Program generator

Claim 1

A flowchart generator having an editing mode for preparing a flowchart, for writing instructions on said flowchart, and for deleting or inserting instructions from or on the flowchart, a program transfer mode for transferring a prepared program for external equipment, and a monitor mode for monitoring operation of said external equipment, said generator comprising: input means for inputting data descriptive of a flowchart to be generated, including user instructions, and for setting one of said editing, program transfer and monitoring modes; a display for displaying a flowchart to be generated, said flowchart to be generated being comprised of flowchart symbols; a code generator comprised of an assemble code generator connected to said input means for receiving program data input via said input means and for generating an assemble code as an intermediate code of a graphic program code representative of each said flowchart symbol for intermediate processing to prepare said flowchart to be prepared, an assemble data buffer connected to said assemble code generator for temporarily storing said assemble code generated by said assemble code generator and for storing flowchart symbols extracted in the editing mode in conformity with user instructions input via said input means, and an assemble buffer control connected to said assemble code generator and to said assemble data buffer for controlling the transfer, for flowchart preparation and editing, of said assemble code generated by said assemble code generator to said assemble data buffer; a graphic program code generator connected to said code generator and to said display for generating said graphic program code based upon said assemble code in conformity with said user instructions input via said input means and for transmitting said graphic program code to said display for displaying a prepared flowchart thereon; a display cursor control connected to said input means and to said display, in the editing mode, for specifying and editing the position of the flowchart displayed on said display and needed to be corrected or added with any symbol for editing, and for extracting and transmitting a flowchart symbol located in said editing position to said code generator for editing therein; a graphic program temporary buffer connected to said graphic program code generator and display for temporarily storing therein said graphic program code generated in said graphic program code generator and for storing said flowchart symbol extracted by said display cursor control upon editing via said assemble data buffer; a graphic program assemble code converter connected to said graphic program temporary buffer and said assemble data buffer for converting said flowchart symbol temporarily stored in said graphic program temporary buffer to an assemble code for editing of the flowchart in said code generator and for temporarily storing thereafter said assemble code so converted for later processing; and a code converter connected to said graphic temporary buffer for converting the graphic program information descriptive of the finished flowchart to a predetermined program language for use in external equipment.