Automatic application wizard

Abstract

A system to automate creation of a configuration wizard from, for example, an underlying control application. In one instance, a complex application may be represented with a simple configuration view such as that of a configuration wizard. When an application is being created, a user may be provided with a feature that defines the configuration wizard. Some aspects of the present approach are that a wizard user interface may be automatically generated, a standard approach may be provided to define the wizard, and, for changes which are performed in the application, the wizard may easily be edited and regenerated.

1 . A tool for creating a wizard, comprising:
 creating an application;   launching a utility for creating a wizard;   discovering parameters which can be exposed to a user in the wizard;   obtaining a new template;   selecting which discovered parameters are to be exposed to the user in the wizard;   defining attributes for the selected parameters;   creating steps;   assigning selected parameters to the steps;   rearranging, as needed, the selected parameters under each step; and   defining rules.   
     
     
         2 . The tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 launching a utility which opens the wizard for an application;   customizing settings according to needs of the user;   saving the settings; and   loading the application to a controller.   
     
     
         3 . The tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 launching a Niagara™ workstation;   dropping an application from the library to a worksheet upon which the wizard automatically appears;   customizing settings;   saving the settings; and   loading the application to a controller.   
     
     
         4 . The tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 launching a workstation;   dropping an application from the library to a worksheet upon which the wizard automatically appears;   customizing settings;   saving the settings; and   loading the application to a controller.   
     
     
         5 . The tool of  claim 4 , wherein the customizing settings is according to needs of the user. 
     
     
         6 . The tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 launching WebVision™;   importing the template into WebVision upon which the wizard automatically appears;   customizing settings; and   saving the settings.   
     
     
         7 . The tool of  claim 6 , wherein the customizing settings is according to needs of the user. 
     
     
         8 . The tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 launching a utility for using the tool in LNS;   importing the template in LNS upon which the wizard automatically appears;   customizing settings; and   saving the settings.   
     
     
         9 . The tool of  claim 8 , wherein the customizing settings is according to needs of the user. 
     
     
         10 . A tool for automating creation of wizard from an application, comprising:
 creating an application;   launching a utility for creating a wizard;   discovering parameters which can be exposed to a user in the wizard;   obtaining an existing template;   generating a list of steps according to the template and wherein the wizard provides a list of fields under each step;   mapping parameters to the steps; and   defining attributes for the parameters.   
     
     
         11 . The tool of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 modifying the steps;   rearranging the parameters under each step; and   redefining rules.   
     
     
         12 . The tool of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 launching a utility for using the tool;   opening the wizard for an application;   customizing settings according to needs of the user;   saving the settings; and   loading the application to a controller.   
     
     
         13 . The tool of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 launching a Niagara™ workstation;   dropping an application from the library to a worksheet upon which the wizard automatically appears;   customizing settings;   saving the settings; and   loading the application to a controller.   
     
     
         14 . The tool of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 launching a workstation;   dropping an application from the library to a worksheet upon which the wizard automatically appears;   customizing settings;   saving the settings; and   loading the application to a controller.   
     
     
         15 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein the customizing settings is according to needs of the user. 
     
     
         16 . The tool of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 launching Webvision™;   importing the template in Webvision upon which the wizard automatically appears;   customizing settings; and   saving the settings.   
     
     
         17 . The tool of  claim 16 , wherein the customizing settings is according to needs of the user. 
     
     
         18 . The tool of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 launching a utility for using the tool in LNS;   importing the template upon which the wizard automatically appears;   customizing settings; and   saving the settings.   
     
     
         19 . The tool of  claim 18 , wherein the customizing settings is according to needs of the user. 
     
     
         20 . A tool for automating creation of a configuration wizard from an underlying application, comprising:
 creating an application;   launching a utility for generating a configuration wizard;   selecting data points from the application that are to appear in the wizard;   mapping data points to widget and/or user interface fields in the wizard;   defining validations and/or rules for the wizard; and   the wizard is generated to represent the application.   
     
     
         21 . The tool of  claim 20 , wherein:
 a wizard user interface is automatically generated; and   a standard approach is used for defining a wizard.   
     
     
         22 . The tool of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the application is created using a Spyder™ programming tool; and   the utility for generating the configuration wizard is a feature in the Spyder programming tool.