Method and apparatus for displaying a current configuration of test instruments to a user

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• determining a current configuration of instruments which are connected in a user's test system;
• retrieving an icon associated with each instrument, said icons being sized proportionally to the instruments they represent;
• displaying the icons within a graphical user interface (GUI);
• and
• graphically connecting the icons within the GUI, in accord with said current configuration of instruments.

Apparatus, comprising:

• computer readable media;
• and
• program code, stored on said computer readable media, comprising:
• code to determine a current configuration of instruments which are connected in a user's test system;
• code to retrieve an icon associated with each instrument;
• code to display the icons within a graphical user interface (GUI), and to graphically connect the icons in accord with said current configuration of instruments;
• and
• code to, upon selection of an instrument icon, coupled with a given menu selection, hide the instrument icon.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• determining a current configuration of instruments which are connected in a user's test system;
• retrieving an icon associated with each instrument;
• displaying the icons within a graphical user interface (GUI);
• graphically connecting the icons within the GUI, in accord with said current configuration of instruments;
• and
• upon selection of an instrument icon, coupled with a given menu selection, hiding the instrument icon.

Apparatus, comprising:

• computer readable media;
• and
• program code, stored on said computer readable media, comprising:
• code to determine a current configuration of instruments which are connected in a user's test system;
• code to retrieve an icon associated with each instrument, said icons being pictures of said instruments;
• and
• code to display the icons within a graphical user interface (GUI), and to graphically connect the icons in accord with said current configuration of instruments.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• determining a current configuration of instruments which are connected in a user's test system;
• retrieving an icon associated with each instrument, said icons being pictures of said instruments;
• displaying the icons within a graphical user interface (GUI);
• and
• graphically connecting the icons within the GUI, in accord with said current configuration of instruments.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• determining a current configuration of instruments which are connected in a user's test system;
• retrieving an icon associated with each instrument;
• displaying the icons within a graphical user interface (GUI);
• graphically connecting the icons within the GUI, in accord with said current configuration of instruments;
• and
• upon selection of an instrument icon displayed within the GUI, coupled with a given menu selection, launching an instrument properties interface, wherein the instrument properties interface comprises a driver listing page.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• determining a current configuration of instruments which are connected in a user's test system;
• retrieving an icon associated with each instrument;
• displaying the icons within a graphical user interface (GUI);
• graphically connecting the icons within the GUI, in accord with said current configuration of instruments;
• and
• comparing said current configuration to a past configuration and, upon detecting differences in the configurations, graphically representing said differences within the GUI, said represented differences including indications of instruments that appeared in the past but not the current configuration.