Method and apparatus for computer aided design of human-machine interface animated graphical elements

A method for the computer aided design of human machine interface animated graphical elements, the method comprising:

• receiving through a user interface a selection of a graphic comprising a plurality of components in a design format;
• receiving through the user interface an indication that a first component of the plurality of components is static;
• receiving through the user interface an indication that a second component of the plurality of components is dynamic;
• converting the first component from the design format to a static format by a processor;
• converting the second component from the design format to a dynamic format by the processor;
• and
• exporting the graphic with the first component in the static format and the second component in the dynamic format through a communication interface.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon program instructions to facilitate the computer aided design of human machine interface animated graphical elements, wherein the program instructions, when executed by a computing system, direct the computing system to at least:

• receive through a user interface a selection of a graphic comprising a plurality of components in a design format;
• receive through the user interface an indication that a first component of the plurality of components is static;
• receive through the user interface an indication that a second component of the plurality of components is dynamic;
• convert the first component from the design format to a static format;
• convert the second component from the design format to an extensible markup language format;
• export the graphic with the first component in the static format and the second component in the extensible markup language format
• open the second component in the extensible markup language format in a markup language editor;
• receive at least one public property or binding for the second component in the extensible markup language format;
• modify the second component in the extensible markup language format to include the at least one public property or binding;
• save the graphic with the first component in the static format and the modified second component in the extensible markup language format;
• display a graphical representation of the graphic including the modified second component in the extensible markup language format including animation of the graphic as defined within the modified second component in the extensible markup language format;
• open the graphic in a screen editor;
• receive at least one instruction binding the graphic to a tag in a controller;
• save the graphic and the binding as a human machine interface screen;
• and
• display the human machine interface screen on a human machine interface.