Program creation by combining web services using graphic user interface controls

Abstract

The invention provides a Graphical User Interface (GUI) interface for building programs from web services. The interface to a web service is represented in a user menu preferably by an icon and text. A user drags and drops an icon representing a web service from the menu to a display area and interconnects the icon to other icons representing other program entities (preferably other web services). Preferably, a more detailed icon is created in the display area after the drag and drop. The completed set of interconnected icons in the display area are saved as a new program entity. The invention further includes visualization of the flow of information through the model in a test mode.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for creating computer programs in a web service environment, the method comprising the steps of: 
 moving a first representation of a first web service program into a GUI displayed partition;    moving a second representation of a second program into the GUI displayed partition; and    interconnecting the first representation with the second representation using GUI functions wherein the first web service program programmably communicates with the second program to perform a desired operation.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising the further steps of: 
 selecting any one of the first representation or the second representation using the GUI functions; and  
 setting parameters of the selected representation using the GUI functions.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the GUI functions comprise any one of a mouse, a mouse button, a keyboard, a touch-screen, a touch pad, speech recognition technology, cursor positioning or a light pen.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein any one of the first representation or the second representation is a displayed icon.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the moving the representation function is drag and drop.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2  wherein the setting parameters step comprises the further steps of: 
 initiating a display of parameter options using the GUI function;  
 operating on the display of parameter options according to a predetermined plan; and  
 exiting the display of parameter options.  
 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  comprising the further steps of: 
 initiating a test of the interconnected representations; and  
 highlighting the first representation to indicate functional state.  
 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein highlighting indicates any one of idle, functional, error or warning.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein highlighting is by way of any one of color, brightness, text message, shape altering or audio message.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising the further step of saving the first representation and the second representation and interconnection as a capsule representation.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the capsule representation is placed on a user's menu as a third representation of a program.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising the further steps of: 
 creating the first representation of the first web service; and  
 placing the created first representation on a user's menu.  
 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the first representation is moved from any one of the user's menu, a web page or a pull down system created menu.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the first representation is created from WSDL supplied by the web service.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the interconnecting step comprises UDDI integration.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the desired operation comprises creating any one of an audio file, video file, text viewable file, external program execution, graphical user interface change or graphical user interface dialog.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the second program is a web service program.  
     
     
         18 . A computer program product for creating computer programs in a web service environment, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code therein comprising: 
 computer readable program code for moving a first representation of a first web service program into a GUT displayed partition;    computer readable program code for moving a second representation of a second program into the GUT displayed partition; and    computer readable program code for interconnecting the first representation with the second representation using GUT functions wherein the first web service program programmably communicates with the second program to perform a desired operation.    
     
     
         19 . The computer program product according to  claim 18  further comprising: 
 computer readable program code for selecting any one of the first representation or the second representation using the GUI functions; and  
 computer readable program code for setting parameters of the selected representation using the GUI functions.  
 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product according to  claim 18  wherein the GUI functions comprise any one of a mouse, a mouse button, a keyboard, a touch-screen, a touch pad, speech recognition technology, cursor positioning or a light pen.  
     
     
         21 . The computer program product according to  claim 18  wherein any one of the first representation or second representation is a displayed icon.  
     
     
         22 . The computer program product according to  claim 18  wherein the moving the representation computer readable program code comprises drag and drop.  
     
     
         23 . The computer program product according to  claim 18  wherein the setting parameters computer readable program code further comprises: 
 computer readable program code for initiating a display of parameter options using the GUI function;  
 computer readable program code for operating on the display of parameter options according to a predetermined plan; and  
 computer readable program code for exiting the display of parameter options.  
 
     
     
         24 . A computer program product according to  claim 18  further comprising: 
 computer readable program code for initiating a test of the interconnected representations; and  
 computer readable program code for highlighting the first representation to indicate functional state.  
 
     
     
         25 . The computer program product according to  claim 24  wherein highlighting indicates any one of idle, functional, error or warning.  
     
     
         26 . The computer program product according to  claim 24  wherein highlighting is by way of any one of color, brightness, text message, shape altering or audio message.  
     
     
         27 . The computer program product according to  claim 18  further comprising computer readable program code for saving the representations and interconnection as a capsule representation.  
     
     
         28 . The computer program product according to  claim 27  wherein the capsule representation is placed on the user's menu as a third representation of a program.  
     
     
         29 . The computer program product according to  claim 18  further comprising: 
 computer readable program code for creating the first representation of the first web service; and  
 computer readable program code for placing the created first representation on a user's menu.  
 
     
     
         30 . The computer program product according to  claim 29  wherein the first representation is moved from any one of the user's menu, a web page or a pull down system created menu.  
     
     
         31 . The computer program product according to  claim 18  wherein the first representation is created from WSDL supplied by the web service.  
     
     
         32 . The computer program product according to  claim 18  wherein the computer readable program code for interconnecting comprises computer readable program code for UDDI integration.  
     
     
         33 . The computer program product according to  claim 18  wherein the desired operation comprises computer readable program code for creating any one of an audio file, video file, text viewable file, external program execution, graphical user interface change or graphical user interface dialog.  
     
     
         34 . The computer program product according to  claim 18  wherein the second program is a web service program.  
     
     
         35 . A system for creating computer programs in a web service environment, the system comprising: 
 a mover moving a first representation of a first web service program into a GUI displayed partition;    the mover moving a second representation of a second program into the GUI displayed partition; and    an interconnector interconnecting the first representation with the second representation using GUI functions wherein the first web service program programmably communicates with the second program to perform a desired operation.    
     
     
         36 . The system according to  claim 35  further comprising: 
 a selector selecting any one of the first representation or the second representation using the GUI functions; and  
 a parameter setter setting parameters of the selected representation using the GUI functions.  
 
     
     
         37 . The system according to  claim 35  wherein the GUI functions comprise any one of a mouse, a mouse button, a keyboard, a touch-screen, a touch pad, speech recognition technology, cursor positioning or a light pen.  
     
     
         38 . The system according to  claim 35  wherein the first representation or second representation is a displayed icon.  
     
     
         39 . The system according to  claim 35  wherein the moving the representation function is drag and drop.  
     
     
         40 . The system according to  claim 36  wherein the parameter setter further comprises: 
 a display initiator initiating a display of parameter options using the GUI function;  
 an operator operating on the display of parameter options according to a predetermined plan; and  
 an exiter exiting the display of parameter options.  
 
     
     
         41 . A system according to  claim 35  further comprising: 
 an initiator initiating a test of the interconnected representations; and  
 a modifier highlighting the first representation to indicate functional state.  
 
     
     
         42 . The system according to  claim 41  wherein highlighting indicates any one of idle, functional, error or warning.  
     
     
         43 . The system according to  claim 41  wherein highlighting is by way of any one of color, brightness, text message, shape altering or audio message.  
     
     
         44 . The system according to  claim 35  further comprising a representation saver saving the representations and interconnection as a capsule representation.  
     
     
         45 . The system according to  claim 44  wherein the capsule representation is placed on the user's menu as a third representation of a program.  
     
     
         46 . The system according to  claim 35  further comprising: 
 a creator creating the first representation of the first web service; and  
 menu placer placing the created first representation on a user's menu.  
 
     
     
         47 . The system according to  claim 45  wherein the first representation is moved from any one of the user's menu, a web page or pull down system created menu.  
     
     
         48 . The system according to  claim 35  wherein the first representation is created from WSDL supplied by the web service.  
     
     
         49 . The system according to  claim 35  wherein the interconnector further comprises UDDI integration.  
     
     
         50 . The system according to  claim 35  wherein the desired operation comprises creating any one of an audio file, video file, text viewable file, external program execution, graphical user interface change or graphical user interface dialog.  
     
     
         51 . The system according to  claim 35  wherein the second program is a web service program.