Patent Application
20050086638
This invention relates to the field of computer program editing tools, and more specifically, to editing tools for column oriented programming language statements.
Computer program editors are specialized editors that allow computer programmers to create and modify computer programs. In addition to supporting basic word processing functions such as block copy/move and string find/replace, most computer program editors provide additional editing features that are valuable to the programmer. Such additional features may include highlighting important structural constructs (e.g., condition statements, keywords, brackets, etc.) and providing language-sensitive commands for navigating, modifying, and reformatting programs. In addition, program editors typically assist programmers with statement syntax and object identification, etc.
One form of computer program editor is the line editor. Line editors for programming languages such as Report Program Generator (“RPG”) and Data Description Specification (“DDS”) are available from the International Business Machines Corporation (“IBM”). In general, line editors are used for editing column based or oriented programming language statements. Typically, each such programming language statement occupies a single editable line (e.g., 80 columns or characters in length). In addition, each programming statement type has a fixed format consisting of one or more fields, where each field begins at a fixed column number and occupies a specific number of contiguous columns.
One disadvantage of present line editors is that the view of the program statements (i.e., the editor view) that these editors present to a programmer often includes a large selection or all of the program's statements. That is, the editor view is scoped to all of a program's statements. This is problematic as it reduces the programmer's efficiency when composing single fixed format statements.
A need therefore exists for an improved program editor for column oriented programming language statements. Accordingly, a solution that addresses, at least in part, the above and other shortcomings is desired.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided, for a program statement editor, a method for editing column oriented programming language statements presented to a user on a display screen, comprising: providing a template description defining one or more statement types; and, providing a graphical user interface (“GUI”) for editing the statements individually, the GUI having one or more editable fields corresponding to a statement type of an individual statement defined by the template description, the GUI adapted to receive content for one or more of the editable fields from the user to define the individual statement.
Preferably, the method further includes permitting the individual statement to be selected by the user for replacement from among the statements.
Preferably, the method further includes permitting a position in the statements to be selected by the user for insertion of the individual statement.
Preferably, the method further includes displaying a field difference indicator on the GUI for each of the editable fields whose contents has been changed by the user.
Preferably, the method further includes selectively replacing or inserting the individual statement in the statements.
Preferably, the method further includes displaying a user selectable apply button on the GUI for initiating the replacing and inserting.
Preferably, the template description is an extensible mark-up language (“XML”) document.
In accordance with further aspects of the present invention there is provided an apparatus such as data processing system, personal computer or server system, a method for adapting these systems, as well as articles of manufacture such as a computer readable medium having program instructions recorded thereon for practising the method of the invention.
Advantageously, the present invention allows a programmer to focus editing efforts on a single column oriented programming statement included in a group of such statements.
Further features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.
The following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention does not limit the implementation of the invention to any particular computer programming language. The present invention may be implemented in any computer programming language provided that the operating system (“OS”) provides the facilities that may support the requirements of the present invention. A preferred embodiment is implemented in the JAVA™ computer programming language (or other computer programming languages such as C or C++). (JAVA and all JAVA-based trademarks are the trademarks of Sun Microsystems Corporation.) Any limitations presented would be a result of a particular type of operating system or computer programming language and would not be a limitation of the present invention.
The data processing system 100 may be a server system or a personal computer system. The CPU 120 of the data processing system 100 is operatively coupled to memory 130 which stores an operating system (not shown) for general management of the system 100. The interface 150 may be used for communicating to external data processing systems (not shown) through a network (not shown), such as the Internet. Examples of suitable data processing systems 100 include IBM iSeries™ servers and ThinkPad™ personal computers.
The data processing system 100 may include a database system 160 for storing and accessing programming information. The database system 160 may include a database management system (“DBMS”) and a database and is stored in the memory 130 of the data processing system 100. It will be appreciated that the database system 160 may be shipped or installed without the database to or by end users. In general, the DBMS is adapted to read a query generated by the data processing system 100 in response to a request for information submitted by a user typically through a user interface. The DBMS then executes the query against the database and provides a query result to the data processing system 100 for presentation to the user. It will be appreciated that the database system 160 may be stored in the memory 130 of the data processing system 100 or stored in a distributed data processing system (not shown).
An example of a suitable DBMS is the DB2™ Universal Database Management System product available from IBM. The DBMS is a software layer interposed between the actual database (i.e. the data as stored for use by the CPU 120 of the system 100) and the users of the system. The DBMS is responsible for handling database transactions thus shielding users from the details of any specific computer hardware or database implementation. Using relational techniques, the DBMS stores, manipulates and retrieves data in the form of table-like relations typically defined by a set of columns or attributes of data types and a set of rows (i.e. records or tuples) of data. The standard database query language for dealing with relational databases implemented by most commercial DBMSs is the Structured Query Language (“SQL”).
The data processing system 100 includes computer executable programmed instructions for directing the system 100 to implement the embodiments of the present invention. The programmed instructions may be embodied in one or more software modules 170 resident in the memory 130 of the data processing system 100. Alternatively, the programmed instructions may be embodied on a computer readable medium (such as a CD disk or floppy disk) which may be used for transporting the programmed instructions to the memory 130 of the data processing system 100. Alternatively, the programmed instructions may be embedded in a computer-readable, signal-bearing medium that is uploaded to a network by a vendor or supplier of the programmed instructions, and this signal-bearing medium may be downloaded to the data processing system 100 from the network by end users or potential buyers.
The CPU 120 of the system 100 is typically coupled to one or more devices 110 for receiving user commands or queries and for displaying the results of these commands or queries to the user on a display 140. For example, user queries may be transformed into a combination of SQL commands for producing one or more tables of output data which may be incorporated in one or more display pages for presentation to the user. The CPU 120 is coupled to memory 130 for containing software modules 170 and data such as base tables or virtual tables such as views or derived tables. As mentioned, the memory 130 may include a variety of storage devices including internal memory and external mass storage typically arranged in a hierarchy of storage as understood to those skilled in the art.
A user may interact with the data processing system 100 and its software modules 170 using a graphical user interface (“GUI”) 180. GUIs are supported by common operating systems, such as IBM OS/2™, and provide a display format which enables a user to choose commands, execute application programs, manage computer files, and perform other functions by selecting pictorial representations known as icons, or items from a menu through use of an input or pointing device such as a mouse 110. In general, a GUI is used to convey information to and receive commands from users and generally includes a variety of GUI objects or controls, including icons, toolbars, drop-down menus, text, dialog boxes, buttons, and the like. A user typically interacts with a GUI 180 presented on a display 140 by using an input or pointing device (e.g., a mouse) 110 to position a pointer or cursor 190 over an object 191 and by “clicking” on the object 191.
Thus, in a GUI based system, a mouse 110 typically controls the position of a cursor icon 190 that is displayed on the display screen 140. The cursor 190 is moved by moving the mouse 110 over a flat surface, such as the top of a desk, in the desired direction of movement of the cursor 190. Thus, the two-dimensional movement of the mouse 110 on the flat surface translates into a corresponding two-dimensional movement of the cursor 190 on the display screen 140. Now, a mouse 110 typically has one or more finger actuated control buttons (i.e. mouse buttons). While the mouse buttons can be used for different functions such as selecting a menu option pointed at by the cursor 190, the disclosed invention may use a single mouse button to “select” an object and to trace the movement of the cursor 190 along a desired path. Specifically, to select an object 191, the cursor 190 is first located within the extent of the object 191 on the display 140. In other words, the cursor 190 is “pointed” at the object 191. Next, the mouse button is depressed and released. That is, the mouse button is “clicked”. Selection is thus a point and click operation. To trace the movement of the cursor 190, the cursor 190 is located at the desired starting location, the mouse button is depressed to signal the CPU 120 to activate a function associated with the object 191, and the mouse 110 is moved while maintaining the button depressed. After the desired path has been traced, the mouse button is released. This procedure is often referred to as “clicking” and “dragging” (i.e. a click and drag operation). It will be understood that a predetermined key on a keyboard 110 could also be used to activate a mouse click or drag. In the following, the term “clicking” will refer to the depression of a mouse button indicating a selection by the user and the term “dragging” will refer to the subsequent motion of the mouse 110 and cursor 190 without the release of the mouse button.
Typically, a GUI based system presents application, system status, and other information to the user in “windows” appearing on the display 140. A window 192 is a more or less rectangular area within the display 140 in which a user may view an application or a document. Such a window 192 may be open, closed, displayed full screen, reduced to an icon, increased or reduced in size, or moved to different areas of the display 140. Multiple windows may be displayed simultaneously, such as: windows included within other windows, windows overlapping other windows, or windows tiled within the display area.
Within an application window 192, windows are typically displayed in a similar manner and generally follow similar conventions for the arrangement of menus, style of dialog boxes, and use of the keyboard and mouse 110. The name of an application and any associated document, and a menu bar for the application are typically displayed at the top of the application window 192 which contains the running application. In addition, additional windows or panes may also be displayed. For example, a dialog box is a window that may be displayed to request information from the user or to supply information to the user.
In the following the terms “editor” and “editor view” will be used interchangeably as will the terms “source prompter” and “source prompter view”. It will be understood that modules 170 associated with the editor and/or source prompter implement the editor view GUI 210 and/or source prompter view GUI 220, respectively.
The source prompter view 220 includes the following areas: a statement type indicator and selector 221; fields 222, each having a descriptive label 223, an editable value 224, 225, a column range indicator 260, 261 (see
In
The source prompter view 220 also includes several toolbar buttons 230, 231, 232. These toolbar buttons allow a user to modify behaviour of the source prompter view 220. The toolbar buttons 230, 231, 232 specific to the source prompter view 220 include the following:
Moreover, the source prompt view 220 also includes several action buttons 240, 241. The action buttons 240, 241 allow a user to set or reset the content of the source prompter view 220. The source prompter view 220 includes the following action buttons 240, 241:
The areas of the source prompter view 220 introduced above will now be described in more detail.
The statement type indicator and selector 221 is a drop-down list of predefined statement types. It displays the active language specific statement type and allows a user to select a different statement type from the drop-down list. Whenever “help” is requested, such as by pressing the F1 key on a keyboard input device 110, help information pertaining to the selected statement type is displayed. The help information may be displayed in a pop-up window or dialog box, for example.
With respect to the fields 222, a set of entry widgets, each one representing a field of a statement, is presented in field column order. Each entry widget can be one of the following: an editable text widget 250; a editable drop-down widget 251, or a non-editable drop-down widget (not shown). Whenever an entry widget 250, 251 is selected, and help is requested, such as through an F1 key press, help information is displayed for the field type.
With respect to creating an entry widget 250, 251, a text widget 250 is created if the field 222 has no associated choices. Otherwise, if there are choices, then a drop-down widget 251 is created. For drop-down widgets 251, the editable option, if present, determines whether the drop-down is editable such that a user may enter a value 224 that is not one of the predefined choices.
Above each entry field widget 250, 251 is a label widget 223 which displays the descriptive name of the field.
Above each label widget 223 is a difference indicator widget 226 which is only visible when the field value 224, 225 in the source prompter view 220 is different than that of the field in the statement 203 in the editor 210.
The format line 227 is predefined text which describes the meaning of a statement type's columns. It consists of a string of characters, one character for each statement column. The string is divided into field descriptors, where each field descriptor indicates the function of the field.
As mentioned above, the invention implements a page group construct. A page group contains information required by the source prompter view 220 in order to display an appropriate user interface for each programming language (e.g., DDS, etc.). Page group information may be defined in a document such as an Extensible Markup Language (“XML”) document, for example. This document may be stored in the database system 160.
As is known, XML is a flexible way to create common information formats and share both the format and the data on the Web and other networks. XML is a formal recommendation from the World Wide Web Consortium (“W3C”) and is similar to the Hypertext Markup Language (“HTML”). An XML document can be processed purely as data by a program, it can be stored, or it can be displayed like an HTML document. Thus, XML is “extensible” because, unlike HTML, the markup symbols are unlimited and self-defining. In addition, XML markup may appear within an HTML page.
A page group 402 includes the following information: an identifier 405 (e.g., “ddsdsp”), a maximum statement character length 406 (e.g., “102”), and a set of pages 403, 404.
Each page 403, 404 includes the following information pertaining to one statement type: a page identifier 407 (e.g., “DDS_Display_File_Specification”); a specification label 408, which is a key to a national language translated text string (e.g., “S1_Display_File_Specification”); a specification help identifier 409 (e.g., “HDRDSPDDS”); a specification template string 410 (e.g., “#####A”), which will be described in more detail below; and, a set of field descriptions 411.
Each field description 411 includes the following information: a field identifier 412 (e.g., “Use”); a field label 413 (e.g. “S2_Use”), which is a key to a national language translated text string; a field position 414 (e.g., “38”); a field length 415 (e.g., “1”); an optional field help identifier 416 (e.g., “25635”); an optional field alignment option 417 (e.g., “right”); an optional set of choices 418; and, an optional editable option 419 (e.g., “true”) for choice fields which indicates whether a value can be specified that is not one of the defined choices.
Each choice 418 includes the following information: a choice identifier 420 (e.g., “G”); a choice label 421 (e.g., “G”), which is national language independent; and, an optional help identifier 422 (e.g., “26528”).
Referring again to
The first character 510 of the template string 410 corresponds to the first character 511 of the original statement 203, the second character 520 of the template string 410 corresponds to the second character 521 of the original statement 203, and so on. The template string 410 may be shorter than the full length of a statement 203. As shown in
The following process is used to assemble a new statement 270 from the field entry widgets 224, 225, the original statement 203, and the template string 410: (a) an empty string the length of the page group's 420 maximum statement character length (“maxlinelength”) 406 is created; for each # character 510, 520 in the template string 410, the corresponding character 511, 521 in the original string 203 is copied to the new string 270, 513, 523; for each other character 530, 540 in the template string 410, the character is copied into the new string 270; and, for each field 222, the field value 224, 225 is adjusted and then placed into the new string 270 at the location specified by the field location 414. If the field 222 is represented by a text widget 250, or an editable drop-down widget 251, the text 224, 225 is retrieved, justified, and placed in the new string 270. If the field 222 is represented by a non-editable drop-down, the selection 224, 225 is retrieved and justified. The selection is also lower cased if the original value is lower case and a preserve lower case option has been specified by the editor 210. The result is placed in the new string 270.
The following justification options 417 are available for the above process: none, no justification is performed; left, the text is left justified; right, the text is right justified; and, both, the text is left justified if the field value is alphanumeric and the text is right justified if the field is numeric.
Referring again to
Modules 170 within the data processing system 100 allow the source prompter view 220 to operate in various modes. Operations within these modes are described in the following.
In “replace mode”, as selected by the insert/replace mode button 232, whenever the editor's cursor 202 moves to a new statement 203, the following operations are performed: the line type selector 221 displays the statement's type; fields 222 and field labels 223 are displayed according to the statement type; field difference indicators 226 are displayed for fields that are different from those in the editor's statement 203; the format line 227 is displayed according to the statement type; the statement preview 228 is composed and displayed; if the syntax check toolbar toggle button 231 is on, a syntax check of the statement is performed, and the results are displayed in syntax check result area 229; and, the apply and revert buttons 240, 241 are displayed if there are differences between the statement 270 in the prompter view 220 and the statement 203 in the editor 210.
In replace mode, whenever a field 222 is modified, the following operations are performed: the field's difference indicator 226 is displayed if the field is different to the corresponding field in the editor's version of the statement 203; a new statement 270 is composed and displayed on the statement preview line 228; if the syntax check toolbar toggle button 231 is on, a syntax check of the statement 270 is performed, and the results are displayed in the syntax check result area 229; and, the apply and revert buttons 240, 241 are displayed if there are differences between the modified statement 270 in the prompter view 220, and the original statement 203 in the editor 210.
In replace mode, whenever the apply button 240 is pressed, the following operations are performed: a new statement 270 is composed from the field values 224, 225 and the original statement 203 in the editor 210 is replaced with the new statement 270; the statement preview and syntax check areas 228, 229 are updated; and, the apply and revert buttons 240, 241 are hidden.
In replace mode, whenever the revert button 241 is pressed, any changes made by the user are discarded, and the prompter view 220 is updated using the contents of the editor's original statement 203.
In “insert mode”, as selected by the insert/replace mode button 232, whenever the editor's cursor 202 moves to a new statement 203, no operations are performed.
In insert mode, whenever a field 222 within the source prompter view 220 is modified, the following operations are performed: a new statement 270 is composed and displayed on the statement preview line 228; a syntax check of the statement 270 is performed, and the results are displayed in syntax check result area 229; the apply button 240 is displayed; and, the revert button 241 remains hidden.
In insert mode, whenever the apply button 240 is pressed, the following operations are performed: the new statement 270 is composed from the field values 224, 225, and is inserted into the editor 210 following the statement 203 that the cursor 202 is currently positioned on; and, the statement preview and syntax check areas 228, 229 are updated.
Upon a mode switch from insert mode to replace mode, that is, whenever the insert/replace mode button 232 is toggled to replace mode, the following operation is performed: replace mode operations (as described above) are performed using the current statement 203 as if the cursor 202 just moved to the current statement 203.
Upon a mode switch from replace mode to insert mode, that is, whenever the insert/replace mode button 232 is toggled to insert mode, the following operations are performed: all field editable values 224, 225 are cleared; and, the syntax check results area 229 is cleared.
Modules 170 (e.g., interface methods) within the data processing system 100 allow the editor 210 to communicate with the source prompter view 220. These modules and their operations are as follows:
At step 601, the operations 600 start.
At step 602, an original statement 203 is selected from among the statements 210, the original statement 203 having a statement type and a template 410 for the statement type. Preferably, the selecting is performed by the user by positioning a cursor 202 on an editor GUI 210 with a pointing device 110.
At step 603, a graphical user interface (“GUI”) 220 is displayed for the original statement 203, the GUI 220 having one or more editable fields 222 corresponding to the statement type.
At step 604, content 224, 225 is received for one or more of the editable fields 222 from a user. Preferably, the operations also include the steps of: accessing a predetermined document 400 containing the template 410 and one or more content choices 420 for one or more of the editable fields 222; displaying one or more of the content choices 420 to the user through the GUI 220; and, displaying a field difference indicator 226 on the GUI 220 for each of the editable fields 222 whose contents 224, 225 differs from a corresponding field in the original statement 203. And, preferably, the document 400 is an extensible mark-up language (“XML”) document.
At step 605, an edited statement 270 is composed from the content 224, 225 and the template 410 to replace the original statement 203. Preferably, the operations also include the step of selectively replacing the original statement 203 with the edited statement 270, wherein the selectively replacing includes displaying a user selectable apply button 240 on the GUI 220 when the edited statement 270 differs from the original statement 203.
At step 606, operations 600 end.
While this invention is primarily discussed as a method, a person of ordinary skill in the art understands that the apparatus discussed above with reference to a data processing system may be programmed to enable the practice of the method of the invention. Moreover, an article of manufacture for use with a data processing system, such as a pre-recorded storage device or other similar computer readable medium including program instructions recorded thereon may direct the data processing system to facilitate the practice of the method of the invention. It is understood that such apparatus and articles of manufacture also come within the scope of the invention.
The embodiment(s) of the invention described above is(are) intended to be exemplary only. The scope of the invention is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,445,427 | Oct 2003 | CA | national |
