Patent Application
20090019380
The present application claims priority from Japanese application serial no. JP2007-182747, filed on Jul. 12, 2007, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
The present invention relates to a technique for supporting graphical-user-interface (GUI) application development.
Development of an application for an embedded device such as a digital camera requires not only programming skills but also expertise on an environment for executing the application. JP-A-2003-140893, for example, discloses such application development for an embedded device.
JP-A-2003-140893 describes a method for using a unified-modeling-language (UML) specification for designing system software and an interface to automatically generate a user-interface (UI) program using the software.
The development of the GUI application requires knowledge different from that for application development for an embedded device, such as development of processing for screen-status-transitions associated with operations performed by a user. In such a situation, recent embedded devices have been highly functionalized to have network functions, further complicating UI applications.
The purpose of the technique disclosed in JP-A-2003-140893 is to allow application developers to focus on developing GUI components, and the central feature of the technique is to automatically generate an application running on a system.
It should be noted that, in developing applications, creation of GUI components itself also needs to be considered.
The design of a GUI screen is also important in characterizing an audio/visual embedded device such as a digital television and a recorder and differentiating such a device from other companies' products. To strengthen product competitiveness, a more sophisticated screen design will be required, which, coupled with increasingly complex functions, would increase the burden to develop GUI programs and demand higher skills of developers. Furthermore, since the development cycles of products are getting shorter, it is required to develop more complicated programs for a shorter time period.
The object of the present invention is to provide a technique for supporting development of a user-interface (UI) application for an embedded device more easily than conventional techniques. In other words, the object is to provide a technique which makes it possible, for developers who do not have experience in developing an application for an embedded device and those who do not have experience in developing a program (such as designers), to create a GUI screen more easily than with the conventional techniques and further to create from the GUI screen created a GUI application running on an embedded device more easily than the with conventional techniques.
According to the present invention, in order to accomplish the above object, the technique for supporting the development of a GUI application comprises: a section for generating general-purpose structured data representing a GUI component (hereinafter referred to as a GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section); a section for editing a GUI screen (hereinafter referred to as a GUI-screen edition section); and a section for generating a GUI program (hereinafter referred to as a GUI-program generation section).
The GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section generates general-purpose structured data representing a GUI component (hereinafter referred to as GUI-component general-purpose structured data) from a library for GUI components (referred to as a uniquely-defined GUI-component library), the general-purpose structured data being not dependent on a specific programming language (which means that any programming language can be used in the general-purpose structured data), the library being uniquely defined in a target device. Alternatively, the GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section may generate GUI-component general-purpose structured data, in which any general-purpose programming language can be used, from the uniquely-defined GUI-component library.
The GUI-screen edition section provides to a user a means for creating a GUI screen by using a GUI component represented by the GUI-component data generated by the GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section. The GUI-screen edition section generates general-purpose structured data representing a GUI screen (hereinafter referred to as general-purpose GUI-screen structured data), which data is programming-language-independent, based on the GUI screen created by the user. Alternatively, the general-purpose GUI-screen structured data may be GUI-screen structured data in which a general-purpose programming language can be used.
The GUI-program generation section uses the general-purpose GUI-screen structured data generated by the GUI-screen edition section and a template program executable in the target device to generate a GUI application executable in the target device.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Reference numeral 100 denotes the device for supporting GUI application development according to the present invention. As shown in
The GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section 103 converts the GUI-component library 110 into structured data which represents a GUI-component structure or a property value and which is not dependent on the environment in which the target device is executed and on the programming language to be described. The conversion of the library into the structured data not dependent on the environment of the target device makes it possible to generate GUI screens for various devices or general-purpose devices.
The GUI-screen edition section 105 provides an environment for creating a GUI screen to an application developer. The GUI-screen edition section 105 generates structured data (hereinafter referred to as GUI-screen structured data) representing a GUI screen edited in accordance with an operation performed by the user and outputs the GUI-screen structured data to the GUI-program generation section 106.
The GUI-program generation section 106 inserts a code(s) of a GUI component(s) constituting the GUI screen into a pre-registered template application code (or template program) of the target device to generate a GUI application. The GUI-program generation section 106 acquires the structure of the GUI screen and property values set in each GUI component from the general-purpose GUI-screen structured data.
Described sequentially below are processing for generating GUI-component general-purpose structured data, processing for editing a GUI screen, processing for generating general-purpose GUI-screen structured data representing the GUI screen, and processing for generating a GUI program.
First, the processing for generating GUI-component structured data will be described with reference to
When a user specifies a GUI-component library to be imported to the GUI-application-development supporting device 100, the GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section 103 starts to execute the processing for generating GUI-component general-purpose structured data.
The GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section 103 acquires class names of GUI components and information on properties of the GUI components from each of GUI-component classes included in the GUI-component library 110, the information including names, types, and initial values of properties. The information on the properties are information used to set the size of a GUI component, the location at which the GUI component is to be arranged, characters to be displayed in the GUI component, colors of the characters, colors of a background, and a background image. The information on the properties is not limited to the above and may include any property specifying a specification of the GUI component.
In the present specification, a detailed acquisition method of the class names and the property information is not described. The GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section 103, however, may acquire the above-mentioned class names and information by using an application program interface of a java.beans.Introspector class defined by Java (a registered trademark) as long as, for example, GUI-component classes are those defined by Java and meet JavaBeans specifications.
The GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section 103 generates structured data representing a GUI component for each GUI class as shown in
The GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section 103 adds the names of the GUI components, icon information, and information on links to the structured data to a general-purpose-GUI-component list as shown in
After the GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section 103 generates GUI-component general-purpose structured data for all GUI components included in the general-purpose-GUI-component libraries, the processing ends.
In the present embodiment, the data structure of the GUI component is described in Extensible Markup Language (XML). XML is one of the markup languages used to describe the meaning or structure of a document or data, in which a user can uniquely define tags.
As shown in
The structured data representing GUI components includes information on attributes, each of which defines an association with a GUI component. The <gui_widget> tag has a class attribute indicating the class name of a GUI component and also has a name attribute indicating the instance name of the GUI component. The <property> tag has a name attribute indicating the name of a property and also has a method attribute indicating the name of a method to be used to set a configured property to the GUI component. The <value> tag has a type attribute indicating the type of the property and also has a default attribute indicating a default value set for the property. The <hierarchy_properties> tag has a class attribute indicating the name of an inheritance class. The <children> tag has a method attribute indicating the name of a method to be used to add another GUI component to the GUI component. The <child> tag has a class attribute indicating the class name of a child GUI component and also has a name attribute indicating the instance name of the child GUI component.
It should be noted that the list including the tag definitions and structures is only shown as an example. Any tag definitions may be used as long as the structure of the GUI component can be expressed by a format such as the name of the GUI component, a property included in the GUI component, and the name of a method to be used to set the property. In the embodiment, XML is used to define the GUI-component general-purpose structured data; however, the language to be used for the structured data expressing a GUI component is not limited. A common format expressing the structure of the GUI component may be used regardless of the type of the language of the GUI-component library 110.
The programming language to be used for the general-purpose-GUI-component library 110 is also not limited and may be Java, C/C++ (registered trademark), or C# (registered trademark).
The edition of a GUI screen and the processing for generating the GUI-screen structured data will be described with reference to
The GUI-screen edition section 105 provides to an application developer an environment for creating a GUI screen by using the GUI-component general-purpose structured data generated by the GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section 103.
The GUI-component selection section 203 shows a list of GUI components to a user and prompts the user to select a GUI component to be arranged on the GUI screen. The user selects a GUI component to be arranged on the GUI screen through the input section 107 (a mouse or the like) and pastes the selected GUI component to an edition screen provided by the GUI-screen edition section 105. A property-edition section 204 provides an interface to be used to set a property value related to a display, such as the size of the GUI component, the position of the GUI component to be arranged, a font to be used for the GUI component, and a color of the GUI component. A GUI-screen display-data generation section 205 generates a screen to be displayed on the edition screen and displays a drawing of a GUI component which is based on property values set by the user. Since the GUI-component general-purpose structured data is generated from a GUI-component library to be displayed on the edition screen, the screen generated by the GUI-screen display-data generation section 205 is the same as a screen to be displayed when the GUI component is operated in a target device.
A GUI-screen structured-data generation section 201 generates GUI-screen structured data representing a GUI screen and constituted of GUI components, which have been selected and arranged by the user through the GUI-component selection section 203, and for which property values have been set through the property-edition section 204. The GUI-screen structured-data generation section 201 then stores the generated GUI-screen structured data in a GUI-screen structured-data storage section 202.
When the user starts to create a GUI screen, processing shown in
Processing in step S810 is to determine if a GUI screen to be created is new. If so, the processing proceeds to step S811. If not, the processing proceeds to step S820.
GUI-screen structured data for the GUI screen is generated. Information on a GUI component which is added to the edition screen and a property value set to the GUI component are thereafter added to the GUI-screen structured data.
Processing in step S820 is to determine if a user operation is to arrange a GUI component on the edition screen. If so, the processing proceeds to step S821. Otherwise, it proceeds to S830.
Processing in step S821 is to determine whether the arrangement to be performed by the user operation is to add or delete a GUI component to/from the edition screen. If a GUI component is to be added, the processing proceeds to step S822. If a GUI component is to be deleted, the processing proceeds to step S825.
Processing in steps S822 to S824 is to add a GUI component.
In step S822, the GUI-screen structured-data generation section 201 refers to data on the general-purpose-GUI-component list, the data being generated by the GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data generation section 103. The GUI-screen structured-data generation section 201 then acquires GUI-component general-purpose structured data corresponding to the arranged GUI component and generates GUI-component general-purpose structured data representing the arranged GUI component (hereinafter referred to as individual GUI-component general-purpose structured data).
Here, the individual GUI-component general-purpose structured data will be explained. It is general-purpose structured data included in the GUI-component general-purpose structured data, in which the GUI component represented by the individual GUI-component general-purpose structured data has been arranged on the GUI screen and has a property value modified or set based on specifications of the GUI screen. In addition, the individual GUI-component general-purpose structured data has a name, an identifier or the like, which can be uniquely identified during execution of a program. The GUI-screen structured-data generation section 201 generates an identification name (e.g., the class name of and serial number of the GUI component) to identify the GUI component in the GUI screen and adds the generated identification name to individual GUI-component general-purpose structured data. For the size and the position among the property values, the information used to arrange the GUI component on the edition screen is used. For the other property values, initial values set in the GUI-component general-purpose structured data are used.
Next, it is determined whether or not the GUI component is arranged as a base component on the GUI screen or arranged as an element of another GUI component arranged on the GUI screen. The GUI-screen structured-data generation section 201 then determines the location in the GUI-screen structured data, at which the individual GUI-component general-purpose structured data is inserted.
The individual GUI-component general-purpose structured data is inserted in the location in the GUI-screen structured data, the location in the GUI-screen structured data being determined in step S823.
Processing in steps S825 and S826 is to delete a GUI component.
Part of the GUI-screen structured data, from which individual GUI-component general-purpose structured data is to be deleted, is determined based on a deleted identification name (set in step S822) of a GUI component.
The individual GUI-component general-purpose structured data is deleted from the part of the GUI-screen structured data, which has been determined in step S825. Movement of a GUI component can be achieved by a combination of the addition processing (S822 to S824) and the deletion processing (S825 and S826) although the processing for the movement is not shown in the flowchart of
Processing in step S830 is to determine if a user operation is to change a property value of a GUI component on the edition screen. If so, the processing proceeds to step S831. Otherwise, the processing proceeds to step S840.
Processing in steps S831 and S832 is to change a property value.
The processing in step S831 is to detect the location of part of the GUI-screen structured data, which corresponds to a property to be edited, based on the identification name of the GUI component having the property value edited and the property name.
Next, the property value of the detected part is replaced with a value set by the user.
Processing in step S840 is to determine whether or not the processing for generating GUI-screen structured data is to be ended. If the processing is not ended, the processing proceeds back to step S810.
A view tag, which is a <view type=“parent” name=“flavorList”> tag, indicates that the data described is GUI-screen structured data. In the example shown in
The processing for the addition, deletion, and movement of a GUI component and the processing for the edition of a property value are simpler since the structured data has a hierarchical structure.
Processing for generating a GUI program will be described with reference to
The GUI-program generation section 106 generates a GUI application, which runs in the environment of a target device, from the GUI-screen structured data generated by the GUI-screen edition section 105.
In
The GUI-program generation section 301 generates a program code which expresses the entire GUI screen. The GUI-program generation section 301 inserts a code for set values of the entire GUI screen and the code generated by the GUI-component-code generation section 300 based on the basic structure of an application of the target device, which application is stored in the template-program storage section 302, thereby building a GUI program code.
In
As described above, the information for generating the code of the GUI component is described in the GUI-component general-purpose structured data. This makes it easy to generate a code appropriate for the environment of the target device.
Although each of the GUI-component general-purpose-structured-data library 104, the GUI-screen structured-data storage section 202, and the template-program storage section 302 is present in a different storage section in the present embodiment, they may be present in the same storage section.
According to the present embodiment, the GUI screen is edited by using general-purpose GUI-screen structured data in a programming-language-independent format and then converted into a GUI program executable in the environment of the target device, without dependence on the programming language of the target device. This makes it possible, for developers who do not have experience in developing an application for an embedded device and developers (including designers) who do not have programming knowledge, to build a GUI screen more easily than with conventional techniques. In addition, a GUI application running on an embedded device can be easily generated from the built GUI screen.
In the above-mentioned embodiment, the description is made with XML taken as an example. However, the language for describing the structured data is not limited to XML and may be another markup language for describing the meaning or the structure of data. For example, the language for describing the structured data may be a markup language called Extensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML (registered trademark)), with which it is also possible to achieve the above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention.
According to the present invention, the efficiency of GUI-application development for an embedded device and the like can be improved compared with the conventional techniques.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-182747 | Jul 2007 | JP | national |
