Features   The description of the screen layout is specified by compact binary coded scripts . Separate bit ranges used for commands , data prefixes , data and text . The User Interfaces - via the scripts - can be developed very quickly and very easily . Not only can products be released quicker but also more time is available for the User Interface design - eg. for maximising the quality and features of the design . Through the use of different script files for the same Application - different User Interfaces ( skins ) can be designed for different market areas thus maximising the market reach of your product . As such both large general and small niche markets can be easily and cheaply catered for . Scripts can be accessed as files - this allows the User Interface to be remotely changed and updated . Further because the Application acts only as a functional module the application code can be fixed - as it often would not need any alterations when the features are updated - where these are provided by the User Interface . Scripts can also be compiled in as part of the code . Multiple script files ( including library files ) can be simultaneously accessed . Script files can be closed . Script ‘ objects ‘ and associated ‘ display objects ‘ are created on script execution . Scripts can be ‘ instantiated ‘ - re-executed as separate entities . Full script , branch and overlay management and controls are provided . Screens . Overlayed Screens . Branches ( parent and child script objects ) . Segments - branch sections that can be removed from the branch . General and specific instantiation of branches . Command based removal of scripts ( script objects ) and branches ( parent and child script objects ) . Automatic displacement ( removal ) of scripts and branches displayed at the same position . Automatic detection and handling of conditions such as looped branches and implied script instantiation . Re-display of area associated scripts - when actions such as text field movement and re-sizing occurs . Automatic display object re-display ( on associated data change ) and automatic complete screen re-display . Inline ( within the script ) , System , Local ( to the scripts ) and Global ( Application ) Data . Indexed ( script and data array ) , Percentage , Script Table and Parameter based data . Numerical , string , document and picture data and graphics characters . Separate character ranges for commands , data description prefixes and data and screen text . Bi-directional parsing of scripts . Interchangeable data sources . Data Objects - all data types - including Unsigned and Signed Decimal , Binary , Hex , String , Document ( eg. .txt files ) and Picture . Initial value setting . Maximum value setting and checking . Inline and external setting via data messages . Static and Dynamic ( variable ) . Inline Table and Dynamic Array based data . Fixed and variable size string and text document data . Instantiated data . Parameter passed and referenced . Direct connection to Application Data and Functions - easily specified via Data ' Object ' Tables . Application data is automatically updated and application functions automatically called . Alteration of data in the Front End - User Interface - causes automatic updating of application data and calling of associated functions . Linkage to the Application is via simple tables - macros are supplied to encode the table entries . The tables specify the ‘ object ‘ names and the data and associated and separate functions . Linkage to the Application uses an ' object ' based format and provides for Gain Focus ( constructor ) and Lose Focus ( destructor ) functions . Objects are named within the Application and within the scripts . Linkage is on the basis of the ' object ' name and the ' object ' field number - within ANSI C format . Linkage from the Application to the Front End is via a simple set of macros . Application Data can be static or dynamic . If dynamic the application side Object Manager will automatically create the data on the heap . The Application can remotely change the system data to cause , for example , the display of a specified script . Linkage to Scripts and Data Based Selection of Scripts by :- Directly specified data within the script - out of a command parameter list - within the text area . Link command - displays the specified script . Multi Link command - displays the list of scripts for the number of scripts specified in the data . Has overlay controls . Call command - allows parameters to be passed from script to script - provides for the design of complex and portable screen objects - such as Menus and Combo Boxes . Call External command - allows parameters to be passed from a script to a script in an separate script file . 'Script Macros' - sections of script code and data can be defined as macros and be referred to as code or data . ' Widgets' - external scripts executed via numerical ( enumerated ) references . Widgets be referred to as code or data . Repeat command - repeats the specified script for the number of times specified in the data . Page command - repeats the specified script for the number of times specified in the data . Provides page controls - allows buttons ( eg. directory entries ) to be created and managed as a page . While command - repeats the specified script while the specified data is FALSE ( 0 value ) . Choice command - displays the script corresponding to the index specified in the data . Masked Link command - displays the list of scripts corresponding to the selection bits specified in the data . This allows scripts to be linked to ( executed at the current script position ) and allows the screen display to be altered in response to data changes . Altering the data causes an automatic update of the display . The Multi Link , Repeat , Page , While , Choice & Masked Link commands can also handle inline script code sections . Dependence of scripts on data - when the data is altered the script is re-executed ( re-displayed ) or removed . Internal Scripts - referred to by Script Number - and External Scripts - referred to by Script File Name . Scripts handled as files - can be externally loaded and updated . Script files can also be placed directly in the code space . Association of Scripts with data - when the data is altered the script is removed or is re-executed ( re-displayed ) . All styles are specified within Style Tables . Individual Frame , Area , Table , Field , Graphics and Font styles can be selected . Styles can also be overridden by using the Set Style command . Text Styles :- Type Face - eg. Arial , Garamond etc. . Style - eg. italic , bold etc. . Size . Background and Foreground Colours . Variable Font - full screen and data text display and cursor movement handling . Script lines are parsed - text and objects - to detect the overall line height and ascent . Control over the line height and ascent is provided . Frame Styles :- Flat , Raised and Lowered Edges . Edge Width setting . Rectangular and Rounded Corners . Frame Pattern and Colour with optional Background Picture . Background and Foreground Pattern and Colours . Raised and Lowered Lands . Left , Central and Right Aligned Labels . Default style and sub-style handling . Additional Associated Styles :- Fonts - type , style , size - screen text , areas and fields . Spacing - areas and fields . Framing of Text Displays , Areas , Fields , Tables and Table Cells . Setting of Font and Graphics Styles . Areas - defines start position , size and frame . Tables with Default and Custom Cells - handled as areas . Data Fields - with full data editing facilities :- Character , Word and Field Cursor Movement - Left and Right , Up and Down and between fields . Overflow and wrap around . Go To Line Start , Line End , Data Start and Data End . Page Up , Page Down , Page Left and Page Right . Previous Page and Next Page . Delete Previous Character & Delete Current Character . Insert & Revise . Mouse , Cursor and Word based Data Selections . Select All . Delete , Replace , Cut , Copy & Paste . Drag and drop - copy ( out of the field ) and move ( in the field ) operations . UnDo and Re-Do . Increment and Decrement data . Data fields display a ' window ' on the data - data is automatically moved into and out of the display area . Vertical and Horizontal Scroll Bars ( sliders with movement buttons ) . Grab Bars with Hide \ Show , Minimise \ Maximise and Close Controls . Movement and Re-sizing . The cursor can be allowed to move to the outer right of the display area . Password - '*' - characters can be displayed on character input . Descriptive Messages - removed from data on selection of the data field . Display Only and Display and Edit . Automatic association of data fields with associated data editor component - according to data type . Button Fields :- Full range of types and frame styles provided for . Can - via the GDI - display any button type - no frame , standard frame types , check box , radio button etc. Can be explicitly displayed or can be associated with text or screen areas . Can be displayed Up , Down or Highlighted . Can operate on Cursor Selection , Button Down or Down then Up - Mouse Button or Enter key , Right Click or Double Click . Can be toggled and auto toggled - eg. menu operation . Can be cursor selected . Field Selection , Mouse and Enter Key button press or Mouse Only button press . When pressed causes the execution of the associated script . The label can be specified inline or specified by data . The label can be left , center or right aligned . Can be field selected - eg. the selection of files within a directory . The selections ( button labels ) being loaded into system data which can then be sent through to the Application . The selections can also be pasted or dropped into data . Buttons can be clicked through - data labels can be edited - allows , for example , for file names to be changed . Menus with full page controls can be constructed . Link Section fields can be left mouse button activated , double click left left mouse button activated and right mouse button activated . Activate and Link Section fields can be overlayed on other fields . Button presses execute events :- Script Execution . or Data Setting . and \ or Application Function Execution . Link Section Fields - when the mouse button is pressed over the screen area ( defined as a script or rectangular section ) the associated script is executed . Activate Fields - executes the associated script when the mouse cursor is held over the area . Can be used to display descriptive ( eg. help ) text . Hidden Section Fields - when the button is pressed - toggled - the associated script is executed revealing a hidden section . This allows pages to be designed on the basis of drill down - going from titles & summaries to full content . Grab Bar Field - can be associated with data and can be used as a grab bar for areas and data fields . Slider Field - with movement buttons - can be associated with data and can be used as a scroll bar for a data field . Drop Field - allows data that has been selected to be dropped indirectly into data areas . Resource Field - Audio , Picture or Movie . Graph Field . Fields can be overlayed on top of each other . Positions: - Absolute and Relative positioning . Absolute and Relative rotation . Movement relative to line tops and bases . Movement relative to Area sides . Area associated positioning . Areas can be referred to from outside or from within the area . Table associated positioning . Tables can be referred to from outside or from within the table . Tabs with positions set by tab tables . Indents . Horizontal - left , center and right - Alignment . Vertical - top , middle and bottom - Alignment . Inherited and Current Display States . Ordered lists with type specification - ([{ a A 1 i I }]) - and with full nesting . Data Operations :- General - Select Data ( contextual based ) , Select Current Field Data & Select Specified Field Data , Externalise Data . Arrays - Clear Array , Set Number of Entries , Get Number of Entries , Set Entry Width , Get Entry Width , Get Entry Height , Sort & Reverse , Insert and Delete Entries . Button Width . Menu Width & Height . File Based - Load File Name , Search , Search extended , Load , Save , Store , Rename , Copy , Move and Delete . Data Base - Load , Save & Store , Insert & Delete Fields and Lines . Arithmetic - Load , Load Array , Exchange , Append , Clear , Increment , Add , Decrement , Subtract , Multiply , Divide , Remainder , Percent , Minimum , Maximum , Decrement on Not Zero and Negative . Arithmetic Conditional - Not Equal , Equal , Less Than , Less Than or Equal , Greater Than , Greater Than or Equal . Logical - And , And Not , Or , Xor , Shift Left , Shift Right , Invert , Not . Logical Conditional - No 1's Match , Some 1's Match , All 1's Match . Exit on Zero , Exit on Non Zero . Application Function Execution - Synchronous and Asynchronous . Graphics :- Lines . Rectangles . Arcs . Fill Graphic Areas . Blank Graphic Areas . The graphics commands , as with all commands , use formatted data - where the data source is specified as a prefix . As such if a variable data source is used and if the data is altered the whole script that contains the graphic command is re-executed - thus causing re-drawing of the graphics in the script . Graphics Styles :- Line Type . Line Width . Line Colour . Foreground and background colour . Automatic initialisation script execution . Setting of language section characteristics . Setting of default Display State characteristics - loaded on execution of scripts within script command specified ranges . Execute Script ( display script - constructor ) , Re-display Script and Remove Script ( script based and external application based removal of the script from display - destructor ) operations . Removal of overlay areas , branches and screens . Overlaid scripts and Areas . Transparent ( actions go through ) scripts and opaque ( actions don't go through ) Areas . Restriction of cursor movement to selected Areas . Localisation of actions to overlays . Overlay of screens ( ensures no transparency to the underlying screen ) . Automatic displacement of scripts of the same level previously displayed at the same position . Full management of scripts , script objects and associated objects . Automatic displacement of screens by screens . Script Timer operation provided - causes the execution of scripts after the expiration of a specified time . The timers can be single shot or repeated . Scripts can also be removed from display . Timer management facilities are also provided . Input Events can be generated within scripts and be executed on fields . This allows , for example , for keyboards to be constructed on the screen . Layout controls :- Vertical - organise into columns . Horizontal - organise into rows . Offset Y - tile overlayed . Offset X - tile overlayed . Headings . Headers and Footers . Spacing . Because the Module uses basic commands ( rather than complex display object graphic commands ) a very high level of control is available to specify the layout and appearance of complex screen objects . The commands provided can be easily put together to construct complex objects . As such Menus and Combo Boxes can , for example , have any button type and layout and lines between items. Further because these objects are constructed using component commands they can be widely varied in their design . As such , for example , overlaid buttons and dividing lines can be put on menu's and different button types can be used for combo boxes . As such full control is provided over the presentation of the User Interface . Full Multiple Language handling - either included within the script file or within a separate language file that is loaded when the language selector is altered - is provided . 8 bit extended ASCII ( eg. European ) character sets catered for . The Application can be remotely located from the User Interface . The User Interface can be located in a separate chip - Software On Silicon - single chip solution . This allows a distributed processing solution to be provided . The User Interface can be located on a separate computer - this minimises the byte space required on the embedded device . The Front End Module is asynchronous - ie. no lock ups ! User Interfaces are asynchronous in nature as such they require :- Ease of movement between menus - branches - not only going up a branch but directly across to another branch . Inputs from multiple sources :- keyboard . mouse . the application . The User Interface must be able to react to these as they occur . As the Front End Module is asynchronous all these are handled . There is a MultiMedia framework - play engine - providing full management of decode operations . There aren't , however , any associated source , demultiplex , decode & sink components . The Module is easy to port - it only requires minimal OS and GDI functions and is extensively instrumented . Architecture