Integrating data/program structure and their visual expressions in the visual programming system

“Direct manipulation” has already become a popular keyword in the field of visual programming. In many visual programming systems (VPS), the user can manipulate the program from its visual expression in the editor subsystem, but the execution process is still displayed in another window and users have to move the mouse cursor frequently. The authors recognised the importance of the manipulation interface with which user can carry out necessary operations for programming in one field. They have implemented a prototype of such a VPS using the IntelligentPad architecture. The elements of the data/program structures are expressed as pads. When a user manipulates them, the program is also changed and is automatically evaluated