National Instruments Corporation

Omid Sojoodi

Murali Parthasarathy

Robert E Dye

Steven W Rogers

Ram Kudukoli

Scott A Rust

A method for developing an automation client program in a graphical programming environment is disclosed. The graphical programming environment provides a set of automation nodes and controls which may be dropped and wired together to create a graphical program. The nodes include an automation refnum which references a user-selected automation class from an automation type library; an automation open node which instantiates an object from the selected automation class; an automation invoke node which invokes a user-selected method of the automation class; and an automation property node which invokes, i.e., reads or writes, user-selected properties of the automation class. The nodes enable the displaying, manipulating, cataloging, editing or performance other operations, such as may be performed by an automation server, on data acquired or generated by a virtual instrument. A method for performing class propagation and type propagation checking of automation objects in a graphical program is also disclosed.

System and method for creating a graphical program which invokes methods and properties of objects

A method for developing an automation client program in a graphical programming environment is disclosed. The graphical programming environment provides a set of automation nodes that may be wired together to create a graphical program, including nodes for referencing user-selected automation classes from automation type libraries exported by automation server applications; nodes for instantiating objects from the selected automation class; and nodes for invoking user-selected methods and/or properties of the automation class. A method for performing class and/or type propagation checking of automation objects in graphical programs is also disclosed. The automation class of a first automation node is propagated from the first node to a second automation node when the two nodes are wired together or when the automation class of the first node is changed to a second class. The automation nodes perform type checking to verify that the user-selected method or property is valid for the automation class of the node.

System and method for determining methods and properties to be invoked on objects in a graphical program

A system and method for creating a graphical program, wherein the graphical program is operable to access capabilities of an object. During creation of the graphical program, the user operates to place an object node in the graphical program, wherein the object node is operable to access capabilities of the object. This preferably includes the user arranging on the screen the graphical program, including the object node and various other nodes, and connecting the various nodes to create the graphical program. The user then configures the object node to receive information on the object, preferably by the user configuring the object node with a reference to the object, e.g., a pointer, address, or other information which specifies the identity and/or location of the object. The user also selects one or more methods to be invoked on the object and/or one or more properties to get/set on the object. Once the graphical program has been created, then during execution of the graphical program, the object node accesses the capabilities of the object.

Graphical program node for accessing capabilities of a software object

System and method for accessing object capabilities in a graphical program

A graphical programming development system for creating a graphical program client, wherein the graphical program client is operable to programmatically access or invoke functionality of graphical programming applications or graphical programs. In one embodiment, the method provides a set of VI Server function nodes and controls which a user employs to create a client graphical program. The client executes in a computer which includes a display screen and a user input device. In one embodiment, the client performs instrumentation control functions. The user can thus create diagrams in a graphical programming system, e.g. LabVIEW, that get/set properties and invoke operations on both graphical programming applications and graphical programs (VIs) within the respective user's local version of LabVIEW as well as on other copies of LabVIEW or graphical programs on a network, such as a TCP/IP network.

System and method for providing client/server access to graphical

A method for developing an automation client program in a graphical programming environment. The graphical programming environment provides a set of automation nodes and controls which may be dropped and connected together to create a graphical program. The nodes include an automation refnum which references a user-selected automation class from an automation type library exported by an automation server application; an automation open node which instantiates an object from the selected automation class; an automation invoke node which invokes a user-selected method of the automation class; and an automation property node which reads or writes user-selected properties of the automation class. The nodes enable the displaying, manipulating, cataloging, editing or performance other operations, such as may be performed by an automation server, on data acquired or generated by a virtual instrument. The method also performs class propagation and type propagation checking of automation objects in a graphical program. The automation class of a first automation node is propagated from the first node to a second automation node when the two nodes are wired together or when the automation class of the first node is changed to a second class. The automation invoke node and automation property node perform type checking to verify that the user-selected method or property is valid for, or defined by, the automation class of the node.

System and method for developing automation clients using a graphical

A method for developing an automation client program in a graphical programming environment is disclosed. The graphical programming environment provides a set of automation nodes and controls which may be dropped and wired together to create a graphical program. The nodes include an automation refnum which references a user-selected automation class from an automation type library exported by an automation server application, such as Microsoft Excel; an automation open node which instantiates an object from the selected automation class; an automation invoke node which invokes a user-selected method of the automation class; and an automation property node which invokes, i.e., reads or writes, user-selected properties of the automation class. The nodes enable the displaying, manipulating, cataloging, editing or performance other operations, such as may be performed by an automation server, on data acquired or generated by a virtual instrument. A method for performing class propagation and type propagation checking of automation objects in a graphical program is also disclosed. The automation class of a first automation node is propagated from the first node to a second automation node when the two nodes are wired together or when the automation class of the first node is changed to a second class. The automation invoke node and automation property node perform type checking to verify that the user-selected method or property is valid for, i.e., defined by, the automation class of the node. The node requests an object manager to determine whether or not the method or property is valid. The object manager queries a type library which the automation class is in, in order to obtain a list of valid methods and properties for the automation class. The object manager searches the list to determine if the specified method or property is present in the list, i.e., is valid.

System and method for performing class propagation and type checking in

A system and method for creating a program for controlling an instrument independent of the interface type of the instrument, in a graphical programming environment. The system comprises a computer system including a display screen and input device, an instrument coupled to the computer system, and a graphical programming environment for creating and executing programs to control the instrument. The programming environment comprises a session control, function nodes and attribute nodes, an object manager and block diagram and front panel editors used to create a virtual instrument. The method for controlling the instrument comprises displaying on the screen session icons, function nodes, and attributes nodes and wiring them together to create the virtual instrument. Virtual instruments, or graphical programs, may be created which are portable across different possible I/O interface types, such as GPIB, VXI, and asynchronous serial interfaces, for coupling the instrument to the computer system. The object manager parses a class definition file to determine possible classes associated with the instrument and the attributes and functions which are valid for a each class. The environment performs type propagation checking to insure that program elements are not wired together in an invalid manner by the user in order to avoid program errors. In particular, the environment checks to see that attributes to be set on and functions to be performed with the instrument are valid for the class of the session associated with the instrument. The environment further performs class propagation between objects in the program to avoid programming errors.

System and method for performing interface independent virtual

A system and method for creating a program for controlling an instrument independent of the interface type of the instrument, in a graphical programming environment. The system comprises a computer system including a display screen and input device, an instrument coupled to the computer system, and a graphical programming environment for creating and executing programs to control the instrument. The programming environment comprises a VISA session control, VISA function nodes and VISA attribute nodes, an object manager and block diagram and front panel editors used to create a VISA virtual instrument. The method for controlling the instrument comprises displaying on the screen VISA session icons, VISA function nodes, and VISA attributes nodes and wiring them together to create the VISA virtual instrument. Virtual instruments, or graphical programs, may be created which are portable across different possible VISA I/O interface types, such as GPIB, VXI, and asynchronous serial interfaces, for coupling the instrument to the computer system. The object manager parses a class definition file to determine possible VISA classes associated with the instrument and the attributes and functions which are valid for a each class. The environment performs type propagation checking to insure that program elements are not wired together in an invalid manner by the user in order to avoid program errors. In particular, the environment checks to see that attributes to be set on and functions to be performed with the instrument are valid for the class of the VISA session associated with the instrument. The environment further performs class propagation between objects in the program to avoid programming errors.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Omid Sojoodi