The Gui Builder is a source-code generator that runs on a Mosaic touchscreen controller to assist OEMs in creating an effective and interactive human-machine interface for various applications
Mosaic has released a Gui Builder as part of its Gui software toolkit for Mosaic's embedded touchscreen-operated controllers.
"While the controller's Gui Toolkit already provides the tools needed to code a custom Gui for an application, the Gui Builder goes a step beyond that by coding the Gui", - said David Siu, Mosaic's lead design engineer.
"It gives a what-you-see-is-what-you-get approach to creating menus by placing and grouping graphics and buttons on the controller's display".
The user can edit and test screen layouts directly on target hardware.
As menus are created, the user controls the Gui Builder through a serial terminal while simultaneously viewing the menus on the controller's LCD.
When adding new graphics or buttons to the menus, objects are moved to the desired places with a finger on the controller's touchscreen or using keys on the PC keyboard.
After the menu content has been created, the Gui Builder generates the source code that implements the newly built user interface.
This source code is used directly in the application, or can be further edited by hand as needed.
The Gui Builder allows OEMs to design graphical user interface visually, eliminating the need to painstakingly work out the screen coordinates of each of Gui objects.
All that is needed to get started using the Gui Builder is a graphics library.
Users may employ Mosaic's sample library or create their own custom graphics.
The Gui Builder as part of Gui Software Toolkit is provided free of charge with the purchase of any Mosaic embedded instrument controller.
