WO1992005484A1

WO1992005484A1 - Computer-assisted programming and displaying system

Info

Publication number: WO1992005484A1
Application number: PCT/EP1991/001793
Authority: WO
Inventors: Herbert Drexler
Original assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT öSTERREICH; Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1990-09-21
Filing date: 1991-09-19
Publication date: 1992-04-02

Abstract

Graphic objects that represent the course of a process are called by symbolic names by an application programme (AP) from a programming and displaying system (XM). Programming is carried out by means of an editor (XME). The graphic object that represents a measurement value is defined as a dynamic measurement object. When all required parameters are input, a measurement value table is coupled to the measurement object. The programme library of the programming and displaying system (XM) is linked to the application programme (AP) after translation. While the application programme (AP) is executed, a new measurement value is represented by a call by programming means of the programming and displaying system (XM). These means calculate the new dimensions, the new position, the new attributes, erase the measurement object at its previous location and draw the new one.

Description

Computer-aided display and programming system

The invention relates to a computer-aided display and programming system for application programs, consisting of an editor for creating vector graphics, the design of filling patterns and the definition of dynamic objects, a control program for integrating measured and manipulated values into the program sequence and a coupling program for managing all graphic objects and the generation or modification of the screen display, which is connected to standard programs such as a graphic programming interface of an application-oriented program library of an operating system.

For operating systems (e.g. UNIX) of personal computers and small computer networks, graphic and window systems (e.g. XWindow system) are available as operating aids. As a result, a connection with data exchange to various programs or program parts can be established on one screen in several windows. When application programs for control and monitoring tasks, for example automation technology, are running, it is possible to use the graphics programming interface of this system. Although such pixel-oriented interfaces generally enable functional calls of basic components, such as a circle, red line, etc., the placement on the screen, the length and the shape of the graphic objects must be carried out by the application program. As a result, the creation of complex images, for example for the process representations of automation technology, is an extensive programming task. So in the application program after opening a window on the screen, the whole

Flow diagram are transferred to the graphics programming interface by program calls. The result (the appearance of the picture) can only be seen when the application program is running. The picture is hidden in the program, so to speak.

Since a dialog with the user generally also takes place in text form with application programs, there already is Standard packages (eg OSF / Motif) which, as it were, standardize a "dialog interface" for menu lines and text overlays. Interactive configuration of dialog elements using an editor is possible. When using, only parameters such as placement on the screen, text, selection criteria, etc. have to be specified. These interactive aids create the form and placement of the dialog elements and relieve the application program of this implementation. So there is a separation of the creation of the screen mask and the user guidance from the application program. The dialog elements are called by the application program by symbolic names. However, support for application-specific graphics is not provided in the standard packages.

Several methods and arrangements for generating a graphical display are known for numerically controlling machine tools. DE-A 35 30 596 describes the graphic display of the operating states. In addition, the actual values are also given alphanumerically. From DE-A 35 30 606 it is known to define plot files for controlling the operation of the machine tool by operator selection, program selection or machine control logic selection. These files are transmitted to the numerical control station of the system. A window display control device for screens is known from DE-A 39 32 693. The window area is used for data display, which can also be output without renewing the overall picture.

According to US 4,757,461, the workpiece of a machine tool defined by data is displayed with graphic simulation. The representation is supplemented by the path of the tool. The illustration takes shading effects into account. In US 4,794,51 a method for correcting programs numerically controlled machine tools is specified. A process control for the area of plant engineering is known from US 4,873,623. The process parameters are defined in a first level then be listed in different menus. A standard input is provided for the process parameters, which can then be changed. Measured values can also be included in the definition of the process. A method for recoding data of a numerically controlled machine tool is known from US 4,890,234. There is essentially a coordinate conversion.

The object of the invention is to enable the interactive creation of a flowchart using an editor and to offer the application program a symbolic program interface.

This is achieved according to claim 1 with a computer-aided display and programming system, a flowchart being shown with graphic elements and symbolic names being defined for the graphic elements with which they are used to represent the application program via the display and programming system as a symbolic programming interface can be called up, elements of the flow chart being defined as dynamic measurement objects via the editor, which on the one hand contain a description of the measurement object from graphic objects of the graphics programming interface and on the other hand consist of measurement value tables which contain the corresponding current measurement value, the connection the table of measured values and the description of the measurement object takes place via the control program and the coupling program, which also establishes the connection to the application program, and the dynamic program objects are represented by the application program with each measurement value is redefined.

First a static background picture of the process, possibly with a network representation, is created. The graphic elements are defined interactively and are only called symbolically by the application program. In addition, the dynamic elements of the image, which are used to display measured or manipulated values, are also defined interactively. The operator son therefore configures the application program instead of having to program it individually as before. It is possible to change the description of the measurement object without having to re-enter the geometric shape of the object. If the object itself is changed and retains its symbolic name, the application program need not be changed. By introducing the object-oriented interface to the graphics and the dynamic measurement objects, it is possible to separate the "syntax" of the image from the "semantics" of the image. The measured or manipulated value is treated separately from its representation. The system according to the invention enables considerable time savings when programming graphical representations. In principle, only calls such as "Load" and "Set" should be provided in the application program. There are no calculations and program parts for displaying the image when opening a window, when covering other windows, etc. The programmer can concentrate on his actual technological problems. The measured value display can also be configured and changed without changing the application program. The invention can be used with different graphics and window systems.

For a more memorable representation, it is advantageous that a measurement table is assigned to different measurement objects and that measurement objects are nested within each other as components of other measurement objects. This makes it possible to provide additional warning signals in the flow chart.

The invention is explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment and several drawings. Show it:

1 is a block diagram of the display and programming system,

2 graphic and object tree of a measured value representation,

3 shows the structure of a measurement value representation, FIG. 4 shows a block representation of a measurement type and

Fig. 5 is a block diagram of another type of measurement. The use of the display and programming system according to the invention is first described in general. A flowchart of a process representation of the automation technology is drawn with its static parts via an editor contained in the display and programming system and stored in a file. Measuring sensors deliver measured variables cyclically to an application program. The application program graphically displays the measurement result on a screen. A number of programs are linked to the application program from a program library. With these, the flowchart can be displayed on the screen in the correct size with a single call. This program library also contains calls to manipulate individual objects in this graphic, these objects being addressed under symbolic names. Any graphical object that has been drawn into the flowchart with the editor and provided with the symbolic name "0bj_xy" can be called up under this name by the application program. This enables the application description, such as the color, to be changed to red by the application program, for example using the "Set_Attribut_Farbe_" command of the "Obj_xy" object. The flow chart can also be changed at any time using the editor. As long as the object to be manipulated is identified by the symbolic name "0bj_xy", the application program need not be changed.

After the creation of the flow chart, any graphic object is defined as a measurement object with the editor. This is called "meter object" in the following, since it is used like a measuring instrument to output measured values (for example a "level meter" for a container). Afterwards, all parameters necessary for the dynamics of the meter object are queried interactively in the editor. The measured value is separated from its display in the following steps: 1. A display-independent measured value table is defined for the measured value, which is given the symbolic name, under which the application program will output the measured value (for example "level 1"). Among other things, this table specifies the values between which the measured value is moving (minimum and maximum value). 2. A display-dependent meter object description is defined for the measurement (meter) object. Strictly speaking, any element of the graphic is defined by this additional definition of the meter object. It is determined whether the object should move, rotate or enlarge with a change in the measured value. Various factors such as the minimum and maximum representation of the object are defined. 3. The meter objects, which are in and of themselves application-neutral, are linked with measurement value tables. However, this connection can be broken off at any time using the editor, new connections can be made, other graphic elements can be defined as meter objects and can thus be used for display. Several different meter objects can also represent the same measured value. The form of representation remains independent of the measured value table supplied with measured variables by the application program. The meter objects can not only be used for the output of measured values, but also in general for "controlling" the graphical user interface.

The meter object descriptions are saved with the flow chart - they are part of the flow chart ("Proz_Bild"). The program library is now coupled to the application program, of which in this example only the calls "Load_image / process_image /" and "Set_measured value / level 1 /" have to be used. All presentation-specific things, including the implementation of the measured values in changes of parts of the

Graphics are processed by program parts of the display and programming system in accordance with the regulations defined interactively with the editor.

A display and programming system XM shown in FIG. 1 provides an application program AP with UNIX dialog applications who use the XWindow system, tools are available for displaying data of a controlled process P on the screen. It is based on a UNIX operating system with an XWindow system. The display and programming system XM is written entirely in the C programming language, and this means that porting to any UNIX / XWindow system is possible in principle, provided that it meets the requirements of the standards in terms of compatibility. The XM display and programming system consists of the following parts:

XM Utilities:

- XME editor for the interactive creation of static images (graphics composed of vector-oriented and pixel-oriented objects) and for the interactive definition of dynamic objects which represent measured values when the AP application program is running;

- Conversion program for printing the created images;

- Image analysis program for analysis and statistical evaluation of the image structure.

XM Library:

Coupling program XMOM (XM object management) as a program interface for application programs AP, in order to supply the individual objects with dynamic measured values or to change the objects dynamically (as in the XME editor) and as a higher-quality interface to a graphics programming interface place XLIB;

- Control program XMC (XM-Control) as automatic program sequence control, a "set of callback routines", supports the connection of the dynamic measured values.

Image analysis program:

The structure of the flow diagrams can be displayed graphically (in tree form) with the image analysis program. Furthermore, the frequencies of the different object types are calculated. The diagram of an object tree created in this way can be saved and printed out. The display and programming system XM manages various

Objects that are necessary for the description of images and measured values. This includes:

- static objects graphic objects (visible in a window) G0

Management objects (groups of graphic objects) colors, fill patterns PIX

- dynamic objects

Meter objects (for dynamic measured values / control values) M measured value and threshold value tables T

- Pictures and drawing files (save files of the editors).

The static objects describe a structured image (e.g. from lines, circles), the dynamic objects describe the change of parts of the image based on current measured values. Such images are saved by the editor XME, reloaded by the application program AP and supplied with current measured values.

The display and programming system XM distinguishes the following classes from graphic objects shown in FIG. 2 using the example of a boiler image BD with object tree OB. By combining objects into groups, a hierarchy of groups is formed, which is referred to as object tree OB: Line L as the edge line of the boiler (line, with or without filling, line thickness)

- Box B "Bar 1" as boiler content (rectangular object, special case of line)

- Ellipse (including circle, with or without filling, line width), not shown in Fig. 2

- Text T as image caption (character string in different fonts, size, bold, italic)

- fill pattern

The graphic objects form the elements from which the Kesse picture BD is composed. When summarizing graphical Objects form administration objects:

- Group G as a boiler graphic (group of any graphic or administrative objects) and

- Root R as an overall representation (the root object of the object tree OB)

The objects are defined by their object class and a set of attributes. Each object has the following general attributes: - Name

Id, string that identifies the object. This string can be freely selected by the user in the editor and is used to identify the object by the application program. An application-specific structure can be formed using naming conventions - regardless of the display and programming system. -

- Select

Selected objects are marked with a frame in the graphic editor - Visible

Visibility, only visible objects are shown on the screen. With this attribute z. B. a picture change can be realized by making a part of the picture that is not required invisible. - Color

Each object has its own color

- Callback

Each object can have an activation function that is called up by the XMC control program when the object is selected. An object with an activation function is called an activatable object and can e.g. can be used to implement switching points.

- Keysym

A button can also be assigned to each object, which also triggers the activation function. In this way, the sequence of the application program (instead of using the mouse) can also be controlled by function keys. Other attributes of objects are, for example

- Fill pattern (any pattern created with the Pixmap editor)

- Line weight

- Text information (font type)

Colors are identified in the display and programming system XM (see Fig. 1 with a string (e.g. "red" or "jfffOOOO" for RGB information). The coupling program XMOM offers calls for simple use of colors.

Fill patterns PIX are described by bit patterns, so-called bitmaps. Multi-colored fill patterns PIX (each pixel has its own color) are called pixmaps. Pixmaps are defined by a file name (string). This file has either bitmap format or XM-Pix ap format. In the XM display and programming system, the pixmaps are used to describe filling patterns for rectangles, lines and ellipses, and to define pixmap objects.

In order to represent a measured variable according to FIG. 3, the application program AP uses the dynamic objects. These describe very generally how the change in a measured value is mapped to a change in a static object. The measurement variable MG "fill level" is to take place by changing the size of a filled rectangle (= graphic box object). Such a static object with a description of a change based on measured values is a meter object. The meter object is an administrative object in the object tree, which can be viewed as a special case of a group object. In addition to the group attributes, meter objects also have the description of the change as a property. The meter object is thus the graphical representation of a measured value.

The measurement variable itself is described by a so-called MWT table. The designation table means that the display and programming system for a measurand Several current values can be managed, for example to display a time course of a measured variable with a curve (using a meter object "Curve" MOC). If, as in the example of the fill level as a rectangle, only a current value of the measured quantity is required, the measured value table MWT consists of only one value (or the last value is taken from n-value tables). A measured value table MWT is also assigned to a logical measured variable. One or more meter objects can be assigned to a measured value table MWT.

To display the fill level simultaneously or alternatively as a rectangle or as a curve, you define

- a measured value table MWT "level" with e.g. 10 values

- A meter object "Bar 1" MOB as a variable bar for the current measured value

- A meter object "Curve 1" MOC as a running curve with 10 support points

The application program AP only supplies current values for the measured variable MG "fill level".

A threshold value table can be assigned to each measured value table MWT, that is a list of (critical) values of the assigned measured value. For example, would be a threshold table with the two for a measurement table "water temperature"

Values 0 and 100 possible. The effect of the threshold value table on the representation in the individual meter objects would be a color change, for example.

Meter objects can not only be used to display a measured variable by changing it on the screen, the application program AP can also use this technique to easily implement desired changes on the screen: To do this, control variables are defined (e.g. with possible "measured values" 0 and 1 ) and the associated measured value table (eg with the name "Tax 1"). So you can, for example, change a picture by a Realize output of a current "measured value" (eg "Control 1": new value 1).

The main saving when using dynamic objects is that the definition and connection of meter objects and measurement tables takes place interactively with the XM editor and therefore significantly reduces the programming effort.

The display and programming system distinguishes four types of meter objects:

- digital

Representation of a measured value by a graphic text object (numerical)

- Hand (pointer) representation by geometrically changing any

Property

- symbol

Representation by alternative display of any objects - curve

Representation of several measured values by means of a line, bar, pie chart or table.

The types digital, hand and symbol are called single-valued meter objects since they represent a (current) measured value. The curve type forms the so-called n-valued meter objects.

A meter object can itself be part of a group, e.g. the object "Bar 1" could indicate the level

Be part of the "Boiler" group, which still contains the image of the boiler and labels.

With the digital meter type, the measured value is displayed as a numeric string (eg "123.4"). The meter object uses a graphic text object for this. This means that all graphic properties Shafts of text objects (font type, size, bold / italics) also possible for digital meter objects. The meter type hand (pointer) is the umbrella term for all meter objects that represent the measured value by changing position or size. The peculiarity is that objects which are changed by the representation can be any graphic, group or even meter objects.

The display and programming system distinguishes the following types of movement functions from hand-held objects:

- HandMove

Shift between 2 predeterminable points on the screen (e.g. slider, illustration of a motion sequence in the process) - HandSize

Change in size between predeterminable minimum and maximum size (e.g. level indicator)

- Hand zoom

Size change with predefinable magnification factors (e.g. image enlargement with a control variable "zoom factor", meter object is the entire image)

- Hand Rotate

Rotation around a predeterminable center point (e.g. clock hand)

Since the meter objects can be any objects, they can also be “nested” as shown in FIG. 4. For example, a rotating pointer at the tip of the pointer can additionally display the measured value digitally. This is achieved by adding a digital meter DM "pointer tip" with text object T as a hand meter HM "pointer" in addition to the graphic design (line object L).

5, the measured value is displayed by displaying a corresponding object (symbol) from a list depending on its value. The measured value is therefore symbolized by an object. The symbol list results from the in Object tree objects located below a symbol meter SM. Switching between the different symbols takes place on the basis of a threshold value table which is assigned to the measured value table of the displayed size: If the current measured value is less than or equal to the first threshold value, the first symbol is displayed, the second between the first and the second threshold value inclusive Symbol etc. If there are fewer symbols than threshold values, the last one in the list is always used.

For the control variable "valve status" (with the values 0 and 1), a threshold value table with the values 0 and 1 is defined. The associated symbol meter SM has two pixmap objects as symbols for the status "closed" or "open".

If the current value 0 is now set for "valve status", the "closed" symbol Z appears, for value 1 the "open symbol A. The individual symbol objects do not have to appear at the same screen position as in the example above (eg a symbol - "Traffic lights" meter object with 3 ellipse objects as symbols. Only the current symbol is shown, all others are invisible.

With symbol meter objects, it is also very easy to change the image. The individual partial images are combined as symbols of a meter object with a measured value table "image number". The application program can thus switch between the individual drawing files with one call ("picture number": new value x).

The meter type curve is the generic term for the n-valued meter objects, i.e. that not only one - current - measured value but several - the last n - measured values are displayed. The following types of curve meter objects are supported: - Curve Polyline

The n values are connected at n interpolation points by a line within a predeterminable rectangle. - Curve ePolym arker

Wi e polylines, only marking objects are output instead of the line drawing.

- CurveBar bar chart: correspondingly large bars are drawn at the support points. 3D representation is possible.

- curve bar

The bars are stacked one above the other.

- Curve PieChart pie chart: The measured values are represented by circle sectors.

- Curve text

Table: The measured values are output in text form next to or one below the other.

Curves, bar charts and tables can be displayed horizontally or vertically. When shifting a horizontal curve meter, the current measured values always come "from the right" and shift the display to the left ("running curve"). In the vertical case, the display moves from bottom to top ("clerk replacement"). Without moving, the display of a horizontal curve is built up from left to right. If the curve on the right "stands", the output is continued from the left. In order to achieve a real-time display of a curve when the measured values arrive at irregular intervals, the interpolation point distances can be specified by the application program. This is done by also transferring the relative distance (in relation to the entire curve) when a new measured value is obtained.

The monovalent meter objects digital, hand and symbol can also be used for the interactive input of manipulated values. If entry is permitted for a meter object, the user can set a value with the mouse or keyboard that the control program uses as a " desired value "is passed. The application program can confirm the value by replaying it and / or process it accordingly. The user input is as follows:

- Digitally click the meter object and enter the desired one

Value via the keyboard.

- Hand

Click on the meter object and drag with the mouse button pressed to the desired value. The meter object moves according to the movement function with (Move, Size, Zoom, Rotate).

- symbol

Clicking on the symbol switches to the next symbol in the list; after the last symbol, the system switches back to the first. This allows the user to "click through all symbols".

The measured value table has the following properties as an object that describes a logical measured variable: - Name

Any string that can be specified by the user or by the application program

- minimum, maximum

Interval in which the measured values move. Needed by hand and curve meter objects for scaling.

- Number n of values

For single-valued meter objects, n = 1 is sufficient; for curve meter objects, this results in the number of support points or bars, etc. - threshold value table

Name of the assigned threshold value table as a reference

- List of meter objects

One or more meter objects that represent the logical measured variable described by the measured value table.

Threshold value tables are one or more measurement value tables assigned and describe the critical values of the measured variable. The threshold values thus divide the interval of the measured values into several threshold value intervals (for example, with the threshold values 0 and 100 for "water temperature" there are 3 intervals TEMP_MIN, 0-100, TEMP_MAX). The threshold value intervals are visualized in the meter objects either by color changes (corresponding to a color list defined for the meter object, eg "blue", "red", "gray") or, for the symbol type, by the respective symbol in the symbol list (eg 3 symbols " Ice "," water "," steam ").

Claims

Claims:

1. Computer-aided display and programming system (XM) for application programs (AP), consisting of an editor (XME) for the creation of vector graphics, the design of fill patterns and the definition of dynamic objects, a control program (XMC) for the integration of measurement or Control values in the program flow and a coupling program (XMOM) for the administration of all graphic objects and the generation or modification of the screen display, which is connected to standard programs such as a graphic programming interface (XLIB) of an application-oriented program library of an operating system (UNIX), whereby a flowchart is shown with graphic elements and symbolic names are defined for the graphic elements with which they can be called up as a symbolic program interface for display by the application program (AP) via the display and programming system (XM), elements of the flowchart using the Editor (XME) as a dynamic measurement object ects are defined which contain a description of the measurement object from graphic objects of the graphic programming interface (XLIB) on the one hand and on the other hand consist of measurement value tables (MWT) which contain the corresponding current measurement value, the connection of the measurement value table (MWT) and the measurement object -Description takes place via the control program (XMC) and the coupling program (XMOM), which also establishes the connection to the application program (AP) and the representation of the dynamic measurement objects is newly defined by the application program (AP) with each measured value.

2. System according to claim 1, so that a measurement table (MWT) is assigned to different measurement objects and measurement objects are nested one inside the other as components of other measurement objects.