Patent ID: 7861177

Claim:
A method to be executed as part of a process for creating an executable configuration program that comprises multiple steps that are successively executed and wherein associated with each of the steps are user-selectable options, the method comprising: generating a user interface including at least (i) a logic flow area for a user to define a command structure for the configuration program including at least one step, (ii) a refinement area for the user to specify a configuration detail regarding a step arranged in the logic flow area, and (iii) a rule palette for the user to create a rule, wherein the rule palette provides multiple conditional operators and entry fields; creating and storing in a repository the rule that during execution of the configuration program determines which of the user-selectable options for the step are displayed when a specified user-selectable option of a previous step is selected, wherein the step and the previous step are arranged in the logic flow area and the user specifies the rule in the refinement area; binding the rule in the repository to the specified user-selectable option so that during execution of the configuration program the rule is executed when the specified user-selectable option is selected; creating and storing in the repository a textual explanation of the step that describes available user-selectable options for the step; and binding the textual explanation in the repository to the step so that during execution of the configuration program the textual explanation of the step is displayed.