GUI design tool for embedded device

Question

I am looking for a set of tools to help me design a GUI for an embedded device with limited resources

embedded device overview:

1. runs c code
2. has an external EEPROM
3. has 16-characeter lcd (it's no iphone)
4. has keypad
5. has limited amount of RAM (cannot contain all gui data in memory) and computing resources

GUI overview:

1. DAG (directed acyclic graph) of widgets with a root node (main menu)
2. simple widget types: menu, combo box, spin box, text field, password, wizard,

i am looking for a tool that lets me graphically design the GUI

• define widgets. each widget is roughly characterized by
  • type (menu, combo box, spin box password, etc).
  • widget-specific fields
  • children widgets (0 or more)
  • custom/user-defined fields
    • callbacks
    • EEPROM addresses
• links between the widgets
  • e.g. menu and children

the GUI design tool would produce an intermediary format (YAML/XML) to be translated by a script (which i will write) to C code.

it would be nice (but not mandatory) for 2 way translation to work ( a reverse script (which i will write) would translate the C code into the intermediary format, to be sucessfully read and edited by the graphic GUI design tool).

GUI design tool need not be fancy (e.g. in the simple embedded device there is no notion of widget placement, layout, multitouch or windows) but it does need to show me

• the (expandable/collapsible) list of fields for each widgets
• widget hierarchy (not strictly hierarchy, as widgetry may be a DAG)

please include the following in your answers:

• design tool
• link to design tool output (input) format
• example of how custom fields are exportable/importable by/to the design tool

Answer 1

I would guess (although I could be wrong) that such a thing doesn't exist. You have a fairly bespoke scenario, so I imagine you'll have to write your own tool if you want this sort of functionality.

You may be best off simply using a good XML editor (newer versions of Visual Studio spring to mind), set up with a roubst schema (to enable intellisense/auto-complete/etc.) You'll be able to see the hierarchy directly, you'll be able to collapse things at will, there'll be error-checking, and so on.