GUI Overview

GUI Builder for EAD/LDA and PCE:

· The user defined GUI settings such as colors and fonts at a global level. However, each ISPEC can have its own standards, so for example, Events can be different than Standard Components.

· GUI attributes can also be declared for specific line(s). This is to accommodate “HEADER” or “FOOTER” lines or titles.

· For items in the Data Dictionary having Value Logic, those attributes will be applied to the data item in building its graphic attributes. Items with only 2 choices will be either checkboxes or radio buttons. Items with more than 2 choices will be combo boxes.

· Each input or input/output data item can be associated with a presentation type such as: List boxes, push buttons, and check boxes. When a data item is associated to a presentation type, that item will be painted consistently whenever it is found.

· The GUI generation produces an LDA partial model containing generated GUI records which is then loaded back into the EAD/LDA repository.

· GUI standards can be imported and exported so they can be applied to a new version of the same EAD/LDA specification or to a totally different specification.

The evolutionary approach:

The Interface Builder allows the evolution of GUI screen development. Evolutionary GUI painting is developing screens in small batches normally 5 to 10 screens at a time. Attributes defined for a data item are automatically applied to other batches when that data item is used again in other screen batches.

Using the evolutionary approach in GUI development can help determine the best presentation type (listbox, buttons etc) to apply to a data item. This will take experimentation. A suggested approach is to take screen batches, (5-10), and begin to define GUI standards. Several iterations of GUI generations may take place to “learn” the best GUI standards to use. As the GUI attributes begin to become consistent, standards defined for one batch can be applied to subsequent batches automatically.

If GUI standards are changed in the future, all screens could be repainted quickly and consistently by applying the Interface Builder to the entire specification.