Patent ID: 7992093

Claim:
A method of graphically programming a distributed processing system utilizing a computer having a configuration canvas, at least one processor, and a plurality of function objects with, each of the function objects including fixed commands to perform only a particular function, said method comprising the steps of: placing a first object icon associated with a first function object onto the canvas at a first location with the first function object performing only a first function based on a fixed set of commands; placing a second object icon associated with a second function object onto the canvas at a second location, with the second location being different than the first location and with the second function object performing only a second function based on a fixed set of commands; placing a third object icon associated with a third function object onto the canvas at a third location, with the third location being different than the first and second locations and with the third function object performing only a third function based on a fixed set of commands; automatically routing a processing thread from one of the first and second object icons to the third object icon based on an orientation of the third location of the third object icon relative to the first location of the first object icon and the second location of the second object icon on the canvas with each of the object icons themselves being devoid of internal processing threads; creating a data flow path from an output of the first object icon to an input of the second object icon on the canvas separately from the routings processing thread on the canvas such that the processing thread and data flow path, are independent from each, other; and moving at least one of the object icons to a different location and automatically re-routing the processing threads based on the moved orientation of the first, second, and third object icon relative to each other on the canvas.