System and method for enabling a graphical program to propagate attributes of inputs and outputs of blocks

A method for creating a graphical program, comprising:

• displaying a function block in a graphical program, wherein the function block is configured to perform a first function, wherein the function block comprises one or more inputs and one or more outputs, and wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected blocks which visually indicate the functionality of the graphical program;
• receiving user input selecting the function block to configure the function block;
• receiving user input assembling a second graphical program that visually specifies calculation of attributes of the one or more outputs based on attributes of the one or more inputs, wherein the second graphical program comprises a second plurality of interconnected blocks which visually indicate the calculation of the attributes of the one or more outputs, wherein said receiving user input assembling is performed in response to the user input selecting the function block;
• executing the graphical program;
• and
• during said executing the graphical program, the function block automatically determining the attributes of the one or more outputs of the function block based on the attributes of the one or more inputs to the function block, wherein said determining comprises executing the second graphical program.

A non-transitory, computer readable memory medium storing program instructions of a function block included in a graphical program, wherein the program instructions are executable to implement a function block comprising:

• one or more inputs;
• and
• one or more outputs;
• wherein the function block is configured to perform a first function, and wherein the graphical program comprises a plurality of interconnected blocks which visually indicate the functionality of the graphical program;
• wherein the function block is configured to receive user input specifying an attribute behavior for the function block, wherein the user input assembles a second graphical program that visually specifies calculation of attributes of the one or more outputs based on attributes of the one or more inputs, wherein the second graphical program comprises a second plurality of interconnected blocks which visually indicate the calculation of the attributes of the one or more outputs, wherein said receiving user input assembling is performed;
• and
• wherein the function block is configured to automatically determine attributes of the one or more outputs of the function block based on attributes of the one or more inputs to the function block via execution of the second graphical program.