Patent ID: 7593944

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for creating a variable for use in a program, the method comprising: displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) in response to user input requesting creation of a variable, wherein the variable comprises a specification of a named memory location for storing one or more values, and wherein the variable does not store or reference program instructions; receiving user input to the GUI specifying attributes of the variable, wherein the attributes comprise: name; data type; and scope storing the specified attributes; instantiating the variable in accordance with the specified attributes; and displaying a representation of the variable, wherein the representation of the variable comprises an icon, wherein the variable is selectable via the representation for inclusion in one or more graphical programs, wherein each graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program; including the variable in a plurality of graphical programs in response to user input; Configuring the variable, said configuring comprising: Displaying the GUI in response to user input requesting configuration of the variables; Receiving user input to the GUI configuring the attributes of the variable wherein the attributes comprise; name; data type; and scope; storing the configured attributes; and updating the variable in each of the plurality of graphical programs in accordance with the configured attributes.