown by this pointer by using b as a parameter. As a result, the area for storing the source code can be reduced.
[0043]
Although the description of the embodiment for the OSF / Motif is completed as described above, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to other systems other than the OSF / Motif.
[0044]
【The invention's effect】
For the reasons described above, according to the present invention, the order relationship of the value setting for the attributes of the parts constituting the screen is managed as a setting value management table independently of the program, so that addition / change to available parts is possible. In such a case, it is possible to automatically generate source codes relating to these components by changing the contents of the table and without changing the processing program at all.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a data structure of a widget information storage area. Processing Flow [Fig. 6] Processing Flow of Source Code Output Unit [Fig. 7] Processing Flow of Widget Generation Pre-processing Source Output Unit [Fig. 8] Processing Flow of Widget Generation Processing Source Output Unit [Fig. 9] Post-Widget Generation Processing Source Output FIG. 10 shows an example of a UIL file. FIG. 11 shows an example of output source code.
1: source code generation unit 2: source code output unit 3: set source code output unit before component generation 4: component generation source code output unit 5: set source code output unit after component generation

Claims (1)

A component generation source program generation device that analyzes input screen definition information and outputs source code,
And access conditions for each of the components of the attributes indicating the order relationship set and component generation of attribute values, and setting value management table for managing in association with the data type of the attribute,
For the parts that compose the screen by analyzing the input screen definition information, the source code for generating the part and the source code for setting the value of the attribute for the part are generated, and the setting is made for the generated source code. A source code generation unit for providing access information obtained by searching the value management table by attribute name ;
Among the source codes generated by the source code generation unit, a setting source code output unit before component generation that outputs a source code to which an attribute to be processed before component generation processing is given ,
Among the source codes generated by the source code generation unit, a component generation source code output unit that outputs a source code related to component generation;
A component generation source program generation device having a post-part generation setting source code output unit that outputs a source code to which an attribute to be processed after component generation processing is given among the source codes generated by the source code generation unit .

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