Methods for presenting program execution in a graphical fashion

Abstract

Methods for analyzing data inside a computer program. As the program executes, a display of internal file contents is provided in real-time. Additionally, graphics and document text are provided to provide a better understanding of the program.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 inserting, into a computer program, computer software instructions to cause a presentation of a split screen view of operations of the computer program Shen the computer program is executed; and   executing, by a processor, the computer program with the computer software instructions inserted therein, the execution of the computer program comprising:
 processing a first transaction of the computer program followed by a second transaction of the computer program different from the first transaction, 
 presenting the split screen view of the operations of the computer program, a first portion of said split screen view including first graphical elements, and a second portion of said split screen view including second graphical elements, wherein the second graphical elements include at least a first block illustrating the first transaction and a second block illustrating the second transaction, the first block being different from the second block; 
 responsive to processing the first transaction, presenting in the second portion of said split screen view the first block with greater emphasis than the second block; and 
 responsive to processing the second transaction, presenting in the second portion of said split screen view the second block with greater emphasis than the first block, 
 wherein the second graphical elements are presented on a transaction-by-transaction basis of the computer program during its execution. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second graphical elements further include text describing what is shown in the second graphical elements. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the execution of the computer program proceeds according to a viewer command received from the first portion of said split screen view. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the viewer command comprises entering a password into a text box in the first portion of said split screen view. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second blocks are part of a block diagram presented in the second portion f said split screen view.