Integrated data viewer

1. A non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium that stores program instructions executable by a processor to perform:

executing a program, comprising displaying data associated with the program in a first instance of a graphical user interface (GUI) element, wherein the data associated with the program comprise plural data elements, wherein the GUI element is a compound GUI element comprising multiple constituent GUI elements, wherein the first instance of the GUI element is comprised in a GUI of the program, and wherein said displaying data associated with the program in a first instance of a graphical user interface (GUI) element comprises displaying the plural data elements in respective first instances of the constituent GUI elements;

saving the data one or more times during or after execution of the program in response to input, including saving information describing the GUI element; and

displaying the saved data in a second instance of the GUI element in response to user input invoking display of the saved data, based on the saved information describing the GUI element, wherein the second instance of the GUI element is comprised in a data viewer that is separate and distinct from the program, and wherein said displaying the saved data in a second instance of the GUI element comprises displaying the saved data elements in respective second instances of the constituent GUI elements.

2. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1 ,

wherein said executing the program comprises executing the program in a development environment; and

wherein the data viewer is comprised in the development environment.

3. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 2 , wherein the data viewer includes a GUI for specifying or invoking one or more of:

navigation between the data viewer and an editor in the development environment for editing the program;

a different GUI element for displaying the saved data;

configuration of one or more GUI elements for display of saved data;

annotations for the saved data;

export of previously saved data; or

export of an image of displayed data.

4. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1 , wherein the data viewer includes a GUI for displaying one or more of:

a type of the GUI element; or

data type of the displayed saved data.

5. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1 , wherein said saving the data further comprises saving one or more of:

a timestamp for the saved data indicating when the data were saved; or

an indication of the source of the saved data.

6. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:

repeating said executing the program and said saving the data one or more times in an iterative manner, thereby generating multiple saved data sets; and

displaying respective specified saved data sets in respective second instances of the GUI element in response to respective user input invoking display of the respective specified saved data sets.

7. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1 ,

wherein the program instructions are further executable to perform:

receiving user input specifying a different GUI element for display of the saved data;

saving information describing the different GUI element; and

displaying the saved data in an instance of the different GUI element in response to further user input invoking display of the saved data.

8. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 7 ,

wherein said specifying a different GUI element for display of the saved data comprises specifying a default GUI element for display of the saved data.

9. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 8 ,

wherein the saved data has a data type;

wherein the different GUI element comprises a default GUI element for display of one or more of:

any saved data of the data type;

any saved data of the data type associated with the program; or

any saved data associated with the program that was originally displayed in the first instance of the GUI element.

10. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1 , wherein the program comprises a graphical program comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes that visually indicate functionality of the graphical program.

11. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1 ,

wherein the graphical program comprises a graphical data flow program.

12. The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of claim 1 ,

wherein the program is operable to perform one or more of:

an industrial automation function;

a process control function; or

a test and measurement function.

13. A computer-implemented method for recording and displaying data associated with a program, the method comprising:

utilizing a computer to perform:

executing a program, comprising displaying data associated with the program in a first instance of a graphical user interface (GUI) element, wherein the data associated with the program comprise plural data elements, wherein the GUI element is a compound GUI element comprising multiple constituent GUI elements, wherein the first instance of the GUI element is comprised in a GUI of the program, and wherein said displaying data associated with the program in a first instance of a graphical user interface (GUI) element comprises displaying the plural data elements in respective first instances of the constituent GUI elements;

saving the data one or more times during or after execution of the program in response to input, including saving information describing the GUI element; and

displaying the saved data in a second instance of the GUI element in response to user input invoking display of the saved data, based on the saved information describing the GUI element, wherein the second instance of the GUI element is comprised in a data viewer that is separate and distinct from the program, and wherein said displaying the saved data in a second instance of the GUI element comprises displaying the saved data elements in respective second instances of the constituent GUI elements.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 ,

wherein said executing the program comprises:

executing the program in a development environment; and

wherein the data viewer is comprised in the development environment.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the data viewer includes a GUI for specifying or invoking one or more of:

navigation between the data viewer and an editor in the development environment for editing the program;

a different GUI element for displaying the saved data;

configuration of one or more GUI elements for display of saved data;

annotations for the saved data;

export of previously saved data; or

export of an image of displayed data.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the data viewer includes a GUI for displaying one or more of:

a type of the GUI element; or

data type of the displayed saved data.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein said saving the data further comprises saving one or more of:

a timestamp for the saved data indicating when the data were saved; or

an indication of the source of the saved data.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , the method further comprising:

repeating said executing the program and said saving the data one or more times in an iterative manner, thereby generating multiple saved data sets; and

displaying respective specified saved data sets in respective second instances of the GUI element in response to respective user input invoking display of the respective specified saved data sets.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , the method further comprising:

receiving user input specifying a different GUI element for display of the saved data;

saving information describing the different GUI element; and

displaying the saved data in an instance of the different GUI element in response to further user input invoking display of the saved data.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 ,

wherein said specifying a different GUI element for display of the saved data comprises specifying a default GUI element for display of the saved data.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20 ,

wherein the saved data has a data type;

wherein the different GUI element comprises a default GUI element for display of one or more of:

any saved data of the data type;

any saved data of the data type associated with the program; or

any saved data associated with the program that was originally displayed in the first instance of the GUI element.

22. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory medium coupled to the processor, wherein the memory medium stores program instructions executable by the processor to:

execute a program, comprising displaying data associated with the program in a first instance of a graphical user interface (GUI) element, wherein the data associated with the program comprise plural data elements, wherein the GUI element is a compound GUI element comprising multiple constituent GUI elements, wherein the first instance of the GUI element is comprised in a GUI of the program, and wherein said displaying data associated with the program in a first instance of a graphical user interface (GUI) element comprises displaying the plural data elements in respective first instances of the constituent GUI elements;

save the data one or more times during or after execution of the program in response to input, including saving information describing the GUI element; and

display the saved data in a second instance of the GUI element in response to user input invoking display of the saved data, based on the saved information describing the GUI element, wherein the second instance of the GUI element is comprised in a data viewer that is separate and distinct from the program, and wherein said displaying the saved data in a second instance of the GUI element comprises displaying the saved data elements in respective second instances of the constituent GUI elements.