Author_Institution :
AT&T Bell Labs., Murray Hill, NJ, USA
Abstract :
The interpretive frame system (IFS), a tool for building application systems, is presented. IFS separates high-level design and user-interface programming from domain-specific programming. It offers a language suitable for implementing systems of interconnected tasks, simplifies the construction of sophisticated but easy-to-use user interfaces, and increases tool reuse in system construction. A system built with IFs is called a frame system, and it consists of four layers-the user interface, system structure, computational functions, and data architecture-which are described. The IFS language and programming environment are also described. A programming example is given. Reuse and prototyping are discussed.<>
Keywords :
high level languages; programming environments; software engineering; software reusability; software tools; IFS; IFS language; application systems; computational functions; data architecture; domain-specific programming; frame system; high-level design; interconnected tasks; interpretive frame system; programming environment; prototyping; system construction; system structure; tool reuse; user-interface programming; Application software; Buildings; Database systems; Displays; Embedded software; LAN interconnection; Prototypes; Relational databases; Runtime; User interfaces;
