- Research Article
- 10.1016/0066-4138(73)90005-0
A general purpose conversational system for graphical programming
- Jan 01, 1973
- Annual Review in Automatic Programming
- O Lecarme
A general purpose conversational system for graphical programming
A General Purpose Conversational System for Graphical Programming
A general purpose conversational system for graphical programming
A general purpose conversational system for graphical programming
Graphical programming and program correctness proof
The next generation visual programming technology (VTR), which uses so-called R-charts (ISO/IEC 8631) is defined here. R-charts - are being the oriented graphs loaded through the arcs. The main difference of VTR is its simplicity and single graphic form of the program writing during its entire life cycle, which ensures new principles of design, debugging, visual and compact (by more than one order) writing compared to writing in existing programming languages (PL). Due to its simplicity, it is acceptable to broad circle of the specialists, but not only to the programmers. Graphic paradigm of VTR is set, which is based on a single graphical shell for all existing PLs without goto, if, for, while, break, labels, brackets: begin-end, {-} etc. Evidentiary, linguistic, parallel, three- and multidimensional programming is introduced for controlling and computing systems. Colour is used extensively for writing of graphic programs. It is integrated well with available programming systems. At present, graphic programming VTR is realized in the environment Qt Creator C++ (www.glushkov.org). This allowed carrying out justified analysis of VTR advantages in comparison with traditional technologies that use modern PLs, UML, and OOP.
Read moreApplication of Graphical Hardware Programming in Non-Computer Major
with the increasing demand for computer application scenarios, it is necessary to develop computer software and hardware systems conveniently and quickly, which can be applied to specific occasions and scientific research and production activities of specific specialties. Learning computer software and hardware programming is a long and complex process, which requires a kind of software that enables noncomputer specialists to develop what they want and suitable for their work. Hardware systems, such as biology majors, want a stable closed self-circulating ecosystem. This requires a system that includes computer software and hardware, and needs to be programmed. In the process of applying this system, we need to adjust frequently to make changes in functions or parameters, which requires professional computer talents to do. [1] With the emergence of new software and hardware programming methods such as scratch and Arduino, our computer programming ideas have been changed. The graphical programming ideas of scratch have saved a lot of people from learning computer programming grammar. Arduino is a very convenient hardware programming miniaturization platform. Combining the two, people who are not computer majors can be freed from the complex computer learning process, and they can easily and quickly build the practical system they want. This has greatly liberated people, and time can be spent mainly on research or work to be done. This paper mainly introduces the software and hardware environment of graphical programming, and then gives several practical examples to facilitate people’s reference.
Read moreA design philosophy for a general purpose data acquisition and display system
------This paper presents an overview of the design, functional requirements, and method of implementation of a general purpose data acquisition system. The design incorporates the use of file-driven software and generic hardware architecture as the key methodologies in its structure. The flexibility of this concept allows re-configuration of the system without major perturbation to the basic design. The resulting cost savings in the develop -ment and use of systems of this type can be a significant factor in the large scale availability of telemetry acquisition facilities. Generic, General purpose, Telemetry, Data Acquisition, File Driven, Real-Time 1.0 Philosophy -------------A properly implemented general purpose design should be capable of performing all of the functions defined to be within the set of the generic system type. For example, a general purpose data acquisition and display system must acquire data, perform engineering units conversion, and display this data in a realtime environment. It would be incorrect to assume that the same system could be used efficiently for functions such as payroll or budget forecasting, although this usage is not expressly prohibited by the design. Proper design of a general purpose system considers expansion, modification, and specialization to fit specific needs within its general classification. A truly general purpose design should perform most of the basic functions within its generic set without being explicitly required to do so. 2.0 Background -------------At the time of this writing, at least four different test or flight data acqusition systems were in existance or being developed. All of these performed similar functions, yet each was developed independently with different system architectures, different hardware, and different software. Each system was designed for a very specific application with little or no legacy for similar future projects. When the Global Positioning System (GPS) NAVSTAR block I Data Transfer * Member of the Technical Staff Released to AlAA to publish in all forms. System was released, its design incorpor -ated many general purpose features, such as a re-usable user interface, and table-driven operation of its display and reporting sub-systems. One of the major features of the design was a filedriven data display architecture which allowed the data from several dissimilar telemetry schemes to be displayed simultaneously. Following this an enhanced version of the system was proposed. This system will be required to support a new block I1 series of satellite. Although similar in function, the telemetry format and data rates differ substantially from the block I vehicles. Analysis showed that it was not practical or desirable to maintain two discrete data acquisition and display systems; therefore, it was decided to design a general purpose architecture which could service both. 3.0 Design Advantages When data acquisition and display systems are designed from a zero-base development point of view, a multiplicity of system implementations will result. This multiplicity creates the problem of maintaining a large number of application-specific systems, and a protracted development/lead time from requirements definition to delivered item. A general Furpose design approach eliminates these problems and allows the one-time expenditure required to develop a re-usable design to be recovered by distributing the cost over many such systems. 3.1 Flexibility --------------The proposed design entails many features which allow the tailoring of the system to a large number of users. Significant flexibility features in this design are described as follows. The Data Recognition and Acquisition Unit's internal algorithms are easily modified (via software) to accept a wide variety of telemetry format conventions. This also allows the capability to dynamically re-configure the unit in real time. Software variable buffer sizing and dynamic memory allocation algorithms allow the unit to accomodate variable data rates. Generic table-driven software allows one set of tables to contain all of the parameters necessary to acquire and interpret mixed data formats without altering the software. Using a Copyright
Read moreParallel computer algebra software as a Web component
In the field of computer algebra, joining separate computer algebra systems with individual strengths into problem solving environments is an important recent research direction. In this paper we describe how we wrapped a specialized computer algebra system, which uses shared-memory parallelism to speed up Grobner basis computations, into a Web component that can be used by other systems. By this component also a new algorithmic development in Grobner basis computations – the use of the Fractal Grobner Walk – was made available to various general purpose computer algebra systems in the form of a single optimized implementation. Previously, all of the important algorithmic improvements to an algorithm had to be reimplemented in the general purpose systems. Our implementation allows access to the Grobner basis computations via ‘intelligent’ graphical user interfaces and via scripting from existing general purpose algebra systems. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Read moreChoose the red pill and the blue pill
In the movie Matrix, our hero Neo must choose between taking the Blue Pill and continuing to live in an online, synthesized fantasy world, or taking the Red Pill and joining the real world. The fantasy world appears to those living in it to be full of flowers and trees and big steak dinners, but unknown to them contains malicious Agents who can alter any portion of the world to suit their needs. The real world, in turn, while real, has no visible sun, and the people have only gray mush for food.Authorization and authentication of online transactions across a network requires a trusted path between the user and the server. We posit that those who attempt to solve this problem by creating the trusted path on the general-purpose operating system have taken the Blue Pill and are living in a fantasy world. One simply cannot properly secure a general-purpose operating system.Solving the problem by taking the Red Pill and completely replacing currently used operating systems with ones that we can properly secure does not seem palatable. We suggest a solution that involves taking both the Blue Pill and the Red Pill: providing the trusted path by means of a separate device with a secure operating system, used in tandem with the existing general purpose operating system. Most user interaction occurs on the un-trusted system, with the secure device only being used to finalise transactions.We believe that the technology required for such a device is readily available. Obviously our idea is not a completely novel idea; prior work in the area has had a similar goal. However, most of those attempts have not properly addressed the requirements for the trusted system, generally preferring to use existing general-purpose systems even when on a dedicated [Balfanz 1999] [Kingpin 2001] Others have a very limited scope of use. [Blakely 2004].We identify a minimum set of requirements for the trusted device. This paper does not provide a working solution (it is a position paper after all); we simply define how one should approach that working solution. Because we advocate a hybrid system it is possible to simplify the trusted system to a point where it would not be usable as a general purpose system, which should make the trusted system rather easier to build and have confidence in.
Read moreGraphics programming on Android devices
Mobile devices, especially those that handle Android operating system have been well received in recent years and are used to solve problems in real time. Nowadays some applications are being developed to support visual programming within these devices and mobile applications have been developed to accomplish this approach as Catroid and Scratch, since it has been proven through studies that allows graphical programming to gain more interest in software development and has supported applications for computers with Scratch, StarLogo and Alice. For these reasons is presented the design and analysis of an application that lets you to program using blocks from Android devices and allows the generation and execution of code in the Java language on a remote server.
Read moreChallenging interfaces/redesigning users
As the identity of the computer user becomes more diverse, software developers can no longer assume familiarity with legacy systems or perfect vision, motor control and memory. The development of Piloot (for users with learning difficulties) and SeeWord (for dyslexic readers) shows that systems can be usable and accessible for 'non-typical' user groups. It is no longer appropriate to design 'general purpose' software that excludes users because of their age or minor impairments. Piloot and SeeWord, although developed for very different user groups, uncover some common barriers to computer use. Although some of these barriers were overcome in similar ways, other solutions were specific to the target user group and this may suggest strategies that will be effective in developing inclusive systems in the future.
Read moreField—a new environment for making digital art
This article will describe an environment for developing digital artworks, named Field, that has underpinned some of the most technically challenging real-time artworks made to date. This new tool was recently released by the author under an open source license. Created to specifically support exploratory and improvisory code writing, this environment, which hybridizes text-based programming with dynamic visual metaphors, stands in contrast with the dominant tools available to digital artists today—either the graphical data-flow programming systems or the more recent interest in “live” code-based tools. Field creates an environment where the boundaries between design, development, debugging, and deployment are explicitly porous and ready to shift as the process of forming the artwork out of its formal algorithmic conception demands. This article will articulate the philosophy of this tool by comparison with programming systems, old and new, and describe in detail the ways in which code can be written in it. Examples showing how the fusion of graphical and text-based programming representations can foster specifically the practices demanded by large collaborative artworks will be drawn from the recent work of the OpenEnded Group, spanning real-time graphics, interactive performance, music, and print media.
Read moreAn Interactive Graphic Programming System for the Construction of Dynamic Simulation Models
The paper describes a new approach to model building GRIPS (Graphic Interactive Programming System). GRIPS is a software package enabling the model builder to quickly develop a running program of his simulation model by simply putting his flow chart on the computer and let GRIPS do the rest. The block diagram of a model is sketched on a video screen using a lightpen. The program then interactively requests all necessary information such as model parameters and initial conditions to carry out a simulation run. The set of equations necessary and sufficient to describe the behavior of the dynamic model is generated internally from the available input information. After the model response is computed the user may choose among several formats for output of the results. Graphical representation as well as numerical results can be output on the screen or teletype. Structural and parametric changes of the model are easily accomplished and the effect of these changes can be observed almost immediately.KeywordsBlock DiagramEpidemic ModelVideo ScreenMini ComputerStructural InterconnectionThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
Read moreAlgorithm of power line current formation at load node
The paper is devoted to devices and methods for the automated regulation of power flows in the Smart Grids. A description of the method of the current vector control of the power transmission lines electrically combined in a general load power supply system by introducing an additional voltage and applying a line reactor with specified electrical parameters is given. A vector diagram of voltages and currents of the power system is presented, explaining the principles of forming the current parameters of a line reactor installed in an adjustable power line. A virtual tool made in the LabVIEW graphical programming environment based on the CompactRIO platform is described. It is used as an element of a voltage converter control system that implements control of electrical potentials on a line reactor. The effect of the initial phase shift between the voltages of the connected nodes of power lines is observed. The results of the analysis of the voltage vector system in the regulated power system when measuring the initial phase shift between the voltages of power lines and the formation of a predetermined nature of the current of the network choke are shown and the change in the value generated / consumed by the inverter active power voltage is shown.
Read moreTowards General Purpose, High Level, Software Languages
A highly significant benefit of MDA is that it raises the level of abstraction at which the soft-ware developer is able to work. However, the languages available to the developer have not seen much change in the last decade. Modeling languages offer high level concepts, but the pre-dominant modeling language (UML) offers too little expressive power to be able to specify a system completely. Meanwhile, the level of abstraction of most programming language con-cepts is the same as 10 to 15 years ago. Although transformation tools may to some extent bridge the gap between modeling and programming languages, in practice the developer still needs to do both modeling and programming. This means switching between the two levels of abstractions, which is difficult for most people. We argue that a general purpose, high level, software language is necessary to get MDA adopted. This language will enable any developer to focus on the problem at hand while the supporting tools – transformation tools or generators- take care of the nitty gritty details. This paper introduces an early version of such a language, which brings together a number of powerful concepts from various sources: UML, OCL, design patterns, existing programming languages, and eventually aspect-oriented languages.
Read moreGeneral survey of design automation of digital computers
A review is presented of the use of digital computers in the design and application of new digital systems. The reasons for design automation are a possible reduction in costs, increased problem analysis capabilities, an increase in man's creative ability through man-machine interaction, increased speed of design, change control and documentation, and an increase in the efficiency of available manpower. The design problems and their solutions discussed can be divided into the following three areas. 1) Preconstruction Analysis: The system characteristics can be evaluated prior to construction by using a general purpose system simulator, such as the SIMSCRIPT computer of Markowitz, the GPSS routine of Gordon, or the SOL system of Knuth. 2) Design and Implementation: Routines have been developed for doing circuit design and logic generation and simplification. Logic can be automatically checked by using logic simulators. Finally, the physical implementation processes have been almost completely automated. Some of the problems in this area the assignment of logic to cards, the assignment of cards to backboards, the placement of cards on backboards, and the routing of conductors on backboards and cards. 3) Software: Today, the importance of design automation techniques in the development of software has become apparent. One important development in this area is in the automatic generation of test routines for the detection and diagnosis of component failures.
Read moreAUTOMATED CONFIGURATION OF BACKPLANE-BASED MICROCOMPUTERS
AUTOMATED CONFIGURATION OF BACKPLANE-BASED MICROCOMPUTERS
Tutorial on database research
McLeod : This tutorial surveys recent research in data abstraction and conceptual modelling in the database area. In particular, I will present recent results in the area of higher level data models, sometimes called semantic data models. The principal focus of database research has been on database management systems (DBMS's). A DBMS is a general purpose system which provides tools for logical structuring of formatted data, access interfaces, data control (protection and integrity) and efficient storage of and access to data. I would like to emphasize that results in database research, while applicable to tailored systems, e.g., an airline reservation system, are really of a general purpose nature.
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