System and method for automatically generating code templates for communication via a predefined communication interface

Abstract

A system and method for providing seamless communication with threads executing on an embedded computer. Using a DAT system, a programmer can test the communication interfaces of a thread via either a scripting program, any COM-compliant program, or a graphical test utility. The DAT system automatically formats a block of data that is transmitted between the embedded computer and a host computer and accounts for machine specific enumeration sizes, machine specific pointer sizes, machine specific structure alignment boundaries, machine specific integer sizes, and machine specific byte ordering.

1 . A method of generating code in an electronic device, the method comprising: 
 reading an interface definition file;    identifying at least one messaging interface in the interface definition file;    in the electronic device, automatically generating a first code for execution on a first platform, wherein a first program is configured to execute the generated first code so as to communicate with a second program via the messaging interface; and    providing code in the electronic device that is configured to automatically modify the byte order or the data type size of data that is transmitted via the messaging interface.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interface definition file identifies each of the parameters that are transmitted via the messaging interface.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second program is configured to execute on an embedded computer.  
   
   
       4 . A method of generating code in an electronic device, the method comprising: 
 reading an interface definition file;    identifying at least one function call interface in the interface definition file;    in the electronic device, automatically generating a first code for execution on a first platform, wherein a first program is configured to execute the generated first code so as to communicate with a second program via the function call interface; and    providing code in the electronic device that is configured to automatically modify the byte order or the data type size of data that is transmitted via the function call interface.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the interface definition file identifies each of the parameters that are transmitted via the function call interface.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the second program is configured to execute on an embedded computer.  
   
   
       7 . A system configured to automatically generate at least one code template, the system comprising: 
 an interface definition file that identifies at least one messaging interface in the interface definition file and at least one parameter associated with the messaging interface; and    a code generator configured to determine which of the messaging interfaces in the interface definition file define broadcast messages, the code generator configured to generate at least one broadcast message code template based upon information in the interface definition file.    
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the interface definition file identifies each of the parameters that are transmitted via the messaging interface.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the code generator generates a function for sending a response for at least one two-way message identified in the interface description file.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the code generator is configured to generate a pointer setup command that operates on the parameters associated with the messaging interface.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the code generator is configured to generate a pointer attach command that operates on the parameters associated with the messaging interface.  
   
   
       12 . A system configured to automatically generate at least one code template, the system comprising: 
 an interface definition file that identifies at least one function interface in the interface definition file; and    a code generator configured to generate a send command code template, the send command code template configured to be compiled and subsequently executed on a first electronic device, the code generator also configured to generate a register message code template for the function interface, the register message configured to be compiled and susbsequently executed on a second device.    
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first device is an embedded computer.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the code generator is configured to generate a pointer setup command that operates on the parameters associated with the function interface.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the code generator is configured to generate a pointer attach command that operates on the parameters associated with the function interface.